Sleuthing

Sleuthing

See also Crime Fighting.

Alleyn, Inspector

detective in Ngaio Marsh’s many mystery stories. [New Zealand Lit.: Harvey, 520]

Archer, Lew

tough solver of brutal crimes. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 94–96]

Brown, Father

Chesterton’s priest and amateur detective. [Br. Lit.: Herman, 20–21]

Bucket, Inspector

shrewd detective solves a murder and uncovers Lady Dedlock’s past. [Br. Lit.: Bleak House in Benét, 144]

Campion, Albert

unpretentious cerebral detective. [Br. Lit.: Herman, 31–33]

Carrados, Max

blind detective in stories by Ernest Bramah. [Br. Lit.: Barnhart, 159]

Carter, Nick

turn-of-the-century flatfoot. [Radio: “Nick Carter, Master Detective” in Buxton, 173-174]

Chan, Charlie

imperturbable Oriental gumshoe. [Am. Lit.: Her-man, 36–37; Comics: Horn, 165–166]

Charles, Nick

urbane and witty private detective. [Am. Lit.: The Thin Man]

Clouseau, Inspector Jacques

bungling French detective; inexplicably and with great asininity gets his man. [Am. Cinema: “The Pink Panther”]

Columbo

untidy, cigar-smoking mastermind. [TV: “NBC Mystery Movie” in Terrace, II, 141]

Cuff, Sergeant

first detective in English fiction. [Br. Lit.: The Moonstone in Benét, 683]

Drew, Nancy

teenage girl supersleuth. [Children’s Lit.: The Hidden Staircase]

Drummond, Bulldog

patriotic Englishman, hero of stories by Sapper. [Br. Lit.: Payton, 108]

Dupin, Auguste

ratiocinative solver of unsolvable crimes. [Am. Lit.: Poe “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”; “The Mystery of Marie Roget”; “The Purloined Letter”]

Fell, Dr. Gideon

fat, astute detective in John Dickson Carr’s mysteries. [Am. Lit.: Benét, 170]

Fosdick, Fearless

square-jawed, low-paid detective of question-able expertise and unquestionable obtuseness. [Comics: “Li’l Abner” in Horn, 450]

Hardy Boys

teenagers solve crimes and mysteries with detective father. [Children’s Lit.: Clue in the Embers; Twisted Claw; Tower Treasure]

Hawkshaw

implacable detective with photographic memory. [Br. Lit.: The Ticket-of-Leave Man, Barnhart, 546]

Holmes, Sherlock

the great detective; famous for deductive reasoning. [Br. Lit.: Payton, 316]

inverness

coat with cape; emblem of Sherlock Holmes. [Br. Costume and Lit.: Espy, 267]

Lane, Drury

Barney Ross’s deaf ex-actor and amateur detective. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 105]

Lecoq, Monsieur

meticulous detective; pride of French Sureté. [Fr. Lit.: Monsieur Lecoq]

Lestrade

bungling Scotland Yard foil to Sherlock Holmes. [Br. Lit.: Payton, 387]

Lupin, Arsène

murderer turned detective. [Fr. Lit.: Herman, 20]

magnifying glass

traditional detective equipment; from its use by Sherlock Holmes. [Br. Lit.: Payton, 473]

Maigret, Inspector

studiously precise detective; bases his work solidly on police methods. [Fr. Lit.: Herman, 114]

Mannix

private eye with unorthodox style. [TV: Terrace, II, 62]

Marlowe, Philip

hard-boiled but engaging private eye. [Am. Lit.: The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; The Long Goodbye]

Marple, Miss

sweet old lady, tougher than she seems. [Br. Lit.: Herman, 51–55]

Mason, Perry

attorney busier with detection than law. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 71–74]

Mayo, Asey

the “codfish Sherlock.” [Am. Lit.: Herman, 122–124]

McGee, Travis

tough private eye and tougher private avenger. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 92–94]

Moto, Mr

. clever Japanese detective. [Am. Cin.: Halliwell, 494]

Pinkertons

famous detective agency; founded in 1850. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 392]

Poirot, Hercule

brainy, dandified genius in Christie mysteries. [Br. Lit.: Herman, 51–55]

Pollifax, Mrs

. redoubtable widow joins the C.I.A. [Am. Lit.: A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax]

Pudd’nhead Wilson

lawyer uses fingerprint evidence to win his client’s acquittal and expose the true murderer. [Am. Lit.: Mark Twain Pudd’nhead Wilson; Benét, 824]

Queen, Ellery

dilettantish private investigator. [Am. Lit.: Her-man, 105]

Rabbi, the

Rabbi David Small solves crimes using his Talmudic training. [Am. Lit.: Friday the Rabbi Slept Late]

Saint, the

dashing diviner of knotty puzzles. [Radio: Buxton, 206; TV: Terrace, II, 264]

Spade, Sam

hard-boiled private eye. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 79–82]

Strangeways, Nigel

urbane solver of intricate crimes. [Br. Lit.: Herman, 37–38]

Thatcher, John Putnam

charming, civilized, urbane detective. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 86–87]

Tibbs, Virgil

California’s brilliant, black detective. [Am. Lit.: In the Heat of the Night]

Tracy, Dick

square-chinned detective of police comic strip. [Comics: Horn, 206]

Vance, Philo

impressively learned, polished, and urbane detective. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 22, 126–127]

Wimsey, Lord Peter

Shakespeare-quoting gentleman turned amateur detective. [Br. Lit.: Herman, 113–114]

Wolfe, Nero

corpulent, lazy, but persevering crime-solver. [Am. Lit.: Herman, 119–122]