Detective's Handbook (Spy & detective guides) Paperback – 4 Oct. 1995

This book is absolutely amazing. I've been searching for it for years. My dad use to always encourage me to read loads of books when i was young, this one was great, it still is. It taught me alot of about crime, police, evidence and basically being a 'detective', all with minimal writing and very clever illustration. The characters are a bit cliche - e.g. robber dressed in black and white stripes with a dollar sign on a bulging bag tossed over shoulder - but the characters have real personality, i used to read the book several times and still stare at some of the characters. I will definetly buy this for my memories but mainly to give to my younger cousin. Must have for kids, especially your typical boy.

Fond memories from my childhood. I was much more Usbourne than Ladybird.

If there's one book that Usborne should republish, the Detective's Handbook is it. I read this when I was a little girl, and it's one of my prized book until now. It was well-written with wonderful and amusing illustrations to accompany each page and story. The explanations about disguises, how to search a room and find evidence, how to examine witnesses, how to find out if the suspect is guilty and generally how to be a good detective were fun to read and really thrives on the young one's imaginations. The characters were amusing as well, and each had their own personality (who could ever forget their ever-present trenchcoats, fedora and magnifying glass?). There was also a short introduction and explanations about fingerprints, which I pored over with delight. Today I am a forensic science major, and I still remember this book fondly for first introducing me to fingerprint details. When I have my own children someday, I'm definitely getting a copy for them!So Usborne, let's see a reprint!

It was really good, explained all the basics-couterfeits/forgery, disguises and loads more, had cool pictures, funny and it also had myteries and puzzles for you to solve! But it wasn't that realistic!Good for young people or begginers.

This was worn and had two different kids' names in it, but I needed a copy for why my sister's son (is born and) reaches reading age. I know he'll love it as much as I did, must have read it a hundred times. Regrettably, my mom pleaded to have it for her students, so I couldn't bequeath my own. Such a worthy purchase, whatever the condition.

My 8-yr old nephew loves this book. It's one of the few books he keeps going back to over and over again after about a year now since I bought it. I'm glad it keeps him reading.