Fictional detectives are characters in
detective fiction
Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...
. These individuals have long been a staple of
detective
A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...
mystery
Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
*Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange''
Films
* ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film
* ''Mystery'' ( ...
crime fiction
Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...
, particularly in
detective novels and short stories. Much of early detective fiction was written during the "
Golden Age of Detective Fiction
The Golden Age of Detective Fiction was an era of classic murder mystery novels of similar patterns and styles, predominantly in the 1920s and 1930s.
The Golden Age proper is, in practice, usually taken to refer to a type of fiction which was pre ...
" (1920s–1930s). These detectives include
amateur
An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...
s,
private investigator
A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...
s and professional
police
The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...
men. They are often popularized as individual characters rather than parts of the fictional work in which they appear. Stories involving individual detectives are well-suited to dramatic presentation, resulting in many popular theatre, television, and film characters.
The first famous detective in fiction was
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
's
C. Auguste Dupin
''Le Knight, Chevalier'' C. Auguste Dupin is a fictional character created by Edgar Allan Poe. Dupin made his first appearance in Poe's 1841 short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", widely considered the first detective fiction story. He rea ...
.
Later, Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
's
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
became the most famous example and remains so to this day. The detectives are often accompanied by a
Dr. Watson
John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle fe ...
–like assistant or narrator.
Types
Fictional detectives generally fit one of four archetypes:
* ''The amateur detective'' (Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher, Lord Peter Wimsey); From outside the field of criminal investigation, but gifted with knowledge, curiosity, desire for justice, etc.
* ''The private investigator'' (Cordelia, Holmes, Marlowe, Spade, Poirot, Magnum, Millhone); Works professionally in criminal and civic investigations, but outside the criminal justice system.
* ''The police detective'' (Dalgliesh, Kojak, Morse, Columbo, Alleyn, Maigret); Part of an official investigative body, charged with solving crimes.
* ''The forensic specialist'' (Scarpetta, Quincy, Cracker, CSI teams, Thorndyke); Affiliated with investigative body, officially tasked with specialized scientific results rather than solving the crime as a whole.
Notable fictional detectives and their creators include:
Amateur detectives
*
Misir Ali
Misir Ali ( bn, মিসির আলি) is a fictional character in a series of novels by Bangladeshi author Humayun Ahmed. He was described as one of the most famous characters in Bengali literature, TV and film over the last three decades.
In ...
– part-time professor of psychology at
University of Dhaka
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently i ...
, created by
Humayun Ahmed
Humayun Ahmed (; 13 November 1948 – 19 July 2012) was a Bangladeshi novelist, dramatist, screenwriter, filmmaker, songwriter, scholar, and professor. His breakthrough was his debut novel ''Nondito Noroke'' published in 1972. He wrote over 200 ...
*
Arjun – young detective from
Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Jalpaiguri district as well as of the Jalpaiguri division of West Bengal, covering the jurisdiction of the five districts of North Bengal. The city is loca ...
in West Bengal, created by
Samaresh Majumdar
Samares Mazumdar ( bn, সমরেশ মজুমদার, born 10 March 1944) is an Indian Bengali writer from West Bengal, India. He is best known for his Animesh series of novels, the second of which (''Kalbela'') won the Sahitya Akademi ...
*
P. K. Basu – criminal lawyer, created by
Narayan Sanyal
Narayan Sanyal (26 April 1924 – 7 February 2005) was an Indian writer of modern Bengali literature as well as a civil engineer.
Biography
Narayan Sanyal was born in Krishnagar to Chittasukh Sanyal and Basantalata Devi. His name was initiall ...
*
Trixie Belden
Trixie Belden is the title character in a series of "detective" mysteries written between 1948 and 1986. The first six books were written by Julie Campbell Tatham, who also wrote the Ginny Gordon series; the stories were then continued by various ...
– teen detective, created by Julie Campbell Tatham
*
Boston Blackie
Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie, a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and television—an "enemy to those who make him an ...
– reformed jewel thief, created by Jack Boyle
*
Rosemary Boxer – with Laura Thyme, gardening detective, created by
Brian Eastman
Brian Eastman (born 3 September 1949, Brighton, UK) is a producer of feature films (such as '' Shadowlands'' and '' Under Suspicion''), television drama (such as ''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' and ''Jeeves and Wooster''), and stage productions (such ...
*
Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley – widowed socialite, created by
Gladys Mitchell
Gladys Maude Winifred Mitchell (21 April 1901 – 27 July 1983) was an English writer best known for her creation of Mrs Bradley, the heroine of 66 detective novels. She also wrote under the pseudonyms Stephen Hockaby and Malcolm Torrie. Fête ...
*
Father Brown
Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective who is featured in 53 short stories published between 1910 and 1936 written by English author G. K. Chesterton. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intuiti ...
– Catholic priest, created by English novelist
G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was an English writer, philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Of his writing style, ''Time'' observed: "Wh ...
. Stars in 51 detective short stories
*
Encyclopedia Brown
''Encyclopedia Brown'' is a series of books featuring the adventures of boy detective Leroy Brown, nicknamed "Encyclopedia" for his intelligence and range of knowledge. The series of 29 children's novels was written (one co-written) by Donald ...
– boy detective Leroy Brown, nicknamed "Encyclopedia" for his intelligence and range of knowledge.
*
Cadfael
Brother Cadfael is the main fictional character in a series of historical murder mysteries written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name "Ellis Peters". The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedic ...
– early 12th-century monk solves murders and social problems, created by
Ellis Peters
Edith Mary Pargeter (28 September 1913 – 14 October 1995), also known by her ''nom de plume'' Ellis Peters, was an English author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translat ...
, also known as
Edith Pargeter
Edith Mary Pargeter (28 September 1913 – 14 October 1995), also known by her ''nom de plume'' Ellis Peters, was an English author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her translat ...
.
*
Jonathan Creek
''Jonathan Creek'' is a long-running British mystery crime drama series produced by the BBC and written by David Renwick. It stars Alan Davies as the titular character, who works as a creative consultant to a stage magician while also solvi ...
– creative consultant to a magician, in a British TV series by the same name, written by
David Renwick
David Peter Renwick (; born 4 September 1951) is an English author, television writer, actor, director and executive producer, best known for creation of the sitcom ''One Foot in the Grave'' and the mystery series ''Jonathan Creek''. He was awar ...
.
*
Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew is a Fictional character, fictional character appearing in several Mystery fiction, mystery book series, movies, and a TV show as a teenage amateur sleuth. The books are ghostwriter, ghostwritten by a number of authors and published ...
– High school sleuth, created by
Edward Stratemeyer
Edward L. Stratemeyer (; October 4, 1862 – May 10, 1930) was an American publisher, writer of children's fiction, and founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate. He was one of the most prolific writers in the world, producing in excess of 1,300 ...
.
*
C. Auguste Dupin
''Le Knight, Chevalier'' C. Auguste Dupin is a fictional character created by Edgar Allan Poe. Dupin made his first appearance in Poe's 1841 short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", widely considered the first detective fiction story. He rea ...
– upper class character created by
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
. Dupin made his first appearance in Poe's "
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
"The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in ''Graham's Magazine'' in 1841. It has been described as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination".
C. Auguste Dup ...
" (1841), widely considered the first
detective fiction
Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...
story.
