Methods of Detection: Forensics versus Old-Fashioned Horse Sense

[Persia Walker]

I'm a great fan of forensic sleuthing -- on television, that is. However, I find myself drawn to written fiction in which solutions are found more through human observation than observations in a lab. At one point, I did toy with the idea of writing a "forensic"-based novel, but I just couldn't do it.

My question would be: What's your favorite way of sleuthing? Is there a market for books featuring old-fashioned horse sense? Do the writers in our community feel pressure to include some form of forensic technology (even if it's a McGyveresque "amateur" or a 1920s historical) in the solution of crimes?

[Graeme S. Houston]

My favorite way of sleuthing: in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of fantasy novels, one Particular character called Carrot (of the town guards) is well known for his linear thinking. To solve a murder he interviews Death himself. Actually I kind of stopped reading Terry Pratchet once I turned 17, not because there's anything wrong with his writing or his sense of humour, but by then I had given up on ever being able to read everything Pratchet comes out with (but I digress). When I read that on wikipedia, well hats of to Pratchett for thinking that one up.

On a more serious note, you can't beat a bit of deductive reasoning Holmes style. :)

I would have to agree with you... writing forensics into a novel doesn't leave much for the main character to do except touch nothing and wait for the lab results to come back. hehe