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

5 Responses to “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Private Investigating, 2nd Edition”

1. GreyHawkOne says:

   April 1, 2010 at 12:00 am

   Retiring after 28 years as a federal criminal investigator, I obtained a State Private Detective license. I had seen references to this book many years ago and refused to even borrow it from the library. Why? Because any title starting with “The Complete Idiot’s Guide….” seemed like it would be a superficial joke. Recently, I was going to add to my PI library and read a few of the mostly positive reviews about this book. Long story short, I bought it. Curious,I guess. Surprise! It is very well written and informative. Being a fed (or any LEO) and being a PI are like night and day. I wish I had not been hung up on the title years ago. I had to learn a lot of the differences the hard way.
2. Dennis J. Mahon says:

   March 18, 2010 at 12:00 am

   As someone seriously considering “donning the fedora”, I have found Mr. Brown’s book to be a treasure trove of useful information. Twenty-four chapters in length, Mr. Brown covers topics as diverse as “Tools of the Trade”, “The Neighborhood Investigation”, “Clues to Infidelity” and “In the Judges’ Chambers”. Important tools such as public databases, video cameras, phone spoofing, and door-to-door interviews are covered, resulting in a book so dense with information that I have worn out two highlighter pens outlining the most important ideas that (I believe) the author tries to communicate.

   I do offer one complaint: the second edition is missing a chapter from the first, entitled “Working the Cases”, which covers investigating crime scenes. Why the author decided to drop this chapter I do not know, because I feel it is an invaluable skill-set for the private investigator–particularly for those who choose to work with criminal defense attorneys.

   Even with that caveat, I feel the book is more than worth it’s purchase price. Thank you, Mr. Brown.
3. Richard M. Joachim says:

   March 16, 2010 at 12:00 am

   This is one of the easiest to read and understand text on the subject. I worked in law enforcement for 30 years and verify some of the things the author said and learned things that most in LE don’t get involved in. I was so impressed by this product on my Knidle, I bought a hard copy for my reference library. A good read and entertaining as well.
4. Aria says:

   March 10, 2010 at 12:00 am

   It’s just that good.

   Very informative and up-to-date.

   I use this as a supplement to a training course for process servers.
5. A READER says:

   October 19, 2009 at 12:00 am

   I was being harassed by phone solicitors for a charity. They’d call my cell phone ever morning at 8 a.m. I work late and try to sleep until 11. I call back and got an answering machine. I need to speak to a real person. There is an entire chapter on outmaneuvering the phone company. This book even tells you what to say to operators. And it’s fun too.