History Main / ParanormalInvestigation

* ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' is one of [[TropeCodifier the definitive examples]], although they're more like exterminators or a decontamination crew than investigators. Three out-of-work paranormalists get their funding cut, and end up starting a ghost-hunting business.

* ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' -- "Who you gonna call?" Although they're more like a decontamination crew than detectives or investigators.

%% ZCE * ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters''
* The 1937 Disney animated cartoon ''Lonesome Ghosts'' featuring Mickey, Donald and Goofy as a trio of ghost hunters who are baited into a haunted mansion by three bored ghosts with no one to scare.

** Bubs claims "paranormal investigator" as [[NewJobsAsThePlotDemands one of his many questionable professions]] (along with "normal investigator").

** And then there's ''The Homestar Runner Mysfit-steries'', which is just a straight-up parody of ''Scooby-Doo'', featuring teenage versions of Homestar, Strong Bad, Strong Mad, and Marzipan as investigators of... the mysterious (even though [[AgentScully Strong Bad doesn't believe in mysterious]]).

** Bubs claims "paranormal investigator" as one of his many questionable professions (along with "normal investigator").
** The WebAnimation/StrongBadEmail "ghosts" has Strong Bad and the Cheat check out Strong Badia at night in response to being asked if it had any ghosts, and end up awakening the ghost of Strong Bad's old computer.
** The 2016 Halloween cartoon briefly featured Strong Bad (in-character as "Sharpdene"... don't ask) and Strong Sad doing some ghost hunting, with Strong Bad carrying some sort of electronic device he claims found evidence of the Poopsmith's ghost.
** And then there's ''The Homstar Runner Mysfit-steries'', which is just a straight-up parody of ''Scooby-Doo'', featuring teenage versions of Homestar, Strong Bad, Strong Mad, and Marzipan as investigators of... the mysterious (even though [[AgentScully Strong Bad doesn't believe in mysterious]]).

** And then there's ''The Homstar Runner Mysfit-steries'', which is just a straight-up parody of ''Scooby-Doo'', featuring teenage versions of Homestar, Strong Bad, Strong Mad, and Marzipan as investigators of... the mysterious (even though [[StrawSkeptic Strong Bad doesn't believe in mysterious]]).

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-->-- Advertising slogan of the ''Film/{{Ghostbusters|1984}}''

* ''TabletopGame/DarkMatter'', a modern-day setting of conspiracy theories and paranormal investigation.

%% ZCE * ''WesternAnimation/PhantomInvestigators''

%% ZCE * ''Literature/TheHauntingOfHillHouse'' by Creator/ShirleyJackson.
%% ZCE * ''[[Literature/NewAmsterdamBooks New Amsterdam]]'' by Elizabeth Bear

* ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'': ''Literature/TheHoundOfTheBaskervilles'' crosses into this territory with the mysterious and apparently otherworldly hound roaming the moors.

* In the ''Literature/KittyNorville'' series, Kitty is successful, a rising star in the radio culture. Her radio show, ''The Midnight Hour'', has become an overnight sensation, providing outre music, observations about the bizarre, and call-in radio advice for the loners, the odd, and the unusual. Initially she doesn't investigate the supernatural herself, merely research, discuss, and theorize about it, but as time goes on she ends up having to to some degree in order to protect herself and those she cares about from the various supernatural threats she encounters. She also meets an actual cable TV show in book six, ''Paradox PI'', that is very much modeled after ''Series/GhostHunters''.
%% ZCE * ''Literature/MorrisAndChastainInvestigations''.

* Creator/CTPhipps has multiple installments of these:
** ''Literature/TheBrightFallsMysteries'' is about a young weredeer shaman (named Jane Doe, natch) who functions more like an OccultDetective in a small town in rural UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}. There are numerous horrid secrets and occult happenings within.
** ''Literature/TheMorganDetectiveAgency'' deals with an alcoholic private detective who also does work as a bounty hunter in a city run by vampires as well as possessing a large populace of other supernaturals.
** ''Literature/StraightOuttaFangton'' is a series about a vampire convenience store clerk who is always investigating the occult happenings around New UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}.
* ''Literature/RipleysBureauOfInvestigation''
* There's a growing subgenre that brings national governments, and all their messy history, into matters. The occult world is cloaked in secrecy but a potent source of power--themes that parallel espionage fiction. Two notable works in the "occult intelligence" subgenre are Creator/TimPowers' ''Literature/{{Declare}}'' and Creator/CharlesStross's ''Literature/TheLaundryFiles''.
* ''Literature/{{Vampirocracy}}'', in which Leon Ragnarson, VampireHunter, runs a paranormal private investigation firm and lends his expertise to the police in matters of supernatural crime, all under a recently-established vampire-run government.

* ''Literature/TheHauntingOfHillHouse'': The main plot is kicked off when a group of people are recruited by an expert in paranormal research to stay in a HauntedHouse and try to see if they can observe any supernatural phenomena.
%% ZCE * ''Literature/RiversOfLondon''

* ''TabletopGame/DarkMatter'', a modern-day setting of UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories and paranormal investigation.

* ''Anime/PhantomQuestCorp'', a.k.a. ''Yuugen Kaisha'', is exactly what it sounds like: a privately run agency that investigates the paranormal and the supernatural. Many of their assignments are commissioned from U Division's [[OccultDetective Detective Karino]], as a personal favor to Phantom Quest's president, [[LoveInterest Ayaka]] [[ChristmasCake Kisaragi.]]
* ''Manga/GhostTalkersDaydream'': [[MysticalWhiteHair Misaki]] [[{{Dominatrix}} Saiki]] has had the ability to see spirits, since childhood, and eventually learned she was a medium[[note]]a spiritual conduit by which the deceased can communicate with the living[[/note]]. As such, spirits are naturally drawn to her. She doesn't have a firm of her own, so she accepts assignments from the Livelihood Preservation Group, as an exorcist. But she mainly does it so the spirit in question will move on [[ReluctantHero and leave her alone.]]

Depending on the case, or the series in general, the paranormal activity can either be a hoax, or the real thing. When actual supernatural forces are in play, the detectives may need to consult [[MagneticMedium a specialist]] to combat it, or they might deal with it themselves through esoteric means, such as: occult magic, enchanted weapons, and the like.