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Prepare your Case File For Your Next Mystery Novel!
With time, try to stock your personal library with a few helpful resource books on various subjects pertaining to the mystery genre.
See below the list of my personal favourites, of which are all highly recommended by many authors and (of course) myself.
Please enjoy!
Table of Contents
- You want to write a novel, but you do not know where to start?
- My Favorite How-to-Write Books on Writing Mystery Novels
- INVEST IN YOUR CRAFT: SURROUND YOURSELF WITH A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS
- The "Howdunit series": a great find!
- "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigation"
- Do not forget your local library!
- "The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder"
- "Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odds Questions from Crime Writers"
- USEFUL WEBSITES THAT EVERY MYSTERY WRITER SHOULD BOOKMARK
- "The Definite Book of Body Language"
- Books on Criminal Psychology
- Evaluate this lens!
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My Favorite How-to-Write Books on Writing Mystery Novels
If You Do Not Know Where To Start In Writing Your Novel, Here Are My Personal Favorites That I Cannot Live Without!
To view my complete reviews of each of these books, please do not hesitate to visit my lens "How to Write a Mystery Whodunit Novel".
Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 12/23/2009) 
![Don't Murder Your Mystery [Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction Book]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51W1yZbedRL._SL75_.jpg)
Don't Murder Your Mystery [Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction Book]
Amazon Price: $15.34 (as of 12/23/2009)
INVEST IN YOUR CRAFT: SURROUND YOURSELF WITH A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS
Learning how to write a book is only one part of the writing business. You also need to know many other things that surround the story itself. The more you know, the more your story will be realistic, original and intriguing.Manuals are very handy to have close by when you are in the process of writing. You can leaf through them to get ideas, you can reach for them when you are in the middle of writing a scene or to get your facts straight.
It would be wise to possess books that cover many aspects of a subject without going too much into detail. Surround yourself with a variety of subjects that you find essential to your current and future novels.
Bit by bit, stock your library with the basics:
- a book on police procedure or crime investigation, or both;
- a book on forensics;
- a book on poisons;
- a book on firearms;
- a book on criminal psychology.
There are many books on the market to choose from. Try to find the ones that cover the subject thoroughly without being too expensive and that have really good reviews.
Of course, the books you need depend on the kind of mystery novel you want to write and the subjects you want to cover. Your needs are different if your story is about a police officer investigating white-collar crime than a story about a private investigator looking for missing persons.
Take the time to read them and familiarize with their content.
The "Howdunit series": a great find!
An excellent mystery writer's resource at affordable prices.
You cannot assume what you see and hear on TV is accurate and the real thing. Today's readers are quick to pick up on inaccuracies, so it's important for a writer to be up-to-date on terminology and procedures.
They provide a much-needed alternative to expensive and confusing technical or medical reference books. And they give writers at every level the information they need to make their work more accurate and gripping. They can even inspire ideas for your next book!
In my personal library, I almost have the whole collection of the original series which were printed in the 1990's and I really appreciate them.
Since 2007, the publishers of Writer's Digest have up-dated three of these books, which are the most interesting ones and the most important (in my opinion): "Forensics", "Poisons", and "Police Procedure". "Scene of the crime" is my favourite, because the author really gives a very good sense of what is a crime scene; but please note that most of the technical information is out-dated (except if your novel is set in the 1990s of course).
If you do not yet have any reference books, I would recommend starting with this series.
Howdunit Forensics
"In Forensics, the author takes each area of forensics--from fingerprint analysis to crime scene reconstruction--and discusses its development, how the science works, how it helps in crime solving, and how you as a writer might use this technique in crafting your plot. Forensics is the ultimate resource for learning how to accurately imbue your stories with authentic details of untimely demises."
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 12/23/2009)
Howdunit Book of Police Procedure and Investigation: A Guide for Writers
"Mystery Readers International 2008 award for Best Mystery Non-Fiction!"
