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Penzler Pick, July 2001: Working in a mystery tradition that will cause genre aficionados to think of such classic sleuths as Melville Davisson Post's Uncle Abner or Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee, Alexander McCall Smith creates an African detective, Precious Ramotswe, who's their full-fledged heir.
It's the detective as folk hero, solving crimes through an innate, self-possessed wisdom that, combined with an understanding of human nature, invariably penetrates into the heart of a puzzle. If Miss Marple were fat and jolly and lived in Botswana--and decided to go against any conventional notion of what an unmarried woman should do, spending the money she got from selling her late father's cattle to set up a Ladies' Detective Agency--then you have an idea of how Precious sets herself up as her country's first female detective. Once the clients start showing up on her doorstep, Precious enjoys a pleasingly successful series of cases.
But the edge of the Kalahari is not St. Mary Mead, and the sign Precious orders, painted in brilliant colors, is anything but discreet. Pointing in the direction of the small building she had purchased to house her new business, it reads "THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY. FOR ALL CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND ENQUIRIES. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED FOR ALL PARTIES. UNDER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT."
The solutions she comes up with, whether in the case of the clinic doctor with two quite different personalities (depending on the day of the week), or the man who had joined a Christian sect and seemingly vanished, or the kidnapped boy whose bones may or may not be those in a witch doctor's magic kit, are all sensible, logical, and satisfying. Smith's gently ironic tone is full of good humor towards his lively, intelligent heroine and towards her fellow Africans, who live their lives with dignity and with cautious acceptance of the confusions to which the world submits them. Precious Ramotswe is a remarkable creation, and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency well deserves the praise it received from London's Times Literary Supplement. I look forward with great eagerness to the upcoming books featuring the memorable Miss Ramotswe, Tears of the Giraffe and Morality for Beautiful Girls, soon to be available in the U.S. --Otto Penzler
Book Description
This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency received two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.
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This first novel in Alexander McCall Smith’s widely acclaimed The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series tells the story of the delightfully cunning and enormously engaging Precious Ramotswe, who is drawn to her profession to “help people with problems in their lives.” Immediately upon setting up shop in a small storefront in Gaborone, she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. But the case that tugs at her heart, and lands her in danger, is a missing eleven-year-old boy, who may have been snatched by witchdoctors.
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency received two Booker Judges’ Special Recommendations and was voted one of the International Books of the Year and the Millennium by the Times Literary Supplement.
“The Miss Marple of Botswana.”
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“The author’s prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision. His descriptions leave one as if standing in the Botswana landscape. This is art that conceals art. I haven’t read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time.”
ANTHONY DANIELS, THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
“The writing [is] very accessible, yet the prose so beautiful.... I choose books that give me pure joy, whose world I want to stay in for a long time.”
AMY TAN, FOR THE TODAY SHOW BOOK CLUB
“General audiences will welcome this little gem of a book just as much if not more than mystery readers.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
“Smart and sassy...Precious’s progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once.... Thoroughly engaging and entertaining.”
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
“One of the best, most charming, honest, hilarious and life-affirming books to appear in years.”
THE PLAIN DEALER (CLEVELAND)
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful series - but start in the middle.......2007-10-19
I've enjoyed every book in this series set in Botswana - but I must say that this book, the first, is not the strongest or in my opinon the best place to start. I would instead recommend "Morality for Beautiful Girls", number 3 in the series, or "The Kalahari Typing School for Men," number 4. But wherever you start, it's hard not to like these wonderful books.
A Classic.......2007-10-16
What a superb book and series! To categorize this book as a mystery or a detective novel is a misguided attempt at characterizing this novel far too narrowly. Sure, there are little stories within the book which are "mysteries" but these are merely the background, along with Botswana, on which the larger story is told. Indeed, those readers who read The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series seeking a detective story may be disappointed, but they will at least have had the literary content of their typical reading raised.
This book also isn't "simple" as some have suggested either. The subleties of human strength and human frailty , honesty and duplicity, love and selfishness, generosity and greed are worked out in the lives Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J L B Matekoni and their clients and friends and offer a far more profoundly insightful glimpse of human relationships than any complex plot twisting thriller. The characters are beautifully drawn, warts and all, and they draw the reader into their world and make the reader feel that they too are there with Mma Ramotswe, drinking red bush tea, and remembering to treat each other and everyone they meet with respect, kindness, grace, tact and dignity.
A Kid's Review.......2007-10-08
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
By Alexander McCall Smith
If you're looking for an engaging, well written book with unpredictable plot twists, than The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is absolutely perfect for you. This mystery follows the ups and downs of the life of Precious Ramotswe, starting in the present and containing flashbacks to childhood and adolescent years in her country of pride and joy, Botswana. Each memory reveals a tad bit more about the independent and smart personality of Precious Ramotswe, the reason for which she eventually settles down and opens the first detective agency run solely by a woman in all of Botswana. Although slow at first, business catches, like a spark held to gasoline. Throughout unimaginable mini mysteries, including a confused crocodile, an unknown double-identity and a dangerous case involving witch doctors, Precious Ramotswe uses sharp intellect to figure out the absurdly impossible.
Out of five stars, I rate The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency a four. This is because though the plot drew you in and left you hanging at each chapter, I feel that even more descriptive words could have been selected at times. Something I can relate to in the book is the fact that Precious is constantly having to put up with the doubts from various men that she, a lady, can run a business. Although I have not encountered this in such an extreme form, the "Men are better than woman" idea is still relevant at times even in more modern countries such as the U.S. One reason I really enjoyed this book is because I encountered a style of writing which is new to me. I found it very interesting that the author conveyed Precious' past through snippets and small chapters interspersed throughout the book, instead of merely starting at the beginning of Precious' life. This way the past is revealed slowly as opposed to all at once. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a flavorful book that should be added to your repertoire of reading today!
Blah.......2007-10-06
The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency is the first story in a series of mystery novels about Mme. Ramotswe and the detective agency that she opens with the money left to her by her dying father. The catch here, if you hadn't noticed from the title, is that she is a woman, and not only that, the first woman detective in all of Botswana. If you missed that intricate plot detail, never fear, the main character will remind you of it during the course of the story. Again, and again, and again....
I debated between one and two stars for this one. It wasn't a total waste. It had some charm to it... some. In the end I give it one star simply because I had much higher expectations for it, and it was a let down. Wow, and what a let down it was! I honestly really thought I would enjoy it. I was interested in the mystery aspect of it. I like a good mystery novel. I have a fascination with Africa, and being set in Africa, I was thinking "this looks like a winner."
