DNA technology has transformed criminal investigations, enabling law enforcement to solve mysteries once thought unsolvable. Katherine Galan’s “A Cold Case in a Small Town” brings this technology’s impact to life, showing how a single piece of evidence left untouched for decades could be the key to solving a crime. DNA forensics began revolutionizing cold cases in the late 20th century, but recent advances—particularly in genetic genealogy—have significantly widened the scope of what’s possible. Genetic genealogy uses DNA samples from crime scenes and compares them to publicly accessible genealogical databases. Through this approach, investigators can identify relatives of unidentified DNA samples, building family trees that eventually lead to suspects.

This technology has already helped solve hundreds of cases, giving new hope to families who feared their loved ones’ stories would remain untold. Katherine Galan’s novel explores this impact on a small town where the reopening of a decades-old case brings closure and, finally, a sense of justice to the grieving family. For many, the power of DNA is not just in identifying a suspect—it’s in the renewed hope and sense of resolution it brings to those affected. In Galan’s narrative, the past meets the present through this technology, transforming lives in the process. Her story serves as a testament to science’s potential to offer justice, healing, and peace to communities and families who have waited far too long.