Review: Police Procedure & Investigation by Lee Lofland

December 1, 2007 by Chris · 1 Comment
Filed under: Reviews

Today’s mystery writers face a challenge. Unlike writers of year’s past, the readership of mystery writers now consists of more educated readers. Readers of mystery novels may find themselves intrigued by crime shows. Their minds devour the grisly details and the “facts” they pick up from these programs. No longer is it feasible to describe a death by poisoning by relating how Uncle George grasped his neck and fell forward in his soup. Our readers know what really happens.

That’s why a book like Police Procedure & Investigation: A Guide for Writers (Howdunit) by Lee Lofland is so useful. Written from a veteran of the law enforcement field, the reader is transported behind the scenes of cop training, tools of the trade, and arrest procedure. Perhaps especially helpful to the writer of contemporary writers are the sections on drug trafficking and DNA. For me, I enjoyed the section that debunks the CSI shows on TV today.

While there are many references out there, it’s refreshing to find one up-to-date with the latest techniques and technology. Not all of the book is meant for the squeamish. The detailed description of an autopsy and its gruesome procedure will have many pushing aside their dinner plate. What I especially found useful were all the little tidbits of day-to-day life for law enforcement. They present the kind of detail one gleans from being on the job themselves.

Overall, a nice addition to the writer’s reference shelf.

Tags: CSI, DNA, investigation, police