A nyomozóirodalom sok rajongója Edgar Allan Poe-ig vezeti vissza a kezdeteket, igazi virágkorát pedig Sir Arthur Conan Doyle és Sherlock Holmes sorozata. A detektívműfajt sajátos karakterek és témák jellemzik, és hagyományos formát követ.
Analyze the Detective's Code in detective fiction with this example from Indemnity Only
Storyboard Szöveg
SECRETIVE / AVOIDS PUBLICITY
LOYALTY TO PARTNER AND PROFESSION
DEDICATION TO THE CLIENT
"'Homicide, Drucker speaking,' growled a voice. 'There's a dead body at Fifty-four sixty-two South Harper, apartment three,' I said. 'Who are you?' he snapped. 'Fifty-four sixty-two South Harper, apartment three,' I repeated. 'Got that?' I hung up."
ECONOMICAL WITH THE CLIENT'S MONEY
"Very well. I'm off the payroll. I'll send you the bill. But you're wrong about one thing, McGraw-- and you can tell Earl from me-- you can fire me, but you can't get rid of me."
COOPERATES TO SOME DEGREE WITH POLICE
"I'm a private investigator. At the moment, my client is a fourteen-year-old girl who saw her father murdered and is very frightened."
EXAMINES ALL POSSIBILITIES
"Not to worry. If you want to hire me, give me a dollar and I'll give you a receipt, and that will mean you've hired me."
"I shrugged and went to the bedroom and got the card out of my top drawer. I wiped it clean of prints with a scarf and brought it back to Mallory....Mallory grunted with satisfaction and put it in a plastic bag. I didn't tell him the only prints on it at this point were mine. Why spoil one of his few pleasures?"
"These are all assumptions. I have no proof at the moment that could be used in court, but I have the proof that comes from watching human relationships and actions. If I am correct in my assumptions, then I believe Anita McGraw's life is in serious danger."