One of the main problems I had with is was the way in which the dialog of the characters was written. Another reviewer described it as "baby talk", and really, I can't think of any better way to describe it. I keep trying to come up with reasons for why it was written in this manner, but none of them make any sense to me. It just makes the characters come across as stupid, as though African people are incapable of using any words longer than five letters long or expressing themselves with any sort of eloquence what-so-ever.
There's also the plot. Mme. Ramotswe solves several cases throughout the story with a certain finesse of Inspector Gadget. SPOILER ALERT! There is the case of the missing Christian husband, who Ramotswe is convinced has run away with another woman ("Men are stupid, LOLZ!!!1" is a major theme of the book). Turns out he was swallowed whole by a crocodile. Of course! There's the case of the 16 year old girl, who actually outsmarts Ramotswe. The girl is actually the only character in this book that I liked. There's the doctor with seemingly inconsistent talent. Like a plot twist straight out of a daytime soap opera, it turns out he has an identical twin brother who is getting to substitute for him in hospitals so he can hold down two jobs and earn twice the money. Wow! That makes so much sense... wouldn't he spend twice as much since he has to have two places to live? Other than that, I'm sure this is totally probable. And then there is the heart breaking case of a missing boy which challenges Ramotswe the most, and puts her in the most danger... or so says the back cover of the book. Allow me to paraphrase this climax of the book for you:
Ramotswe: Your husband murdered a boy for Muti!
Witchdoctor's Wife: Not he didn't. The boy is living on a cattle ranch.
Ramotswe: Show me.
Wife: Okay
(drives to ranch)
Ramotswe: Are you the boy who was kidnapped from the school teacher.
Boy: Yes
Ramotswe: Okay, I'm taking you home now.
(drives to the boys house and drops him off)
Seriously, if you blink, you might miss this climatic ending. I have watched episodes of Scooby Doo with more drama and suspense.
In conclusion. Don't read it. Really, just don't waste your time. The No. 1 Detective Agency furthers my belief that it is now possible for anyone to get a book published.
The End.
simple, fresh and enjoyable.........2007-09-18
Hats off to the author for attempting to deviate from the mainline sleuth stories (with protagonist being a gent that is tech savy or a martial art/sharp shooting expert chasing around in expensive cars in a story where atleast a dozen people end up dying).
This is quite very different, with a not so attractive single woman running a detective agency solving cases that are simple and almost realistic. The African setting without any of the typical 'gods have left Africa' theme makes it even more interesting. I will definitely be reading few more books in this series.
-Santhosh.
Book Description
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
Customer Reviews:
Just Curious.......2007-10-11
I ordered this book just for fun and because I like to read detective novels. I have already found it useful in locating an old Navy buddy I lost touch with over the years. Written with a sense of humor.
PRIVATE EYE READS PRIVATE EYE BOOK.......2007-09-16
BEING IN THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATIVE FIELD FOR 30 YEARS AND AS A PROCESS SERVER IN CT. FOR SAME AMOUNT OF TIME THIS BOOK IS GOOD FOR THE PROSPECTIVE CLIENT. IN THE BOOK IT MENTIONS BRAD F. STENDER AND HE IS ONE OF THE BEST IN CT , BOTH AS A PI AND PROCESSREAD THIS BOOK. SERVER IN CT.
Read this book before you need an investigator........2007-08-31
As a former detective I learned a few new things from this book.
It would be a good choice of reading material for anyone that is in need of an investigator.
Excellent resource for newbies and veteran investigators.......2007-07-24
This book is a fantastic reference for those new to this profession as well as seasoned veteran investigators. Steven Brown has assembled a great deal of information in this straightforward, highly readable and easy to reference book. His writing is full of useful detail, and the book is well-edited and organized. This book should absolutely be on the reference shelf of any good investigator.
complete idiot's guide to private investigating, 2nd edition.......2007-07-22
i am a private investigator and former detective on the tampa police dept, i had the occassion to run into something i needed help on , i bought this book by steven brown (nice man), and it answered all my questions, i would recommend this book to even the seasoned professionals.
Average customer rating:
- This is the one
- Marlowe's pursuit of the truth is what makes this book great
- A world unto hiimself
- THE Private Eye
- Familiar Noirish Murder Mystery
|
The Long Goodbye
Raymond Chandler
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0394757688
Release Date: 1988-08-12 |
Book Description
Marlowe befriends a down on his luck war veteran with the scars to prove it. Then he finds out that Terry Lennox has a very wealthy nymphomaniac wife, who he's divorced and re-married and who ends up dead. and now Lennox is on the lam and the cops and a crazy gangster are after Marlowe.
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Marlowe befriends a down-on-his-luck war veteran with the scars to prove it. Then he finds out that Terry Lennox has a very wealthy nymphomaniac wife, who he's divorced and re-married and who ends up dead. Now Lennox is on the lam and the cops -- and a crazy gangster -- are after Marlowe.
"Raymond Chandler is a master."
THE NEW YORK TIMES
"[Chandler] wrote as if pain hurt and life mattered."
THE NEW YORKER
"Chandler seems to have created the culminating American hero: wised up, hopeful, thoughtful, adventurous, sentimental, cynical and rebellious."
ROBERT B. PARKER, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
"Philip Marlowe remains the quintessential urban private eye."
LOS ANGELES TIMES
"Nobody can write like Chandler on his home turf, not even Faulkner.... An original.... A great artist."
THE BOSTON BOOK REVIEW
"Raymond Chandler was one of the finest prose writers of the twentieth century.... Age does not wither Chandler's prose.... He wrote like an angel."
LITERARY REVIEW
"[T]he prose rises to heights of unselfconscious eloquence, and we realize with a jolt of excitement that we are in the presence of not a mere action tale teller, but a stylist, a writer with a vision."
JOYCE CAROL OATES, THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS
"Chandler wrote like a slumming angel and invested the sun-blinded streets of Los Angeles with a romantic presence."
ROSS MACDONALD
"Raymond Chandler invented a new way of talking about America, and America has never looked the same to us since."
PAUL AUSTER
"[Chandler]'s the perfect novelist for our times. He takes us into a different world, a world that's like ours, but isn't. "
CAROLYN SEE
"A serious rereading of the Marlowe novels and stories yields more surprises than a rereading of Hemingway."
