Which is better Public or Private Detectives
Published March 14, 2012 | 
We have posted a new topic on the forum: http://hollerback.womendetectivesblog.info/index.php?topic=83.0. It asks the question: “Which is better Public or Private Detectives?”. Each of the types of detectives has their own set of rules and requirements. And each gives us as readers a unique perspective to the story they are participating in. Private detectives are generally self-trained, apprentice with someone who already is a private detective and has more flexibility in accomplishing their investigative goals. Depending on the type of agency the private detectives belong to there might be some limitations as to money. An independent self employed private detective usually has financial limitations unless they are independently wealthy, of course. Those employed by an agency has the financial backing of the company but may end up only doing boring routine stuff. Most private detectives do employee background checks, forensic accounting investigations, follow cheating spouses or try to find missing people after the police have given up. They are not supposed to break the law but they, generally, don’t have a lot of rules that they have to follow to get their job done. And finally, they rarely get shot at.
Public detectives are employed by city, state and federal agencies must go through a rigorous training and educational program, go through years on the street patrols or probation as newbie agents. Their basic function is to investigate crimes of all kinds, catch criminals and find missing people. They have very specific rules on how to do their jobs and must follow the law. All of these detectives has access to their equipment, computers and databases. Sometimes, depending on the budget, that can be a good or bad thing. They can go into a bad situation everyday. They deal with all kinds of people everyday and have lots of stories to tell.
I like stories about both kinds of detectives and at one time or another have thought about becoming both kinds myself. If you want to find out more about becoming a private detective then you have to contact your state’s licensing bureau for the requirements in the state in which you live. http://www.pimagazine.com/private_investigator_license_requirements.html
For the Public Detectives you have to go to the agency you wish to be employed by to find our their requirements but to get a summary you can look here: http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/33-3021.01
Finally, to answer the question of: “Which is better Public or Private Detectives?” is that it depends. That’s right, it depends on what you are looking for, your personality, your abilities, etc. And as for us readers when we want a private detective story we read some Kinsey Milhone or V.I. Warshawski. If we want to read about public detectives we can read about Eve Dallas or Joanna Brady.
Happy New Year
Published January 3, 2012 | We hope that you and yours have had a safe and happy holiday season. Now we are back to the grind and discussing new topics for post today and in the future. We are working on some things and hope to be posting on a more regular basis. We also hope you have been reading your favorite characters and would like to participate in some lively discussions. And we are still hoping to interview female detectives this year.
If you haven’t heard about the new Kindle Fire you need to check it out. That is on my Top 10 Must Haves for the new year. I own a Kindle with a keyboard and take it with me everywhere. I can download books from Amazon in a flash and begin reading almost immediately. They offer FREE books every month and not just the out-of-copyright books either. Quite a few are being offered from modern writers. We even got a copy of one of JA Jance’s first Beaumont Novels for Free. Now, they do change the titles out regularly so you need to check back every other week or so. I have enjoyed my Kindle and the new Kindle Fire has a colored Touch Screen and you can even watch videos as well as read or listen to books!
Kindle Fire, Full Color 7″ Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi
One of my Favorite writers, Janet Evanovich, has a movie coming out about her main character, Stephanie Plum. Now Stephanie, is not what you would consider a detective, per se, she is a bond enforcement agent and hunts down criminals. That sounds pretty ominous but the series, which has just released it’s 18th book, is funny, thrilling and has just a little bit of sex thrown in. Stephanie, has my kind of luck, mostly bad, but she makes it work in the end. Anyway, the first book in the series is One for the Money and the movie version is scheduled for theaters on January 27th! Here is the movie trailer:
Last,but not least, our sponsor, Jolene’s Books and More, is hosting a new website All About Limericks and they are holding a monthly contest for a cash prize. Granted, it’s now very much to begin with but it only cost $5 to submit anywhere from 1 to 5 limericks and they want contemporary, family oriented limericks from their contestants. You don’t have to be a writer to compose a limerick you just need 5 lines, some rhymes and a character. What better characters than your own favorite book characters, or female detectives, or female private detectives? You can create some fantastic modern limericks about the characters you love to read about, the career you want to explore, your friends, family and fellow readers! Go the the website and check out the contest, the rules, etc. They even have links and video about how to write a limerick.
Psychic Detectives
Published March 30, 2011 | We just got through reading 3 of Victoria Laurie’s Psychic Detectives books. I just went to the library to find something new to read and picked up the three paperbacks that were available on the shelves. My mom started reading them first because I was working the night shift and didn’t have time to read them that week. She came dragging through the kitchen the next morning when I got home because she was up all night reading the first book, A Vision of Murder, and she couldn’t put it down until she finished it. Now, I had to try them out but I had to wait until I had a day off because if they were as good as they say they were then I couldn’t afford to go to work without any sleep. Not surprising my mom was right and I couldn’t put down the books once I started reading them. A great series and well worth the read.
