The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Private Investigating [Paperback]

Steven Kerry Brown (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide | Publication Date: August 27, 2002

The gumshoe go-to—revised and updated.

Easy-to-use and fantastically inclusive, this is the book on private investigation, whether you want to establish yourself as a professional or just use some of the tools of a P.I. for your own business. You’ll get the low-down on pre-employment research, tenant screening, adoption searches, safeguarding yourself from investigation, and much more.
—Completely revised with all-new chapters on skip tracing and due diligence searches
—Skills and techniques for average citizens, as well as professionals
—Includes the most useful—and little-known—databases

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven Kerry Brown, founder and president of Millennial Investigative Agency, began his investigative career as a special agent for the FBI. For the past 18 years, he has successfully managed his own private investigation firm. He’s appeared on such television programs as Hard Copy and 60 Minutes, and speaks frequently before civic and professional groups. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 1st edition (August 27, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028643992
• ISBN-13: 978-0028643991
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #380,540 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

108 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Buy For Both The Experienced And Novice Investigator., December 23, 2003

By 

Michael Beltz, FCI "truthsleuthpi" (Orlando, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Private Investigating (Paperback)

As a licensed private investigator and college instructor of private investigation courses, I must commend Mr. Steven Kerry Brown for writing a book that is, in my humble opinion, the best book currently in print covering the basic techniques/procedures of the private investigation profession. This book is of great value to both the experienced and novice investigator alike.

While there are many great titles available for specific areas of the private investigation profession, there are few good titles that cover the general aspects of private investigation; of those, this one is the best I've had the pleasure of reading. This book also contains detailed explanations of how to effectively employ the aforementioned techniques/procedures, including: tools of the trade, skip-tracing, employing public records, performing background investigations, interviews/interrogations, surveillance, and more. For the price, you should not think twice about adding this title to your investigative library.

I would also like to personally thank Mr. Brown for taking the time to send me multiple signed copies of this book.

As always, check with your local library or bookstore to see if you can read/review this or any title before deciding to make a purchase. This method has effectively allowed me to make the most of my investigative library budget.

I hope you found this review helpful. [...]

64 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative. Fascinating. Fun., September 28, 2002

By 

J. Adair (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Private Investigating (Paperback)

Private Investigating by Steven Kerry Brown is a great resource for anyone wanting to be a Private Investigator, hire a private investigator or do their own investigating. The book is peppered with vignettes from Brown's expansive investigative career. What a life! By sharing his personal experiences as an FBI agent and private investigator, he has let the reader into a world few can imagine or experience. He is certainly the one to write this book. From practical information on understanding caller ID and what to do if your home is burglarized to more complicated techniques of interrogation and surveillance, this book has it all. I found the chapters on locating missing persons especially useful. Don't waste time or spend a cent trying to find someone until you exhaust the free search tools outlined in this book. Just the resources he lists are more than worth the price of the book. It's a great read and an essential reference tool.

57 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make Your Ex Support His Children, September 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Private Investigating (Paperback)

In 1992 my ex-husband took our daughter
and fled to Georgia. Of course leaving me in Washington state. I got the
child back but since then child support was hit and miss. In August of last
year the child support stopped all together. I would call my caseworker at
support enforcement every few months and finally realized that if you want
something done, do it yourself. Not knowing where to start I called a
private agency specializing in collecting child support payments. They
wanted 34% of what is owed to your child. I felt that was robbery, so I
bought The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating. I was on page
98 of the book when I started my hunt. It took me four hours and the only
thing I paid for was 2 phone calls at seven cents a minute. Not too bad for
my first try. I now have a lien against his property, drivers license,
hunting and fishing license, and his income tax return.

The amount owed to me was $7,566.62 as the author said in this book "not too
shabby for 4 hours worth of work"

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS BOOK .