# Who's your favorite fictional detective? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 3, 2001, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580 "2001-04-03T02:46:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jenericho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Jenericho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenericho)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/21 "2001-04-03T12:16:50Z")
Lestrade - but the M J Trow incarnation rather than the A C Doyle incarnation. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/22 "2001-04-03T12:19:04Z")
…which would have been included had it not been so early in the morning. ---
**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:** [April 3, 2001, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/23 "2001-04-03T12:58:40Z")
Kinky, Kinky, Kinky. As in Kinky Friedman, in the novels written by Kinky Friedman. ---
**Author:** ![Deiket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Deiket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deiket)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/24 "2001-04-03T13:11:54Z")
Yet another vote for Hercule Poirot. Though, I am a bit partial to Jim Qwilleran in the Cat Who… books… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/25 "2001-04-03T13:28:47Z")
Gotta put in a beer-battered vote for Spenser. By the way, mind if I steal this idea for a thread of my own, since as nearly as I can tell everyone here is cooperating and actually voting only for true “detectives”? Look for “Who’s your favorite fictional amateur sleuth” ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/26 "2001-04-03T13:40:56Z")
Lot of apples and oranges comparisons here, but I have to go with **Travis McGee** in the incomparable sries by John D. MacDonald. Literate, more than slightly sentimental, tough as nails AND with simply the best sidekick in detective fiction, the one and only \*\* Meyer \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/27 "2001-04-03T13:59:44Z")
I have a weakness for Israel Bond, the hero of Sol Weinstein’s “Oy-Oy-7” novels (titles include “Matzohball” and “Loxfinger”—look it up if you think I’m kidding!). ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/28 "2001-04-03T14:10:27Z")
I love both Marlowe and Wimsey. But I’m gonna put in a vote for Robert Crais’ [Elvis Cole](http://www.robertcrais.com/books.htm) - and sorry, **Hometownboy** , but even though I grew up on Travis McGee, Elvis’ sidekick **Joe Pike** is so cool, you could use him to keep your beer chilled, and IMO wins the sidekick competition by light-years. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/29 "2001-04-03T14:27:16Z")
Inspector Harry Feiffer of the Hong Kong Police, in William Marshall’s brilliant Yellowthread Street novels. (They’re like Ed McBain on really speedy acid!) But Father Brown, if we’re talking classic. Much as I love Rex Stout and Dorothy Sayers, nobody had a way with a plot like G.K. Chesterton. I also have a weakness for Jacques Futrelle’s Professor Augustus S.F.X. Van Dusen, aka The Thinking Machine. “The Problem of Cell 13” still ranks as the best “crime” story of the 20th century, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/30 "2001-04-03T14:50:35Z")
My Ghod, the Thinking Machine! Haven’t thought about him in years, though I owned a book put out in the early 1960s by, IIRC,Tab books, which reprinted I think three of the stories in a slim volume packaged for teenagers. Fine stuff. **RTFirefly** , I’m inclined to doubt anyone could be cooler than Meyer, but am willing to consider the possibility. Give me time to track down an Elvis Cole book here in the hinterlands of Oregon and I’ll get back to you. I also confess a liking to Lord Peter Wimsey. I have several of the multipart series that appeared on Mystery enshrined in my video hall of fame. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Raven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@The\_Raven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Raven)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/31 "2001-04-03T14:54:55Z")
Another vote for Nero Wolfe, not forgetting his assistant Archie Goodwin. That is, assuming both of them are fictional of course. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/32 "2001-04-03T15:06:39Z")
I hate to be unoriginal, but I must put in another vote for Lord Peter. Yum. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/33 "2001-04-03T15:11:38Z")
I always enjoyed Rex Stout’s Nero WOlfe novels, but that was invariably because of the marvelous cast of recurring characters (especially narrator Archie Goodwin. The mystery itself was always the weakest part of any Wolfe novel. His plots left much to be desired. The best parts of any Wolfe book were the meals, the conversations, the little world Stout created. Conversely, the plots of Ellery Queen and Agatha Christie were frequently brilliant- but their characters were paper-thin! At their worst, Queen and Christie mysteries were like crossword puzzles- fun to solve, but possessing merit as literature. Finally, there are guys like Robert B. Parker and Raymond Chandler, whose plots are plodding and predictable, but who write brilliant snappy dialogue, and the kind of wisecracks I wish I were clever enough to come up with (or to SAY, without sounding ridiculous). So, who is there that has succeeded in creating interesting characters, intriguing mysteries, AND snappy dialogue? Two come to mind: Gregory MacDonald (I love the Fletch series AND the Francis X. Flynn series) G.K. Chesterton (hey, I’m Catholic, so I gotta love Father Brown) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/34 "2001-04-03T15:14:05Z")
Kinsey Millhone. You go, girl! ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/35 "2001-04-03T15:35:00Z")
[Li Kao](http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2998/hughart.html), the sage with a slight flaw in his character is my favorite fantasy detective, and _his_ sidekick (Number Ten Ox) has to win at least the Distinctive Names competition. You’ve got to love a detective who got into the business because he found committing crimes too boring. ---
**Author:** ![dlb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@dlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dlb)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/36 "2001-04-03T15:48:21Z")
If we can depart as far as Travis McGee (who might get my vote, except for my real preference), I’ll go for **Simon Templar, AKA the Saint**. My cat’s name is Sebastian Tombs. Really, old dears, not only could he take on all the rest, he could do it before fixing martinis with Patricia. And Hoppy Unitaz was the best “dumb sidekick” ever, excepting not even the good Captain Hastings. ---
**Author:** ![x27](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/7993a0/32.png) [@x27](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x27)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/37 "2001-04-03T18:10:58Z")
Earl Stanley Gardener’s Donald Lam and Bertha Cool. And if we are including lawyers as detectives, the Perry Mason books are awesome, they fairly well crackle with action. Poirot, Whimsey, and I have loved Tuppence and Tommy since I was a little girl. Dick Francis’ jockey detectives are pretty cool, too. ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/38 "2001-04-03T18:15:43Z")
If I may stray as far as fantasy, I would say Commander Vimes, of Terry Pratchets _Diskworld_. One of my fav characters. Lord Venetari’s terrier, indeed! ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/39 "2001-04-03T20:38:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rue DeDay \* > **Best girl detective: Kinsey Millhone** > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by cmkeller_ > \*\*Kinsey Millhone. You go, girl! \*\* Yeah, baby! Gotta go with the one who shares my odd name. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2001, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580/40 "2001-04-03T20:55:18Z")
Gotta bust out with the original boys from the 'hood, **"Coffin" Ed Johnson and “Grave Digger” Jones**. Chester Himes is so sadly overlooked these days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-fictional-detective/60580.md?page=3)