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Insights

Straight answers, from someone who did the work.

Most of what's written about private investigation is either marketing or television. This is what the work actually involves, written by a detective who spent 34 years doing it.

Hiring an investigator

How much does a private investigator cost?

What private investigation actually costs, why the range is so wide, and how to tell whether you're paying for expertise or for hours.

Kathy Decker Kathy Decker July 30, 2026 · 7 min read

More on the way

Upcoming: what genetic genealogy can and can't do with old evidence, when a missing persons case needs a search strategy rather than more searching, and how to read a cold case file.

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  • Read by an investigator Your note goes to the team that would work the case — not a call center.
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