*
Dr Gideon Fell – "lexicographer" and drinker, created by
John Dickson Carr
John Dickson Carr (November 30, 1906 – February 27, 1977) was an American author of detective stories, who also published using the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn.
He lived in England for a number of years, and is ...
*
Sister Fidelma
The Sister Fidelma mysteries are a series of historical mystery novels and short stories by Peter Tremayne (pseudonym of Peter Berresford Ellis) about a fictional detective who is the eponymous heroine of a series. Fidelma is both a ''dalaigh'' ( ...
– A Celtic nun in the 7th century who solves mysteries, by
Peter Berresford Ellis
Peter Berresford Ellis (born 10 March 1943) is a British historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 98 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 100 ...
*
The Famous Five (novel series)
''The Famous Five'' is a series of children's adventure novels and short stories written by English author Enid Blyton. The first book, ''Five on a Treasure Island'', was published in 1942. The novels feature the adventures of a group of youn ...
- Kid detectives and her pet dog created by
Enid Blyton
Enid Mary Blyton (11 August 1897 – 28 November 1968) was an English children's writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers since the 1930s, selling more than 600 million copies. Her books are still enormously popular and have be ...
.
*
Jessica Fletcher
Jessica Beatrice "J. B." Fletcher (born Jessica Beatrice MacGill) is a detective show character and the protagonist on the American television series '' Murder, She Wrote''.
Portrayed by award-winning actress Angela Lansbury, Fletcher is a bes ...
– writer, created by
William Link
William Theodore Link (December 15, 1933 – December 27, 2020) was an American film and television screenwriter and producer who often worked in collaboration with Richard Levinson.
Biography Early life
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ...
and
Richard Levinson
Richard Leighton Levinson (August 7, 1934 – March 12, 1987) was an American screenwriter and Television producer, producer who often worked in collaboration with William Link.
Life and career
Levinson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. H ...
for ''
Murder, She Wrote
''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...
'' TV series (1984–1996)
*
Pandab Goenda – team of five child detectives, created by
Sasthipada Chattopadhyay
Sasthipada Chattopadhyay (born 9 March 1941) is an Indian novelist and short story writer in Bengali language, Bengali. He is well known in Bengali literature for the series stories of Pandab Goenda.
Career
Chattopadhyay was born in 1941 in Khur ...
*
Gogol
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...
– teenage detective, created by
Samaresh Basu
Samaresh Basu (11 December 1924 – 12 March 1988) was a writer in modern Bengali literature, known for his versatility and vast range of themes. He wrote under the pen name ''Kalkut''. Basu was awarded the 1980 Sahitya Akademi Award in Bengal ...
*
Beverly Gray
The Beverly Gray Mystery Stories, comprising 26 novels published between 1934 and 1955, were written by Clair Blank whose pen name was Clarissa Mabel Blank Moyer. The series began as a series of school stories, and followed Beverly's progress th ...
– protagonist of the Beverly Gray Mystery series by
Clair Blank
Clarissa Mabel Blank (August 5, 1915August 15, 1965) was an American author. She wrote the ''Beverly Gray'' mystery series and four other novels.
Biography
Clarissa Mabel Blank was born on August 5, 1915 in Allentown, Pennsylvania to Bessie and ...
*
Cordelia Gray
Cordelia Gray is a fictional character created by English author P. D. James. Gray is the protagonist of two novels, ''An Unsuitable Job for a Woman'' and of ''The Skull Beneath the Skin''. Cordelia Gray is a young woman who works as a private dete ...
– private detective in London in novels and TV by
P. D. James
Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, (3 August 1920 – 27 November 2014), known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuring th ...
*
The Hardy Boys
The Hardy Boys, brothers Frank and Joe Hardy, are fictional characters who appear in several mystery series for children and teens. The series revolves around teenagers who are amateur sleuths, solving cases that stumped their adult counterpa ...
– Sibling high school sleuths, (Frank & Joe) created by
Edward Stratemeyer
Edward L. Stratemeyer (; October 4, 1862 – May 10, 1930) was an American publisher, writer of children's fiction, and founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate. He was one of the most prolific writers in the world, producing in excess of 1,300 ...
.
*
Jonathan & Jennifer Hart – millionaire couple, created by
Sidney Sheldon
Sidney Sheldon (February 11, 1917 – January 30, 2007) was an American writer. He was prominent in the 1930s, first working on Broadway plays, and then in motion pictures, notably writing the successful comedy ''The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer ...
*
Patrick Jane
Patrick Jane is a fictional character and the protagonist of the CBS crime drama ''The Mentalist'', portrayed by Simon Baker. Jane is an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation, and helps by giving advice and insight from ...
– con artist, created by
Bruno Heller
Bruno Heller (born 13 January 1960) is an English screenwriter, producer and director. He is known for creating the HBO television series ''Rome'' and CBS television series ''The Mentalist''. He has produced the TV series '' Gotham'', based on ...
for ''
The Mentalist
''The Mentalist'' is an American drama television series that ran from September 23, 2008, until February 18, 2015, broadcasting 151 episodes over seven seasons, on CBS. Created by Bruno Heller, who was also its executive producer, the show fol ...
'' TV series
*
Jagga Jasoos
''Jagga Jasoos'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language musical adventure comedy film written and directed by Anurag Basu, and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, Basu and Ranbir Kapoor. It stars Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, and tells the story of a teena ...
– young detective, created by
Anurag Basu
Anurag Basu (born 8 May 1974) is an Indian director, screenwriter, actor and producer. He began his directing career in television, moving to feature films in 2002. Basu achieved initial success with his films tackling the themes of passion and ...
for the eponymous film
*
Al Moghameron Al Khamsa (The Five Adventurers or The Adventurous Five) - kid detectives created by
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
ian writer
Mahmoud Salem
Mahmoud Salem ( ar, محمود سالم) (1931–24 February 2013) was an Egyptian author known for writing mystery and children's books, including the Al Moghameron Al Khamsa adventure series. He has been referred to as the ''Godfather of Egy ...
.
*
Jayanta & Manik – amateur detective duo created by
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
novelist
Hemendra Kumar Roy
Hemendra Kumar Roy (2 September 1888 – 18 April 1963) was an Indian Bengali writer noted for his contribution to the early development of the genre of children's literature in the language. He was a noted contributor to the early development o ...
*
Kakababu
Kakababu (alias Raja Roy Chowdhury) is a fictional character created by Bengali author Sunil Gangopadhyay. The series, falling under the adventure genre of literature, targeted at children and teenagers, started in the autumn of 1979 with the ...
– former director of the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...
, created by
Sunil Gangopadhyay
Sunil Gangopadhyay or Sunil Ganguly (7 September 1934 – 23 October 2012) was an Indian poet, historian and novelist in the Bengali language based in the city of Kolkata. He is a former Sheriff of Calcutta. Gangopadhyay obtained his ma ...
*
Sally Lockhart
Veronica Beatrice "Sally" Lockhart (later Goldberg) is a fictional character in a series of books by Philip Pullman.
Sally Lockhart is a dazzling 16-year-old, middle-class orphan whose father taught her a variety of useful things: accounting, mar ...
– teenage girl, created by
Philip Pullman
Sir Philip Nicholas Outram Pullman (born 19 October 1946) is an English writer. His books include the fantasy trilogy ''His Dark Materials'' and ''The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ'', a fictionalised biography of Jesus. In 2008, ''The ...