RICHARD RUSSO, AUTHOR OF EMPIRE FALLS
Customer Reviews:
This is the one.......2007-10-01
This is the one, the master's masterpiece. The story is heart-wrenching in its sad inevitability; the characters are unforgettable, the style honed to perfection. It also represents the perfect realization of the vision for noir fiction which Chandler articulated in "The Simple Art of Murder." Marlowe is as noble as it gets in a decidedly ignoble world and few of the other characters deserve to be on stage with him. The setting is palpable. You taste the smog and feel it against your skin, just as you taste the gimlets at Victor's. This is the writer's guidebook and the greatest pain comes from the fact that Chandler makes it look so easy. This is exhibit A for the art of writing. It's not using strange words. It's using everyday words in new ways. Here he does it on nearly every page.
Marlowe's pursuit of the truth is what makes this book great.......2007-09-30
Detective Philip Marlowe, looking into the death of casual drinking buddy Terry Dexter, finds that what few answers emerge merely raise more questions. It's like peeling back the layers of an onion. Dexter flees to Mexico after his wife is brutally murdered, and there kills himself under cloudy circumstances. His death too neatly disposes of the potentially scandalous murder, his wife having been the wild daughter of a secretive, Hearst-like newspaper magnate. And too many people benefit. Marlowe doesn't buy it, and when arrested on suspicion of having aided Dexter's escape, refuses to talk.
By coincidence he is then drawn into the sad marriage of a wealthy, alcoholic writer and his to-die-for wife, who happen to be neighbors and friends of Dexter's in-laws. What happens there leads him back, again and again, to the Dexter case.
When I first read this, I thought it the best detective novel ever. Rereading it years later, I'm less sure.
Lately I find detective-novel conventions tiring. The loner detective. All that hardboiledness. The hard-to-explain intergrity. The pursuit of cases with no client and no paycheck. "Because they are there" may work for mountain-climbing, but not for unsolved mysteries. Mid-century novels like this one are dated by all those fedoras and martinis, although I suppose the willing readers convert those into retro-chic charm.
What I find most implausible, though, is this: Everyone sitting still for a private eye's persistent questioning. Suspects may think they can better allay suspicion by talking than by clamming up, either because there's scant evidence or because they have powerful allies. The innocent witnesses, meanwhile, invariably hold back the truth, which conveniently allows a plot to continue that otherwise would end. The private eye always reaps great benefits from finding some hole in the story's fabric. No matter how tiny it is, enough unravels for him to move his case ahead, but never (until the end) enough to finish it.
But, really, would you talk to a private eye about a murder? Especially one to which you might be tied? That tough guys either talk to Marlowe at all, or rough him up (how quaint all those fists seem) but don't kill him, leaving him alive to snoop another day, is equally problematic. And if you were innocent, wouldn't you occasionally tell it all, having decided to talk to a private eye at all?
"The Long Goodbye", I hate to say it, drags. One drawing room scene follows another, more than usual because the plot is so complex. Marlowe talks to people in bars, diners, and offices as well as drawing rooms, parlors and porches. There's precious little action.
So, that's what's wrong with it. What's right with it?
Much. Chandler and Dashiell Hammett invented the 20th century American private eye. When Chandler wrote this, the genre was hardly 20 years old. Novels like this created archetypes that were not yet stereotypes, and can't be blamed for a half century of subsequent overuse.
I find merits in it, but different ones from back in the day, when I couldn't stop turning the pages.
Chandler's leisurely writing job contains less action, but yields great character development, set in the ennui of wealthy suburbia - at the novel's writing around 1950, still a new phenomenon. He finds in the boozy cocktail parties, unhappy marriages and wandering spouses deeper evidence of its rot.
The more we learn about the enigmatic Terry Dexter, the less we understand him. Ditto the writer Roger Wade and his wife Eileen. Marlowe's lonely integrity is what holds the plot together: no one else cares about all the parts, and anyone whose interest were material might have been put off when one part was declared solved. Chandler does pull off the delicate job of maintaining Marlowe's involvement and interest in a non-case case in which he has no interest and continually mulls dropping while frequently being warned off it by the usual criminal or rich bullies.
Keeping at the truth - through all those layers of the onion - are what make this book great, in addition to Marlowe's ultimately believable pursuit of it. Chandler keeps you guessing until the last page. The end's ambivalence and murk fit well with the LA smog just then beginning to become a Southern California fixture.
A world unto hiimself.......2007-09-17
We all sometimes wish we could permanently step into the world of a book and live there. The world presented here would be one of my top choices. It's not the happiest, the safest, but it's got style, class, hot dames, and action. The way he describes Los Angeles back then makes me nostalgic for an LA that was long gone before I was even born. This is a fantastic read on so many levels. One of the best writers of the last 100 years.
THE Private Eye.......2007-09-17
"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid? The detective must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor. He talks as the man of his age talks, that is, with rude wit, a lively sense of the grotesque, a disgust for sham, and a contempt for pettiness."
-- Raymond Chandler from `The Simple Art of Murder' (an essay)
Philip Marlowe is cult pulp fiction at its best. His characters are intertwined and Marlowe deals with all of `em with his cool temperament and a style that can be created only by Raymond Chandler.
Raymond's stories may not be as complex and extraordinary as those of established genius detectives like Sherlock Holmes or Poirot. But his tales have emotions and noir elements that are instantly attractive and captivating.
The friend who is dead, the rich woman's known escapades, the drunk author, the rich reclusive father-in-law to the dead friend, the various characters that hit Marlowe and us in a well-crafted detective fiction is beautiful and worthy or re-reading just to relive the moments described so wonderfully.
This was the first Chandler fiction I read and have now collected a few others as well. These are a prized collection from an author who has class, style and worldly wit.
Familiar Noirish Murder Mystery.......2007-08-29
Raymond Chandler's characters in THE LONG GOODBYE (1953) have become archetypes that now inhabit countless Noir movies. These include the dogged private investigator with a hard-to-explain integrity, the tough cop on the edge of the law, the spoiled manipulative rich girl, the suave and distant crime boss, and the ruthless tycoon. I don't know if these were mystery archetypes when Chandler used them in TLG. But now, they fit into cinematic boxes and serve as familiar types in a downbeat story, where the hero's idiosyncratic integrity survives in the face of brutality, deception, and murder.
As a result, a fair way to judge Chandler is to consider his craftsmanship, not just his overly familiar characters. This, in my opinion, is superior in TLG, since there is not a vague personality or needless scene in its 350+ pages. This is tight and disciplined work. Chandler definitely knew what he was doing.
