J.J. Hensley is a former police officer and former Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service. Originally from Huntington, WV,  Hensley graduated from Penn State University with a B.S. in Administration of Justice and has an M.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from Columbia Southern University. He currently resides near Savannah, GA.

Hensley is the author of seven mystery/action thrillers including four Trevor Galloway Mysteries. He has also collaborated with other authors in several anthologies. 

J.J.’s answers to our questions for Mystery Month: 

1.    What made you decide to write in the mystery/action thriller genre?

Writing mysteries and thrillers was an obvious choice for me because I’ve always been a reader of those works. When you are a massive fan of a genre, it’s difficult to imagine writing much else. In fact, the spark that got me started was that my wife and I would read and listen to the same books and then spend time discussing what we liked and didn’t like about certain novels. Over time we talked about what we might do differently if one of us had written the story. My wife is more of a numbers person, and I tend to drift toward the written word, so eventually, she suggested I take a shot at writing a book. It took a while for me to take the leap, but I got lucky when I did and found some success.

2.    How do you balance the use of technology and good old-fashioned sleuthing in your books?

The rapid advances in technology are a fun challenge when I’m writing a story. Long gone are the days when someone is completely unreachable. I mean how many times can you have your protagonist’s cell phone die or inauspiciously lose a signal? I view the involvement of tech tools as hurdles that make me think harder about how I’m going to design crimes and solutions. These days, everyone has a computer in his or her pocket. Every phone is a flashlight. Paper maps are all but obsolete. The detective in your book doesn’t have to be a computer hacker, but you have to account for the conveniences of modern society and what the bad guys have at their disposal.

3.    How important is research for this genre?

As anyone who has ever read up on me knows, I value research to the extreme. Nobody can be an expert in everything and it’s okay to admit if you don’t know something. Over the years, I’ve conducted extensive research on distance running, blacksmithing, sniper rifles, the sport of biathlon, record players and turntables (there is a difference!), and many other topics all in the cause of writing novels. Not only does getting the details right make the book more enjoyable for the reader, but it makes the writing process feel more authentic for the author as well.

4.    Who are your favorite authors? Favorite mystery/action thriller author?

There are so many to name. I’m a huge fan of Vince Flynn, Kyle Mills, Gwen Florio, Tom Sweterlitsch, E.A. Barres, James Grady, John Verdon, Shannon Kirk, Joseph Finder, Raymond Chandler, and the list goes on and on.

5.    What can you tell us about your latest work in progress?

I’m slowly working on a crime thriller that is a deviation for me. It involves a little reincarnation. I’ll leave it at that.

6.    Do you have any upcoming book signings or video chats?

I don’t have anything planned at the moment, but I do have a story in an anthology coming out on April 15th. The book is called The Tattered Blue Line. https://www.amazon.com/Tattered-Blue-Line-Contemporary-Policing-ebook/dp/B09VLJJG64/ref=sr_1_12?crid=1VQ3RRB6VP1CN&keywords=the+tattered+blue+line&qid=1649263514&sprefix=the+tattered+blue+l%2Caps%2C472&sr=8-12.

The story I have in that one (All The Lessons) is interesting because it’s the first time I’ve written a story that is based upon actual events that happened to me.  

Books by J.J. Hensley:

Resolve

Measure Twice

Chalk’s Outline

Trevor Galloway Mystery Series:

Bolt Action Remedy

Record Scratch

Forgiveness Dies

The Better of the Bad

Collaborations with other Authors:

Legacy

The Night of the Flood

Down & Out: The Magazine

The Swamp Killers

The Tattered Blue Line  

For more information visit https://hensley-books.com/