*
Miss Marple
Miss Marple is a fictional character in Agatha Christie's crime novels and short stories. Jane Marple lives in the village of St. Mary Mead and acts as an amateur consulting detective. Often characterized as an elderly spinster, she is one of Chr ...
– a small town old spinster who solves a number of crimes using common sense, created by
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
*
Veronica Mars
''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The series prem ...
– school girl whose father is a private detective, created by
Rob Thomas
*
Amelia Peabody
Amelia Peabody Emerson is the protagonist of the Amelia Peabody series, a series of historical mystery novels written by author Elizabeth Peters (a pseudonym of Egyptologist Barbara Mertz, 1927–2013). Peabody is married to Egyptologist Radcliff ...
– Egyptologist who solves a variety of dastardly crimes in turn-of-the-century Egypt, created by
Elizabeth Peters
Barbara Louise Mertz (September 29, 1927 – August 8, 2013) was an American author who wrote under her own name as well as under the pseudonyms Elizabeth Peters and Barbara Michaels. In 1952, she received a PhD in Egyptology from the Univers ...
.
*
Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...
– author and editor of a magazine, created by two writers, using the pseudonym
Ellery Queen
Ellery Queen is a pseudonym created in 1929 by American crime fiction writers Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and the name of their main fictional character, a mystery writer in New York City who helps his police inspector father solve ...
*
Easy Rawlins
Easy may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Easy'' (film), a 2003 American romantic comedy film
*''Easy!'', or ''Scialla!'', a 2011 Italian comedy film
* ''Easy'' (TV series), a 2016–2019 American comedy-drama anthology ...
– black WWII veteran from Houston. All stories take place in Los Angeles during the 50s & 60s. Created by
Walter Mosley
Walter Ellis Mosley (born January 12, 1952) is an American novelist, most widely recognized for his crime fiction. He has written a series of best-selling historical mysteries featuring the hard-boiled detective Easy Rawlins, a black private inv ...
.
*
Joseph Rouletabille
Joseph Rouletabille () is a fictional character created by Gaston Leroux, a French writer and journalist. Rouletabille is a journalist and amateur sleuth featured in several novels and other works, often presented as a more capable thinker than t ...
– journalist created by French writer
Gaston Leroux
Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux (6 May 186815 April 1927) was a French journalist and author of detective fiction.
In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, 1 ...
. Main character in ''
The Mystery of the Yellow Room
''The Mystery of the Yellow Room'' (in French ''Le mystère de la chambre jaune'') is a mystery novel written by French author Gaston Leroux. One of the first locked-room mystery novels, it was first published serially in France in the periodical ...
''.
*
Niladri Sarkar – retired colonel, naturist and amateur investigator, created by Bengali writer
Syed Mustafa Siraj
Syed Mustafa Siraj (14 October 1930 – 4 September 2012) was an eminent Indian writer. In 1994, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel '' Mythical Man'' (''Aleek Manush''), considered his most lauded work. In 2005, his short story ...
*
Laura Thyme – with Rosemary Boxer, gardening detective, created by
Brian Eastman
Brian Eastman (born 3 September 1949, Brighton, UK) is a producer of feature films (such as '' Shadowlands'' and '' Under Suspicion''), television drama (such as ''Agatha Christie's Poirot'' and ''Jeeves and Wooster''), and stage productions (such ...
*
Dr. John Thorndyke – medical doctor who trained to become a forensic specialist, created by
R. Austin Freeman
Dr. Richard Austin Freeman (11 April 1862 – 28 September 1943) was a British writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr. Thorndyke. He invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in wh ...
*
Philip Trent – gentleman sleuth, created by
E. C. Bentley
Edmund Clerihew Bentley (10 July 1875 – 30 March 1956), who generally published under the names E. C. Bentley or E. Clerihew Bentley, was a popular English novelist and humorist, and inventor of the clerihew, an irregular form of humorous verse ...
*
Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen – created by
Jacques Futrelle
Jacques Heath Futrelle (April 9, 1875 – April 15, 1912) was an American journalist and mystery writer. He is best known for writing short detective stories featuring Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, also known as "The Thinking Mac ...
*
Hetty Wainthropp – retired working-class woman, created by
David Cook David Cook may refer to:
Entertainment
* David Cook (game designer) (active since 1980s), American game designer for TSR
* David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of ''American Idol''
* David Cook (writer) (1940–2015), Briti ...
*
Lord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A dilettante who solves mysteries for ...
– wealthy English gentleman, created by
Dorothy L. Sayers
Dorothy Leigh Sayers (; 13 June 1893 – 17 December 1957) was an English crime writer and poet. She was also a student of classical and modern languages.
She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between th ...
, assisted by his valet (and batman from WW1) Bunter and then Harriet Vane
*
Kyoko Kirigiri
is a fictional character from the Spike Chunsoft visual novel action-adventure game series ''Danganronpa''. She was introduced in the 2010 game '' Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' as a high school student and "Ultimate ???" of Hope's Peak Acade ...
- a former detective from the game
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
*
Shuichi Saihara
The following is a list of characters from the Spike Chunsoft video game series ''Danganronpa''. The series follows the students of Hope's Peak Academy who are forced into a life of mutual killing by a sadistic teddy bear named Monokuma. The seri ...
- main detective and second
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
in
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
*
Three Investigators
The Three Investigators is an American juvenile detective book series first published as "''Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators''". It was created by Robert Arthur Jr., who believed involving a famous person such as movie director Alfr ...
- An American juvenile detective book series created by
Robert Arthur Jr.
Robert Arthur Jr. (November 10, 1909 – May 2, 1969) was a writer and editor of crime fiction and speculative fiction known for his work with ''The Mysterious Traveler'' radio series and for writing ''Three Investigators, The Three Investigat ...
* Kiyoshi Shimada - a Buddhist priest who excels at solving mysteries, created by
Yukito Ayatsuji
, who writes under his pen name , is a Japanese writer of mystery and horror. He is one of the founders of Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan and one of the representative writers of the new traditionalist movement in Japanese mystery writing ...
. Shimada first appeared in Ayatsuji's debut novel ''
The Decagon House Murders
is a 1987 Japanese mystery novel,the debut work of author Yukito Ayatsuji. Borrowing its basic plot structure from Agatha Christie's ''And Then There Were None
''And Then There Were None'' is a mystery novel by the English writer Agatha ...
'' (1987). The book belongs to his Bizarre House/Mansion Murders series. The first two volumes of the series have been translated into English by Locked Room International.
Private investigators
![Sherlock Holmes statue at Meiringen1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Sherlock_Holmes_statue_at_Meiringen1.jpg)
* David Addison in
''Moonlighting'' – created by
Glenn Gordon Caron
Glenn Gordon Caron (born April 3, 1954), sometimes credited as Glenn Caron, is an American writer, director, and producer, best known for the television series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' in the 1980s and ''Medium (TV series), Mediu ...
*
Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Angel is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt for the American television programs ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and its spin-off series ''Angel''. The character is portrayed by actor David Boreanaz. As introduced in ''B ...
– Vampire with a soul and private investigator in Los Angeles
*
Byomkesh Bakshi
Byomkesh Bakshi is an Indian-Bengali fictional detective created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. Referring to himself as a "truth-seeker" or Satyanweshi in the stories, Bakshi is known for his proficiency with observation, logical reasoning, and ...