Nonetheless, TLG struck me as sheer entertainment. Perhaps Chandler realized this and wanted something, shall we say, more profound. This might explain why Marlowe calls another character a "moral defeatist" in the last chapter. Implicitly, this explains Marlowe's perseverance in TLG as he searches for the truth about Terry Lennox, his occasional drinking buddy. Looking back on the book, it's credible to view Marlowe as fighting back against such weakness, which was certainly a profound position in the year's following World War II. Further, this makes him more than a relentless and humorless wise guy, which is how everyone but Terry reacts to him. Poor Marlowe really needs a friend.
Incidentally, an element in TLG that I enjoyed immensely was Chandler's insider comments on the publishing scene and writing. These came to me as complete and delightful surprises. Perhaps the popularity of Noir movies has robbed the equivalent element of surprise from his characters.
Average customer rating:
- Best fiction book I have read this year
- This is a great book!
- Dazzling historical drama
- Gave up after reading 300 pages.
- Excellent Story, Slightly Disappointing Ending
|
A Conspiracy of Paper: A Novel
David Liss
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0375502920
Release Date: 2000-02-01 |
Amazon.com
A fool and his money are soon parted--and nowhere so quickly as in the stock market, it would seem. In David Liss's ambitious first novel, A Conspiracy of Paper, the year is 1719 and the place London, where human greed, apparently, operated then in much the same manner as it does today. Liss focuses his intricate tale of murder, money, and conspiracy on Benjamin Weaver, ex-boxer, self-described "protector, guardian, bailiff, constable-for-hire, and thief-taker," and son of a Portuguese Jewish "stock-jobber." Weaver's father, from whom he has been estranged, has recently died, the victim of a horse-drawn carriage hit and run. Though his uncle has suggested that the accident wasn't quite so accidental, Benjamin doesn't give the idea much credence:
I blush to own I rewarded his efforts to seek my opinion with only a formal reply in which I dismissed his ideas as nonsensical. I did so in part because I did not wish to involve myself with my family and in part because I knew that my uncle, for reasons that eluded me, had loved my father and could not accept the senselessness of so random a death.
But then Benjamin is hired by two different men to solve two seemingly unrelated cases. One client, Mr. Balfour, claims his own father's unexpected death "was made to look like self-murder so that a villain or villains could take his money with impunity," and even suggests there might be a link between Balfour senior's death and that of Weaver's father. His next customer is Sir Owen Nettleton, an aristocrat who is keen to recover some highly confidential papers that were stolen from him while he cavorted with a prostitute. Weaver takes on the first case with some reluctance, the second with more enthusiasm. In the end, both converge, leading him back to his family even as they take him deep into the underbelly of London's financial markets.
Liss seems right at home in the world he's created, whether describing the company manners of wealthy Jewish merchants at home or the inner workings of Exchange Alley--the 18th-century version of Wall Street. His London is a dank and filthy place, almost lawless but for the scant protection offered by such rogues as Jonathan Wilde, the sinister head of a gang of thieves who profits by selling back to their owners items stolen by his own men. Though better connected socially, the investors involved with the shady South Sea Company have equally larcenous hearts, and Liss does an admirable job of leading the reader through the intricacies of stock trading, bond selling, and insider trading with as little fuss, muss, and confusion as possible. What really makes the book come alive, however, are the details of 18th-century life--from the boxing matches our hero once participated in to the coffee houses, gin joints, and brothels where he trolls for clues. And then there is the matter of Weaver's Jewishness, the prejudices of the society he lives in, and his struggle to come to terms with his own ethnicity. A Conspiracy of Paper weaves all these themes together in a manner reminiscent of the long, gossipy novels of Henry Fielding and Laurence Stern. Indeed, Liss manages to suggest the prose style of those authors while keeping his own, less convoluted style. This is one conspiracy guaranteed to succeed. --Alix Wilber
Book Description
THE HISTORICAL THRILLER OF THE YEAR
Benjamin Weaver is an outsider in eighteenth-century London: a Jew among Christians; a ruffian among aristocrats; a retired pugilist who, hired by London's gentry, travels through the criminal underworld in pursuit of debtors and thieves.
In
A Conspiracy of Paper, Weaver investigates a crime of the most personal sort: the mysterious death of his estranged father, a notorious stockjobber. To find the answers, Weaver must contend with a desperate prostitute who knows too much about his past, relatives who remind him of his alienation from the Jewish faith, and a cabal of powerful men in the world of British finance who have hidden their business dealings behind an intricate web of deception and violence. Relying on brains and brawn, Weaver uncovers the beginnings of a strange new economic order based on stock speculation--a way of life that poses great risk for investors but real danger for Weaver and his family.
In the tradition of The Alienist and written with scholarly attention to period detail,
A Conspiracy of Paper is one of the wittiest and most suspenseful historical novels in recent memory, as well as a perceptive and beguiling depiction of the origin of today's financial markets. In Benjamin Weaver, author David Liss has created an irresistibly appealing protagonist, one who parlays his knowledge of the emerging stock market into a new kind of detective work.
Download Description
In A Conspiracy of Paper, Benjamin Weaver must investigate a crime of the most personal sort, involving the mysterious death of his estranged father, a notorious stock-jobber. To find the answers, Weaver is drawn into the labyrinthine world of British finance, where powerful men from the South Sea Company are among the first to issue certificates of stock, an innovation that sets off a frenzy of speculation among investors and wariness among directors of the Bank of England.
As Weaver immerses himself in this strange new economic order, he must also contend with a garrolous prostitute who knows too much about his past and an estranged family that doesn't know quite what to make of him.
Written with scholarly attention to the detail of the period, A Conspiracy of Paper is one of the wittiest and most suspenseful historical novels in recent memory, as well as a perceptive and beguiling depiction of the origins of today's financial markets.
Customer Reviews:
Best fiction book I have read this year.......2007-08-28
This historical novel introduces us to "stock jobbers" working in the infant stock market of 1719 London. The characters, Sephardic Jews making a difficult living in a society that barely tolerated them, balancing their lives between the traditions of their families and the perilous society of England, are credible and appealing. What a great way to absorb the history and feel of this little known time!
This is a great book!.......2007-06-22
The book "A Conspiracy of Paper" by David Liss is simply an outstanding read. I came upon this book as a reading requirement in one of my classes I am taking in college, and I am so glad I found it. Written in 2000, it is hard to not feel as if this book was written centuries before. Liss, who was in the process of trying to achieve his Doctorate when he wrote this book, brings the reader back to London in the 18th century.
