The Honored Dead is a work of narrative non-fiction. A video camera and audio recording device were used every day for four months to record scenes, situations, and dialogue. Nearly all of the narrative is retold chronologically. There are no composite characters in the book. There are, however, composite scenes. Moreover, some of the characters’ names were changed: police agreed to interview on condition that their real names not be used, while several civilians felt that revealing their names might compromise their reputation or personal safety.