Amazon.com description: Product Description: The ultimate reference on the dark world of criminals and those who oppose them! Readers will learn how crimes are plotted, committed, investigated and solved. This hefty reference includes chapters from nine of the books in the "Howdunit" crime series, as well as thirteen new chapters on key topics, such as property crime, gangs and the drug trade. Boertlein also offers a huge glossary of crime words and phrases, plenty of photographs, and new chapter sections that give writers the sensory details and real-life perspective they need to write not only accurately, but vividly about crime. In the final section of the book, readers will find prompts and advice to guide them in plotting, committing and solving their own fictional crimes. They can create floor plans of crime scenes, follow leads and catch their criminals. Using the information in this book - and any other Howdunits they own - readers can put what they've learned into action and on the page.