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Title: Amateur Detectives: A Writer's Guide to How Private Citizens Solve Criminal Cases (Howdunit) by Elaine Raco Chase, Anne Wingate ISBN: 0-89879-725-X Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3 (6 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Some good info
Comment: When I first started reading Amateur Detectives, I felt that it needed much more than it offered, however as I kept reading the book kept getting better and better. As the book starts off, it talks about the history of amateur detectives, which is specifically geared towards detective novelists. I found it fascinating to learn where some very established writers got their inspiration.
The biggest (and best) section of this book talks about state and federal weapon regulations. It talks about concealed fire arms as well. It was very interesting to read the different laws per state, and especially interesting to read about my own state. I really have learned a lot about the gun regulations. This section really makes up for the slow beginning of the book.
Rating: 2
Summary: A vague analysis on amateur detectives
Comment: Elaine Raco Chase and Anne Wingate base the premise of this book as helpful based on the "one-must-do-one's-own-reading" premise; of the mystery novels we like, in order to write one of our own with believable characters and an interesting plotline. Although I totally agree with this suggestion, I can say this is hardly news for any serious writer of any genre. It is so how we are presented with a very extensive list of suggested reading, where all types of amateur detectives display their wit and wisdom (Chapter 1). I have found it very helpful indeed as reference for a bibliography on mystery novels. Later on, the book explains different laws for citizen's arrest in each and every one of the States of the Union. This is unfortunate (and very long), since it will only help you if you are setting your novel in the United States of America, making the book a prejudist one. The authors argue that whenever they requested information from other governments, they were ignored. I don't quite really know what to make of them as researchers.
A chapter that can summarize the first intention of the book is the one called "Resume of an amateur detective" (Chapter 3). However, it is very superficial and it won't provide any more information about creating your own amateur sleuth than you may be able to find elsewhere or come up with from your own writer's imagination, AFTER you have done the required and fruitful reading. There is also a chapter with lots of internet resources but, unless they are very general (such as the Library of Congress or the White House), it becomes invariably outdated (this also applies for the chapter on laws of the United States which change, at least, every year). I think nowadays most writers would be capable of using a search engine and find whatever it is they are looking for on the internet and more.
Rating: 2
Summary: To general and Americanised
Comment: This book suffers from looking more like a law book for bounty hunters than a writer's reference. It's solid but too general, and the author assume that the only crime you'll ever write about is going to take place in the USA. They forgetting that people who buy the Howdunnit Series are from everywhere around the world. If you want a solid book on the same topic, get 'Private Eyes' by Hal Blyth in the same series. See my review on it.
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Title: Just the Facts, Ma'Am: A Writer's Guide to Investigators and Investigation Techniques (Howdunit) by Greg Fallis ISBN: 089879823X Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 1998 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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Title: Missing Persons: A Writer's Guide to Finding the Lost, the Abducted and the Escaped (Howdunit Series) by Fay Faron ISBN: 089879790X Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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Title: Private Eyes: A Writer's Guide to Private Investigating by Hal Blythe, Charlie Sweet, John Landreth ISBN: 0898795494 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 1993 List Price(USD): $15.99 |
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Title: Modus Operandi: A Writer's Guide to How Criminals Work by Mauro V. Corvasce, Joseph R. Paglino ISBN: 1582971374 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: August, 2001 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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Title: Murder One: A Writer's Guide to Homicide (Howdunit Series) by Mauro V. Corvasce, Joseph R. Paglino ISBN: 089879773X Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $16.99 |
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