The Detective's Handbook / journal / hicksdesign

25/05/08

The Detective's Handbook

Published by Usborne books in 1979, The Detectives Handbook (also published as 3 separate books) was quite simply my favourite childhood book.

Usborne are always known for the wealth of their illustrations, and these were no different. Pages of Colin King’s artwork that made me want to go out and re-enact the scenes, and above all, I really wanted that detectives office!

I found a copy on ebay last week, so I’ve taken some examples from it, and set up a Detective’s Handbook Flickr Set

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Comments are now closed, but you can still have a jolly time reading what others have left:

george said 140 days ago:

Wow, this book was pretty much a formative part of my childhood. Whenever I rearrange my office I still think back to this exact office drawing!

Alex Buga said 140 days ago:

That’s awesome!
You should upload the whole book :D It’s interesting and reminds me of my own childhood.
I guess we all were little explorers in our minds

daragh said 140 days ago:

I had that book! And the Spy’s Handbook I believe.

Harry Jones said 140 days ago:

Woah… incredible to see the image of that office again. The criminal in the window, the tape measure up the side of the door, the tape recorder behind the plant – beautiful!

Do you remember there was also the “Spy’s Handbook” in the same series? It had sections on encoding and diciphering messages, disguises and double bluffs. I think the cover was yellow… would be great to uncover that chestnut again.

Zach Inglis said 140 days ago:

That was one of my childhood favorite books. I had always imagined being a detective when I grew up due to these books.

Georg Portenkirchner said 140 days ago:

I had this book too, in German. And I loved it and read it all over again and again. To be prepared in case something is happening. ;-)
As far as I remember I had the “Spy’s Handbook” too.
Next time I visit my parents I have to search for them in the attic!

James McEwan said 140 days ago:

I loved that book, I found a copy of it at my Grandma’s when I was seven and took it everywhere for most of that year! It’s great to see it again, just as good as I remember it.

Tim Gray said 140 days ago:

I loved the spy handbooks. Used to read them all the time in the elementary school library in the ’80’s. Thanks for figuring out who published these, etc. There is hope that I might be able to find them now.

Shane said 140 days ago:

Wow! A fantastic book that was a big part of my childhood too.

I remember it being a compilation of some other books. Nice post :)

#10

vesan said 140 days ago:

I had it also, in Finnish. Actually I think I still have it somewhere.

#11

goncourt said 140 days ago:

Hehe, one of my absolute favourites, too. In german: seems kind of a detective internationale here ;)

#12

Martin Baker said 140 days ago:

Yep another former child detective here too. Absolutely loved that book! Thanks for bringing back the memories.

#13

dave said 139 days ago:

oh man, I had the detective+spy books too. That and devouring Sherlock Holmes books. Oh, and Spy Vs Spy on the C64 – great games.

#14

Will Bolton said 139 days ago:

Yes! This was one of my favourites too. Another one from Usborne was “The Usborne Book of the Future” (http://tinyurl.com/2zblj4).

#15

Rhys said 139 days ago:

This and the equivalent Spy’s handbook were great. I particularly liked the bits with advice (for a pre-teen) on how to disguise yourself as a pensioner.

#16

Ryan said 139 days ago:

I was just thinking of that book the other day. I wish I still had my copy :(

#17

Matthew Pennell said 139 days ago:

I loved that book – particularly remember the collection of crap disguises it recommended for surveillance activities. I actually managed to convince a school friend that starting a detective agency would be a good idea, at least until we discovered music and girls…

#18

Dave Foy said 139 days ago:

Me too! Can’t believe my eyes seeing those pages again. I used to read it over and over and over again, really pouring over the details.

Great find Jon – thanks for bringing back some deep-seated memories :)

#19

Carolyn Wood said 139 days ago:

Does this mean that you and John will soon be redecorating? And starting to wear hats? I can hardly wait! Hmm, maybe these questions should be for the podcast.
I missed these books. I would have been totally absorbed.

#20

Jon Hicks said 139 days ago:

It’s made by day that so people have had the same experience with this book as I have :)

#21

Andy said 139 days ago:

I think me and my son would love that book. We have to play detectives all the time. Can’t find that exact version. Is this one an updated version?
http://www.amazon.com/Detectives-Handbook-Detective-Guides-Civardi/dp/086020278X

#22

Tom Dyson said 139 days ago:

Just: me too!

And: I love this comment on the 2007 version of the Spy’s Guidebook.

#23

Jon Hicks said 139 days ago:

Andy – thats the one! Probably just a new cover, and same insides!

#24

Andy Polaine said 138 days ago:

Brilliant! It was one of my favourite books too. I’m sure they had some sequels.

#25

John Ryan said 138 days ago:

Ha! No way! My favourite book was the “Spy’s Handbook”. I still have it at home on my bookshelf! My brother always wanted a look, but I wouldn’t give away the trade secrets, so he never got to!

I must root it out and get a few scans up. Good times.

#26

Nick Dunn said 137 days ago:

Best. Book. Ever. A visit to the second hand bookshop this weekend is now on the cards.

#27

Ben Coleman said 132 days ago:

Brilliant – bringing back the memories. Next time i visit my parents i may have to have a root around in the loft to find this gem.

#28

Eugene said 125 days ago:

I remember the Spy’s Handbook and borrowing it from the school library when I was a kid. I also recall creating the spy matchbox kit for sending coded messages. :)