# Who's the best genre detective? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 10, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373 "2009-06-10T19:44:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/21 "2009-06-11T00:36:09Z")
[[del]Christopher Robin[/del] Tony Gillingham, ably assisted by his friend Bill](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_House_Mystery), who weren’t actually a part of the convention, but just happened to be passing through the neighbourhood and took a fancy to drop in on the octogenerian (probably because it was approaching eleven o’clock). 🆒 ---
**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:** [June 11, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/22 "2009-06-11T01:06:53Z")
No, no, you’re missing the obvious. Sure, those guys are all the _guests_ at the hotel, but Henry is moonlighting in a room service job (waiting doesn’t pay well enough, even at an exclusive restaurant), and while serving drinks to the assembled detectives, overhears the conversation and happens to point out the one crucial piece of information they’re all overlooking, which leads to the solution. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/23 "2009-06-11T01:40:41Z")
They all simultaneously solve the case, realizing The butler did it! ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/24 "2009-06-11T01:44:55Z")
The answer is elementary, my dear Watson. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/25 "2009-06-11T02:01:52Z")
Why no Harry Dresden or Sam Vimes? If the Scooby Doo gang and the Jeffersons are there, surely Harry and Vimes count be as well. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/26 "2009-06-11T02:23:51Z")
If Nero Wolfe gets Archie, then that team even beats Sherlock, even with Watson. How about Lord Darcy? ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/27 "2009-06-11T06:32:52Z")
No Cadfael? ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/28 "2009-06-11T06:42:45Z")
What about Max Carrados? ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/29 "2009-06-11T10:34:50Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Hercule Poirot, of course. > This was one of his mysteries, although I think the nasty old guy was stabbed. It took place at Christmas, IMS. I’m sorry I can’t recall the title. “Who’d have thought the old man had so much blood in him?”–“Murder for Christmas” a/k/a “A Holiday for Murder”. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2009, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/30 "2009-06-11T11:39:53Z")
Spenser would show up and sort it all out. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/31 "2009-06-11T12:59:04Z")
If you would allow Judge Dee to attend, his three beautiful wives would distract the other detectives thus giving him the edge. And since he is allowed to torture suspects, which always works according to a certain former vice president, he would get a confession in no timel. I would also enjoy seeing Honey West (in her prime) on the list. Then again, if she were in her prime, I would just enjoy seeing Honey West. ---
**Author:** ![wintertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c68b51/32.png) [@wintertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wintertime)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/32 "2009-06-11T13:00:32Z")
They all will get the job done, so, in case I could tag along, I’d much rather party with Nick & Nora and cruise around with the Angels than spend time with somber men or juveniles. Priorities, guys, priorities. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/33 "2009-06-11T13:18:05Z")
What, no love for Jim Rockford? ---
**Author:** ![DaphneBlack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daphneblack/32/5389_2.png) [@DaphneBlack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaphneBlack)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/34 "2009-06-11T13:42:29Z")
For the country-house cozy murder I say Poirot and Marple collaborate for the win. Holmes and Dr Fell would know the answer but wouldn’t care enough to share it. Insp Alleyn smoothes over relations with the police. Murder by Death is a great movie. ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/35 "2009-06-11T14:41:30Z")
Just give Emerson Cod and his assistant Ned a minute or so with the deceased… ---
**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:** [June 11, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/36 "2009-06-11T14:59:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If Nero Wolfe gets Archie, then that team even beats Sherlock, even with Watson. Yay, let’s hear it for Wolfe and Archie (especially Archie)! They get my vote. > [@Mithril](#): > > Another vote for Sherlock Holmes, but only because Nero Wolfe would have never left his house for a famous sleuth’s convention. Famous chefs, yes. An orchid show, yes. But mere detectives? No way. He would if the convention was going to honor Archie. After all, he went to picnic where Fritz was going to be honored. Did no one suggest Lord Peter Wimsey? He’s been known to have some success with such puzzles, hasn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/37 "2009-06-11T15:11:39Z")
If you plan to gather all the suspects together at a dinner party and have the villain betray himself, Nick Charles is your man. Nobody’s better at the dinner party bit than Nick. (Even though he was once shot in the tabloids.) ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/38 "2009-06-11T15:13:38Z")
As long as we’re suggesting others, I think Aleister Crowley’s detective Simon Iff would certainly be a contender-- and he would amuse the other with phallic jokes in the meantime. ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/39 "2009-06-11T15:51:18Z")
> [@KittenKat](#): > > Did no one suggest Lord Peter Wimsey? He’s been known to have some success with such puzzles, hasn’t he? I think Wimsey would have a positive leg up, my dear chap. It being such an august gathering, it’s most likely he himself would have been invited to the party in the first place. But my vote will go to the redoubtable [Inspector Jonathan Whicher](http://www.mrwhicher.com/). thwartme ---
**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:** [June 11, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373/40 "2009-06-11T16:23:36Z")
> [@](#): > > I need to add that if it’s a true locked room mystery, then Gideon Fell is the man. He - and Sir Henry Merrivale - were the two main series detectives of John Dickson Carr It still coulda been Sherlock Holmes, with a Car assist. Carr wrote all the stories in **The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes** , either by himself or in collaboration with Adrian Conan Doyle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-best-genre-detective/499373.md?page=3)