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Detectives Don't Wear Seat Belts: True Adventures of a Female P.I.
Growing up in Mississippi, Cici McNair was always more the tomboy her mother supported than the Southern belle her father demanded. She escaped her suffocating upbringing the first chance she had to travel the world. Whether working at the Vatican in Rome or consorting with a gunrunner in Haiti, she lived a life of international adventure. When Cici finds herself in New York, divorced, broke, and fashionably starving to death in a Madison Avenue apartment, she impulsively decides to become a private detective.
But, as Cici soon learns, the world of P.I.s is tight-knit and made up almost exclusively of former law enforcement officers. By nature, they are a highly suspicious group and are especially wary of a newcomer with an untraceable past. Diligently working her way through the Yellow Pages, doggedly pursuing the slightest lead, Cici is finally hired by a private investigator willing to take a chance. The next day she's working side by side with a pair of seasoned detectives and a skip tracer who is scary to meet but like silk on the phone. She quickly realizes she'll need all her energy and wits to succeed in this new world.
Being a private investigator is as exciting and liberating as Cici ever dreamed, from creating a false identity on the spot on her first case in the field to surviving adrenaline-rushing car chases. Working with law enforcement, she goes undercover, dealing with the ruthless Born to Kill gang in Chinatown and the Middle Eastern counterfeiters west of Broadway. A detailed account of the hidden world and real-life cases of a P.I., this action-packed memoir is as entertaining as any detective novel you've ever read.
But, as Cici soon learns, the world of P.I.s is tight-knit and made up almost exclusively of former law enforcement officers. By nature, they are a highly suspicious group and are especially wary of a newcomer with an untraceable past. Diligently working her way through the Yellow Pages, doggedly pursuing the slightest lead, Cici is finally hired by a private investigator willing to take a chance. The next day she's working side by side with a pair of seasoned detectives and a skip tracer who is scary to meet but like silk on the phone. She quickly realizes she'll need all her energy and wits to succeed in this new world.
Being a private investigator is as exciting and liberating as Cici ever dreamed, from creating a false identity on the spot on her first case in the field to surviving adrenaline-rushing car chases. Working with law enforcement, she goes undercover, dealing with the ruthless Born to Kill gang in Chinatown and the Middle Eastern counterfeiters west of Broadway. A detailed account of the hidden world and real-life cases of a P.I., this action-packed memoir is as entertaining as any detective novel you've ever read.
- GenresNonfictionMemoirMystery
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
3 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Cici McNair
4 books3 followersI am a former journalist, a novelist, a true crime writer and have been a private detective for 17 years. I also head FEDORA PRESS which is the publisher for writers. "
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 26, 2010
What interesting tales CiCi McNair has to tell! From her sad childhood, her rebellious young adult life of high adventure, and then her quest to become a PI, CiCi’s adventures come to life. The emotions in the book run from sad, to frightening, and at times hilarious.
She started in PI work by seeking employment with different PI firms at a very low wages. From this meager start she was eventually able to start her successful business, Green Star Investigations, out of Philadelphia, PA.
Not only did she have to deal with the problems of being a woman in a man’s world, but because of her unique background and travels, her employers and coworkers were always suspicious of her. Many of the people she worked with were rough characters, mostly retired male law enforcement, but she always held her own and made the best of the situation. She could make the most mundane stakeout sound exciting and the rather hum drum product knockoff case as interesting as a high profile case.
As the story of her life unfolds, the reader learns about her family, the mysterious and dangerous men in her life, and her desire for a life “outside the box”. Her personality and energy radiates throughout the book as she shares her very unusual life.
She started in PI work by seeking employment with different PI firms at a very low wages. From this meager start she was eventually able to start her successful business, Green Star Investigations, out of Philadelphia, PA.
Not only did she have to deal with the problems of being a woman in a man’s world, but because of her unique background and travels, her employers and coworkers were always suspicious of her. Many of the people she worked with were rough characters, mostly retired male law enforcement, but she always held her own and made the best of the situation. She could make the most mundane stakeout sound exciting and the rather hum drum product knockoff case as interesting as a high profile case.
