Crime Research Involves The Weirdest Things
Crime writers research bizarre, specific details.
Forensic oddities, legal loopholes, and strange physical facts that most people never Google, making their books feel real.
Body Changes and Forensics
How long a body floats before sinking in cold water versus warm water. The exact smell and visual stages of human decomposition in a locked car.
What happens to false teeth or silicone implants after death.
Poisons and Medicine
Rare plants or household chemicals that mimic natural heart attacks. The exact medical signs of an insulin overdose versus natural diabetic shock.
How fast certain drugs break down in a cup of coffee.
Police and Crime Scenes
How long blood takes to dry on different fabrics in a humid room. What a real interrogation room smells like after twelve hours.
The exact protocol for logging digital evidence from a smashed phone.
Law and Prisons
How mail is actually checked and read inside high-security jails. The daily cost of a prisoner versus the cost of keeping a guard on duty.
What contraband holds the highest trade value in a maximum-security cell.
A Bizarre Research Example From a Famous Crime Writer – Val McDermid
How long does a corpse take to burn in a traditional Scottish peat bog?
Known for her meticulous forensic accuracy, McDermid frequently consults real pathologists to understand how specific regional terrain impacts decomposition rates.
Because standard cremation data does not apply to tightly packed, highly acidic, and oxygen-deprived peat fields, therefore it changes the timeline for destroying evidence.
Do I search for bizarre, specific details? Guilty as charged.
Examples from ‘Revenge Comes In Many Colours’ from The Phoenix Series.
The plot transitions from abstract, high-level warfare against The Grid and Hugo Hanigan into a gritty, crusade against heartless criminals who bleed the poor dry.
So, there were a range of things to research, some of them were included in the story, others were kept in case they were needed in another book.
Loan Sharking & Financial Exploitation
What are the exact mechanics of a “rent-to-own” real estate scam targeting low-income families?
Can an unauthorized lender legally seize physical assets from a UK property without a court bailiff?
Urban Surveillance & Infiltration
Can a civilian signal jammer disrupt local private security radio frequencies without tripping police alarms?
How long does it take a lock-picker to open a standard British five-lever mortice deadlock silently?
Street-Level Tactics & Trauma
Can a targeted strike with an expandable baton crack a rib cage without causing visible external bruising?
How easily can a standard civilian vehicle be rigged to suffer a catastrophic brake fluid leak while driving?
Can you go too far?
Authors throughout history have faced detention when their investigative movements or disguises drew police suspicion.
George Orwell was famously arrested for being drunk and incapable in December 1931 while living rough in London.
He was researching social conditions for Down and Out in Paris and London, and spent a night in a police cell.
Whether you choose Fatal Decision the first case in The Freeman Files or maybe you’d prefer The Phoenix? Whatever you do, I hope you’ll enjoy the characters and agree that the amount of research was sufficient and worthwhile.
I’ve always placed extra importance on credibility, because I prefer believable scenarios over exaggerated action. Research, observation, and lived experience all play a role in shaping my stories, and I’ve tried not to overwhelm readers with technical detail. Instead, information is revealed gradually, supporting the story without distracting from it. Well. that was the aim, anyway.
Another book-related topic soon…
Best wishes
Ted Tayler