– created by
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay
Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay (30 March 1899 – 22 September 1970) was an Indian Bengali-language writer. He was actively involved with Bengali cinema as well as Bollywood. The creator of the Bengali detective Byomkesh Bakshi, Sharadindu compos ...
*
Goenda Baradacharan
Goenda Baradacharan is a Bengali fictional detective character created by novelist Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. The character first appeared in the novel ''Monojder Advut Bari''. Thereafter, a short story ''Goenda Baradacharan'' was published in Anand ...
– created by
Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay ( bn, শীর্ষেন্দু মুখোপাধ্যায়; born 2 November 1935) is a Bengali author from India. He has written stories for both adults and children. He is known for creating the relativel ...
*
Parashor Barma
Parashor Barma is a fictional detective character made by Bengali writer Premendra Mitra. First Parashor story is ''Goyenda Kobi Parashor'' (Parashor, the Poet-Detective) and was published in 1932.
Character
Although Parashor is a detective, h ...
– created by
Premendra Mitra
Premendra Mitra (4 September 1904 – 3 May 1988)Samsad Bengali Charitabhidhan Vol.II edited Anjali Bose, Published by Sagitta Samsad, Kolkata, Edition January,2019,Page-240 was an Indian poet, writer and film director in the Bengali language. ...
*
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
– World's Greatest Detective in the
DC Universe
The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
– created by
Bob Kane
Robert Kane (born Robert Kahn ; October 24, 1915 – November 3, 1998) was an American comic book writer, animator and artist who co-created Batman (with Bill Finger) and most early related characters for DC comics. He was inducted into the comi ...
and
Bill Finger
Milton "Bill" Finger (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) was an American comic strip, comic book, film and television writer who was the co-creator (with Bob Kane) of the DC Comics character Batman. Despite making major (sometimes, signatu ...
*
Tommy and Tuppence Beresford – created by
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
*
Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake is a fictional character, a detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels and dramatic productions since 1893. Sexton Blake adventures were featured in a wide variety of British and international publications ...
- created by
Harry Blyth
Henry Thomas (Harry) Blyth (1852–1898) was a British writer who also wrote under the pen-name Hal Meredith. Blyth was born in Greenwich, London. He wrote for many of Alfred Harmsworth's papers of the 1890s, and is mostly remembered for cre ...
*
Benoit Blanc
''Knives Out'' is a 2019 American mystery film written, directed, and co-produced by Rian Johnson. It follows a master detective, Benoit Blanc, investigating the death of the patriarch of a wealthy, dysfunctional family. The film stars an ense ...
- created by
Rian Johnson
Rian Craig Johnson (born December 17, 1973) is an American filmmaker. He made his directorial debut with the neo-noir mystery film ''Brick'' (2005), which received positive reviews and grossed nearly $4 million on a $450,000 budget. Transition ...
*
Jackson Brodie
Kate Atkinson (born 20 December 1951) is an English writer of novels, plays and short stories. She is known for creating the Jackson Brodie series of detective novels, which has been adapted into the BBC One series '' Case Histories''. She ...
– created by
Kate Atkinson Kate Atkinson may refer to:
* Kate Atkinson (actress) (born 1972), Australian actress
* Kate Atkinson (writer)
Kate Atkinson (born 20 December 1951) is an English writer of novels, plays and short stories. She is known for creating the Jac ...
*
Nestor Burma
Nestor may refer to:
* Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology
Arts and entertainment
* "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses''
* Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, L ...
– created by
Léo Malet
Léo Malet (7 March 1909 – 3 March 1996) was a French crime novelist and surrealist.
Biography
Leo Malet was born in Montpellier. He had little formal education and began work as a cabaret singer at "La Vache Enragee" in Montmartre, Paris in 19 ...
*
Albert Campion
Albert Campion is a fictional character in a series of detective novels and short stories by Margery Allingham. He first appeared as a supporting character in ''The Crime at Black Dudley'' (1929), an adventure story involving a ring of criminals, ...
– created by
Margery Allingham
Margery Louise Allingham (20 May 1904 – 30 June 1966) was an English novelist from the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", and considered one of its four " Queens of Crime", alongside Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and Ngaio Marsh.
Alli ...
*
Pepe Carvalho
Pepe Carvalho is a fictional private detective, the protagonist of a series of novels written by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán.
The character
Carvalho has a rich, complex and contradictory personality. The author uses his adventures to describe, ...
– created by
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán (14 June 1939–18 October 2003) was a prolific Spanish writer from Catalonia: journalist, novelist, poet, essayist, anthologue, prologist, humorist, critic and political prisoner as well as a gastronome and a FC ...
*
Richard Castle
Richard Edgar "Rick" Castle (born Richard Alexander Rodgers) is a fictional character on the ABC crime series '' Castle''. He is portrayed by Nathan Fillion.
The name Richard Castle is also used as a pseudonym under which a set of real books a ...
– Very successful novelist and private investigator
*
Nick & Nora Charles – created by
Dashiell Hammett
Samuel Dashiell Hammett (; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade ('' ...
*
Dipak Chatterjee
Dipak Chatterjee is a fictional detective character created by Bengali writer Samarendranath Pandey under his pen name Swapan Kumar. The series of his stories were well known in the sub altern culture of Kolkata and most popular pulp fiction to r ...
– created by Swapan Kumar
*
Elvis Cole
Robert Crais (pronounced ) (born June 20, 1953) is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as ''Hill Street Blues'', ''Cagney & Lacey'', ''Quincy, M.E., Quincy'', ''Miami Vice'' an ...
– created by
Robert Crais
Robert Crais (pronounced ) (born June 20, 1953) is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as ''Hill Street Blues'', ''Cagney & Lacey'', '' Quincy'', ''Miami Vice'' and ''L.A. Law ...
*
Bulldog Drummond
Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond is a fictional character, created by H. C. McNeile and published under his pen name "Sapper". Following McNeile's death in 1937, the novels were continued by Gerard Fairlie. Drummond is a First World War veteran who, ...
– created by
H. C. McNeile
Herman Cyril McNeile, MC (28 September 1888 – 14 August 1937), commonly known as Cyril McNeile and publishing under the name H. C. McNeile or the pseudonym Sapper, was a British soldier and author. Drawing on his experiences in the trenches ...
*
Feluda
Feluda, or Prodosh Chandra Mitra itter'', is a fictional detective, Private investigator created by famous Indian director and writer Satyajit Ray. Feluda resides at 21 Rajani Sen Road, Ballygunge, Calcutta, West Bengal. Feluda first made his ap ...
– created by
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian director, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher, and music composer. One of the greatest auteurs of fil ...
*
Phryne Fisher
The Honourable Phryne Fisher ( ), often called "Miss Fisher", is the main character in Australian author Kerry Greenwood's series of Phryne Fisher detective novels. The character later appeared in a television series called ''Miss Fisher's Murd ...
– created by
Kerry Greenwood
Kerry Isabelle Greenwood (born 1954) is an Australian author and lawyer. She has written many plays and books, most notably a string of historical detective novels centred on the character of Phryne Fisher, which was adapted as the popular tele ...
*
Ganesh
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped Deva_(Hinduism), deities in the Hindu deities, Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is ...