Liss infuses realistic, lifelike examples of the conditions that were present in the time period, and centers his story on the new trend of stock holdings and lotteries, which made many people very rich, in some instances overnight, and made others poor in the same manner. The story centers on the greed and corruption associated with money and money making opportunities.
Liss tells his story through the eyes of Benjamin Weaver, also known as Benjamin Lienzo, a former boxing great who revolutionized the sport, but now operates as the equivalent of a private investigator. Weaver is a man of Jewish heritage, a heritage he has largely ignored for at least 10 years prior to the time frame of the story. Weaver has lived a roughshod life, which serves him well in his quest for justice as a private investigator.
Weaver is tasked with investigating the mysterious deaths of his father and of his father's business associate. He is told that, despite the fact both are made to look as if they occurred as an accident and suicide, respectively, they were actually orchestrated by some sinister person or persons involved in the newly discovered money making opportunities of the time period. Weaver faces numerous challenges to get the information he wants, and has a tireless energy for justice and the truth. He has little formal education to deal with financial manners, and as one can imagine, Weaver is at a disadvantage in this realm, a realm he must understand and conquer to find he truth.
A Conspiracy of Paper is a book one will not want to put down until they finish it. It contains some areas of graphic violence, but it is used in a very real context of the time period, a period of no formal law enforcement during which crime runs rampant. Liss creates a character in Weaver that is very believable, one that will keep the reader indulged in this book from start to finish.
Dazzling historical drama.......2006-07-14
It is almost unfathomable that English doctoral candidate David Liss' "A Conspiracy of Paper" is his initial published offering, so polished is his work. Liss transports us back to the dangerous, unpoliced streets of 1719 London, a time of tumultuous changes in the world of finance. The longtime staple of hard currency is gradually being replaced by paper notes, a revolutionary concept for the times.
Liss protagonist Benjamin Weaver is an Iberian Jew whose family fled the Inquisiton into a more tolerant environment in England. Weaver an ex-pugilist is working as a thief-taker, what we would consider a detective, hired by moneyed clients. Weaver had eschewed the culture of his affluent family, changing his name and moving out of the Jewish ghetto to make his own way.
Weaver had been commissioned by a Mr. Balfour to investigate the circumstances of his father's death which had been ruled a suicide. His client believed that his father was really murdered to cover up some secretive financial transaction. Coincidently, Weaver's own father, Samuel Lienzo, a wealthy stock jobber (trader), had also been killed almost the same day as Balfour, being trampled by a horse drawn carriage.
Weaver's inquest put his immediately at odds with one Jonathan Wild, London's premier thief taker. Wild however was the head of a vast network of thieves, whores and other shady characters. His scheme would be to recoup goods that his own minions had actually robbed. Burning the candle at both ends, Wild would receive rewards for both recovering stolen goods and turning in the thieves responsible, his own charges, for punishment.
Weaver become obsessed with investigating both his father's and Balfour's deaths and reconciled with his estranged family's patriarch Uncle Miguel. Becoming ensconsed in his uncle's household, Weaver was introduced to several players in the financial world of London. He learned that The Bank of England and the South Sea Corporation, a massive fund, were vying for the same lucrative business concerning the reduction of national debt of England.
The deeper Weaver's investigation penetrated the more he become convinced that the deaths were related and murder was committed to hush sensitive details surrounding the South Seas Corporation's dealings.
Liss masterfully navigates his readers through a fascinating and convoluted plot with verbiage reminiscent of a Dickensian novel. Liss's grasp of the embryonic beginnings of the stock market with all its rewards and perils, barely known at this time is remarkable and demonstrates meticulous research. Fusing historical fact with fiction, Liss take us through these raucous times which culiminate with the first recorded stock market crash, The South Sea Bubble of 1720.
Gave up after reading 300 pages........2006-04-06
I'm having difficulty understanding all of the hype about this novel.
The writing style is not engaging. The main character is not credible. Even though he makes his living as a thief-taker, basically a free lance bounty hunter for the city of London, he naively throws guineas and shillings at any suspect rogue who requests money. This, even though he was supposedly just scraping by, financially.
I read just over 300 pages, then gave up.
Excellent Story, Slightly Disappointing Ending.......2006-02-28
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Liss is able to bring the reader into the time and place of the story; it's an engrossing experience. As a financial know-nothing, I was amazed that I was able to understand the principles and the principals of the plot, thanks to the author's ability to mesh important explanations into the storyline. Not once did I have to go back to earlier chapters to recall who a particular character was, as often happens in complex conspiracy tales. My only criticism is that the ending seemed like a last-minute tag-on. Nevertheless, the book is well worth the read. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.
Book Description
Chuck Chambers has seen it all in his 22 years as a P.I., working thousands of cases. His hands-on experience and hard-nosed detective work has made him one of the most sought-after private investigators in the business.
Here, Chambers shares his insider expertise, with true case histories from his files, tricks of the trade, and step-by-step advice to help readers be able to:
- Catch a cheating spouse
- Uncover hidden assets, monetary malfeasance, and fraud
- Tail and track a mark
- Use the Internet to get information on anything and anyone
- Protect one's privacy
- Prepare an intelligence file on anyone-on and off line
- Find and preserve legal evidence
The Private Investigator's Handbook is as fascinating to read as it is useful for anyone looking to get the undercover legal help they need, and the peace of mind they deserve.
Customer Reviews:
Great! .......2007-03-16
I think Chuck's book is awesome. It is very informative and helpful. I started to read and and could not put it down. You will be amazed how much you will learn from this book. So no matter what your needs, this book has the answers.
The Private Investigators Handbook--you got to read it!.......2007-03-09
Chuck Chambers has been a private investigator in Florida since 1982. Before that he was in the Manatee County Sheriffs department, and before that in the US Marine Corps...He brought those experiences to his work as an investigator, and now enjoys the fruit of his work. He is constantly quoted and searched out in the Sarasota-Bradenton area for his comments and expertise on the mysterious cases that pop up from time to time. His book is nothing less than a treasure trove of information, advice and exposition regarding just about every area of investigation. If you are thinking of hiring a PI, or have concerns about privacy or asset protection, this is the book for you. You could save thousands of dollars just by reading the book and following Mr. Chambers' advice.
