Book excerpt: This book offers a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of current and future challenges in criminal investigation carried out by the police in the United Kingdom. It is the first book to link current investigative influences on policing and the evidence-based agenda and considers the competing agendas of professionalization and austerity, analyzing the consequences of these developments in the field. Written by an author with extensive practical and training experience, the book traces the development of the role of detectives and discusses their training and education.