# Baker’s Dozen III **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [August 22, 2022, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093 "2022-08-22T15:39:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 227
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4521 "2024-03-01T14:10:05Z")
**Real Historical Figures who appear as Literary Detectives or Secret Agents** 1. Groucho Marx - Ron Goulart’s _Groucho Marx, Master Detective_ series 2. Harry Houdini - Harry Houdini Mysteries by Daniel Stashower 3. Abraham Lincoln - _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_ 4. John Gower - _A Burnable Book_ 5. Albert Einstein, James Joyce, Aleister Crowley - _Masks of the Illuminati_ 6. Eleanor Roosevelt - Elliott Roosevelt’s _Eleanor Roosevelt_ series 7. Jane Austen - Jane Austen Mysteries series 8. Edgar Allan Poe - _The Pale Blue Eye_ 9. Benjamin Franklin - _Mason - Dixon_ by Thomas Pynchon 10. Oscar Wilde - Gyles Brandeth’s _Oscar Wilde Mysteries_ series ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4522 "2024-03-01T15:31:40Z")
**Real Historical Figures who appear as Literary Detectives or Secret Agents** 1. Groucho Marx - Ron Goulart’s _Groucho Marx, Master Detective_ series 2. Harry Houdini - Harry Houdini Mysteries by Daniel Stashower 3. Abraham Lincoln - _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_ 4. John Gower - _A Burnable Book_ 5. Albert Einstein, James Joyce, Aleister Crowley - _Masks of the Illuminati_ 6. Eleanor Roosevelt - Elliott Roosevelt’s _Eleanor Roosevelt_ series 7. Jane Austen - Jane Austen Mysteries series 8. Edgar Allan Poe - _The Pale Blue Eye_ 9. Benjamin Franklin - _Mason - Dixon_ by Thomas Pynchon 10. Oscar Wilde - Gyles Brandeth’s _Oscar Wilde Mysteries_ series 11. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell and J. T. Fields - _The Dante Club_ by Matthew Pearl A psychotic veteran becomes a serial killer in post-Civil War Boston, and the leaders of Boston Brahmin literary high society team up to catch him. Interesting concept, but kind of a dull book IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4523 "2024-03-01T15:38:06Z")
**Real Historical Figures who appear as Literary Detectives or Secret Agents** 1. Groucho Marx - Ron Goulart’s _Groucho Marx, Master Detective_ series 2. Harry Houdini - Harry Houdini Mysteries by Daniel Stashower 3. Abraham Lincoln - _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_ 4. John Gower - _A Burnable Book_ 5. Albert Einstein, James Joyce, Aleister Crowley - _Masks of the Illuminati_ 6. Eleanor Roosevelt - Elliott Roosevelt’s _Eleanor Roosevelt_ series 7. Jane Austen - Jane Austen Mysteries series 8. Edgar Allan Poe - _The Pale Blue Eye_ 9. Benjamin Franklin - _Mason - Dixon_ by Thomas Pynchon 10. Oscar Wilde - Gyles Brandeth’s _Oscar Wilde Mysteries_ series 11. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell and J. T. Fields - _The Dante Club_ by Matthew Pearl 12. Theodore Roosevelt - _The Alienist_ I read the book in the 90s and think I enjoyed it but barely remember it now. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4524 "2024-03-01T16:07:49Z")
Nitpick: TR’s not a detective or secret agent in the book himself, though - he’s the NYC police commissioner who sets the team to its work. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2024, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4525 "2024-03-01T18:01:33Z")
Close enough. One I wanted to use in this thread, but don’t remember the title or the author of the book, was Fidel Castro. In the story a botanist has developed a plant that can grow nearly anyplace and supply all the nutritional value a person needs, and so can solve the hunger problem. Russia and China want to get it to use to control populations; the U.S. wants to suppress it as it would hurt Commerce, but Fidel Castro figures if he can get to the scientist and take him to Cuba, he can see that the plant is produced in large enough numbers to feed the world, guaranteeing him a legacy as a world hero. So, he shaves, changes clothes and gives up cigars, and nobody recognizes him. It was a good read, but I don’t recall the relevant details to find it again. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4526 "2024-03-02T22:50:38Z")