As the story of her life unfolds, the reader learns about her family, the mysterious and dangerous men in her life, and her desire for a life “outside the box”. Her personality and energy radiates throughout the book as she shares her very unusual life.
October 2, 2017
McNair travelled the world then returned to the US and decided to become a private detective. This was a time when it was still a man's world or boys' club so she fought hard to make her way. This was an interesting memoir as McNair has led quite a fascinating life.
September 7, 2009
Detectives Don't Wear Seat Belts is an enjoyable memoir. Cici McNair is a good storyteller. I found the cases to be extremely interesting (just a warning, though, that this book isn't a how-to on detective work) and the humorous parts still have me laughing.
Since all the sections were mixed together, it's hard to tell, but about a third of the book was a rather serious look at her childhood (which included verbal abuse) and her adventurous adulthood before she decided to become a detective. About a third of the book covered various cases she worked: finding missing persons, doing background checks on people or businesses, surveillance, undercover investigations of counterfeit goods, etc. Another third described the people she worked with and gave often-humorous stories about their interactions at the office.
A couple of times, she gave all the information on a case or decision but didn't neatly spell everything out, probably assuming the conclusion was as obvious to the reader as it was to her. I had no problem following what was going on, but this book was a group "out loud" read and one of the three of us couldn't figure out what happened in these cases.
When other people in the story used bad language, the author left it in the dialogue, which means some sections had a great deal of cussing or were otherwise very crude.
Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable memoir to readers who are interested in detective work or who enjoy reading novels about detectives.
Since all the sections were mixed together, it's hard to tell, but about a third of the book was a rather serious look at her childhood (which included verbal abuse) and her adventurous adulthood before she decided to become a detective. About a third of the book covered various cases she worked: finding missing persons, doing background checks on people or businesses, surveillance, undercover investigations of counterfeit goods, etc. Another third described the people she worked with and gave often-humorous stories about their interactions at the office.
A couple of times, she gave all the information on a case or decision but didn't neatly spell everything out, probably assuming the conclusion was as obvious to the reader as it was to her. I had no problem following what was going on, but this book was a group "out loud" read and one of the three of us couldn't figure out what happened in these cases.
When other people in the story used bad language, the author left it in the dialogue, which means some sections had a great deal of cussing or were otherwise very crude.
Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable memoir to readers who are interested in detective work or who enjoy reading novels about detectives.
May 29, 2016
What a life!
This woman, Cici, leads such a colorful existence that I was in awe for most of the read. She has pretty much done it all. No joke. From living in Italy, the Vatican actually, to being sleuth in the States, with so much more in between. Each chapter is almost like a vignette of something that occurred in her life at the time she was talking about. I liked that.
With that said, it was hard to love. Some of the things she went through, though exciting, were told in a bit of a boring manner. There were even a couple times I said to myself, 'can we just get to the point already'.
I do love reading someones' personal life story though. I think every one has a story to tell, it's just how you tell it.
This woman, Cici, leads such a colorful existence that I was in awe for most of the read. She has pretty much done it all. No joke. From living in Italy, the Vatican actually, to being sleuth in the States, with so much more in between. Each chapter is almost like a vignette of something that occurred in her life at the time she was talking about. I liked that.
With that said, it was hard to love. Some of the things she went through, though exciting, were told in a bit of a boring manner. There were even a couple times I said to myself, 'can we just get to the point already'.
I do love reading someones' personal life story though. I think every one has a story to tell, it's just how you tell it.
April 27, 2010
Somewhat lively book, once you become accustomed to the hopping about, which chronicles her life.
A bonus was the idea off the back flyleaf for another book to read: How to Raise Your IQ by Eating Gifted Children, by Lewis Burke Frumkes. Frumkes having written an admiring blurb for Ms. McNair.
A bonus was the idea off the back flyleaf for another book to read: How to Raise Your IQ by Eating Gifted Children, by Lewis Burke Frumkes. Frumkes having written an admiring blurb for Ms. McNair.
