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| This book is part of the Writer's Digest Howdunit Series. |
I mentioned in an earlier post that
I’ve joined Sisters in Crime and the local chapter, Capitol Crimes. The local chapter
meets monthly, and each month guest speakers share their expertise in either
writing mysteries or being connected in some way to concerns of the mystery
writer. One such concern is always whether a writer is presenting crime scenes
or police procedures that are accurate. Last month we were fortunate to have
Lee Lofland, the author of Police
Procedure & Investigation, as our guest speaker, and he addressed those
very concerns.
Lee Lofland is a former police
detective, and the bad news is that much of what you see on your favorite crime
show is misleading and/or inaccurate. His book, on the other hand, is a very
thorough coverage of everything an author would want to ask their local police
department. Blurbs by best-selling mystery writers (including two of my
favorites, Rhys Bowen and Hallie Ephron) give his book high praise, and I was
pleased to find that the writing – entertaining and sobering by turns – is
always a good read. He presents facts that you really want to know in a way
that don’t make your eyes glaze over. A few examples:
The difference between police
officers and detectives; how they’re trained; what they do.
Arrest and search procedures.
The differences between homicide,
murder, and manslaughter.
The difference between a crime
scene and the scene of the crime.
DNA and fingerprinting
What can send you to prison and
what can send you to jail.
A section on different drugs and
the effects of each one.
Differences in weapons (with
photos) and how they work
The book’s appendices include a
glossary of terms, police 10 codes, a drug quantity table, and a federal
sentencing table. It isn’t necessary to read this book straight through,
chapter by chapter. There’s a thorough index that helps when you just want to
look up something useful at that moment in your writing, along with good visual
aids (charts, diagrams, photos of tools, etc.) throughout the book. This is a
must read for any mystery writer who wants their police procedural scenes to
ring with accuracy.
Lee also shared with us the Writers’
Police Academy, held in August in Appleton, Wisconsin. Yes, there really is
such a thing. You can register now and have hands on experiences that will
enhance your scenes. For more information about what is covered, check out
their website HERE .
Lee’s book is available in paperback
and Kindle at Amazon HERE .
You can contact the Lee Lowland at his website, The Graveyard Shift, HERE, and learn even more about police work to enrich your mysteries from his frequent blog posts.
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| The author and friendly officer. |
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| A must have book. |
What a great resource for mystery writers! I wonder if there's such a thing in my town. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, fantastic. I wish more writers of television shows would check out his book. :P
ReplyDeleteYeah, I spent three years working as a deputy sheriff in a jail. I know all about that side of the arrest, so I notice when shows get it wrong, which is all the time.
Wow, with your background, you must really appreciate his advice. Do you ever write mysteries? Your experience would be so helpful.
ReplyDeleteLydia, I'm thinking you must be referring to the police academy. We don't have one in Sacramento, either. It's a shame the event is so far away. But his book is the next best thing.
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting for such a book all my life!
ReplyDeleteHi, Tanya, yes, I was so glad to hear about this and get a copy. It's not very expensive either. You really get a lot for your money.
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling me about this. I will definitely be buying a copy. This is something every writer of any kind of police-related scenes should have. I wish I had seen his talk.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great resource--thanks for sharing! Even though my research needs don't go in this direction, I'm glad to know it's there just in case... :-)
ReplyDeleteRosi, you should join Sisters in Crime. We get some good speakers and learn so much that's relevant to mystery writing.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kenda, yes, some of these resources come in handy down the road. You never know what you might write next. thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great resource for mystery writers. I wish there was something like this in my city as I am planning to write a mystery.
ReplyDeleteHi, Rachna, yes, the SiC organization seems to be only in the US, although there are mystery writer organizations in England, too. But The book would be useful -- although, if your mystery is based in India, you'd still have to check with police departments there, as their procedures may be different.
ReplyDeleteNice! My good friend is a cop, so I usually just listen to his thoughts about the daily grind, but this is a good resource:)
ReplyDeleteHi, Mark, yes it is a good resource, although it sounds like you have a good resource already.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting and intriguing! Great for research.
ReplyDeleteHi, Editors, yes. I real must for research if you are writing mysteries or crime fiction.
ReplyDeleteWow! I could have used this book three years ago when I was writing a middle-grade mystery. Thanks for telling us about this, Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteWow, that sounds like a really great resource!! Not just for crime or mystery writers, either. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Joanne, thanks for stopping by. Was this a stand-alone mystery, or part of a series? You still might find his book useful.
ReplyDeleteCarol, I agree, it's useful to know how things work even when writing a book that isn't necessarily a mystery or thriller.
ReplyDelete