– created by
Sujatha
*
Garrett – created by
Glen Cook
Glen Charles Cook (born July 9, 1944) is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction, known for ''The Black Company'' and ''Garrett P.I.'' fantasy series.
Biography
Cook was born in New York City.[Cordelia Gray
Cordelia Gray is a fictional character created by English author P. D. James. Gray is the protagonist of two novels, ''An Unsuitable Job for a Woman'' and of ''The Skull Beneath the Skin''. Cordelia Gray is a young woman who works as a private dete ...]
– created by
P. D. James
Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, (3 August 1920 – 27 November 2014), known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuring th ...
*
Peter Gunn
''Peter Gunn'' is an American private eye television series, starring Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn with Lola Albright as his girlfriend, Edie Hart. The series aired on NBC from September 22, 1958, to 1960 and on ABC in 1960–1961. The seri ...
– created by
Blake Edwards
Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor.
Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio s ...
*
Mike Hammer Michael Hammer or Mike Hammer may refer to:
*Michael Armand Hammer (1955–2022), American philanthropist and businessman
*Michael Martin Hammer (1948–2008), engineer and author
*Mike Hammer (character), a fictional hard boiled detective
** ''Mick ...
– created by
Mickey Spillane
Frank Morrison Spillane (; March 9, 1918July 17, 2006), better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American crime novelist, whose stories often feature his signature detective character, Mike Hammer (character), Mike Hammer. More than 225 million c ...
*
Dixon Hawke - created for D. C. Thomson
* Madelyn "Maddie" Hayes in
''Moonlighting'' – created by
Glenn Gordon Caron
Glenn Gordon Caron (born April 3, 1954), sometimes credited as Glenn Caron, is an American writer, director, and producer, best known for the television series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' in the 1980s and ''Medium (TV series), Mediu ...
*
Mitin Masi
Mitin Masi is a fictional Bengali female detective character created by Suchitra Bhattacharya.She is one of the most famous female detective and most read in Bengali novels.
Character
Suchitra Bhattacharya created detective fictions about Mitin ...
– created by
Suchitra Bhattacharya
Suchitra Bhattacharya (10 January 1950 – 2015) was an Indian novelist, known for works including ''Hemanter Pakhi'', ''Kachher Manush'', ''Aleek Shukh'', ''Icche'' and ''Kacher Dewal''. During her career as a writer, she composed over 20 nove ...
*
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
– created by Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
*
Jack Irish
''Jack Irish'' is an Australian television drama series first broadcast on ABC TV on 14 October 2012. The series stars Guy Pearce as the title character, a former criminal lawyer turned private investigator and debt collector. Much of the acti ...
– created by
Peter Temple
Peter Temple (10 March 1946 – 8 March 2018) was an Australian crime fiction writer, mainly known for his ''Jack Irish'' novel series. He won several awards for his writing, including the Gold Dagger in 2007, the first for an Australian. He w ...
*
Jessica Jones
Jessica Campbell Jones Cage is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos and first appeared in ''Alias'' #1 (November 2001) ...
- created by
Brian Michael Bendis
Brian Michael Bendis (; born August 18, 1967) is an American comic book writer and artist. He has won five Eisner Awards for both his creator-owned work and his work on various Marvel Comics books.Bendis, Brian Michael and Oeming, Michael Avon, ' ...
and
Michael Gaydos
Michael Gaydos is an American comics artist.
Career
At Marvel Comics he has worked with Brian Michael Bendis on ''Alias,'' the last storyline of its follow up, '' The Pulse'', and the current sequel comic, ''Jessica Jones''. He has also illustra ...
*
Jake Lassiter – created by
Paul Levine
Paul J. Levine (born January 9, 1948) is an American author of crime fiction, particularly legal thrillers. Levine has written 22 mystery novels which include two series of books known by the names of the protagonists. The ''Jake Lassiter'' ser ...
*
Nelson Lee
Nelson Lee (born October 16, 1975) is a Taiwanese-Canadian actor. He is best known for portraying Shen in '' Blade: The Series'' and Dragon King in '' Stargirl''.
Life and career
Lee was born in Taipei, Taiwan on October 16, 1975.
He starred in ...
- created by
John William Staniforth
John William Staniforth (14 November 1863 – 3 January 1927) was a British writer
A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary ...
* Bernie Little – in the Chet and Bernie Mystery Series, created by
Spencer Quinn
*
L. Lawliet
, known mononymously as L, is a fictional character in the manga series '' Death Note'', created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. He is an enigmatic, mysterious, and highly-esteemed international consulting detective whose true identity and ba ...
– created by
Tsugumi Ohba
is the pen name of a Japanese manga writer, best known for authoring the ''Death Note'' manga series with illustrator Takeshi Obata from 2003 to 2006, which has 30 million collected volumes in circulation. The duo's second series, ''Bakuman.'' ...
and
Takeshi Obata
is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He first gained international attention for ''Hikaru no Go'' (1998–2003) with Yumi Hotta, but is better known for '' Death Note'' (2003–2006) ...
*
Thomas Magnum
Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV is a fictional character on the American television series ''Magnum, P.I.''. As the title suggests, the character Magnum is a private investigator. In the original series, Magnum was portrayed by Tom Selleck. Jay Herna ...
– created by
Donald P. Bellisario
Donald Paul Bellisario (born August 8, 1935) is an American television producer and screenwriter who created and sometimes wrote episodes for the TV series '' Magnum, P.I.'' (1980), ''Tales of the Gold Monkey'' (1982), ''Airwolf'' (1984), ''Quan ...
for ''
Magnum, P.I.
''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...
'' TV series
*
Joe Mannix
''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private invest ...
– created by
Richard Levinson
Richard Leighton Levinson (August 7, 1934 – March 12, 1987) was an American screenwriter and Television producer, producer who often worked in collaboration with William Link.
Life and career
Levinson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. H ...
and
William Link
William Theodore Link (December 15, 1933 – December 27, 2020) was an American film and television screenwriter and producer who often worked in collaboration with Richard Levinson.
Biography Early life
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ...
for ''
Mannix
''Mannix'' is an American detective television series that ran from 1967 to 1975 on CBS. It was created by Richard Levinson and William Link, and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller. The title character, Joe Mannix, is a private inves ...
'' TV series
*
Philip Marlowe
Philip Marlowe () is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler, who was characteristic of the hardboiled crime fiction genre. The hardboiled crime fiction genre originated in the 1920s, notably in ''Black Mask'' magazine, in which Dashiel ...
– created by
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive durin ...
*
Veronica Mars
''Veronica Mars'' is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas. The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune, California, and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character. The series prem ...
– created by
Rob Thomas TV Series (books based on TV Series. Movie based on TV series)
*
Kinsey Millhone
Kinsey Millhone is a fictional character created by the American author Sue Grafton (1940–2017) for her "alphabet mysteries" series of 25 best-selling novels which debuted in 1982. Millhone, a former police officer turned private investigator, a ...
– created by
Sue Grafton
Sue Taylor Grafton (April 24, 1940 – December 28, 2017) was an American author of detective novels. She is best known as the author of the "alphabet series" (''"A" Is for Alibi'', etc.) featuring private investigator Kinsey Millhone in the fic ...
for her "alphabet mysteries" series of novels.
*
Tess Monaghan, created by
Laura Lippman
Laura Lippman (born January 31, 1959) is an American journalist and author of over 20 detective fiction novels.
