Amateur Detectives: A Writer's Guide to How Private Citizens Solve Criminal Cases (Howdunit Writing) [Paperback]

Elaine Raco Chase (Author), Anne Wingate (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1996 | Series: Howdunit Writing

Never before has such specialized information been so thoroughly compiled and easily accessible to writers! Each book is written by a professional in their respective field, providing the inside details that writers need to weave a credible -- and salable -- story.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Did you ever want your protagonist to make a citizen's arrest, but you didn't know the process? If the answer is yes, then turn to this volume from the Writer's Digest Howdunit series. It has all the information your sleuth needs for busting open the big case, including an overview on Internet hacking and descriptions of how real crime victims have solved their own cases. This book is recommended for mystery fans as well as scribes. I wish I had this back when I was reading those Encyclopedia Brown stories!

Review

Amateur Detectives is a professional writer's guide to how private citizens solve criminal cases. Amateur Detectives covers all the information needed to write an exciting chase, keep the amateur-crime-solver novels and stories factually accurate and completely convincing. Amateur Detectives investigates why high-tech policing hasn't run off the low-tech amateur; jobs that fit neatly with amateur sleuthing; intuition, gossip and other information-gathering methods; how to find out all about anyone; how the Internet can speed an amateur sleuth to answers; how today's technological wonders can help the amateur detective; the law as it applies to amateur detectives; state-by-state gun laws; state-by-state citizens' arrest powers; the Freedom of Information Act; and how real amateurs solved real crimes. Amateur Detectives is a valuable reference book for any writer seeking to make their mystery fiction credible. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089879725X
• ISBN-13: 978-0898797251
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Well Santa brought me a Kindle - and I'm making good use of it. Already stocked with 178 ebooks to read. I waited too long but even with a vision problem, Kindle makes text easy to read.

As most of you know, I've write sassy, sexy, LOL contemporary romance novels. Often they start with "love at first sight" (a few of my friends write "love at first bite!")I was thrilled read some wonderful stats:

according to match.com - 59% of men believe in love at first sight!
Prevention Mag. says 60% of Americans believe in love at first sight!
Prevention also noted that women see brooding men as significantly more
sexually attractive than happy fellows! (is this the bad-boy?"
Prevention again recorded the world's longest kiss: 46 hrs/24 min/9 sec!

Fabulous! My dad fell for my mom - as he watched her chase her dog! I told him that was the silliest thing I ever heard, they hadn't even said a word to each other. He winked and said "sometimes you just know"..they were married for 57 years.

Hubby and I are headed for 43 years this October..he said it was "lust at first sight" - yeah! That works too!

I have four more romances to update, expand, enhance this year. But also will be updating, enhancing, expanding my best-selling mystery series featuring Roman Cantrell and Nikki Holden.

And I'm also working, on book number 18...what I hope will be a 'blockbuster' sexy mystery called: A Rare Medium Well Done featuring Dani Rossi, a sexy Atlanta lawyer with a lot of secrets to keep from handsome security specialist Mac Stewart. She does not keep secrets from her assistant and BFF Tucker - as he has more than his share of issues and friends that need her help.

Hope you'll check out my bestselling contemporary romance novels: SPECIAL DELIVERY, VIDEO VIXEN, DESIGNING WOMAN, CALCULATED RISK,DARE THE DEVIL, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY, LADY BE BAD and RULES OF THE GAME.

Whatever genre I write, my stories are funny, sarcastic, and loaded with fast-paced, bantering dialogue. My books feature confident, strong women - who have a wicked sense of humor and aren't really looking for a man - until the perfect one appears.

I have published eighteen novels - romance and mystery - as well as the Agatha Christie nominated non-fiction "How to write the Amateur Detective Novel" - all of the books hit assorted bestsellers lists - and have over 4 million books in print, in the US and 27 other countries and 17 languages. It's been fun!

I started the romantic comedy craze with my very first book: RULES OF THE GAME back in 1979. As I've always believed love and laughter make perfect bedfellows.

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I love hearing from readers - so please contact me at: [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Spend your money on novels., March 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Amateur Detectives: A Writer's Guide to How Private Citizens Solve Criminal Cases (Howdunit Writing) (Paperback)

If you've read enough mystery novels to be considering writing one, nothing in this book will be new to you. The authors basically offer examples of what has already been done with amateur detectives, which can be useful in its way, but it's no substitute for doing the reading yourself.

In addition, the book has a distracting number of typos and spelling errors; for example, the authors--or editors--can't seem to decide whether Frederic Brown's first name should have a "k" at the end or not, so they spell it both ways at various points in the book.

IMHO, the book's best use is as a reading guide to amateur detective novels--but check it out of the library if you want to use it for that.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some good info, March 7, 2001

By 

Ve "Ve" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amateur Detectives: A Writer's Guide to How Private Citizens Solve Criminal Cases (Howdunit Writing) (Paperback)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent General Reference, August 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Amateur Detectives: A Writer's Guide to How Private Citizens Solve Criminal Cases (Howdunit Writing) (Paperback)

"Amateur Detectives" offers a variety of tools used to create a believable novel. The authors give good examples of electronic, legal, and resource devices used to solve a mystery and/or write about solving one. More notible is that they provide the reader with resources of resources. It is also an easy and enjoyable read.