Wonderfully written and useful information to boot.......2007-02-28
Mr. Chambers has succeeded in providing the common man an insight into the world of private investigation. In this book he delves into not only tried and true man-tracking methods but the latest in technologies to aide you in your investigations. With his many years of experience in police work and investigation, he gives you a behind-the-scenes look into the fascinating world of private investigation.
Don't buy the book.......2006-07-09
You can learn the ' how to ' using keyword searches.
Chuck Chambers is not the ' GURU ' he makes himself out to be.
Seek a true education in Investigations elsewhere. You'll thank yourself for doing it.
private investigator handbook.......2006-07-08
This is a good book even for an established P.I. and if you can't afford a P.I. this book will help you get done whate you want in any type of investigation. jim lear
Customer Reviews:
People, this is NOT real life PI information.......2002-11-22
After reading some of the other reviews, I am compelled to write again. This book contains almost no information relating to what really happens in a PI's life! The book is being marketed as a resource for mystery writers to show what goes on "behind the scenes" when working cases. I am here to tell you that if what the authors described really happened, the PI would likely find him or herself in court being sued and/or being placed under arrest for violating local, state, and Federal laws. I don't know where the authors found this "consultant" but the stories he shares quite frankly make me ill. This book does nothing but perpetuate myths and lies about the industry.
Disappointing.......2002-04-23
I have to say that I was really disappointed with this book. For the most part, the book is nothing more than stories of the personal experiences of a real PI. While real life stories can certainly help a writer, I would have perferred a little more facts regarding the legal aspects of private investigating and a little more information on private investigating in general instead of just mostly reading about one PI. I came away from this book not knowing much more than before I read it. I really wouldn't recommend buying it. I'd suggest purchasing JUST THE FACTS, MA'AM instead. I found it to be much more informative than this one.
Skip This One.......2002-04-19
Unless you just have to own every single book in the Howdunit Series, I'd really recommend skipping this one. It did help me out a little but, for the most part, I found the information contained in this book to be useless. The authors spend way too much time talking about real PIs and their experiences. It's as if the writers are saying that you should base your fictional PI and his experiences on the real ones in this book. Do the authors not realize that a person can be sued for that? The authors even waste several pages of the book to do nothing but give physical descriptions of real PIs. The book actually takes the time to state that the average height of PIs is 5'10'' and the average weight is 175. Why exactly is that important? A PI can look like whatever a writer wants him or her to look like. The PI can be a little green man from Mars if the writer wants him to be. Although if the PI is a Martian, then the writer obviously isn't shooting for realism and doesn't need a book to help them be more realistic in the first place. The authors also spend too much time stating that what we see on TV isn't completely realistic. Like anybody with half a brain can't figure that one out on their own. The book contains very little about laws and regulations, which was what I was looking for. A few accounts of personal experience are fine, but I feel that the book would have been much better if there had been a lot less of that and more about each state's regulations and other things such as that. I just found this book to be a complete waste of money and time. I wouldn't recommend it.
Not realistic.......2001-08-27
As a licensed and practicing private investigator, I can tell you that this book does not describe the experiences shared by 90% of real life PIs. Much of what is written appears to have been embellished by either the authors or the consultant to be more dramatic and exciting. For example, Mr. Blythe describes how local law enforcement would encourage private citizens with problems to go directly to his home, no matter what time of day or night. Come on! No officer whom I have ever met would do such a thing! Mr. Blythe describes how easily PIs can obtain a full credit report on someone. Very illegal in 99% of the cases!!! This is a great book if you are looking for ideas of how to get your PI in legal hot water. Other than that, check out Greg Fallis' book in this same series for reliable info.
As the title states, this is a valuable guide for writers........1999-08-12
Very few of us get the opportunity to experience the actual day to day environment of the "cops and robbers'" world. "Private Eyes" does a very good job of showing us what goes on in the everyday life of the private investigator, as well as the police detective. Written jointly by two professors of creative writing and an ex-policeman turned private investigator, this book offers an interesting and helpful insight into the profession of crime investigation. Writers need to be factual in their descriptions. After reading this book I found myself editing some of the relevant data I had erroneously included in my novel. It pays to do good research, and this book worked well for me.
Book Description
Financial asset investigation continues to evolve through its techniques, and this book serves as a practical primer, emphasizing the use of data collection forms, the latest computer technology, and tools for identifying, locating, and assessing debtors¹ assets and liabilities. The text explains data gathering from computer data bases, CD-ROM, human sources, surveillance, and public records. The topics cover both individuals and businesses. They range from obtaining subjects¹ basic identifiers, such as a social security number, to using key business ratios to calculate figures for a company¹s balance sheet. This new edition strives to incorporate more online and electronic resources and includes a complete chapter on investigation through use of the Internet. Additional new topics include financial investigation for security officers, piercing the corporate veil, news groups, and public record searching shortcuts. Throughout the book, useful forms are provided for gathering, organizing, and analyzing data which allows for easy integration of information. Learning how to exploit information trails and cutting through smoke screens are the main themes of this practical and effective investigative tool.
Customer Reviews:
Truly One Of A Kind..........2004-12-05
As a licensed private investigator that is experienced in asset investigations, I can personally tell you that this is truly the only book of its kind. I would like to personally thank Mr. Ronald L. Mendell, BS, CLI for writing such a complete and long overdue text on this vital topic. Mendell does an excellent job of describing a systematic method for utilizing various resources/information sources to construct a detailed financial profile of the SUBJECT of the investigation.
Asset investigations are time consuming and arduous. Often, one small piece of information can be the key to uncovering a wealth (sometimes literally) of information regarding the SUBJECT. Even an experienced investigator will benefit from this text merely by employing it to insure that all bases have been covered.
Forget what you know or you think you know about asset investigations. This book is the real deal for legal (emphasis added) asset investigations. To date, I have not found another book on this topic that comes or even appears to come close to providing the same level of information. If you perform or would like to learn how to conduct asset investigations, I would not hesitate for one second to add this text to your investigative library.
As a final note, if you plan on performing any type of asset investigation, I highly encourage you to thoroughly research the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (also known as the GLB) via the Internet. Excellent knowledge of this legislation could mean the difference between a lucrative career as an asset investigator or an excellent career as a resident of your local state correctional facility - no joke. Good luck!
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. If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me via email at MichaelBeltz@FALI.com. Respectfully submitted, MB.
