Ah yes, Wife of Radcliffe Emerson, “The Father of Curses.” 
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.
Lord Darcy fans: where do you recommend beginning?
Elvis Cole (Robert Crais)
Kinky Friedman (Kinkster)
Vincent Calvino (Christopher G. Moore)
Holmes and Wimsey for me, thank-you.
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
There is a great compendium “LORD DARCY: Murder and Magic; Too Many Magicians; Lord Darcy Investigates”
Special interest? For those with interest in the Roman Republic, the SPQR series by John Maddox Roberts is great.
Thank you!
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.)
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.
not a mystery reader though i did read Dirk Gently due to the author.
Arrgh! NOBODY in Jersey says “Joisey”.
Janet Evanovich is from my home town, but she lives in NH now.
- Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin
- Harry Dresden
- 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.
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.
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.
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
Gordianus The Finder and Lord Darcy deserve a note or two.
Harry Dresden, Serge Storms, and Agent Pendergast.