July 14, 2019
This is her 1st book on becoming a detective- actually better than the 2nd. Some interesting anecdotes. but nothing thrilling.
October 8, 2019
Real stories. Well told.
July 5, 2010
Clarissa "Cici" McNair grows up in the southern United States with a mother who is artistic and fun, and a father who really hates his daughter, the reason is never really explained.
She is a woman who has a real flair for flights-of-fancy and leaves her home and travels to Europe and basically lives on the wings of prayers.
She holds many different kinds of positions in her travels, from being an author, working at the Vatican radio station, etc.
She comes back to the United States to live with her mother and decides thqt she would be interested in becoming a Private Detective. She phones from the yellow pages a bunch of P.I. firms and wants to be hired, with no P.I. or law enforcement experience. She does just that.
She falls into becoming a P.I. and learning the business as she goes along. It seems to fit like a glove and she becomes very good at it.
The stories are interesting, if they had a beginning and an ending. We never really learn a lot about some of them, maybe because of a legal reason.
The book skips around a lot and often becomes hard to follow. You can never catch up with which agency she is working with or what city she is in. I think a little more continuity to the book would have helped to make it more enjoyable, but you have to give the woman a lot of credit for tackling life and dreams with such gusto.
She is a woman who has a real flair for flights-of-fancy and leaves her home and travels to Europe and basically lives on the wings of prayers.
She holds many different kinds of positions in her travels, from being an author, working at the Vatican radio station, etc.
She comes back to the United States to live with her mother and decides thqt she would be interested in becoming a Private Detective. She phones from the yellow pages a bunch of P.I. firms and wants to be hired, with no P.I. or law enforcement experience. She does just that.
She falls into becoming a P.I. and learning the business as she goes along. It seems to fit like a glove and she becomes very good at it.
The stories are interesting, if they had a beginning and an ending. We never really learn a lot about some of them, maybe because of a legal reason.
The book skips around a lot and often becomes hard to follow. You can never catch up with which agency she is working with or what city she is in. I think a little more continuity to the book would have helped to make it more enjoyable, but you have to give the woman a lot of credit for tackling life and dreams with such gusto.
November 4, 2011
Cici McNair’s Detectives Don’t Wear Seatbelts is a fun and fast read. You careen along with the author through her exotic travels and attempts to become a female private eye in a profession mainly inhabited and ruled by men. When I think of a detective it’s the brilliant yet introspective Sherlock Holmes, or the laconic hero of a noir classic like Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep,or the fast-talking private eye who won’t let anyone stop him from getting to the truth about who killed his partner—like Bogie again in The Maltese Falcon. So it’s refreshing to learn how a woman was able to join the ranks of this traditionally masculine profession. …
My full review:
http://xoxoxoe.blogspot.com/2011/02/d...
My full review:
http://xoxoxoe.blogspot.com/2011/02/d...
December 30, 2012
Cici wants to be a detective, she loves the idea of tracking the clues and solving the puzzles. Unfortunately the business is run by men ... men who are almost all ex-law enforcement, and it isn't easy for a woman to get in the loop. The story is how she manages to not only get into the PI business, but also excel in it.
Cici was a fascinating character. She lived a life of adventure and used the skills she had picked up along the way to help her in her PI career. She was spunky and opinionated, but not in a way that made her overbearing or annoying to listen to.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book and the close up look into what a "real" PI does.
Cici was a fascinating character. She lived a life of adventure and used the skills she had picked up along the way to help her in her PI career. She was spunky and opinionated, but not in a way that made her overbearing or annoying to listen to.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book and the close up look into what a "real" PI does.
February 16, 2012
Started out slow but really picks up. True stories from a woman who has been a private investigator in New York City and in her small hometown. I think she could have been a great actress but for Cici her stage is wherever her current assignment takes her. She has to ad lib quickly and remember everything she's said to this person or anyone related to their business. Her life could depend on it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews