Psychic Sleuths: How Psychic Information Is Used to Help Solve Crimes (An Open Door Book)

Grade 7-9-This book purports to be a reasoned inquiry into the role of psychics in criminal investigations, but it lacks balance. Larsen accepts the existence of spirit communication, reincarnation, channeling, and other paranormal manifestations as a matter of fact. She relates the pronouncements of the "entities" at a channeling session without question and relays the psychics' descriptions of life on the "spirit plane" unreservedly. There is one chapter on fake mediums, but their techniques are described only as a contrast to those of "true" psychics. The author cites numerous cases and devotes over two chapters to the murder of Lois Duncan's daughter, drawing heavily on Duncan's own account, Who Killed My Daughter? (Delacorte, 1992). Throughout the book, the writing style is choppy and awkward with much New Age spiritual jargon. The controversy over psychics in police work is a valid one that would be of great interest to readers, but a less sensationalized treatment is needed.
Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 5-7. Because middle-graders love reading about paranormal phenomena, Larsen's book probably would have been popular even if it hadn't been clearly written, well organized, and interesting. But well written it is, making this a sure thing for students researching papers on topics of personal interest as well as for browsers. Larsen, who focuses on psychic detectives, debunks frauds, explains how reputable psychics work, and provides a brief history of modern seers. Two chapters discuss the role that psychics played in investigating the unsolved murder of writer Lois Duncan's daughter, a case that readers may be familiar with because of Duncan's own book on the subject and her appearance on a nationally televised show featuring the case. A brief bibliography allows readers to pursue the subject further. Chris Sherman