I’m going to go with former Mexican Federale turned vigilante, Machete.
If it has to be a fictional detective, please call Andrew Vachss’s Burke. He and his cahoots are so cool.
I don’t know. Bugs has a fairly airtight alibi. He and several members of the Tigers are and have been serving time for mopery, loitering, and abuse of a corpse.
Yes. The one that lives in New York.
Stephanie Plum. My wife’s a big fan of the Janet Evanovich books, and since I’ll be dead, I’ll go with her favourite.
Alternate answer - Inspector Gadget.
Christopher Chance is a good enough comic-book sleuth straight up, and even better thanks to his wacky ‘master of disguise’ skills — but the cherry on top is how he’ll sometimes disguise himself as the deceased, to freak out the please-hesitate-now murderer he’s pulling a gun on and could use an advantage against.
Because, hey, if ‘resurrection’ powers are off-limits as too easy an answer, I’ll opt for ‘lookalike’ skills in hopes of the killer thinking he failed to get away with it and also failed to even manage it, what with the victim of attempted murder now apparently attempting murder right back at ya. (And handsome as ever!)
Unless your alleged crime includes frolicking in diaphanous garments with tiny friends, maybe a detective who spends his alter-ego’s time hunting fairies in the garden isn’t the best choice.
John and Tom Barnaby were cousins.
I’m leaning towards DI Endeavour Morse and DS Robbie Lewis, but since Morse is dead, maybe DI Lewis and DS Hathaway?
Y’all want knowledge. Closure. Peace of mind.
I demand vengeance.
Your detectives are going to do their thing, then give your case to a hopelessly corrupt and inefficient court system which might get your killer 4-7 years for a 2nd-degree manslaughter, only to have y’all watch… shaking with impotent ghost-rage… as your killer gets off early on a technicality.
Machete is PI, Police, Judge, Jury, and Executioner, all rolled into one. I will go into my eternal sleep knowing that my tormentors are getting what they got, just 10 times worse.
To further quote Ed McBain: The last time a private eye solved a murder case was never.
I’d have to go for Flaming Carrot. I want my killer nailed with a stink bomb.
I’m gonna change my answer to machete. Though still teamed up with Jessica fletcher.
San Francisco girl requires Sam Spade, thank you!
Great thread!
I’m going to pick one of the Brits-- top choice is Jane Marple. Next would be Christopher Foyle, Endeavour Morse (as a young man, 'cause he grew up into an asshole.), or Robbie Lewis & James Hathaway (advantage to Hathaway). I’m also fond of Maigret. I like Father Brown, but as with Jessica Fletcher, it’s dangerous to attend any event where he is present. And if you do, don’t eat or drink anything. Or go anywhere (like into the church, the tea tent, or behind any building) alone.
Let’s see, I’ll choose the lookers, because reasons.
Either Sydney Chambers from Grantchester, or Sherlock, from Sherlock. Of course, I’d be dead, so I wouldn’t get to appreciate them, but still.
I’ll pick the P.I. that can’t be wrong-Lance White.
Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle were not the same person. Conan Doyle believed in wacky things that Holmes never would, or did.
Another fan of the Brits. Give me Adam Dalgliesh, please.
Detectives Robert Goren and Alexandra Eames from Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Columbo has already been mentioned, so I’ll toss Ellery Queen into the mix.
Yep, Nero and Archie. They always get their man.