Life and career
Lippman was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Columbia, Maryland. She is the daughter of Theo Lippman, Jr., a w ...
*
Adrian Monk
Adrian Monk, portrayed by Tony Shalhoub, is the title character and protagonist of the USA Network television series ''Monk''. He is a renowned former homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department. Monk has obsessive–compulsive ...
– created by
Andy Breckman
Andrew Ross Breckman (born March 3, 1955) is an American television and film writer and a radio personality on WFMU. He is the creator and executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning television series ''Monk'' on the USA Network, and is co-h ...
for ''
Monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
'' TV series
*
Lucifer Morningstar
Lucifer Morningstar (also known as Samael before his banishment from heaven) is a fictional character and titular protagonist of the urban fantasy comedy-drama television series ''Lucifer''. The character is portrayed by Welsh actor Tom Ellis ...
– Former King of Hell and successful nightclub owner and private investigator
*
Kogoro Mori
The manga series ''Case Closed'', known as in Japan, features a large number of recurring fictional characters created by Gosho Aoyama. The series takes place in modern-day Japan and follows an amateur detective Jimmy Kudo (Japanese name: Shini ...
, created by
Gosho Aoyama
is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga series ''Detective Conan'' (1994–present), also known as ''Case Closed'' in some English-speaking countries. As of 2017, his various manga series had a combined 250 million copies in print wo ...
*
Bhaduri Moshai Bhaduri Moshai (Mr. Bhaduri) is a fictional detectives, fictional detective character of Bengali language, Bengali poet and novelist Nirendranath Chakraborty. Chakraborty wrote a series of thriller stories of Bhaduri Moshai.
Character
Bhaduri Mos ...
– created by
Nirendranath Chakraborty
Nirendranath Chakravarty (19 October 1924 – 25 December 2018) was a contemporary Bengali poet, Translator, Novelist.
He lived in Bangur Avenue, Kolkata.
Biography
He was born in Faridpur district of undivided Bengal in 1924. After graduati ...
*
Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot (, ) is a fictional Belgian detective created by British writer Agatha Christie. Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-running characters, appearing in 33 novels, two plays ('' Black Coffee'' and ''Alibi''), and more ...
– created by
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
*
Precious Ramotswe
Precious may refer to:
Music
* Precious (group), a British female pop group
Albums
* ''Precious'' (Chanté Moore album), 1992
* ''Precious'' (Cubic U album), 1998
* ''Precious'' (Ours album), 2002
* ''Precious'' (Precious album), 2000
* ...
– created by
Alexander McCall Smith
Alexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE (born 24 August 1948), is a British writer. He was raised in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and formerly Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. He became an expert on medical law and ...
*
Jeff Randall – created by
Dennis Spooner
Dennis Spooner (1 December 1932 – 20 September 1986) was an English television writer and script editor, known primarily for his programmes about fictional spies and his work in children's television in the 1960s. He had long-lasting profess ...
for ''
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' is a British private detective television series, starring Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope respectively as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk. The series was created by Dennis Spooner and pro ...
'' TV series
*
Jim Rockford – created by
Roy Huggins
Roy Huggins (July 18, 1914 – April 3, 2002) was an American novelist and an influential writer/creator and producer of character-driven television series, including ''Maverick'', '' The Fugitive'', '' Hunter'', and ''The Rockford Files''. He ...
and
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell (; February 5, 1941 – September 30, 2010) was an American television producer, writer, novelist, occasional actor, and founder of Cannell Entertainment (formerly Stephen J. Cannell Productions) and the Cannell Studios.
...
for ''
The Rockford Files
''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investigator ...
'' TV series
*
Kiriti Roy
Kiriti Roy is a fictional detective of Bengali literature created by Dr. Nihar Ranjan Gupta. The first story introduces him as follows: "Kiriti Roy is six and a half feet tall, fair and stout. His curled hair is mostly combed back, and the black ...
– created by Indian dermatologist and a popular Bengali novelist
Nihar Ranjan Gupta
Nihar Ranjan Gupta ( bn, নীহাররঞ্জন গুপ্ত, pen name: ''Banbhatta'' (বানভট্ট); 6 June 1911 – 20 February 1986) was an Indian dermatologist and a popular Bengali novelist. He is the creator of the fic ...
*
John Shaft
John Shaft is a fictional character created by author/screenwriter Ernest Tidyman for the 1970 novel of the same name. He was portrayed by Richard Roundtree in the original 1971 film and in its four sequels, ''Shaft's Big Score!'' (1972), ''Shaf ...
– created by
Ernest Tidyman
Ernest Ralph Tidyman (January 1, 1928 – July 14, 1984) was an American author and screenwriter, best known for his novels featuring the African-American detective John Shaft. He also co-wrote the screenplay for the film version of '' Shaft'' w ...
*
Sam Spade
Sam Spade is a fictional character and the protagonist of Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel '' The Maltese Falcon''. Spade also appeared in four lesser-known short stories by Hammett.
''The Maltese Falcon'', first published as a serial in the pulp ...
– created by
Dashiell Hammett
Samuel Dashiell Hammett (; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade ('' ...
*
Shawn Spencer
Shawn Spencer is a fictional character and main protagonist on the American television comedy-drama ''Psych'' played by American actor James Roday Rodriguez. Taking advantage of his eidetic memory and keen observational skills, he poses as a ps ...
and
Burton Guster
Burton "Gus" Guster is a fictional character on the USA Network television comedy ''Psych'' played by American actor Dulé Hill. He functions as the "straight man" for Shawn Spencer's antics, and provides sobering advice, helpful knowledge, stead ...
– created by
Steve Franks
Steve Franks is an American screenwriter, director and musician based in Orange County, California. He is best known as the creator of the USA Network original series ''Psych''.
Education
Franks graduated from the University of California, Irv ...
for ''
Psych
''Psych'' is an American detective comedy-drama television series created by Steve Franks for USA Network. The series stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observ ...
'' TV series
*
Spenser – created by
Robert B. Parker
Robert Brown Parker (September 17, 1932 – January 18, 2010) was an American writer, primarily of fiction within the mystery/detective genre. His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective Spenser. AB ...
*
Remington Steele
''Remington Steele'' is an American television series co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from Oc ...
– created by Robert Butler, Michael Gleason for ''Remington Steele'' TV series
* Jake Styles – created by
Dean Hargrove
Dean Hargrove (born July 27, 1938 in Iola, Kansas) is an American television producer, writer, and director. His background includes graduating the St. John's Military School, Wichita State University, and attending the UCLA Film School as a gradu ...
and
Joel Steiger for ''
Jake and the Fatman
''Jake and the Fatman'' is an American crime drama television series starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. (Jason Lochinvar) "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from September ...
'' TV series
*
Cormoran Strike
''Cormoran Strike'' is a series of crime fiction novels written by British author J. K. Rowling, published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The story chronicles the cases of private detective Cormoran Strike and his partner Robin Ellacot ...
– created by Robert Galbraith (a pen name of
J.K. Rowling
Joanne Rowling ( "rolling"; born 31 July 1965), also known by her pen name J. K. Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote ''Harry Potter'', a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. The ser ...
)
*
Philo Vance
Philo Vance is a fictional amateur detective originally featured in 12 crime novels by S. S. Van Dine in the 1920s and 1930s. During that time, Vance was immensely popular in books, films, and radio. He was portrayed as a stylish—even foppish— ...