**Real Historical Figures who appear as Literary Detectives or Secret Agents** 1. Groucho Marx - Ron Goulart’s _Groucho Marx, Master Detective_ series 2. Harry Houdini - Harry Houdini Mysteries by Daniel Stashower 3. Abraham Lincoln - _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter_ 4. John Gower - _A Burnable Book_ 5. Albert Einstein, James Joyce, Aleister Crowley - _Masks of the Illuminati_ 6. Eleanor Roosevelt - Elliott Roosevelt’s _Eleanor Roosevelt_ series 7. Jane Austen - Jane Austen Mysteries series 8. Edgar Allan Poe - _The Pale Blue Eye_ 9. Benjamin Franklin - _Mason - Dixon_ by Thomas Pynchon 10. Oscar Wilde - Gyles Brandeth’s _Oscar Wilde Mysteries_ series 11. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, James Russell Lowell and J. T. Fields - _The Dante Club_ by Matthew Pearl 12. Theodore Roosevelt - _The Alienist_ 13. Dr. Sigmund Freud - _The Seven Percent Solution_ by Nicholas Meyer Assisting Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson, naturally. Next up: **Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales Conan Doyle only ever provided his first initial, not his full name. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4527 "2024-03-02T23:04:25Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4528 "2024-03-02T23:16:13Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4529 "2024-03-02T23:19:36Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4530 "2024-03-02T23:35:26Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout ---
**Author:** ![Skunkdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Skunkdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skunkdog)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4531 "2024-03-03T00:59:41Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4532 "2024-03-03T01:05:49Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ 7. Officer Murray Greshler - _The Odd Couple_ ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4533 "2024-03-03T01:44:01Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ 7. Officer Murray Greshler - _The Odd Couple_ 8. Chief of Police Tinkler - _Soap_ Tinkler was played by Gordon Jump in the first two seasons of the show, then he left to become the owner of WKRP, a radio station in Cincinatti. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4534 "2024-03-03T02:50:43Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ 7. Officer Murray Greshler - _The Odd Couple_ 8. Chief of Police Tinkler - _Soap_ 9. Odo, _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4535 "2024-03-03T12:27:43Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ 7. Officer Murray Greshler - _The Odd Couple_ 8. Chief of Police Tinkler - _Soap_ 9. Odo, _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ 10. Inspector Japp, Christie’s Poirot novels ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4536 "2024-03-03T12:51:19Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ 7. Officer Murray Greshler - _The Odd Couple_ 8. Chief of Police Tinkler - _Soap_ 9. Odo, _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ 10. Inspector Japp, Christie’s Poirot novels 11. Lt Marty Castillo, _Miami Vice_ Crockett & Tubbs’ boss, portrayed by Edward James Olmos. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4537 "2024-03-03T15:04:30Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ 7. Officer Murray Greshler - _The Odd Couple_ 8. Chief of Police Tinkler - _Soap_ 9. Odo, _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ 10. Inspector Japp, Christie’s Poirot novels 11. Lt Marty Castillo, _Miami Vice_ 12. Inspector Henderson, _The Adventures of Superman_ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4538 "2024-03-04T01:02:25Z")
**Police officers who are secondary characters** 1. Insp. G. Lestrade - the Holmes/Watson tales 2. Lieutenant Con Dolan - Sue Grafton’s alphabet series 3. Det. Eric Finch - _V for Vendetta_ 4. Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke - _West Side Story_ 5. Inspector Cramer - Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout 6. Officers O’Hara and Sanders, Police Sergeant Brophy - _Arsenic and Old Lace_ 7. Officer Murray Greshler - _The Odd Couple_ 8. Chief of Police Tinkler - _Soap_ 9. Odo, _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine_ 10. Inspector Japp, Christie’s Poirot novels 11. Lt Marty Castillo, _Miami Vice_ 12. Inspector Henderson, _The Adventures of Superman_ 13. Jeff Hawkings, _Worlds_ by Joe Haldeman I happened to re-read this last week. Pass ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4539 "2024-03-04T01:16:25Z")
**Types of footwear** 1. Mary Janes ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2024, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093/4540 "2024-03-04T01:24:42Z")
**Types of footwear** 1. Mary Janes 2. Birkenstocks [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093.md?page=226) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baker-s-dozen-iii/970093.md?page=228)