# Favorite Fictional Detectives-Book Division **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961 "2012-01-09T19:47:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/1 "2012-01-09T19:47:25Z")
Poll to follow later from top twenty. Who are your top three fictional book and/or magazine detectives, private or governmental? I’m looking for your personal favorites, not the ones you think are the best they are at what they do. It’s o.k. if they have also appeared on television, radio or in the movies, but stick to the characters as they appear on paper, please. 1. Nero Wolfe-Good food, good beer, and a good right hand man in Archie Goodwin makes for a damnfine detective book. 2. Irwin Maurice Fletcher-If you can strike those gawdawful movies from your memory, the Fletch books by Gregory McDonald are a real treat. 3. Aloysius Xingú L. Pendergast-With a name like that, you’ve really got to wonder what the “L.” stands for. He first appeared in a horror book titled _Relic_, and authors Preston and Child have built up a weird fictional world(18 books so far) on this walking X-File of an FBI agent. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/2 "2012-01-09T20:13:42Z")
Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot is a dandy. Georges Simenon’s Inspector Maigret is a treat. Elizabeth George’s Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley is an Earl. The flaws in fictional detectives are what make them interesting. I like the Poirot’s outrageous ego, Maigret’s drinking and comfort seeking, and Lynley’s unintentional snobbery. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/3 "2012-01-09T20:18:56Z")
I’ll second Nero Wolfe. Phillip Marlowe Sam Spade ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/4 "2012-01-09T20:19:13Z")
1.) Sherlock Holmes – predictable choice, I know, but I love him. 2.) Judge Jien Jeh Dee – Robert Hans van Gulik’s T’ang dynasty official. He really did exist, and just last year they released another movie inspired by him (with a ridiculous amount of wire work) 3.) Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin. What can I say? I’m listen to one of his audiobooks now. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/5 "2012-01-09T20:37:44Z")
Ellery Queen’s Ellery Queen John Dickson Carr’s Sir Henry Merrivale and Gideon Fell Craig Rice’s John Malone ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/6 "2012-01-09T21:02:10Z")
Second Marlowe and Spade, and add Lew Archer. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/7 "2012-01-09T21:11:50Z")
Lord Peter Wimsey, by Dorothy L. Sayers Joe Leaphorn, by Tony Hillerman Sherlock Holmes, as written by Laurie R. King ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/8 "2012-01-09T21:20:42Z")
Henry (I’m not sure if his last name is ever given), from Asimov’s _Black Widower_ stories Seconding Sherlock Holmes: Without him, the genre wouldn’t even exist. Yes, I know that Poe’s Dupin came first, but he wasn’t nearly in Holmes’ league. Encyclopedia Brown: Many a child’s first introduction to mystery stories. There have been a great many imitators, but Brown is the one with staying power. Fr. William of Baskerville, though I admit that only appearing in one book is a point against him. ---
**Author:** ![MsJinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@MsJinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsJinx)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/9 "2012-01-09T21:24:35Z")
Reginald Hill - the Dalziel & Pascoe series. He also writes under other names. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/10 "2012-01-09T21:30:57Z")
Sherlock Holmes Nero Wolfe / Archie Goodwin Father Brown with an honorable mention from my boyhood self to The Three Investigators (Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw, Bob Andrews) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/11 "2012-01-09T21:32:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Henry (I’m not sure if his last name is ever given), from Asimov’s _Black Widower_ stories His last name is a spoiler: Jackson, as revealed in the first Black Widower story. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/12 "2012-01-09T21:37:04Z")
Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series. Being both a smart ass and a wizard puts him on my top 3 list. Rachel Morgana Morgan from Kim Harrison’s the Hollows series. While not a detective in the classical sense, she solves her share of mysteries, including discovering the history of elves, demons, and witches. From the way the storyline is heading, she’ll soon be discovering how to give vampires their souls back too. John Taylor, from Simon Green’s Nightside series. Another smart ass, with powers that can lead to all kinds of humorous situations. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/13 "2012-01-09T21:47:21Z")
My top three are Holmes, Spade, and Charlie Chan. I was pleased to see Encyclopedia Brown get a mention, though. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/14 "2012-01-09T22:00:30Z")
1. Marlowe 2. The Continental Op 3. Holmes If the Continental Op had a name I suspect he would be on a lot more lists. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/15 "2012-01-09T22:43:48Z")
[ol] [li]Sherlock Holmes[/li][li]Judge Dee[/li][li]Garret P.I.[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/16 "2012-01-09T23:00:19Z")
1. Wolfe 2. Holmes 3. Marlowe ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/17 "2012-01-09T23:20:59Z")
1. Sherlock Holmes 2. Hercule Poirot 3. William Monk ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/18 "2012-01-09T23:29:36Z")
1: [Lord Darcy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Darcy_%28character%29), of Randall Garrett’s excellent alternate universe detective series. 2: [Garret P.I.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garrett_P.I.) 3: Harry Dresden. If there was 4, I’d add Nightside’s John Taylor. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/19 "2012-01-10T00:18:57Z")
Ellery Queen by Ellery Queen Sharyn McCone by Marcia Muller Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/20 "2012-01-10T00:27:24Z")
Nero Wolfe, what makes him great is that Archie is a damn fine detective all by himself, and Inspector Cramer is no dummy. Lord Darcy. Great alt-hist too. Look for the in-jokes, Nero Wolfe is there. For the dark horse let me suggest Master Li, from [Bridge of Birds - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Birds) Psst Garret fans- it’s a take-off on Nero Wolfe, the Dead Man is Wolfe. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961.md?page=2)