DETECTIVE FICTION

A series of 21 historical murder mysteries written by Ellis Peters between 1977 and 1994.

Set in Shrewsbury around 1135-45, Cadfael is a medieval detective and Benedictine monk. A former soldier and sailor, his experiences and intelligence make him a worldly-wise everyman character often called on to help in all kinds of matters: detective, diplomat, doctor and medical examiner. Cadfael is a modern thinker, bringing his experience of different lands, cultures and attitudes into play when solving crimes with a modern sense of justice and fair play.

Appearing in 13 detective novels by British author Colin Dexter between 1975 and 1999.

Detective Chief Inspector with the Thames Valley Police in Oxford, Morse is a quintessential middle-class Englishman. Often sullen and snobbish, he is a lover of real ale, classical music, crosswords and drives a classic Jaguar car. Highly intelligent, he deduces the criminal through careful reasoning, intuition and a razor-sharp memory. Morse preferred to use only his surname – it wasn’t until the penultimate novel that his first name was revealed as Endeavour!

76 novels and 28 short stories published between 1931 and 1972 by Belgian author Georges Simenon.

French police detective Maigret is described as ‘the Sherlock Holmes of France’, and shares his love of a pipe with the great English detective. A tall, broad-shouldered and gruff man, Maigret’s intellect and keen observation are his hallmarks. His intuition and perception are his key tools when unravelling a case, in place of scientific reasoning. Unlike many detectives, his personal life is stable.

Created by Swedish crime writer Henning Mankell who wrote 11 novels between 1997 and 2011.

Wallander is a police inspector in Ystad, Sweden. Set in the present day, he tries to balance his career with a difficult family life. He drinks too much, eats poorly, and his quick temper and aggressive temperament often lands him in hot water. His commitment and intellect make him a brilliant detective and his capacity for solving cases is unrivalled, though he often upsets and frustrates colleagues with his brusque manner and disregard for protocol.

The protagonist of 14 crime mystery novels written between 1962 and 2008 by English author P. D. James.

In the first novel, Dalgliesh who is Detective Chief Inspector, eventually reaches the rank of Commander in the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard in London. He is a consummate professional, intensely cerebral, cool and detached, yet with a private side. The novels are thoroughly realistic and gritty, with an almost fierce moral posture and a clear line between right and wrong and good and evil.

Created by English crime writer Ruth Rendell and featured in 24 novels between 1964 and 2013.

Dependable and quick-witted, Inspector Wexford is a family man based in the fictional town of Kingsmarkham, Suffolk. He is more of a ‘country’ policeman than his literary detective peers. Often underestimated, Wexford is tireless, unflappable and wise. An unblinking observer of human nature, his experience and intelligence often helps him catch the most unlikely killers.

Created by Italian author Andrea Camilleri who wrote 28 novels between 2002 and 2020.

Inspector Salvo Montalbano encapsulates astute detective work and a fractious manner. He is an engaging hero – honest, decent and loyal, but has his own way of doing things. He also navigates a murky world of shady connections without compromising his values, while at the same time, balances between the realities of local crime and the demands of his superiors who regard him as something of a loose cannon.

The protagonist in a series of 24 crime novels written between 1990 and 2016 by American crime writer Patricia Cornwell.

Dr Kay Scarpetta, is a smart, expert forensic pathologist and investigator. A perfectionist and an incredibly hard worker, she is portrayed as as a tough, heavy drinking medical examiner who is tenacious in pursuit of the truth, no matter what the risk. As time goes on, she becomes more paranoid and depressed – weary from the brutality she encounters on a daily basis. Her work takes her to many locations across the United States.

Featuring in six novels from American-Irish writer Tana French, 2007-2016.

A number of interchanging detectives, each with their own distinct voice and unique personal issues, pick their way with varying success through a maze of suspects and circumstances while investigating a series of grisly crimes. As the characters and their accompanying views interact, the dynamic interplay creates a complex labyrinth of infinite possibilities and outcomes.

