Author Talk with Sheryl "Mac" McCollum

Listen to Mac McCollum share about her life as a CSI for a metro Atlanta police department and her new book, Swan's Don't Swim in a Sewer.

Join us on Wednesday evening, June 24th at 6:30 PM for an evening with award winning, Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl "Mac" McCollum. Mac will talk to us about her background as a CSI and her newest true crime book, Swan's Don't Swim in a Sewer, publishing May 12, 2026.

Ticket includes admission, a signed copy of the book, and complementary snacks and drinks.

The event is located on the 2nd floor of The Book Loft and accessible by stairs only.

About Mac:

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an three time nominated Emmy Award winning CSI from CSI Atlanta, National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame Inductee, Director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, Director of the Wildlife CSI Academy, a writer for CrimeOnLine, Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, host of award winning podcast Zone 7, author of Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer, and a working CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department.

Sheryl holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Policing. She is the co-author of the textbook., Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. She is a contributing writer for CRIME online, a crime-fighting website founded by Nancy Grace, television personality and former.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum has worked with criminals like famed Mafia hit man Frank Cullotta, Johnny Lee Cleary the ex Imperial Wizard of the KKK, the Flint River Killer, Alcatraz Inmate #1355 Robert Schibline and Jimmy Hoffa’s driver, The Weasel, to gain intel on how to solve certain cold cases. She has also worked side by side with notable family members such as Lana Wood, Beth Holloway, Sue Savio, Lois Duncan, Donna Pettis and Susan Levy. She not only admires them but considers them friends. She has genuinely befriended them all. For almost forty years, Sheryl has used her training and experience in criminal justice to solve some of the country’s most difficult cases.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum's law-enforcement career began in 1982 at the Rape Crisis Center at Grady Memorial Hospitalin Atlanta, Georgia. From there, she was director of the Metro Atlanta Cold Case Crime Analysis Squad. During the 1996 Olympic Games, she was the coordinator for the Crisis Response Team that planned and trained for four years and responded to the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, providing victim services.

McCollum in 2004 founded Cold Case Investigative Research Institute (CCIRI), which unites researchers, practitioners, students and the criminal justice community to work collectively to advance research, training and techniques in solving cold cases. CCIRI has since worked with over 27 colleges and universities, more than 8,000 students and 600 experts, have volunteered their time and talents to solve cold cases. CCIRI is a nationwide volunteer network that assist victims' families and law enforcement by working on unsolved homicides, missing persons and kidnapping cases. She added her own branded acronym for law enforcement with an A-WIC. Among the famous: ABA (all points bulletin), BOLO (be on the lookout), Sheryl added the A-WIC (anyone with information contact)!

Sheryl has reviewed, consulted and worked on thousands of criminal cases across the USA and has appears on Dateline, Nancy Grace, Dr. Oz, CSI Atlanta, Fox Nation, and Discovery ID. Some of her most famous cases include: The Boston Strangler, Natalie Wood, Kathleen Savio (Drew Peterson), Don Lewis (Tiger King), Natalee Holloway, the Missing and Murdered Children (Wayne Williams) and Tu Pac Shakur.

Some Specialized Training:

Cold Case Investigations

Crime Scene Investigation

Fingerprinting and Indenificathion

Homicide Investigation

Wound Pattern Interpretation

Blood Stain Patten Analysis

Statement Analysis

Hostage Negotiation

Marijuana Examiner

Clandestine Grave

Forensic Anthropology

Bone Identification

Street Gangs

Human Trafficking

Some Notable Cases:

Boston Strangler

Natalie Wood

Zodiac

TuPac Shakur

Rebecca Zahau

Chandra Levy

Natalee Holloway

Honey Malone

Amber Hagerman

Susan Powell

Tami Jackson

Nacole Smith

Abby Williams & Libby German Delphi Murders

Moore’s Ford Bridge Lynching

Some Notable Appearances:

20/20

Good Morning America

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

CrimeCon 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

America’s Most Wanted Overdrive

Dr. Oz

CSI Atlanta

NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt

Some Awards and Accolades:

• The President’s Innovation Award
• The Golden Apple: Teacher of the Year
• Police Department Employee of the Year 2017 and 2018 voted by peers
• Emmy Award for CSI Atlanta: True Crime Special
• Metro Atlanta Crime Commission Award
• Department of Justice Award for the 100 Olympic Games Crisis Response
• Inducted into the Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award

Sheryl is a native Atlantan and graduate of Woodward Academy, where she met her husband and Georgia State University. She is most proud of her marriage to Walt who was her high school sweetheart and their two accomplished college age children, Huck and Caroline. Sheryl has four sisters who all volunteer for the CCIRI