How to Be a Detective and Other Crime-Fighting Jobs - (How to Be A . . .) by DC Alexandra Beever (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A friendly, fascinating book about how to work in the crime-fighting industry, written by Detective Constable Alexandra Beever.

Do you have what it takes to become a detective, a crime scene investigator, or a forensic scientist? Find out all about the incredible crime-fighting jobs you could do, from training to become a crime laboratory analyst or a lawyer to working as a helicopter pilot or even becoming an expert in fingerprints.

This fully illustrated book will inspire any child with an interest in helping people and fighting crime.

Other titles in the series include: How to Be an Astronaut and Other Space Jobs; How to Be a Vet and Other Animal Jobs.

Review Quotes

Like the other How To Be books, this latest offers an accessible, in-depth introduction to the profession.
Veteran detective Beever explains exactly what a detective is, what equipment detectives use, and why they are needed. A timeline of the profession starts in 1833, with the Parisian Eugène Vidocq, and cites notable contributors, including Kate Warne, a Pinkerton employee and the first female detective. It ends in 2000 with the introduction of drones. Beever covers such topics as what skills are useful for a detective, how detectives are trained, and the many different kinds of crime-fighting jobs, including those involving vehicles, criminal science, or intelligence. The book further delves into the processes of reporting a crime and crime scene investigation, as well as what happens when a suspect is identified and when a person goes to court. The writing is clear, concise, and to the point; important words are in boldface, and potentially unfamiliar words and phrases are explained in the text. Beever writes in a manner accessible for the target age range. Stylized illustrations use flat, sharp-edged color blocks to define elements and provide informative, idealized depictions of detectives at work. Crime fighters and members of the public depicted include wheelchair users, people wearing head scarves, a detective in a Sikh turban, and people with a variety of skin tones.
No great mystery here: All evidence points to a career-shelf winner.

This British picture-book import does a creditable job of introducing detectives and other crimefighting
jobs. Fairly sophisticated text defines vocabulary words within context, offering
accessible explanations of terms from suspect, witness, and evidence all the way through to
prosecutor, jury, and "beyond a reasonable doubt." Various aspects of detective work are
considered in two-page spreads (training, tasks, crimes, types of evidence) supported by
illustrations that reinforce concepts and feature a diverse cast (a variety of skin tones, gender
and cultural representation, and characters of different physical abilities). Helpfulness, fairness,
and hard work are emphasized as necessary personality traits for people in these lines of work,
and additional skills (a good memory, attention to detail, being good at math, taking accurate
measures) are also mentioned. Outside agencies are briefly profiled (private concerns, Secret
Service, FBI, SWAT teams, and search and rescue), as are crime specialties (forensic scientists,
pathologists, entomologists, lab analysts, psychologists, etc.). This generously illustrated guide
packs in lots of information and offers a fresh update for career collections.

About the Author

DC Alexandra Beever (Author)
Alexandra Beever has been a detective with Thames Valley Police for 15 years. Following a science degree at university, she competed at the Olympics and won a gold medal at the World Championships as part of the GB Rowing Team.
After seven years as a full-time athlete, a career in policing appealed to Alexandra as it combined her interests in law and supporting others to make better life choices with her passion for the outdoors, being active and working as part of a team.
Once the work day has finished, Alex enjoys spending time with her daughter, their miniature dachshunds, Boo-Boo and Coconut, and pony George. She also loves taking trips to the seaside and catching up with friends.

Sol Linero (Illustrator)
Sol is a children's book illustrator and graphic designer from Buenos Aires. Her illustrations are filled with details and beautiful colors focused on children's products like books, puzzles, board books and memory games. Sol has worked for Airbnb, Pottery Barn Kids, Unicef and international magazines such as Oprah, Jamie Oliver, Wired and The Washington Post.