"Police Procedure & Investigation" helps you get your facts straight about the inner workings of law enforcement. Now you can benefit from the author's two decades of experience in many areas of law enforcement. It is the next best thing to having a police detective personally assigned to your book! "
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Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 12/23/2009)
HowDunit - The Book of Poisons
"Deadly Doses is an excellent beginning resource for the writer interested in using poison as an element within a story. It gives a brief history of poisoning, clearly divided chapters (plant based poisons, industrial, medical, etc.), and an easy to read format for each entry. Each poison is listed with a toxicity rating (6 being the highest), form, effects and symptoms, reaction time, antidotes and treatment, case histories, and notes of interest. You will easily find what you are looking for."
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Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 12/23/2009)
Howdunit: How Crimes Are Committed and Solved
"Howdunit: Crimes" is an exceptional tool for the mystery writer. The information on investigative procedure, profiling, forensic psychology and so on, will assist the fiction writer with the reference material needed to make his or her story factual. The book is a one-stop-shopping reference guide for those interested in learning the background of real police work."
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Amazon Price: $17.99 (as of 12/23/2009)
Scene of the Crime: A Writer’s Guide to Crime Scene Investigation (Howdunit Series)
"In "Scene of the Crime", the author gives detailed descriptions of the crime scene search, methods of firearms investigation, fingerprint identification, identification of human remains, autopsies, and crime labs. The information is peppered with descriptions of cases on which the author has worked as a criminal investigator. The information is well presented, and the writing style is personal and energetic."
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Amazon Price: (as of 12/23/2009)
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigation"
As a reference tome, it belongs in the library of every active mystery writer.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating, 2nd Edition
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 12/23/2009)
For any writer who has a private investigator as their protagonist, I highly recommend this book to you!
The author, Steven Brown, is now a retired P.I. and FBI agent. In his book, he deals with all aspects of the craft, from the basic tools of the trade to advanced techniques incorporating the latest advances in technology. He also provides guidelines for starting and building a profitable business.
It does a great job of covering the basic techniques of surveillance, interviewing, interrogation, internet database and public records searches and other electronic surveillance measures.
It's written in a flowing, easy to read style, and is packed with details that could only come from a top professional in the field. Most of the reviews are from people who want to become, or are, P.I.s themselves and found this manual the most useful and comprehensive manual of its category.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating is far and away the best text in this genre I have found.
Do not forget your local library!
... and other great sources of information.
In my lens, I give you the list of my favourite choices of resource books. There are a lot of very concise and thorough manuals or resource books at your disposal that are very affordable. Choose those as your reference books of choice for your personal library.But do not forget to go to the library when you need to consult academic textbooks or specialized books, like encyclopedias or medical books. There is no need to own the expensive books when you can loan them when needed.
You can also see what is available at your library before buying a book. Having the book for free is better than having to buy it, especially if the subject needed will only be required for one novel. If you find the book quite handy, then you know beforehand that this purchase will be money well spent.
Please take note of other sources of research information, such as:
- Crime shows on TV (such as CSI),
- Government websites,
- Internet,
- Medical and forensics journals,
- Newspapers,
- Specialized magazines,
- Looking up past crimes,
- etc.
The sources are numerous. Always keep your eyes and ears open.
"The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder"
The Crime Writer's Reference Guide: 1001 Tips for Writing the Perfect Murder
Amazon Price: $14.25 (as of 12/23/2009)
This is a handy book to have by your side when you are searching for ideas, when you need to perfection a scene or two or just when you need to be factual. This book is more of a resource book about crime in general, covering a wide range of subjects. It is a perfect tool to help add more precision and depth to your already written novel.
This complete guide features accurate information about every aspect of crime, from weapons to police departments to crime jargon to standard operating procedures for criminals.
Easy for beginners, it covers numerous aspects of crime which can help give you ideas or avoid the many easy errors which come from a lack of precise knowledge.
"Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odds Questions from Crime Writers"
A Great Resource for Facts and Original Ideas To Write An Excellent Mystery Novel
Forensics and Fiction: Clever, Intriguing, and Downright Odd Questions from Crime Writers
Amazon Price: $16.29 (as of 12/23/2009)
This is terrific resource for crime writers searching for original and technical information to flavour his or her story or searching for new insights for his or her next book.
As a consultant to many novelists around the world and to the writers of popular TV shows, D. P. Lyle, M.D., has answered many cool, clever, and strange questions over the years. This book is a collection of the best of these questions, with clear, concise, and often humorous answers.
The Q & A format makes it a writer's encyclopaedia of all things fact for fiction. Read this book for realistic ways to make your victims suffer, your bad guys smart, and your story much more gruesome and/or original. He helps figure out inventive (and accurate) ways of killing off your victim.
Questions asked involve amnesia, memory loss, survival in the desert following an auto accident, gunshot treatment for a hand wound, ruptured brain aneurysm, merciful way to kill someone with a knife, folk remedies to control bleeding, smallpox outbreaks on a sailing ship-and so much more.
The questions and answers in "Forensics and Fiction" are sure to trigger a bunch of "what-if" questions for your mysteries.
USEFUL WEBSITES THAT EVERY MYSTERY WRITER SHOULD BOOKMARK
Check Them Out For Additional Facts on Forensics and Crime.
"The Definite Book of Body Language"
The Definitive Book of Body Language
Amazon Price: $16.50 (as of 12/23/2009)
OK, you are probably wondering why I am recommending this book, but please trust me when I say that body language is a very important aspect of writing a mystery novel.
Mysteries are not just about clues, plots, suspense and investigating techniques, they are also about people. A very good mystery novel cannot be without the suspects, the lies, the treachery, the misdirections, and the reader wondering who the killer really is.
Although this book is destined more for the business and professional person, I choose this book because it is very complete and thorough on numerous aspects of the body language. It will help give you more credibility and depth to your suspects by giving you the tools to describe his or her body language.
It should be noted that this book is an accessible bestseller and a practical how-to guide, and not a serious academic book. It is easy to read and it contains many illustrations to help understand the authors' points.
As a bonus, this book will provide you with some great tips on reading other people! And you will have fun analyzing your friends and discovering just how right body language can be so predictable. Have fun!
Books on Criminal Psychology
Take a look and see if one of them inspires you!
Evaluate this lens!
Feedback Case Files
Feel free to leave a comment...
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Reply
- Wealthy-Writer Wealthy-Writer Dec 10, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
- I love a good mystery, thank you for sharing these resources with me...good stuff here!
Wealthy Writer
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Reply
- superbookdepot superbookdepot Nov 6, 2009 @ 5:18 am
- Lovely layout... I like the structure of your lens.
5 Star to it... I have lensrolled it to my "Mystery & Thrillers Books - TOP 10 & MORE " Lens.
Enjoy!!!
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Reply
- science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk science_fiction_novels_cyberpunk Nov 3, 2009 @ 10:05 am
- Interesting and useful lens, Karen. Like you, I love "building worlds"...
You can have a look at my lens about "Thinking worlds":
http://www.squidoo.com/science_fiction_the_alpha_centauri_project_thinking_worlds.
Excellent job, I rated your lens 5 stars.
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Reply
- Karen_444 Karen_444 Jul 16, 2009 @ 8:53 am | in reply to badmsm
- Thanks for the Angel Blessing! It is greatly appreciated. :)
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Reply
- badmsm badmsm Jul 15, 2009 @ 6:28 pm
- Very nice lens, I wish you every success on Squidoo. 5 Stars & a Squid Angel Blessing!
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- KLSpangler KLSpangler Jul 8, 2009 @ 3:52 pm
- Wow, this is a great site! Wish I'd stumbled onto it back when I was writing my first novel. You've done a terrific job of assimilating a lot of material and presenting it in a user friendly format. Keep up the good work.
by Karen_444
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