– created by
S. S. Van Dine
S. S. Van Dine (also styled S.S. Van Dine) is the pseudonym used by American art critic Willard Huntington Wright (October 15, 1888 – April 11, 1939) when he wrote detective novels. Wright was active in avant-garde cultural circles in pre-Worl ...
*
V. I. Warshawski
Victoria Iphigenia "Vic" "V. I." Warshawski is a fictional private investigator from Chicago who is the protagonist featured in a series of detective novels and short stories written by Chicago author Sara Paretsky.
With the exception of "The P ...
– created by
Sara Paretsky
Sara Paretsky (born June 8, 1947) is an American author of detective fiction, best known for her novels focused on the protagonist V. I. Warshawski.
Life and career
Paretsky was born in Ames, Iowa. Her father was a microbiologist and moved the f ...
*
Nero Wolfe
Nero Wolfe is a brilliant, obese and eccentric fictional armchair detective created in 1934 by American mystery writer Rex Stout. Wolfe was born in Montenegro and keeps his past murky. He lives in a luxurious brownstone on West 35th Street in Ne ...
– created by
Rex Stout
Rex Todhunter Stout (; December 1, 1886 – October 27, 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and ...
*
The Continental Op
The Continental Op is a fictional character created by Dashiell Hammett. He is a private investigator employed as an operative of the Continental Detective Agency's San Francisco office. The stories are all told in the first person and his name i ...
– created by
Dashiell Hammett
Samuel Dashiell Hammett (; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade ('' ...
*
Matt Houston
''Matt Houston'' was an American crime drama television series starring Lee Horsley as the title character, a wealthy oilman who decides to hold a side job as a private investigator. Created by Lawrence Gordon and produced by Aaron Spelling, i ...
– created by
Lawrence Gordon
Police detectives
![Komisario Palmu](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Komisario_Palmu.jpg)
*
Furuhata Ninzaburō
is a Japanese television series that ran periodically on Fuji Television from 1994 until its final episodes (specials) in 2006. It was written by Japanese playwright Kōki Mitani and is often referred to as the Japanese version of ''Columbo''. ...
– created by
Kōki Mitani
is a Japanese playwright, screenwriter, actor and film director and was previously married to Japanese actress Satomi Kobayashi. He was named after ''Taihō Kōki'', the youngest sumo wrestler to become yokozuna. He studied dramatics at Nihon ...
, a Japanese version of Columbo
*
Thomson and Thompson
Thomson and Thompson (french: Dupont et Dupond ) are fictional characters in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. They are two incompetent detectives who provide much of the comic relief throughout the ...
– from
The Adventures of Tintin
''The Adventures of Tintin'' (french: Les Aventures de Tintin ) is a series of 24 bande dessinée#Formats, ''bande dessinée'' albums created by Belgians, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé. The series was one ...
, created by
Hergé
Georges Prosper Remi (; 22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), known by the pen name Hergé (; ), from the French pronunciation of his reversed initials ''RG'', was a Belgian cartoonist. He is best known for creating ''The Adventures of Tintin'', ...
*
Judge Dee
Judge Dee, or Judge Di, is a semi-fictional character based on the historical figure Di Renjie, county magistrate and statesman of the Tang court. The character appeared in the 18th-century Chinese detective and ''gong'an'' crime novel '' Di Gong ...
– 18th century Chinese fictionalized magistrate with later editions by
Robert van Gulik
Robert Hans van Gulik (, 9 August 1910 – 24 September 1967) was a Dutch orientalist, diplomat, musician (of the guqin), and writer, best known for the Judge Dee historical mysteries, the protagonist of which he borrowed from the 18th-century ...
*
Inspector Roderick Alleyn – created by
Ngaio Marsh
Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh (; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand mystery writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966.
As a crime writer during the "Golden Age of Det ...
*
87th Precinct
The 87th Precinct is a series of police procedural novels and stories by American author Ed McBain (a writing pseudonym of Evan Hunter). McBain's 87th Precinct works have been adapted, sometimes loosely, into movies and television on several occ ...
detectives – created by
Ed McBain
Evan Hunter, born Salvatore Albert Lombino,(October 15, 1926 – July 6, 2005) was an American author and screenwriter best known for his 87th Precinct novels, written under his Ed McBain pen name, and the novel upon which the film ''Blackbo ...
*
Superintendent Battle
Superintendent Battle is a fictional character created by Agatha Christie who appeared in five of her novels.
Novels featuring Superintendent Battle
He appears as a detective in the following novels:
* ''The Secret of Chimneys'' (1925)
* ''The ...
– created by
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
*
Napoleon Bonaparte (Bony) – created by
Arthur Upfield
Arthur William Upfield (1 September 1890 – 12 February 1964) was an English-Australian writer, best known for his works of detective fiction featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte of the Queensland Police Force, a mixed-race ...
*
Harry Bosch
Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch is a fictional character created by American author Michael Connelly. Bosch debuted as the lead character in the 1992 novel ''The Black Echo'', the first in a best-selling police procedural series now numberi ...
– created by
Michael Connelly
Michael Joseph Connelly (born July 21, 1956) is an American author of detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller.
Connelly is the bes ...
*
Inspector Alan Banks
Detective Superintendent Alan Banks (born 1958) is the fictional protagonist in a series of crime novels by Peter Robinson. From 2010 to 2016 several of the novels were adapted for television, and other original stories were produced, under th ...
- Created by
Peter Robinson Peter Robinson may refer to:
Entertainment
* Peter Robinson (sideshow artist) (1873–1947), American actor and sideshow performer, known for his appearance in film ''Freaks'' (1932)
* J. Peter Robinson (born 1945), British musician and film score ...
*
Charlie Chan
Charlie Chan is a fictional Honolulu police detective created by author Earl Derr Biggers for a series of mystery novels. Biggers loosely based Chan on Hawaiian detective Chang Apana. The benevolent and heroic Chan was conceived as an alter ...
– created by
Earl Derr Biggers
Earl Derr Biggers (August 26, 1884 – April 5, 1933) was an American novelist and playwright. His novels featuring the fictional Chinese American detective Charlie Chan were adapted into popular films made in the United States and China.
Biogra ...
*
Inspector Clouseau
Inspector Jacques Clouseau (), later granted the rank of Chief Inspector, is a fictional character in Blake Edwards' farcical ''The Pink Panther'' series. He is portrayed by Peter Sellers in the original series, and also by Alan Arkin in the ...
– from
The Pink Panther
''The Pink Panther'' is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the classic film ''The Pink ...
franchise
* Columbo (character), Columbo – from the American TV series ''Columbo'', created by
William Link
William Theodore Link (December 15, 1933 – December 27, 2020) was an American film and television screenwriter and producer who often worked in collaboration with Richard Levinson.
Biography Early life
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ...
and
Richard Levinson
Richard Leighton Levinson (August 7, 1934 – March 12, 1987) was an American screenwriter and Television producer, producer who often worked in collaboration with William Link.
Life and career
Levinson was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. H ...
* Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, Popeye Doyle – based on the real Detective Eddie Egan
* Sergeant Cork – created by Ted Willis
* Adam Dalgliesh, Inspector Adam Dalgleish – created by
P. D. James
Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, (3 August 1920 – 27 November 2014), known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuring th ...
