# Fictional detectives: the cream of the cream. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 11, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059 "2008-07-11T00:04:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/61 "2008-07-11T14:50:51Z")
[QUOTE=aldiboronti] This guy is much earlier. [Marcus Didius Falco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindsey_Davis) [/QUOTE] You beat me to it. Best one all round and funny too. ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/62 "2008-07-11T16:14:27Z")
Sister Fidelma (author: Peter Tremayne) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/63 "2008-07-11T16:20:37Z")
A rather obscure one, and less a detective than a general problem-solver, and sometimes simply an observer who unravels a mystery but leaves things exactly as he found them: Avram Davidson’s [Doctor Eszterhazy,](http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Doctor-Eszterhazy-Avram-Davidson/dp/0913896284) of the Triune Monarchy of Scythia-Pannonia-Transbalkania. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/64 "2008-07-11T16:22:56Z")
[QUOTE=aldiboronti] This guy is much earlier. [Marcus Didius Falco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindsey_Davis) [/QUOTE] To which I feel obliged to add: [Decius Caecilius Metellus](http://italian-mysteries.com/JMRap.html) and [Gordianus the Finder.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordianus_the_Finder) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/65 "2008-07-11T16:33:36Z")
[the Bloodhound Gang](http://youtube.com/watch?v=-4273oOYy7s)! And did anybody mention the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew yet? No??? Tsk, tsk. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/66 "2008-07-11T16:49:26Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] With apologies if I missed these two, but Jim Rockford and Thomas Magnum have to in the mix here somewhere. [/QUOTE] Damn **zamboniracer** , you beat me to Rockford. I loved that show. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/67 "2008-07-11T17:28:05Z")
[QUOTE=The New and Improved Superman] And did anybody mention the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew yet? No??? Tsk, tsk. :mad: [/QUOTE] Ah, poor gumshoeing. [Post 25](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9989963&postcount=25). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/68 "2008-07-11T17:37:39Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] Damn **zamboniracer** , you beat me to Rockford. I loved that show. [/QUOTE] Thirded. The two greatest TV detectives were Columbo and Rockford. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/69 "2008-07-11T23:46:36Z")
[QUOTE=Siam Sam] The wife’s and my favorite: Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police in Tony Hillerman’s excellent series. (With Sergeant Jim Chee of the same force a close second.) [/QUOTE] Oh, yes, the Legendary Lieutenant. Some of the best detective stories in print. I don’t know how recognizable he’d be for the purpose, though. [aside] Have you read \*Finding Moon?[/\*aside] ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/70 "2008-07-12T05:23:42Z")
[QUOTE=thirdwarning] [aside] Have you read \*Finding Moon?[/\*aside] [/QUOTE] Sure have. Got it in hardback. Very good. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/71 "2008-07-12T12:51:03Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] What, no mention of Spenser? [/QUOTE] Only if he brings Hawk with him. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/72 "2008-07-12T13:52:33Z")
Morse and now Lewis Steve Carella,but now fading fast Frost Sister Fidelma also starting to fade now ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/73 "2008-07-12T13:58:50Z")
While technically not a detective, Johnny Smith of _The Dead Zone_ is good at solving crimes. And Anthony Michael Hall is so cute. ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/74 "2008-07-12T17:59:23Z")
What, no Elvis Cole? And the ineffable Joe Pike? ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/75 "2008-07-12T18:18:48Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] My list currently includes: -Philip Marlowe (in fact, as a _genre_, as much as a specific character) -Sherlock Holmes -Hercule Poirot -Columbo -Clouseau -Morse -Frost (maybe) [/quote] Since your goal is to present the characters as a performance, I would suggest detectives that have the greatest differences in presentation between each other. Holmes is incisive and coldly logical; Poirot is polite and diffident; Columbo appears absent-minded and has the habit of asking “oh, just one more thing.” Marlowe is the quintessential noir detective. Clouseau has the ridiculous faux-French accent going on. But the point is, they all _sound_ different. That’s important. So far, you have a good start on that. If you’re feeling up to it, another detective duo you can add to your list are **Shaggy and Scooby.** They certainly have a distinctive sound. And I second the nomination of Charlie Chan. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/76 "2008-07-12T18:19:32Z")
Come on, no Inspector Clouseau? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/77 "2008-07-12T18:28:55Z")
[QUOTE=rayh] Come on, no Inspector Clouseau? [/QUOTE] See both the OP and the post immediately before yours 😃 I love these “List the greatest…” threads, it’s so easy to miss one item on a two page list. 🙂 ---
**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:** [July 12, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/78 "2008-07-12T19:45:30Z")
My current favorite: [Aloysius Pendergast.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Pendergast) ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/79 "2008-07-12T23:28:49Z")
The crime-solving [Rabbi Small](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbi_Small). [Precious Ramotswe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mma_Ramotswe) from the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059/80 "2008-07-13T00:23:43Z")
[QUOTE=Raguleader] I love these “List the greatest…” threads, it’s so easy to miss one item on a two page list. 🙂 [/QUOTE] I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fictional-detectives-the-cream-of-the-cream/456059.md?page=5)