Abby Cooper is a Psychic by trade but ends up solving crimes as well. As the series progresses she has a FBI boyfriend and a female private eye friend who ends up renting space in Abby’s office and partners with her on several adventures. And her sister, Cat, is a self-made millionairess. Come to find out Victoria Laurie really is a psychic and is now devoting her time to being a full-time writer.
Here is a listing of the Psychic Detectives Books:
1. Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye
2. Better Read than Dead
3. A Vision of Murder
4. Killer Insight
5. Crime Seen
6. Death Perception
7. Doom With a View
8. A Glimpse of Evil
9. Vision Impossible (July 5, 2011)
Check out her website and get the complete listing of all of her books at: http://victorialaurie.com She also writes a Ghost Hunters series and another one called Oracles of Delphi Keep. We have added her Psychic Detectives Books to the Bookstore Pages Click HERE
Lyn Hamilton and Lara McClintoch
Published January 13, 2011 | Lyn Hamilton writes fiction tales about her character Lara McClintoch. Lara is not a “detective” per se but she does seem to get involved in some rather interesting situations. You wouldn’t think that an antiques dealer would come across dead bodies or go out and solve crimes but this one does. I have read several of Ms. Hamilton’s books but not all of them, yet! She includes references to old stories or myths within the region. The latest one was entitled “The Orkney Scroll” where Lara ends up going to some islands off the coast of Scotland to solve a riddle that is over 1000 years old and of course, a murder as well. Sadly, the writer passed away in 2009. Her website hasn’t been updated since 2004. But it can accessed here: http://lynhamilton.com.
Her character, Lara, travels all over the world searching for interesting antiques and ends of getting involved in a murder or two. Here is a listing of her books for you to try:
The Xibalba Murders
The African quest
The Chinese Alchemist
The Thai Amulet
The Etruscan Chimera
The Moai murders
Maltese Goddess
The Moche warrior
The celtic riddle
The Orkney Scroll
The Magyar Venus
You can order her books from our bookstore page…CLICK HERE
Private Investigator Requirements
Published July 23, 2010 | I think all of us who read and enjoyed detective fiction wonder what it would be like to be a private investigator in real life. I was researching on the web and came across this website called the Professional Investigator’s Magazine. They have a link to each state’s website that states what the requirements are to become a private investigator in that state. You may have to poke around on the sites until you find the information that you require as the editor just linked to the main page of the licensing department. Surprisingly there are a couple of states that do no have formal licensing requirements. Those states are Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Another website I found was a little bit more informative in that it lists by state the agency that is responsible for licensing private investigators but also lists the states private investigator’s associations with links to their websites at as well as a link to a directory of that state’s private investigators: http://www.einvestigator.com/links/license.htm. You will need to review the requirements in the state you live in. Most will require that you intern with another private investigator so looking through the listing of private investigator companies in the directories will give you a starting point to find a mentor.
List of Female Detectives
Published June 23, 2010 | Wiki has a great listing of female writers and female detectives in fiction. First you should view the listing of female writers of detective fiction by clicking here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_detective/mystery_writers The listing is arranged alphabetically and is quite long. There are some great information about the writers and a listing of the titles of their books. Some writers have more information than others of course. If you would like to add information on your favorite writer you might want to join the wiki community and add whatever you can that will help keep other readers informed.
They also have a listing of female detective characters. This list has female detective characters from novels, short stories, television, films and video games: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_female_detective_characters. Sadly, there are not a lot of pages linked to each of these characters and wiki really could use some help beefing up those pages. So, if you see your favorite character on the list and it doesn’t have a link with more information then gather your data on your character and type it in so that we can all enjoy it. Wiki is a great resource created by all of us for all of us.
Check Out Our Bookstore
Published February 10, 2010 | We have been doing some rearranging here at the Women Detectives Blog. We have added some new products to our bookstore that you might find pretty interesting. Not only have we bookmarked our favorite authors books but we have added non-fiction books and accessories for the private or public detective in you. If you are a writer or someone who would like to become a public or private investigator you should read some of these books and get some of this equipment. From handcuffs to handgun holsters, from lock picks to video recording sunglasses, and books about private investigations to crime scene forensics. These are by no means a complete list of what may be needed but it is a pretty comprehensive list. Look through the different categories and tell us what you think!
