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Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Shameless Self-Promotion, Plus A History of Private Investigators

My new Black OOps Detective Mystery series was just launched and I had an absolute blast writing it! Since these Rom/Cozy mysteries are a departure from my usual historical fiction, I used the pen name Marissa Allen (www.amazon.com/author/marissa_allen), my maiden name and my sister's nickname for me.

Cad to Cadaver and Growler to Grave feature ex-FBI agent turned detective Tracy Black of Black Ops Detective Agency, and her partner (and romantic interest) ex-Navy SEAL and all-around tough guy Adam Slade. Join them in a series of crime solving adventures that will keep you laughing! 

I've always been fascinated by the world of private eyes, which is probably why I decided to write a mystery series. But I didn't know anything about the history of the profession. So after a little shameless self-promotion, Take a look at this article from North American Investigations at pvteyes.com: 

It should come as no surprise that the history of private investigation is an intriguing and colorful tale that dates all the way back to ancient Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations.

The first mention of espionage is even recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible in the Book of Numbers, when God told Moses to send some men to spy on Canaan. These twelve spies were the leaders of their respective ancestral tribes and were sent ahead by Moses to explore Canaan during the Jews’ long trek from Egypt to the Promised Land.

The Birth of the Private Investigation Agency

As a craft, private investigation has existed for thousands of years, for as long as people have required it. The first known private detective agency, however, was founded in 1833 by a man named Eugène François Vidocq, a French soldier, privateer, and criminal. Le bureau des renseignments, or the Office of Intelligence as it was called, was staffed by men of similarly patchy backgrounds with law enforcement. Most of these men were ex-convicts and, as a result, official law enforcement attempted to shut the operation down several times,

In 1842, Vidocq was arrested on charges of unlawful imprisonment and for accepting money under false pretenses after solving an embezzlement case. He suspected a set-up but was still sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and a 3,000 franc fine. The Court of Appeals later released him.

Vidocq was the one who introduced record-keeping, criminology, and ballistics to the field of criminal investigation. He pioneered the practice of creating plaster casts of shoe prints and is also the inventor of indelible ink and unalterable bond paper.

To this day, some aspects of his method of anthropometrics – the study of the human body and its movement – is still in use by seasoned private investigators and the French police. He was also a known philanthropist who claimed to never have informed on anyone who had stolen due to a great need.


Evolution of Private Investigators

The private investigation industry came into existence as a response to a specific need: in the olden days, clients went to private investigators with the expectation that they would do work and act as the police in matters where traditional and official law enforcement were ill-equipped or simply unwilling to do.

They were mostly employed by wealthy owners who effectively utilized and deployed them to resolve labor disputes. Their primary function was to control workers and keep the peace, especially those who had been inspired by the French Revolution. They also did mercenary work, as well as acted as private security.

Private Eyes in the United States

Meanwhile, in the United States, a man named Allan Pinkerton was making a name for himself as a criminal detective. After informing on a band of counterfeiters to the local sheriff of his town, he was appointed in 1849 as the first police detective in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

A year after that, he partnered with a Chicago lawyer named Edward Rucker and formed the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, a company that continues to exist today under the name Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations. It is believed that the term “private eye” originated from Pinkerton’s choice of business insignia: a wide open eye with the caption “We never sleep”.

During the Civil War, Pinkerton became the head of the Union Intelligence Service – the predecessor of the United States Secret Service – and managed to successfully foil an assassination plot targeting Abraham Lincoln. He and his men often took on undercover jobs posing as members of the Confederate army and sympathizers in order to acquire military intelligence.

Today, private investigators fulfill an important role in society. Their services have become invaluable in everything from assisting crime investigations to finding missing persons. With the continuing advancement of technology, private investigation services are continually evolving to serve the public much better ways than ever.

That's your trivia for the day! Did you learn something new? Thanks for visiting and have a great week! Also, please check out Cad to Cadaver and Growler to Grave!

Monday, July 15, 2024

Black OOps: A Fun Summer Mystery Series

If you're looking for a fun mystery series to enjoy at the beach, perhaps Tracy Black and her partner Adam Slade of Black Ops Detective Agency can entertain you in Cad to Cadaver and Growler to Grave

In the first Black OOps Detective Mystery Cad to Cadaver, life is in the pits for ex-cop Tracy Black, the floundering founder of Black Ops Detective Agency. Tracy is black, like her name, and trying to establish herself as a private investigator in her hometown of Cincinnati after leaving behind a bad relationship and a stressful career as an FBI agent in Atlanta. 

 

Though not romantically interested in womanizing cad Dr. Terrance Jackson, Tracy reluctantly accepts his invitation to attend a medical reception. On high alert from her Terrorism Task Force days, Tracy wrongly accuses a random guest of being a terrorist. Oops! This leads to an embarrassing encounter with handsome white guy Adam Slade, security consultant and ex-navy SEAL. He thinks she’s hot, but Tracy dismisses him as a bumbling gorilla.

 

Eventually, Tracy comes to see Adam as less of a primate and more of man. And when she assists him on a lucrative out-of-state gig involving the Bosnian Mafia, Tracy realizes they make a great team–professionally and romantically!