Mendall is essential reading for financial investigators.......1996-12-18
In this seminal textbook for conducting asset searches, Mendall's provides the tools for analyzing a subject's financial situation. The emphasis here is on painstaking research in public records to develop a detailed portrait of the subject. Every investigation of this kind starts in the local courthouse with hard work, meticulous attention to detail, careful notes, and other not-so-glamorous means of retrieving, organizing, and analyzing information in order to provide intelligence to a collection attorney. Using the techniques in this book, one can locate real property, business, bank accounts and other asset for postjudgment execution. I highly recommend this book. It is always on my shelf and I find myself consulting it repeatedly. I only wish that Mendall had included more case studies
Book Description
Security Investigations is a comprehensive book that covers the full spectrum of investigative issues. It contains practical self-evaluation exercises that can be applied in both a formal or informal training environment. Corporate security supervisors will find it helpful in establishing policies and procedures for conducting investigations. It is a guide also for those responsible for the security function without prior experience. ie. Director of Human Resources. Forms in the book will assist an organization in standardizing the means to conduct investigations as well as reporting the outcome in a way that ensures that nothing was missed during the investigation. The real worth of an investigator is their ability to adapt to ever changing circumstances. This text gives the investigator a quick reference manual that can be used to: develop the investigation plan, take effective and accurate field notes, conduct an interview, perform surveillance and finally write the report, all within the legal guidelines outlined in the book. As an additional bonus to the reader, the book will include information on how to select and use the proper surveillance equipment.
Gives the reader the opportunity to practice their skills in answering questions based on real-world type investigations.
Offers self-evaluation exercises
Covers the full spectrum of investigative issues
Average customer rating:
- Engaging
- Turns Noir on Its Head
- Great Dialogue and a Great Protaganist Mean a Great Book
- Equal with the movie, as different as it is similar
- Still the cream of a very fine crop!
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Fletch
Gregory Mcdonald
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Confess, Fletch
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Fletch Won
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Fletch's Fortune
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Fletch, Too
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Fletch and the Widow Bradley
ASIN: 0375713549
Release Date: 2002-03-12 |
Book Description
Fletch
He’s an investigative reporter whose methods are a little unorthodox. Currently he’s living on the beach with the strung-out trying to find to the source of the drugs they live for.
Fletch
He’s taking more than a little flack from his editor. She doesn’t appreciate his style. Or the expense account items he’s racking up. Or his definition of the word deadline. Or the divorce lawyers who keep showing up at the office.
Fletch
So when multimillionaire Alan Stanwyk offers Fletch the job of a lifetime, which could be worth a fortune, he’s intrigued and decides to do a little investigation. What he discovers is that the proposition is anything but what it seems.
Customer Reviews:
Engaging.......2007-07-25
Fetch won't win a prize for great lit. But the book is a great read. It has an intriguing plot, a likable (sometimes) main character and fun setting.
Turns Noir on Its Head.......2007-04-28
All of the other reviews are spot on-- this is a page-turner, very funny, especially great dialogue, etc.
One more thing that should be mentioned-- fans of noir fiction will appreciate the stylistic tweak McDonald gives the genre. Whereas the typical noir milieu is dark, dreary and brooding, McDonald sets "Fletch" on a bright, sunny beach.
To the extent that noir is defined by setting and mood more than anything else, this has a substantial effect. Whereas the typical noir setting is something of a metaphor for all that is evil or twisted lurking beneath the surface, in "Fletch," all of the evil is lurking in plain sight (yet is no less mysterious). The hot, sunny beach setting also recalls "The Stranger" by Camus, another book that famously played on the noir genre.
"Fletch" is so entertaining that it is easy to miss the skill with which McDonald adds to and reimagines many of the noir cliches.
Great Dialogue and a Great Protaganist Mean a Great Book.......2005-06-26
I've seen the Chevy Chase movie, although it's been years. I remember it having some good one-liners, etc., although it was not a "great" film. Still, bargain bins are great things, and this book was too good a bargain to pass up.
I. M. Fletcher, "Fletch" to his friends, is a reporter chasing a drug story on the beaches of California. Here, he is approached by Alan Stanwyck, wealthy businessman, about doing a favor. It seems Stanwyck is dying of cancer, and wants Fletch to kill him at the end of the week. Fletch, intrigued, agrees. He naturally investigates Stanwyck while juggling the drug story, dealing with an editor he has no respect for (rightfully so), and dodging his ex-wives' (yes, wives plural) lawyers.
Let's face it, the real draw here is the dialogue. Kevin Smith is among many people who have said they learned how to write great dialogue from Gregory McDonald. And it's not hard to see why, as McDonald has a gift it. He simply lets his characters talk. There are no adjectives, adverbs, "he said," "she said" in his pages of speaking. He simply chooses his words (or his characters do), and everything is left to the reader to "see" and "hear"--tone, body language, etc. And it keeps the reader turning the page, hoping not to get caught in the crossfire as Fletch trades barbs with whatever "lesser" being he is forced to deal with as he pursues both stories.
Which isn't to say the plot is lacking. It's quite gripping. Actually the two disparate plot-lines are gripping, as Fletch moves in and out of his investigations, using solid detective work and a great deal of duplicity to get answers. Unlike the film, the two stories Fletch chases don't come together in any meaningful way, but the chase is in and of itself fun. Indeed, even if you have seen the film, you will be surprised at how different the many details of the book differ from the film. They are almost two different stories.
And in many ways, the Fletch of the book is very different from the character of the film. As I read the book, I was never quite sure if I liked Fletch as a person. He refuses to pay alimony (never quite clear if it was because he couldn't or simply wouldn't), he has a relationship with a 15-year-old girl who is a drug-addict that doesn't seem terribly healthy, he hates his editor, and he demonstrates just generally misanthropic tendencies, with little obvious reason. But, somehow, he won me over, and so I was rooting for the guy to finally overcome all the obstacles in his life, the most important obstacle being the entire human race.
While I am not in a huge hurry to read the next book in the series, I do think I will eventually. Fletch is an interesting character, and I am very curious about the course of his career.
Equal with the movie, as different as it is similar.......2005-04-23
I've always wanted to get my hands on the Fletch books, but here in the UK they are quite difficult to come by. The recent American printings are not available in stores over here so image how cool it was when I got all of them for Xmas. Who cares if they are older printings?
Chevy Chase is one of my favorite actors (though he does seem to have vanished off the face of the earth recently save for campaigning heavily and controversially with Senator John Kerry in the recent elections) and I love the Fletch movies. Many people use the unoriginal expression that 'the book is always better than the movie' but, as my review title says, they usually end up being as good as each other.
