The U.S. Constitution and the Mystery Novel, by Micheal O’Connor

Though not everyone realizes it, the U.S. Constitution can have serious repercussions on a mystery novel. Search warrant requirements, Miranda warnings, and prohibitions against rubber hoses are just a few of the many constraints placed on police detectives. While private detectives are not directly affected by the Constitution, disregarding the rules can have negative consequences for them as well. We’ll explore the highlights of these restrictions, and the different impacts they have on police and private detectives. Keep those pesky legal fact-checkers at bay!