Sleuth Work: Research

Research—a chore or an opportunity? Every super sleuth has a job to do when it comes to solving the crime. They need to get their facts straight or they will miss a piece of the puzzle. It’s the same for authors when they’re writing suspense, mysteries, and thrillers. Research must be done to make our stories authentic.

Why do many authors hate this aspect of the process? The number one reason is probably because it takes time. Time is very precious to all of us and we just want to get to the story. But don’t we want it to be realistic? Research can be exciting! It’s not just visiting a library or scouring the internet for information. Here are some tips and ideas to think about when sleuthing into the world of suspense.

Go on a field trip

Maybe visit a place to get a feel for where our mystery will take place. Is it in a sleepy small town? A grandeur city like Paris or London? Maybe a mysterious train ride? It can depend on the pocket book of course. I took a weekend and stayed at a B&B in a small town near the Detroit/Windsor border to do research on the town I wanted to use as the setting in one of my romantic suspense manuscripts. I was able to go to a coffee shop and talk to some locals. Got a great idea from an older resident who told me about the history of the town. Walking the streets of these places gives the author the layout of the land and it can be valuable in bringing the fiction story to life.

Enroll in a local Citizen’s Police/FBI Academy

Many cities allow the public to partake in this program. It’s vital in getting first-hand information on how law enforcement works. I had the privilege to take my city’s police academy course and I gained amazing insight into the life of a police officer. Normally, ride-a-longs are only available to the public in a course like this. I encourage all writers who write suspense to take one. You won’t regret it! Also, there’s the Writer’s Police Academy held every year. I’ve heard it’s a must for all suspense writers.

Interview when possible

Getting information first-hand from our subjects is the best way to go. Relying on the internet doesn’t always cut it. For my suspense novel involving a Royal Canadian Mounted Police constable, I was able to interview a real live Mountie! He even allowed me to record our conversation. Most of the time they will let you email them when other questions arise.

Stay away from cop clichés we see on TV. Not every officer eats donuts. Need more information on dead bodies? Contact a local coroner’s office. What about legal issues? Visit a courtroom session to gather facts.

Take pictures

As they say…pictures are worth a thousand words. When we visit destinations for research, bring it home with you through pictures. Lots of pictures. Try and take them in different weather conditions too. This can affect the setting and how people react in sunny and stormy days. Consider an alley at night in a fierce rainstorm. I shudder just thinking about it!

Watch the news/true crime shows

Yes, research CAN be fun! It will not only help writers to be authentic, but have a blast doing it.

This helps writers not only get story ideas, but it allows us to see how the culture, law enforcement, and the criminal justice system works in different countries. Need to view how a real take-down happens? Watch the many true crime reality shows that are out there.

Darlene L. Turner writes romantic suspense and won the 2017 Genesis award in the Romantic suspense category and was a 2018 finalist. She was a finalist in the 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense contest and won in 2016 (Inspirational Unpublished). She’s represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Visit Darlene at: www.darlenelturner.com where she believes there’s suspense beyond borders. You can also visit her Facebook page .