Props to Poirot for the idea.
I’m going to start us off with Simon Shaw’s Philip Fletcher. He acts, he beds the ladies, he kills when the opportunity presents itself. What more could anyone ask?
He doesn’t count as amateur, but my favourite ficional detective is Hercule Poirot. I like the way he just sits back, and decides who the murderer is from his armchair.
If I was to pick an amateur, it would be from a Christie book. Agatha Christie is the only mystery author I enjoy.
Irene Kelly, the newspaper feporter who is the protagonist of Jan Burke’s series.
There are eight novels now in the series, and they’re all can’t-put-down stuff. The missus and I are big fans. The earlier books should be in your library - check 'em out!
Oops. Even with your link, I didn’t notice that Poirot had a thread regarding fictional detectives. I really should NOT post before my third cup of coffee.
So, um, nevermind.
That’s OK – it lets me post a completely different answer.
I like Toni L.P. Kelner’s transplanted-to-Boston Southern gal, Laurie Ann and her Shakespeare-quoting husband. She’s written about half a dozen, beginning with Down Home Murder and ending with the most recent, ** Death of a Damn Yankee**. I’d say it even if I didn’t live in the Boston area.
Not so much a current favorite as nostalgia, but I put in for The Hardy Boys Probably couldn’t read them now, but loved them when I was a tot.
Cadfael, definitely.
It’s a toss-up for me.
Tied for first place, in no particular order, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot.
Well, I’ll also harken back to my youth by saying Encyclopedia Brown.
Both of whom are professional sleuths.
My pick is Miss Marple. The old biddy always knows what’s what.
I loved those books. I wanted to be Encyclopedia Brown. My freinds and I would set up offices in our garages, and play out mysteries.
gotta, just gotta be the hardy boys
Has to be the mystery authoress Miss Ariadne Oliver from Agatha Christie, based on the author herself. She just adds a bit of comedy to each novels she is present in. She tries to help Poirot, but most of the time she gets in the biggest messes. In the end, though, she always pulls through.
“Munch” Mancini, a junkie/hooker/biker chick who manages to go straight and become a damn good mechanic. She also has a habit of trying to help old friends who are in trouble with biker gangs and dope dealers.
It all sounds a little outlandish, but the first Munch book, No Human Involved by Barbara Seranella, has some really chilling, utterly believable moments.
Hehe, my friend and I started up our own detective agency as well. Thing is, we were in a pretty crime-free area, so the business folded quickly. When you’re calling around to friends looking for wrong-doings, you know it’s time to cash in your chips.
I loved Encyclopedia Brown, too.
Also, Nancy Drew - the girl from the 60’s, not Miss Modern Drew, was my idol as a child. I still have the first 25 books in the original series.
Does anyone remember children’s stories featuring an old dog who solved mysteries with his pet buddies? I read them when I was 9 (I think it was aimed for an older crowd, though) and found them pretty spooky. I’d love to find them and re-read them again. There were adventures in the dog pound, ghosts, and I seem to remember walking, talking vegetables too, but I could be wrong.
Thanks. 
Nacho4Sara, could you maybe be referring to Mary Blount Christian’s “Sebastian, Super Sleuth” series? There was a lot of them, and there were quite a few dealing with ghosts (one that took place at a haunted ranch, I think).
There’s several of the “Sebastian” books on sale at the Zshops at Amazon.
Here’s one that has a picture of the cover.
