# 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:** 3
**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 10, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/41 "2012-01-10T15:08:58Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > Amelia Peabody Ah yes, Wife of Radcliffe Emerson, “The Father of Curses.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/42 "2012-01-10T15:31:54Z")
Only three? Or three from different sub-genres of mystery? British: Sherlock Holmes, Lord Peter Wimsey, Flavia de Luce American: Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin, David Loogan, Constance and Charlie Special interest themes, whether archeological, historical, cultural Amelia Peabody & family, Joe Leaphorn, Gideon Oliver Oh, there are so many more! I just discovered Elizabeth Goodweather. Nigel Strangways, Albert Campion, and Gervase Fen have been favorites. So have Richard Jury and Roderic Alleyn. The Peculiar Crimes unit. I could go on and on. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/43 "2012-01-10T15:38:41Z")
Lord Darcy fans: where do you recommend beginning? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/44 "2012-01-10T15:42:15Z")
Elvis Cole (Robert Crais) Kinky Friedman (Kinkster) Vincent Calvino (Christopher G. Moore) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/45 "2012-01-10T15:43:04Z")
Holmes and Wimsey for me, thank-you. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/46 "2012-01-10T15:44:34Z")
Spenser - Robert B. Parker Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin - Rex Stout Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee - Tony Hillerman Also among my favorites: Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis - Jonathan Kellerman Harry Bosch - Michael Connelly Lucas Daveport - John Sandford Amos Walker - Loren D. Estelman ---
**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, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/47 "2012-01-10T16:22:27Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > Lord Darcy fans: where do you recommend beginning? There is a great compendium _“LORD DARCY: Murder and Magic; Too Many Magicians; Lord Darcy Investigates”_ ---
**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, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/48 "2012-01-10T16:24:33Z")
Special interest? For those with interest in the Roman Republic, the SPQR series by John Maddox Roberts is great. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/49 "2012-01-10T16:58:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > There is a great compendium _“LORD DARCY: Murder and Magic; Too Many Magicians; Lord Darcy Investigates”_ Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/50 "2012-01-10T17:05:06Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I gave James Patteson’s Alex Cross a few tries, but I finally had to come to the conclusion that James Patterson (in my opinion) can’t write worth shit. Oh, come now - you can’t be so hard on him. It’s not his fault that _every single character_ he imagines conveniently resembles a “blond Jodie Foster,” or a “raven-haired Brad Pitt” some other slightly-tweaked celebrity that needs no further description. (I know this because I got through several of the Alex Cross novels via audiobook during my insomnia years. Audiobooks made it possible, because I just groaned and the story carried on - a paperback would have made a dent in the wall and never been picked up again.) ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/51 "2012-01-10T17:44:52Z")
Another vote for John Taylor and Harry Dresden, and one for Evonovich’s Stephanie Plum. She’s more bounty hunter than PI, but what’s not to love about a Joisey girl with 'tude. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/52 "2012-01-10T17:54:45Z")
not a mystery reader though i did read Dirk Gently due to the author. ---
**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 10, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/53 "2012-01-10T17:58:41Z")
> [@Scubaqueen](#): > > Another vote for John Taylor and Harry Dresden, and one for Evonovich’s Stephanie Plum. She’s more bounty hunter than PI, but what’s not to love about a Joisey girl with 'tude. Arrgh! NOBODY in Jersey says “Joisey”. Janet Evanovich is from my home town, but she lives in NH now. ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/54 "2012-01-10T18:10:39Z")
1. Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin 2. Harry Dresden 3. Lt. Eve Dallas, from the _…in Death_ series\* by J.D. Robb I also really enjoy Stephanie Plum, Temperance Brennan, Marcus Didius Falco, and Lord Peter Wimsey. And Midnight Louie. \*Can/Do we still call it that? The last book didn’t follow the pattern. ---
**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 10, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/55 "2012-01-10T18:19:46Z")
> [@KittenKat](#): > > \*Can/Do we still call it that? The last book didn’t follow the pattern. I am also a fan of Peabody and her partner whatshername, and the next three books are “…In Death” books. ---
**Author:** ![KittenKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kittenkat/32/306_2.png) [@KittenKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KittenKat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/56 "2012-01-10T18:27:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I am also a fan of Peabody and her partner whatshername, and the next three books are “…In Death” books. Yes, I love Peabody and McNab, and just about everyone in those books. And it’s good to know the title pattern is continuing. ---
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/57 "2012-01-10T18:41:47Z")
Henghis Hapthorn by Matthew Hughes. Science fantasy. He’s a Sherlock Holmes type detective in the penultimate age of earth. His Watson is a personal computer that is always with him. Henghis just has to ask a question and the computer answers him out of thin air. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/58 "2012-01-10T18:48:47Z")
Another vote for Eve Dallas, et al. (don’t look now, there are over THIRTY “in Death” books!) I also like Kinsey Milhone, by Sue Grafton. And she’s not a detective, but she sure detects a lot as a medical examiner: Kay Scarpetta, by Patricia Cornwell. ~VOW ---
**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 10, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/59 "2012-01-10T22:48:01Z")
Gordianus The Finder and Lord Darcy deserve a note or two. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961/60 "2012-01-11T00:16:08Z")
Harry Dresden, Serge Storms, and Agent Pendergast. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-fictional-detectives-book-division/608961.md?page=4)