How Do Private Eyes Do That?

by Colleen Collins

How Do Private Eyes Do That? is a compilation of articles about private investigations written by Colleen Collins, a professional private investigator. Its topics are geared to readers interested in the world of PIs, including fiction writers, researchers, investigators and those simply curious about the profession.

A supplement to the book is a chapter from How to Write a Dick: A Guide to Writing Fictional Sleuths from a Couple of Real-Life Sleuths, co-authored by Colleen Collins. This chapter describes numerous specializations in the field of private investigations, including legal investigations, infidelity investigations, pet detection, insurance investigations, personal injury investigations, executive protection and more.

“If you're looking for the lowdown on private investigations, this is it. Packed with details and insights. A must-have for anybody writing private-eye fiction and for anybody who's curious about what being a private-eye is really like.”
- Bill Crider, author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series and many other novels in multiple genres

“A must have for any writer serious about crafting authentic private eyes. Collins knows her stuff.”
- Lori Wilde, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing

201 pages, Nook

First published October 4, 2011

About the author

Colleen Collins is an award-winning author who’s written several dozen novels for Harlequin and Dorchester, including two indie-published mysteries, The Ungrateful Dead and its sequel, The Zen Man, as well as three nonfiction indie books, Secrets of a Real-Life Female Private Eye, How Do Private Eyes Do That? and How to Write a Dick: A Guide for Writing Fictional Sleuths from a Couple of Real-Life Sleuths (the latter co-authored with Shaun Kaufman).

The second edition of the nonfiction book A LAWYER'S PRIMER: FROM CRIMES TO COURTROOMS, co-authored with defense attorney Shaun Kaufman, was released in March 2015. Her most recent fiction release is the romantic-mystery MISTLETOE AND MURDER IN LAS VEGAS, released December 2015.

Her books have placed first in the Aspen Gold Readers Choice Awards, Colorado Gold, Romancing the Rockies, and Top of the Peak contests. Her books have placed in the finals for the Holt Medallion, Best Indie Books 2012, Coeur de Bois Readers Choice, Award of Excellence, More than Magic, and Romance Writers of America RITA contests.

She’s a member of the Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Private Eye Writers of America (PWA), Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Sisters in Crime.

When not sleuthing or writing, Colleen likes to spend time with her husband and their two Rottweilers and three cats.

Reviews

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful info

A good reference book with some useful perspective on the actual work of a PI. Worth your time and money.

[Chuck Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

"How Do Private Eyes Do That?" is a thin but exceptionally useful little volume. A free read when I acquired it, it's basically a sampler for Colleen Collins bigger, gotta-pay-for book "How to Write a Dick."

Quit smirking.

Writing PI stuff is easy, right? Watch a couple of classic mystery movies like the "Maltese Falcon" and "Chinatown," read some Robert Parker, John D. MacDonald and Edgar Wallace and, presto, you're an expert. Nope. Everything you know about gumshoes is probably wrong. The age of the loner, general investigation private eye is over. It went out with "Lum and Abner" and "Philo Vance" and "Shell Scott." "How do Private Eyes Do That?" gives us a great introductory overview of the real world of private investigators, broken down into areas of expertise and specialty. This is the real thing.

I picked my copy up as a whim to flesh out the background of my own fictional PI and, after reading the book, trashed just about everything I had written. This book will help sweep out misconceptions, empty the waste bin of trite, worn out cliches and give you plenty of room for fresh ideas. Man, it'll save your life.

Included are a wealth of websites available to help you research your material, along with recommendations on some of the best books written for real life private investigators.

Say goodbye to the trench-coat, the fedora, and the 38 cal. police special jammed under your detective's left arm pit. Say hello to computers, tasers, pepper spray and other non-lethal weapons. The world has changed and so has the functioning private investigator trying to survive within it.

Essential for writers who want to handle this kind of material.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

How Do Private Eyes Do That? By Colleen Collins
This is a non-fiction book written for authors who want write their sleuths in a more true life manner. And who better to teach them the ways than a real-life PI. If you want to write about a PI or maybe think you have the desire to be one, there's plenty of great information in this book. Information like teaching you what is needed to dumpster dive, and make sure you do it legally, to get the dirt on someone...and yourself.

I found the book invaluable. There are many links to helpful sites. Sites that help in everyday situations. Cyberstalkers and protecting your computer from them. Finding disposable emails for those sites you don't want your main account flooded with. And much more. Definitely worth a read.
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...

[Alison Clifford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic resource for information when writing about PIs.