What really happens inside a homicide investigation?
Not the polished version we see in television dramas. Not the neat, forty-two-minute mystery where every clue arrives exactly on time and every case wraps up cleanly before the credits roll.
Real homicide work is slower, heavier, more complicated, and far more human.
In On Call: Inside Homicide Investigations, author Justin Bocock takes readers behind the scenes of thirteen real homicide cases, walking them through the process of interviewing witnesses, identifying evidence, using current investigative technology, preparing search warrants, interpreting autopsy reports, and building cases for trial. Each case unfolds the way it did for the detective working it: one fact, one clue, one challenge at a time.
About the Author
Justin Bocock began his law enforcement career as a Uniformed Division Officer in the U.S. Secret Service before joining the Mesa Police Department in Arizona, where he served for twenty years.
During his career, he worked in several roles, including patrol officer, training officer, detective, and homicide investigator. Over the years, he investigated hundreds of violent crimes, suspicious deaths, and homicides.
In 2019, Bocock was named Homicide Detective of the Year by the Arizona Homicide Investigators Association for pioneering the use of drone technology in crime scene investigations. He retired from the Mesa Police Department in 2021 and later contributed as a subject matter expert for criminal justice textbooks used in higher education.
With On Call, Bocock brings that experience directly to readers, offering a rare look at the reality of homicide investigations from someone who has lived the work firsthand.
About the Book
On Call: Inside Homicide Investigations is part true crime, part investigative guide, and part insider account of what it takes to follow the evidence in a murder case.
Through thirteen real cases, readers are invited to step into the role of the investigator: listening to witnesses, examining evidence, understanding legal hurdles, and watching each case develop from the first call to the final conclusion.
The book also serves as a practical resource for readers interested in the criminal justice system, including aspiring homicide detectives, writers, students, and true crime readers who want a deeper understanding of how real cases are built. Topics include photo lineups, firearms terminology, dying declarations, hearsay, search warrants, trial preparation, and the many unexpected complications that arise in homicide work.
But at its heart, On Call is also about victims, families, and the pursuit of justice.
These cases are not simple. They are not always what they first appear to be. And as Bocock shows, every homicide investigation requires patience, discipline, and the willingness to follow the facts wherever they lead.
Read On Call
For true crime readers, crime writers, criminal justice students, or anyone curious about what really happens behind the scenes of a homicide investigation, On Call: Inside Homicide Investigations offers a detailed, grounded, and compelling look at the work.
Step inside the investigation. Follow the evidence. See the case through the eyes of the detective who worked it.
On Call: Inside Homicide Investigations by Justin Bocock is available now from Genius Book Publishing.
