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16 Beloved Detectives to Add to Your Reading Capers
And we want to know, who's your favorite fictional detective? Tell us in the comments. Don’t forget to add new favorites to your Want-to-Read shelf!
Gig: Hard-boiled detective
Beat: A very noir 1940s Los Angeles
Opening Line: "It was about eleven o’clock in the morning, mid October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness of the foothills. I was wearing my powder-blue suit, with dark blue shirt, tie and display handkerchief, black brogues, black wool socks with dark blue clocks on them. I was neat, clean, shaved and sober, and I didn’t care who knew it. I was everything the well-dressed private detective ought to be. I was calling on four million dollars."
Beat: A very noir 1940s Los Angeles
Opening Line: "It was about eleven o’clock in the morning, mid October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness of the foothills. I was wearing my powder-blue suit, with dark blue shirt, tie and display handkerchief, black brogues, black wool socks with dark blue clocks on them. I was neat, clean, shaved and sober, and I didn’t care who knew it. I was everything the well-dressed private detective ought to be. I was calling on four million dollars."
Gig: War veteran-turned-detective
Beat: London
Opening Line: "The buzz in the street was like the humming of flies. Photographers stood massed behind barriers patrolled by police, their long-snouted cameras poised, their breath rising like steam."
Beat: London
Opening Line: "The buzz in the street was like the humming of flies. Photographers stood massed behind barriers patrolled by police, their long-snouted cameras poised, their breath rising like steam."
Gig: Amateur consulting detective
Beat: St. Mary Mead
Opening Line: "It is difficult to know quite where to begin this story, but I have fixed my choice on a certain Wednesday at luncheon at the Vicarage. The conversation, though in the main irrelevant to the matter in hand, yet contained one or two suggestive incidents which influenced later developments."
Beat: St. Mary Mead
Opening Line: "It is difficult to know quite where to begin this story, but I have fixed my choice on a certain Wednesday at luncheon at the Vicarage. The conversation, though in the main irrelevant to the matter in hand, yet contained one or two suggestive incidents which influenced later developments."
Gig: Police detective
Beat: New York City in 2058
Opening Line: "She woke in the dark. Through the slats on the window shades, the first murky hint of dawn slipped, slanting shadowy bars over the bed. It was like waking in a cell."
Beat: New York City in 2058
Opening Line: "She woke in the dark. Through the slats on the window shades, the first murky hint of dawn slipped, slanting shadowy bars over the bed. It was like waking in a cell."
Gig: Mustachioed Belgian private investigator
Beat: Throughout 1920s Europe
Opening Line: "The intense interest aroused in the public by what was known at the time as "The Styles Case" has now somewhat subsided. Nevertheless, in view of the world-wide notoriety which attended it, I have been asked, both by my friend Poirot and the family themselves to write an account of the whole story."
Beat: Throughout 1920s Europe
Opening Line: "The intense interest aroused in the public by what was known at the time as "The Styles Case" has now somewhat subsided. Nevertheless, in view of the world-wide notoriety which attended it, I have been asked, both by my friend Poirot and the family themselves to write an account of the whole story."
Gig: "Holistic detective"
Beat: London with a paranormal twist
Opening Line: "This time there would be no witnesses. This time there was just the dead earth, a rumble of thunder, and the onset of that interminable light drizzle from the northeast by which so many of the world's most momentous events seem to be accompanied."
Beat: London with a paranormal twist
Opening Line: "This time there would be no witnesses. This time there was just the dead earth, a rumble of thunder, and the onset of that interminable light drizzle from the northeast by which so many of the world's most momentous events seem to be accompanied."
Gig: Detective
Beat: Botswana
Opening Line: "Mma Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of the Kgale Hill. These were its assets: a tiny white van, two desks, two chairs, a telephone, and an old typewriter."
Beat: Botswana
Opening Line: "Mma Ramotswe had a detective agency in Africa, at the foot of the Kgale Hill. These were its assets: a tiny white van, two desks, two chairs, a telephone, and an old typewriter."
Gig: Chief inspector of Sûreté du Québec, the provincial police force for Quebec
Beat: Sleepy, yet murderous, Canadian villages
Opening Line: "Miss Jane Neal met her maker in the early morning mist of Thanksgiving Sunday. It was pretty much a surprise all around."
Beat: Sleepy, yet murderous, Canadian villages
Opening Line: "Miss Jane Neal met her maker in the early morning mist of Thanksgiving Sunday. It was pretty much a surprise all around."
