I've always loved mystery novels. I also love writing stories - and when those two things come together, the result is usually something darker, than I originally intended. That's because my stories often end tragically.
I didn't even plan on writing Judgement of the Buried at first. The short story The Killing Past was supposed to be a standalone story. But sometimes, the characters just won't leave you alone.
Long after I finished writing it, it occurred to me, that it might be worth bringing Ethan and Asher back. Honestly, I don't even remember exactly, when that idea came to me - whether while writing, while reading another mystery novel, or during a completely ordinary moment, when one is just thinking about stories or the immortality of the cockchafer.
But one thing I knew for sure - I enjoyed their dynamic.
In The Killing Past, these two detectives were at each other's throats. And that's exactly, why I found it interesting to ask myself:
What would happen if they had to work together as partners?
Two stubborn detectives, who don't see eye to eye, but at the same time have to watch each other's backs. Tension, sarcasm, rivalry..., and perhaps even respect, which only grows over time.
And that's how this story came to be.
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The story has gone through countless "edits", repeated readings, and revisions, but even so, it's possible that you - as a reader - might catch a mistake or inconsistency, that I missed. So please, if you find one, feel free to let me know in the comments. :)
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JUDGEMENT OF THE BURIED
𝓜𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒆 𝒀𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏, 2026