* Inspector French (Joseph French) – created by Freeman Wills Crofts
* Inspector Frost – created by R. D. Wingfield
* Foyle's War, D.C.S. Christopher Foyle – from the British TV series ''Foyle's War'', created by Anthony Horowitz
* Inspector Japp – created by
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
* Richard Jury – created by mystery author Martha Grimes
* Kojak, Lt. Theo Kojak – TV series (played by Telly Savalas)
* Inspector Lestrade – created by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
* Judge Bao fiction, Judge Bao – Chinese judge and investigator
* Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald – created by E.C.R. Lorac
* Steve McGarrett – ''Hawaii Five-O (1968 TV series), Hawaii Five-O'' TV series
* Jules Maigret – created by Georges Simenon
*
Adrian Monk
Adrian Monk, portrayed by Tony Shalhoub, is the title character and protagonist of the USA Network television series ''Monk''. He is a renowned former homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department. Monk has obsessive–compulsive ...
– created by
Andy Breckman
Andrew Ross Breckman (born March 3, 1955) is an American television and film writer and a radio personality on WFMU. He is the creator and executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning television series ''Monk'' on the USA Network, and is co-h ...
and David Hoberman
* Inspector Morse – created by Colin Dexter
* Murdoch Mysteries, Detective William Murdoch – created by Maureen Jennings
* Inspector Palmu – created by Mika Waltari
* Colin Watson (writer)§Inspector Walter PurbInspector Walter Purbright - created by Colin Watson (writer), Colin Watson
* Detective Inspector John Rebus, Inspector Rebus – created by Ian Rankin
* Dave Robicheaux – created by James Lee Burke
* Inspector Simon Serrailler – created by Susan Hill
* Dick Tracy – created by Chester Gould
* Inspector Wallander – created by Henning Mankell
* Chief Inspector Armand Gamache – created by Louise Penny
* Shabor Dasgupta – created by
Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay ( bn, শীর্ষেন্দু মুখোপাধ্যায়; born 2 November 1935) is a Bengali author from India. He has written stories for both adults and children. He is known for creating the relativel ...
* Inspector Alan Grant – created by Josephine Tey
* Jake Peralta - from Brooklyn Nine-Nine - created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur
Forensic specialists
* Temperance Brennan – ''Bones (TV series), Bones'' TV series based on the books by Kathy Reichs
* Donald "Ducky" Mallard – ''NCIS (TV series), NCIS'' TV series
* Dexter Morgan – ''Dexter (TV series), Dexter'' TV series
* Henry Morgan – ''Forever (2014 TV series), Forever'' TV series immortal medical examiner and private investigator
* John Rhode#Dr. Priestley Novels, Dr. Lancelot Priestly – created by John Rhode
* Dr. R. Quincy – ''Quincy, M.E.'' TV series
* Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs – created by Jeffery Deaver
* Elizabeth Rodgers – ''Law & Order'' TV series
* Kay Scarpetta, Dr. Kay Scarpetta – created by Patricia Cornwell
* Abby Sciuto – ''NCIS (TV series), NCIS'' TV series
*
Dr. John Thorndyke – created by
R. Austin Freeman
Dr. Richard Austin Freeman (11 April 1862 – 28 September 1943) was a British writer of detective stories, mostly featuring the medico-legal forensic investigator Dr. Thorndyke. He invented the inverted detective story (a crime fiction in wh ...
* Bruce Wayne – ''Batman comics'' and adaptions
* Flash (Barry Allen), Barry Allen – ''Flash comics'' and adaptions
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation TV shows
* Stella Bonasera – ''CSI: NY'' TV series
* Horatio Caine – ''CSI: Miami'' TV series
* Jo Danville – ''CSI: NY'' TV series
* Calleigh Duquesne – ''CSI: Miami'' TV series
* Gil Grissom – ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' TV series
* Raymond Langston – ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' TV series
* D.B. Russell, D. B. Russell – ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' TV series
* Mac Taylor – ''CSI: NY'' TV series
* Catherine Willows – ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' TV series
Anime and manga
* List of Kindaichi Case Files characters, Hajime Kindaichi – character from the manga and anime series ''Kindaichi Case Files''.
* Jimmy Kudo, Shinichi Kudo/Conan Edogawa –
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
of
Gosho Aoyama
is a Japanese manga artist best known for his manga series ''Detective Conan'' (1994–present), also known as ''Case Closed'' in some English-speaking countries. As of 2017, his various manga series had a combined 250 million copies in print wo ...
's series ''Case Closed (manga), Case Closed'', which is known in Japan as Meitantei Conan.
* L (Death Note)#L, L – a detective featured in the Death Note series created by
Tsugumi Ohba
is the pen name of a Japanese manga writer, best known for authoring the ''Death Note'' manga series with illustrator Takeshi Obata from 2003 to 2006, which has 30 million collected volumes in circulation. The duo's second series, ''Bakuman.'' ...
and
Takeshi Obata
is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He first gained international attention for ''Hikaru no Go'' (1998–2003) with Yumi Hotta, but is better known for '' Death Note'' (2003–2006) ...
* Alice –
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
of ''Kamisama no memochou'', a NEET Detective.
* Q.E.D. (manga)#Characters, Sou Touma – main character of the ''Q.E.D. (manga), Q.E.D.'' series created and produced by Motohiro Katou.
* Kyoko Kirigiri – character in ''
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc'' started off as "Ultimate ???" revealed as the "Ultimate Detective".
* Shuichi Saihara – character in ''
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony'' known as the 'Ultimate Detective".
* Naoto Shirogane – character in ''Persona 4'' who is lonely, has a 200 level IQ, has insecurities on her age and her gender, and is the Detective Prince. Her weapon of choice is a handgun, mostly a revolver. She is currently voiced by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn.
* Goro Akechi – character in ''Persona 5'' who is the charismatic, lonely and wanting to be at the centre of attention at all times, pancake loving, black mask wearing, Second Advent of the Detective Prince. His Metaverse weapons of choice are: a chainsaw sword, a laser sabre, a serrated blade, and a ray gun. He is currently voiced by Robbie Daymond
*Dick Gumshoe – character from the manga and video game series Ace Attorney.
*Grévil de Blois - inspector working in Sauville's police department. Featured in the novel series Gosick created by Kazuki Sakuraba.
* Siesta - character from the Light Novel and anime series ''The Detective Is Already Dead''.
* Sakaido - character from the original anime series ''Id – Invaded'' directed by Ei Aoki and written by Ōtarō Maijō. The anime has also received a manga sequel.
* Armed Detective Agency - an organization from the animanga series Bungo Stray Dogs, Bungou Stray Dogs, the most notable of which being Edogawa Ranpo.
* Kyouko Okitegami -
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
of Nisio Isin's novel series ''Bōkyaku Tantei''. She is a famous detective who finishes all her cases in one day, because she resets her memory every time she goes to sleep.
See also
*Crime fiction
*List of male detective characters
*List of female detective characters
*List of fictional historical detectives
*List of fictional detective teams
*List of fictional detectives for younger readers
*List of fictional science fiction and fantasy detectives
*Spy film
Notes
References
* Julian Symons. ''The Great Detectives: Seven Original Investigation'',1981,
External links
''Stop, You're Killing Me!''(a list of fictional detectives found in novels)
{{Bengali detective characters
Lists of fictional detectives,