Gig: World War II veteran-turned-private investigator
Beat: Los Angeles' Watts neighborhood from the 1940s to the 1960s
Opening Line: "I was surprised to see a white man walk into Joppy's bar. It's not just that he was white but he wore an off-white linen suit and shirt with a Panama straw hat and bone shoes over flashing white silk socks."
Beat: Los Angeles' Watts neighborhood from the 1940s to the 1960s
Opening Line: "I was surprised to see a white man walk into Joppy's bar. It's not just that he was white but he wore an off-white linen suit and shirt with a Panama straw hat and bone shoes over flashing white silk socks."
Gig: Los Angeles police detective
Beat: Hollywood
Opening Line: "The boy couldn't see in the dark, but he didn't need to. Experience and long practice told him it was good."
Beat: Hollywood
Opening Line: "The boy couldn't see in the dark, but he didn't need to. Experience and long practice told him it was good."
Gig: Police officer-turned-private investigator
Beat: The fictional California town of Santa Teresa
Opening Line:"My name is Kinsey Millhone. I'm a private investigator, licensed by the state of California. I'm thirty-two years old, twice divorced, no kids."
Beat: The fictional California town of Santa Teresa
Opening Line:"My name is Kinsey Millhone. I'm a private investigator, licensed by the state of California. I'm thirty-two years old, twice divorced, no kids."
Gig: Federal police investigator
Beat: Remote parts of Australia
Opening Line: "Even those who didn't darken the door of the church from one Christmas to the next could tell there would be more mourners than seats."
Beat: Remote parts of Australia
Opening Line: "Even those who didn't darken the door of the church from one Christmas to the next could tell there would be more mourners than seats."
Gig: Detective
Beat: New Orleans, Lousiana
Opening Line: "The evening sky was streaked with purple, the color of torn plums, and a light rain has started to fall when I came to the end of the blacktop road that cut through twenty miles of thick, almost impenetrable scrub oak and pine and stopped at the front gate of Angola penitentiary."
Beat: New Orleans, Lousiana
Opening Line: "The evening sky was streaked with purple, the color of torn plums, and a light rain has started to fall when I came to the end of the blacktop road that cut through twenty miles of thick, almost impenetrable scrub oak and pine and stopped at the front gate of Angola penitentiary."
Gig: Consulting detective
Beat: London
Opening Line: "In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the army. Having completed my studies there, I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as Assistant Surgeon."
Beat: London
Opening Line: "In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the army. Having completed my studies there, I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as Assistant Surgeon."
Who are your favorite fictional detectives? Let us know in the comments!
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Comments Showing 51-100 of 136 (136 new)
message 51:
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Miles
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Nov 15, 2018 09:58AM
Oops, what about John MacDonald's Travis McGee?
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The Continental OpFrom the series by Dashiell Hammett
Gig: Hard-boiled detective
Beat: A very noir 1920s San Francisco
He is a private investigator employed as an operative of the Continental Detective Agency's San Francisco office.
Lew Archer
From the series by Ross Macdonald
Gig: Hard-boiled detective
Beat: A very noir 1940s - 1970s Southern California
Spanning 18 novels, Macdonald's Archer novels have been praised for building on the foundations of hardboiled fiction by introducing more literary themes and psychological depth to the genre.
Flavia de Luce. Constance Kopp in Girl Waits with Gun
Rob wrote: "We need more Precious on tv. It used to be brilliant."I agree. Bring her back!
One of my all-time favorites is Guido Brunetti (Donna Leon series).
I love them all but nothing beats Lucas Davenport in the John Sandford "Prey" series. His spinoff books featuring Virgil Flowers are awesome, too!
Gerry wrote: "How about Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers by John Sandford. Never miss one of his books. Best dialogue ever!"Absolutely the best dialogue ever!!! LOVE Lucas and that f----ng Flowers!!!
Police Commissioner Guido Brunetti book series by Donna Leon, set in Venice, Italy.
Nero Wolfe is the best! An American, New York City detective with an interesting lifestyle, mystery background, and a humorous sidekick. I can still see his house and its interiors in my mind's eye. I'm 83 years old and was introduced to these books at 12 years old.And I still enjoy themselves!
Dalziel and Pascoe, Wallander, myronbolitar, Andy Carpenter, who else can one recommend for funny snappy dialogue and excellent writing skill? Need some new characters to enjoy. Thanks
Ian's Rankin's Rebus. Fiction based around fact. Detection and flawed characters. Riveting
Holmes, Agath Chrusty, Simenon my favorites
Morse, Dagliesh, Lyndley, Banks, Strike, Gamashe, Rebus
Love Harry Hole, but where's John Rebus. In my mind some of the best detective novels ever written.