The book is slightly harder in tone and Fletch's sarcasm frequently comes across as arrogance. I understand the movie had to keep things a bit lighter in order to be a PG but the whole drug smuggling and corrupt cops plot is just as serious her as in the movie. Stuff like Fletch's drug-addicted 15-year-old girlfriend, her death and a fair amount of swearing are the only differences the books has in tone. Where is seems a bit bland in comparison to the movie is that it's fairly static. Also, the final confrontation with Alan Stanwyk has a touch more nobility and Fletch's attitude towards him less apathetic.
In Fletch the movie Chevy Chase travels all over the place, impersonating people, using crazy aliases, breaking and entering etc. But in the book most of the aliases and investigation is done through phone calls at his office or from his apartment. It lacks excitement in this respect.
All your favorite characters are still in here such as Fletch's perpetually angry boss Frank and the sleazy Lawyer Gillette (Arnold T. Pants Esq.). Definitely a book to read for fans of the movie or anyone who enjoys crime fiction. And how natural does it seem to imagine Chevy Chase as Fletch regardless of the tone or situation?
Still the cream of a very fine crop!.......2003-05-30
I read Fletch more years ago than I care to admit. And I've read all the others (heck, it could be a parlor game just trying to put all these books in chronological order...McDonald wrote them in the most convoluted order!!). They are all excellent, but Fletch set the mold.
Fletch is an investigative reporter with an attitude. Assigned to cover drug dealing on the local beaches, and also hired by a rich man to murder him, Fletch has a lot on his plate. Naturally, he doesn't intend to kill the guy, but he certainly wants to figure out WHY the man wants to be killed.
This Fletch book best combines the elements of Fletch's biting, sarcastic humor with a REALISTIC mystery. It's far-fetched, true, but still feels grounded in everyday life. Later Fletch books presented more outrageous mysteries and off-the-wall solutions. They are entertaining, but when you're dealing with mysteries surrounding presidential contenders or people who've undergone sex changes, you see that the "silliness" quotient is upped.
But, the main reason to read Fletch is to enjoy the dialogue. Much like the incomparable Ed McBain (Evan Hunter), McDonald can go on for pages with absolutely nothing BUT dialogue. No "said Mr. Jones" or "He laughed." You pick up all the mood, intonation and knowledge of who is speaking simply through the incredibly skillful use of the dialogue. And how often, really, do you laugh outloud when reading novel. You will in this one. I really recommend this book (and all the other Fletch books...Flynn is a little harder to get into.)
(A word about the movie...Chevy Chase is NOT the Fletch of these books. I found the movie to be an enjoyable vehicle for Chevy Chase [better than most of his dreck, actually], and even though the movie follows the skeleton of the book's plot, it's tone is NOT the same. Enjoy the movie on its own terms...it's not that bad...but don't let it influence your decision to read the book. If you like the movie, you'll love the book. If you hated the movie, you probably will still like the book.)
Customer Reviews:
Not The Answer........2006-10-08
The book reminds me of a recruiting tool for the police academy at Podunk Community College. And it's just the thing for someone who has zero experience with law enforcement and investigations. But the scope of the book is superficial. Plus you never get a sense of what detective work is really like.
Many of the detectives I've worked with make major boo-boos, lie, get killed because of their screw-ups, and are stupid. Around here it's not unusual at all for killer's to walk because of detective malpractice. they lie to get search warrants, then lie in court. And they get caught. I recall one incident I was involved in where the cops were a lot more interested in busting a cop, who defended himself against a violent criminal (I witnessed the whole show), than in arresting the criminal for attacking the cop...escaping...and making a false police report about someone else (why we were at her house). The Internal Affairs guys acted depressed and annoyed when I verified what really happened.
So I was wanting to know more of how this happens when cops are supposed to be professionals. But Fallis ignores the subject as if it doesnt exist. You learn nothing about Political Correctness and the BS and the behind-the-scene strong-arm stuff that goes on within police departments.
But thebook is terrific if youre 18, have stars in your eyes, and wannabe a detective.
The non-professional's roadmap.......2004-01-21
This book is an excellent resource for writers who want to imbue their stories with the authentic details of unnatural death but don't really have all the tools and training of a full-time medical examiner or police investigator. Maybe the life of a real cop isn't as exciting as portrayed on TV, but neither is it as shallow. In my case, as a crime author, the text was an invaluable reference, putting some highly technical material into easily digested context. Recommended for writers of all kinds who need a good reference work on the myriad ways to die.
Very Good.......2002-04-22
This is a very good book. Not only does it contain a great deal of information about investigation techniques but the author also manages to convey, in great depth, the emotional aspects of the business. I definitely recommend this book.
useful resource.......2001-08-13
This is definitely a great resource for the aspiring mystery novelist since the book helps authors construct realistic plots for police procedurals. This is because it contains crucial information about how investigators conduct investigations. However, some of the material covered is obvious but, nonetheless, there are many interesting facts.
Excellent resource!.......2001-03-08
Just the Facts Ma'am is filled with useful information. It goes through the qualities of an investigator, and the skills needed to become one. There is so much in this book, it is nearly impossible to describe it all to you...you'll just have to read it yourself!
Some very interesting sections of this book include: crime scene investigation, 21 points to follow in a death scene investigation, common police mistakes, how to collect evidence, interviewing and interrogation, and my favorite section of the book is surveillance.
Just the Facts Ma'am also covers such issues as the dangers of investigations, and specific case studies as examples of previous investigations. I'm really impressed with this book so I'll have to give it 4th place in my "Favorites in the Howdunit Series". It is absolutely a necessity to all crime writers. The whole Howdunit Series is definitely worth the bookshelf space!
Books:
- The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
- The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #37 (Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide)
- The Paper Office, Third Edition: Forms, Guidelines, and Resources to Make Your Practice Work Ethically, Legally, and Profitably
- The Reading Lesson: Teach Your Child to Read in 20 Easy Lessons
- The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation
- The Trusted Advisor
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar board book
- The War Against Hope: How Teachers' Unions Hurt Children, Hinder Teachers, and Endanger Public Education
- The Winning Edge: Show Ring Secrets (Howell Reference Books)
- Theoretical Models and Processes of Reading
Books Index
Books Home
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- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- Manual de Costos - Componentes Metodo de Evaluacio
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- Thirteen Moons: A Novel
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Tears of the Giraffe (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 2)
Morality for Beautiful Girls (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 3)
The Kalahari Typing School for Men (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, Book 4)
The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Book 5)
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency)
