--- Juri Nummelin <
jurnum@utu.fi> wrote:
> On Mon, 20 Aug 2001, JIM DOHERTY wrote:
>
> > > But is there a private eye in there
[Memento]?
> > The amnesiac hero is a PI (or at least an
ex-PI).
> > Specifically an insurance
investigator.
>
> Do they count as PI's?
>
> Juri
I would argue that they don't, unless specifically licensed
as private investigators. One of the things that
differentiates the PI work from other mystery/crime pieces is
that license, in my opinion. I've recently argued here that
professionalism is a key to the genre, as well
(professionalism as versus amateurism, I mean), and a license
is part of that.
Of course, as with any argument along these lines, there's
going to be some genre-bending or line-crossing. Matt
Scudder, for example, has only had a license for the past
novel or two, but his book covers regularly refer to him as a
private eye and I'd be unenthusiastic about arguing the
point.
G. rightwing populist, with good points too
===== George C. Upper III, Editor The Lightning Bell Poetry
Journal http://www.lightningbell.org
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