Inspector Morse surely deserves a mention in despatches and C. J. Sansom's Shardlake series is fab. My favourite hunchback Tudor lawyer detective series.
Milo Sturgis- the Alex Delaware novels by Jonathan Kellerman. And who will forget Stuart MacBride's wonderful creation, Roberta Steele.
Amelia Pebody, Lady Darby, Fremont Jones
Christine wrote: "http://phrynefisher.com/books.html"oh yes, love the books. Not the tv series though.
Some of my favorites are: Hercule Poirot, Jane Marple, Precious Ramotswe, William and Hester Monk, Adam Dalgleish, and Sherlock Holmes. Thanks for the list. I may check some of them out.
I'm currently reading the Rex Stout books (Nero Wolfe) and my long time favorite is Dorothy Sayers and her character Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. I'm quite fond of the female investigators in post WW2 vintage Hawaii by Juanita Sheridan.
Sherlock Holmes started my love of detective novels & several of the 16 you listed I've added to my "Need to read" list - Harry Bosch & Kinsey Milhouse! However I have more than these on my list - Tess Gerritson's Jane Rizzoli, Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Robert Crais' - Elvis Cole & Joe Pike, James Patterson's - Women's Murder Club, Laurie R. King's - Mary Russell, Robert B. Parker's - Spenser and Peter Robinson's -Inspector Banks. Just LOVE a good mystery & detective.
Dorothy L. Sayers is my favorite. How about some more grand masters who led the way:Patricia Highsmith
Josephine Tey
Ngaio Marsh
Patricia Wentworth
Resnick by John Harvey. Love him and the excellent sandwiches he enjoys!
Sam Spade and The Continental Op by Dashell Hammett.
Shirley wrote: "No Donna Leon?!"oh yes, yes, yes!
Tess Monaghan in Baltimore. Series by Laura Lippman.
Spenser the Boston private eye is my all time favourite followed by Walt Longmire and Easy Rawlins.
My favorites are Salvo Montalbano, Bryant & May, and Amelia Peabody! Oh, and Flavia de Luce.
Joe Ide has new book about a different detective,Isiaah. . Can't wait.....
What about Nancy Drew or Sammy Keyes?! Surely Nancy Drew should’ve been on here!
Jessica wrote: "My favorite is Nancy Drew. She should have been on the list as well as the Hardy Boys and the Dana Girls."I agree!!!
Lucas Davenport! John Sanford’s detective in the Prey Series is awsome!!!
Guido Brunetti in the series by Donna Leon set in Venice, and the wonderful Salvo Montalbano in the series by Andrea Camilleri set in Sicily. Also the Rebus series, set in Edinburgh, by Ian Rankin. Then there's Martin Cruz Smith's Moscow homicide investigator, Arkady Renko - bitter and cynical, hanging on by a thread in a broken system.
Updating my reading taste. Here are my favorite two detective authors today.Robert Bryndza
Angela Marsons
Meg Langslow (Donna Andrews), Peter Maxwell (M J Trow), Berger & Mitry (David Handler), Claire Malloy (Joan Hess), Dalziel & Pascoe (Reginald Hill). I much prefer Albert Campion (Margery Allingham) or Peter Wimsey (Dorothy Sayers) to Poirot or Miss Marples for Golden Age detectives. And personally I can't stand anything by Alexander McCall Smith.
Besides above mentioned, I am missing Longmire in the list :)
If you are talking beloved detectives to add to the list why rehash such well known "detectives" as the ones listed here. What about Lew Griffin, the detective in James Sallis's books, John Brady's Matt Minogue series, 11 books which are marvelous, Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series (made into a bad series for tv) and lastly, Benjamin Black's Quirke series (also made into a tv series starring Gabriel Byrne). There are others that should be added to the list. Of the ones listed here James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheau series is excellent, Joe Ide's IQ series is wonderful and I also liked Michael Connelly's Bosch (bad casting in TV series) until Ballard (what's her problem?), but Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle should not be on a list "to add" since they are classics.
As well as those listed, Commissario Brunetti (Donna Leon), Rebus, Lord Peter Whimsey, Brother Cadfael and Phyrne Fisher should be on the list.
Some great mentions here but I also really like Peter May and his stories but particuarly those with with Enzo Mcleod!
Inspectors - Grant (Josephine Tey), Morse (Colin Dexter), Wexford (Ruth Rendell), Wycliffe (WJ Burley) & Charlie Peace (Robert Barnard).As far as children's books are concerned, Tintin is my favourite (though he is not officially a detective).
As a South African, I love Deon Meyer's Benny Griessel. If you haven't discovered Meyer, try his books!