Written by English author Peter Robinson, 26 novels to date beginning in 1987.

Set in the fictional English town of Eastvale in the Yorkshire Dales, former member of the London Metropolitan Police Inspector Alan Banks has left the capital for a quieter life in the Dales with his family: two children and a doting wife. His charming demeanour helps him to relate to victims of crime and his suspects – though he can come down hard when he needs to get answers. His main strength is his creativity during interrogations and investigations.

Created by English author Peter James, featuring in 16 novels between 2005 and 2020.

Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is a different type of detective, informed by his own personal loss – the unexplained disappearance of his wife years ago. Grace will use anything and everything available to him to solve a case: as well as pathology analysis and forensics, he is known to engage the paranormal, using mediums and clairvoyants to help him to uncover the truth about the crimes that he investigates.

A series of 21 novels starting in 1998, written by British-Zimbabwean author R. Alexander McCall Smith.

Set in Botswana, Africa, 34-year-old Mma Precious Ramotswe moves to the capital city, buys a house and office for herself and sets up a detective business. The cases she investigates are as much about the adventures and foibles of different characters as they are about solving mysteries. Business partner, Mma Grace Makutsi, was originally the agencies secretary, before becoming a detective herself.

Written by Scottish author Ian Rankin, 23 novels to date beginning in 1987.

For over 30 years, the hard-living cop John Rebus has investigated Edinburgh’s bleak, ugly crime scenes, achieving the rank of Detective Inspector. He is a dishevelled divorcee, preferring to be alone and a smoker and a heavy drinker with a fondness for both music and literature. Rebus’s most famous character trait is his gruff demeanour, which hides a kind heart that is often masked by his wry sense of humour.

The main character in three Prime Suspect novels and six prequel novels between 1991 and 2019, written by English author Lynda La Plante.

Tennison is a no-nonsense female Detective Chief Inspector in the Metropolitan Police, initially at the fictional Southampton Row police station. She is intelligent, ambitious and very uncompromising, but deeply frustrated by her job – constantly battling to prove herself in a male-dominated profession. The prequel novels follow Tennison’s journey from a naive WPC, who grows in confidence with every case to rise through the ranks.

Created by Norwegian author Jo Nesbø and featuring in 12 novels between 2012 and 2019.

A police officer with the Oslo Crime Squad, Harry Hole is a brilliant and driven detective who often employs unorthodox methods. Hole is unmarried, has few close friends, and frequently makes enemies among superiors and colleagues who, nevertheless, grudgingly respect him. Hole is a brilliant detective and one of few in the force to have undergone special training in interrogation techniques and firearms at the FBI.

Written by English author Martina Cole, a four novel series from 1993 to 2017.

Kate Burrows is a strait-laced, tough policewoman who has followed the rules and worked hard to rise through the ranks. She is a strong woman in a predominantly male world and brilliant at her job. However, unexpectedly she starts a relationship with one of the most powerful criminals in town, which threatens to compromise her successful police career.

A series of 10 novels written by English author M.J. Arlidge between 2014 and 2018.

Helen Grace: a tough, seemingly invincible police officer who is at the same time, very isolated and vulnerable.  Set around the South Coast of England, she rides a motorbike and has an inability to sustain close personal relationships, preferring to live alone. Grace pursues criminals who are extremely violent and sadistic, and in order to bring them to justice is often willing to put her own life in line.

The protagonist of 21 crime novels written since 1992 by American author Michael Connelly.

Hieronymus Bosch, or Harry as he is commonly known by his associates, is a tough detective with the Los Angeles Police Department – he also practiced as a private detective. He served with the prestigious Hollywood Homicide Division, and during his time, was the subject of multiple unsuccessful investigations by Internal Affairs. Bosch is always finding himself in conflict with authority, usually attributed to his strong sense of right and wrong, coupled with little regard for his career.