When you are doing research for a detective or mystery book you need to have information about police procedures, forensic techniques, equipment available for surveillance as well as knowledge about guns, poisons and human behavior. If you want to become a police officer or private investigator in real life you will need to know the same things. Information in books are a way to start but is by no means a substitute for experience. Buying the equipment and practicing the techniques in the books will put you on the path to becoming a professional in the field. Besides some of the things are just plain cool.
What Makes a Good Detective Story
Published January 10, 2010 | Whether the main hero is a male or female, there are certain elements of a good fictional detective story that are the same for any great tale. To me a great fiction story has a main character that has flaws and quirks. He or she must have a code that they live by. It may not be a conventional code but they live by their own set of rules. Another thing a great detective story should have is an interesting setting. It all comes down to how writer describes the surroundings in the story. The use of rich descriptive words helps the reader get into the story and be in the story. We want to feel something for the characters, to be able to root for the good guy, Finally, the good guys should always win in the end. The main reason that we read a book or listen to a story is to be entertained, to come out of ourselves for just a little while.
Some writers seem to be able to tell their tales with comparative ease while others drag you through a long convoluted story that never quite lives up to all the hype. I like stories with female leads mostly because I am female. I don’t think there are enough good female stories out there. Some of the ones that I love the most are written by such authors as J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts), Sara Paretsky, J.A. Jance, Dorothy Gilman, Elizabeth Peters, Sue Grafton, Nevada Barr and strangely enough James Patterson (who writes the Women’s Murder Club).
All of their detective stories can be found on the Bookstore page. Now J.D. Robb writes about a New York Detective in future New York City. Sara Paretsky writes about a female Private Detective in Chicago. J.A. Jance writes about a female Sheriff of Bisbee, Arizona. Dorothy Gilman writes about a geriatric female Spy who travels around the world having adventures beginning at age 65 or so. Elizabeth Peters writes about a female archeologist in the early 1900s that solves murders throughout Egypt. Sue Grafton writes about a female private investigator in a Santa Teresa, California. Nevada Barr writes about a Park Ranger that goes from National Park to National Park who ends of solving murders. James Patterson writes a series called the Women’s Murder Club which has 4 women friends who get together in San Francisco, California including a Homicide Detective, a Reporter, a District Attorney and the Chief Medical Examiner. Each of these writers has created a great female lead character with quirks, a code they live by and are good at their jobs. They solve crimes, right wrongs and in the end the good guys always win.
Updates to Websites
Published December 7, 2009 | We have been adding more and more things to the blog. We have added some pages with some great information as well as a bookstore of stories we will be talking about in future posts. This blog is for those who love women detective’s fiction as well as getting information of women detectives in real life. Most of us have some kind of fantasy of becoming a detective. Why not explore the possibilities in real life as well as fiction. Now a days we have some great writers who feature female detectives of all kinds. These authors feature different women becoming detectives with local police forces, government agencies and in private areas as well. Who hasn’t read Sue Grafton’s female detective Kinsey Milhone or James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club police detective Lindsay Boxer.
Checking over the various websites of my favorite authors I have to say that Sue Grafton’s Website is a spectacular example of PI efficiency. Check it out at: http://www.suegrafton.com/index.htm
It is way cool with the graphics, the layout and the information for an avid fan or a new comer as well.
James Patterson on the otherhand, writes about more than one character. His website space for the Women’s Murder Club is informative but just a straight website. http://www.jamespatterson.com/books_womens_murder_club.html There is some interesting tidbits about the characters that is always nice to read about.
Patricia Cornwell is another author that I like to read who has several characters she writes about but my favorite is the Medical Examiner, Kay Scarpetta, who is a brilliant detective in her own right. Her website is pretty great as well. Cool graphics and informative information keep her fans engaged. Her stories are great to read again and again. I like the earlier stories of this character better that the last few. Check out her site at: http://www.patriciacornwell.com/
Cheers and Keep on Reading
Welcome to Women Detectives Blog
Published November 12, 2009 | Welcome all those who love fiction with Women Detectives as the main character. There are several different types of women detectives in fiction. This Blog is for those of us who read, write or know a woman detective. We see them on TV, read about them in books and some of us will research them for books, tv or maybe even to become one. There are women detectives on the police force and their are women detectives in the private sector. We will be exploring all of them. If you are a writer of women detective fiction feel free to submit your stories for review. We hope to encourage more people to include more women detectives in mystery fiction as well as real life. We may end of concentrating in more one area or another but for now we will leave it open to all areas.
To participate and make comments you must sign-on as a subscriber. If you would like to participate a little more you can become a contributor by emailing me after you have become a subscriber at: jolene.macfadden@womendetectivesblog.info
All contributors will be able to start a new post and upload files and pictures for the other members to comment on.
Please remember to keep your comments and posts rated “G” as this is a family website.
Thanks for you and keep on reading!
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