 

Yet things take a drastic turn when Tracy is accused of Terrance Jackson’s murder. What will it take to get her off the hook? The dauntless duo  encounter one misadventure after another as they put their lives on the line  to clear Tracy’s name and find the killer who turned Dr. Jackson from cad to cadaver!  


Ex-FBI agent Tracy Black and ex-Navy SEAL Adam Slade are back in Growler to Grave, the second in the Black OOps Detective series!  This stand-alone sequel to Cad to Cadaver finds partners Tracy and Adam embroiled in another zany rom/com mystery. Adam, a man of few words, and Tracy, a woman of many, are arguably a match made in Heaven.

 

Catching brewmeister Blake Geist’s cheating spouse isn’t the most desirable job for these audacious private detectives, but money’s tight. Tracy is no nature girl, but that doesn’t stop this daring duo from following trophy wife Denise Geist and her bodybuilding lover Johann Becker deep into the woods in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. Tracy’s scrabble up the crook of an ash tree provides the proof of infidelity. Yay!  Tracy’s fall from the tree onto Adam lands him with a concussion. Oops!

 

After the private eyes are swindled out of payment by cheapskate Blake, the brewmeister’s subsequent murder arouses police suspicion of the Black Ops duo. As bodies pile up, evidence mounts against Adam, whose mysterious disappearances and lack of an alibi trigger Tracy’s trust issues. Would a head injury lead him to commit murder? Tracy must find the killer to prove Adam’s innocence. Will she be able to crack the case? Will Tracy and Adam's relationship survive? Or is their partnership doomed to a "grave" demise?


Do you enjoy mysteries? Thanks for visiting and have a great week! 

Monday, July 8, 2024

Writing Tips to Make Writing Easier


Love to write? Are you just starting out? Maybe you've written several books. No matter where you are in your writing journey, you never stop learning. And Grammarly is a wonderful place to find lots of helpful information. 

Today I've posted a brief snippet of an article by Karen Hertzberg entitled "30 Writing Tips to Make Writing Easier."

Take a look at first seven and click here for the entire article. Happy Writing!

 Set writing goals.

Maybe you want to write a certain number of words per day or upgrade your vocabulary. You can’t reach a goal unless you have one, so write that goal down and work toward it.

Write in the morning.

For many people, writing comes easier right after a good night’s sleep. Grammarly’s research also shows early birds make fewer writing mistakes. (No matter when you write, Grammarly has your back. Try Grammarly to get more writing tips to help keep you on track.)

Write daily.

Getting started on a big writing project can feel intimidating if you’re not used to the act of writing. Practice this skill daily—whether a short sentence or full paragraph—to get accustomed to the mental and physical concept of writing.

Get inspired by research.

Before you begin writing, do some reconnaissance reading. Take notes as you read up on your subject material. Ideas will form as you research.

Always carry a notebook and pen.

Inspiration can hit you at any time. Don’t leave a gripping pitch for a client, poetic sentence, or catchy project name to your memory. Write it down in a dedicated notebook, or create a note file on your smartphone. 

Experiment with writing prompts.

One of the best writing tips for aspiring writers is using a prompt. You can find endless writing prompts online that are suited for all types of genres. Pick one that stimulates your imagination and encourages you to get creative.

Outline.

If you often find yourself rambling on without a clear structure, start with an outline. Follow this simple, no-fail outlining process to organize yourself from the start.

Find all 30 tips here.

Do you use Grammarly? Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Happy Fourth of July!

Way back in the dark ages, 1972, to be exact, when the United States was getting ready celebrate its Bicentennial Anniversary in 1976, a movie was released celebrating our country's independence. That movie was the musical1776, and I LOVED it!

Never heard of it? Wikipedia says: 1776 is a 1972 American historical musical comedy drama film directed by Peter H. Hunt and written by Peter Stone, based on his book for the 1969 Broadway musical of the same name, with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards. Set in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776, it is a fictionalized account of the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The film stars William DanielsHoward da SilvaDonald MaddenJohn CullumKen Howard and Blythe Danner.

Portions of dialogue and some lyrics were taken directly from the letters and memoirs of the actual participants of the Second Continental Congress. 

For a synopsis, click here.

I was in fifth grade when my mom took me to see it. It was educational as well as entertaining! I loved it so much, my dad took me to see it again. That was in the days before VCRs, so when it was gone from the theaters, it was gone. But I did buy the album! That was the closest thing to seeing the movie again and again. I never saw it on TV, but I never forgot about the exciting experience of seeing this part of our history brought to life on the screen!

Well, silly me. When my kids were in junior high and middle school, I found DVD of 1776 at the library. So cool! I thought they'd enjoy watching it.  After all, I was in middle school when I saw it, but I also loved history; my kids not so much. Needless to say, they fell asleep. My husband was so-so about it since he's not a fan of musicals, but I loved it just as much as I did when I was a little kid! 

If you enjoy musicals and love history, I highly recommend watching 1776! It'll be a great way to spend some of your July 4th weekend!

By the way, Happy Fourth of July! Have you seen 1776? Thanks for visiting and have a great week!