Just the Facts, Ma'am: A Writer's Guide to Investigators and Investigation Techniques

Howdunit Series

by Gregory S. Fallis

Whether your story involves snooping on a wayward husband or conducting corporate espionage, this guide will help you get the facts straight. You'll learn everything you need to know about all types of public and private investigators - such as background, skills and credentials. Drawing on 20 years of experience, author Greg Fallis then shows you how these professionals really operate.

Genres: Writing, Reference, Nonfiction, Research, Mystery, True Crime

246 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1998

Reviews

[Robert Bagnall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, what are my main takeaways? That American cops are so dumb they can find a body with two arrows in it and declare it a suicide. That, and wear a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a reversible jacket. And look out for GPS, a really useful technology you may not be aware of…

That last point is, of course, utterly unfair, as this was written when the information highway was just a rutted track. But, compared to Howdunit’s ‘Private Eyes’, which I read earlier this year, the advice here has remained fresher, as it’s more about human skills and less reliant on current rules and regulations. The two volumes complement each other, though.

It ends with two case studies, the civil case being, imho, more suitable for fiction.

[A.J. Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could use some updates but overall was alright.

[Ester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent information for both investigators and writers. Thank you. I highly recommend this book to anyone thinking of writing a mystery or private investigator type story.

[Harper O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

In general, this is an extremely helpful reference book. I especially liked how the author explains the difference between a Police and a private investigator, and the limits/abilities of each. It's very useful to know what clichéd phrases are unrealistic and what stakeouts and surveillance are really like. I only have one beef with the info presented....

The author is adamant, continuously so, about how much research and preparation goes into the work and how you can never have or acquire too much information about a subject. (Finally, justification for my being a trivia buff.) However, there is a small inset about the need to relieve oneself while on surveillance. He's naturally descriptive about how it's easier for a male (and why a carton is better/safer than a bottle) to, well, empty his bladder. But he then casually admits he has no idea whatsoever about how female investigators deal with the problem, and he leaves it at that. And this is *after* mentioning working with a female PI in the previous chapter! Really? You couldn't just ASK? It feels a bit presumptive, as if the reader is assumed to be male and wouldn't care for the info either. Yet female protagonists are extremely common these days. Even a male writer, if he writes a female investigator, needs to know how to deal with this. The tone of "ew, girls, don't wanna know how they wee" was a real let-down after the rest of the book was so helpful.

I do still recommend it as a resource, however. At the very least, it lets you know why the TV shows always get something wrong.

[Dawn Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For writers of mysteries, detective fiction, or thrillers, this book provides helpful insight into technique. It's a one stop shop for all those pesky things that pop up as we write our characters in and out of precarious situations. It's nice to have this book on the shelf to turn to when you have a question.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another great book from the series. This features detectives and PIs. A great asset for every writer. (If anyone has any copies of other books from the series like Amateur Detectives, please let me know.)

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really fast read and gave some good nuts and bolts regarding police and PI investigation techniques. If I remember right there are also a couple of case studies at the end of the book that dive into the evidence surrounding an unsolved murder.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but the last section with the case studies should have been shortened. It seemed like filler, but the first section of the book was really informative.