Ideally, murders and other mysteries should be solved by ...

The Game Room
21
  1. A Florida beach bum who lives on a boat he won in a poker game.

Travis McGee, in Free Fall in Crimson, among others.

  1. A Florida police chief’s brainy 11 year old son.

Leroy “Encyclopedia” Brown

  1. A former jockey with an artificial hand.

Sid Halley, in ***Whip Hand ***and Under Orders, among other novels

22

I didn’t actually know any of yours, astorian, but I guessed your 21.

Giving it one last shot with spoilered answers to my 19 and 20:

  1. A former reporter and would-be pulp author who has taken to the nightlife of post-Depression Chicago.

Jack Fleming, of P. N. Elrods Vampire Files, a vampire who teams up with a private agent to solve his own murder, and goes on to become his partner in further adventures. Jack wants to write for Weird Tales.

  1. A private detective who has put dancing and death behind her, though with less success at the latter than she’d like.

Harper Blaine, of Kat Richardson’s Greywalker series, a Seattle PI who died for two minutes, and returned to life with the ability to perceive and act in the Grey, the half-world of ghosts and other supernatural beings.

23

I would like to complain about this poll.

No cats.

24

I’ve read those books, but the part about the would-be pulp author threw me off, as I’d forgotten about that.

I want to know who this one is.

Some more?

  1. A Motswana woman with a traditional build who drives a tiny white van.

  2. A Navajo Tribal Policeman who studies crime patterns using colored pins on a wall map.

25

I aim to please.
25. A former newspaper reporter with two Siamese helpers.

(You read his LJ, too, I see.)

Eleanor, is 24 Jim Chee?

26

Cynthia Baxter, Reigning Cats and Dogs

I don’t like the main character’s love interest, but otherwise they’re pretty good.

27

Close - Joe Leaphorn is the one famous for his wall map.

Thanks. Those sound cute.

28
  1. A Korean War vet whose proudest moment was when he fought Jersey Joe Walcott and wasn’t beaten too badly

Spenser

  1. A charming blond ex-Marine who’s been a newspaper reporter and a Presidential candidate’s advisor.

Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher

29
  1. Agoraphobic NWcPD detective solves murders with his Robot sidekick

Elijah Baley from Isaac Asimov’s Robot series

30

should be NYcPD detective:smack:

also

28:a fifteen-year-old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome investigates the murder of a poodle.

Christopher John Francis Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

29:doper tracks down habitual plagiarizing gits and exposes them in the pit

orcenio in athelas is a habitual plagiarizing git

31

Mma Precious Ramotswe, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective AgencyI recommend the television series.

32
  1. The World’s Greatest Detective and his extremely laconic partner

Elvis Cole and Joe Pike

33
  1. Those meddling kids! (Sorry, no pets.)

The Bloodhound Detective Agency

34
  1. A brilliant cocaine addict and his stalwart physician friend.

Oh, come on. Like you don’t know who this is!

  1. An English monk who knows an evil book when he sees one.

William of Baskerville, Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose

  1. A world-weary old cop in a rainy, filthy city who does his very best no matter what.

William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), Se7en

35
  1. Clumsy Frenchman with a martial artist house boy.

What, you don’t know this one, either?

  1. An Oxford police inspector with a love of ale and opera.

Inspector Morse, Last Bus to Woodstock

  1. An English aristocrat with possible royal connections, whose manservant is a former burglar. Albert Campion, The Black Dudley Murder
36
  1. A reluctant nobleman, who perceives his family obligations to be sacrosanct. Best all around if he solves his mysteries by early evening (although he can always pick up later where he left off).His Grace, Samuel Vimes, Duke of Ankh-Morpork
37
  1. An effete little Belgian who is quite particular about his clothes and his moustache.

Hercule Poirot, but of course!

  1. A shlumpy Frenchman who wore his overcoat and hat even on the Riviera.

Jules Maigret, created by Georges Simenon.

38

  1. A former slave who trained in Paris as a surgeon and a musician, lately returned to his childhood home in New Orleans. He’s aided by an opium-addicted violinist and an unprepossessing policeman from Kentucky.Benjamin January, Barbara Hambly’s A Free Man of Color

  2. A former legionary who has taken up with a senator’s daughter and does undercover work for the Emperor Vespasian.Marcus Didius Falco, series by Lindsey Davis

39

This thread is its own Sequential Thread. Just read across…

40
  1. A one-eyed tuba player who uses his knowledge of stage magic to catch crooks.

Lt. Columbo. What? It’s misleading but accurate.