I think it was Byron who mentioned T. J. Binyon’s Murder Will Out: The Detective in Fiction. This Oxford University Press volume from 1989 is basically a catalogue of fictional detectives. Binyon categorizes them, gives some historical context, and recommends further reading.
If you’re looking for a compact history of detectives in fiction, this book covers all the major characters…and then some. I discovered Murder Will Out was published as a paperback in 2009. I’ve ordered that edition and I’ll see if Binyon updated his original book.
Do you have a favorite fictional detective? GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- In the Beginning : Dupin and Lecoq — 1
- The Professional Amateur — 9
Sherlock Holmes and the Magazine Short story –9
Holme’s First Successors –12
Dr. Thorndyke –15
Law — 21
Medicine– 25
Journalism –28
Insurance — 29
Accountancy — 31
The Schism of the 1920s — 31
The Private Detective: 1920 to the Present — 33
The Provide Eye from Williams to Warshawski — 38
Misfits — 46
3. The Amateur Amateur — 47
The Amateur Predicament — 47
Academics — 50
Philip Trent — 56
Prisests, Missionaries, and Rabbis — 64
The Theatre — 66
Husbands and Wives — 68
Finance — 68
Miscellaneous Female Amateurs — 70
Miscellaneous Male Amateurs — 72
4. The Police — 79
Inspector French — 79
Younger Policemen — 82
More Cultured Policemen — 85
Peripheral Policeman — 88
The Amateur Professional — 89
Foreign Policemen — 91
The Police Procedural — 99
Other American Policemen — 108
Other British Policemen — 116
Provincial Policemen — 120
5. A Few Oddities — 122
Comedy — 122
History — 125
Crooks and Villains — 127
Gentlemen Burglars and Robin Hoods — 129
6. Conclusion — 132
Further Reading — 135
Bibliography — 146
Index — 148
I’m probably heavily influenced by the tv adaptations (although I’ve read all the books), but Poirot remains my favorite. I also loved Bill Slider in the mysteries by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles; I often wonder why her books weren’t selected for adaptation while Caroline Graham’s Midsomer Murders were. Don’t get me wrong, I love Midders, but I think the Bill Slider mysteries would make equally good tv. I suppose the environs of Shepherd’s Bush aren’t quite as picturesque as English country towns.
Deb, I need to read some Cynthia Harrod-Eagles mysteries. Of course, we love MIDSOMER MURDERS.
I agree about the Cynthia Harrod-Eagles series. There is also a lot of sly humor (starting with the chapter titles) that adds to the enjoyment.
Jeff, I’m a fan of sly humor. I’m going to track down some Cynthia Harrod-Eagles titles today.
This sounds fascinating but I’m afraid another reader deserves credit for recommending it. Many of them always have great suggestions.
Byron, I should write down the deserving reader’s name when I seek out a recommended book. I’m still impressed by your explanation of how I missed THE ROLLING STONE WOMEN IN ROOCK COLLECTION. And, now I’m wondering what other great CDs I missed in the 1990s…
I was always game to check out the anthologies in the music racks…much as with anthologies of prose, one made discoveries in them! (And, as noted in discussions here previously, music via the radio after about 1975 was a more iffy proposition unless one had jazz, college rock, and other potentially eclectic stations in one’s vicinity in the pre-web audio days). Working in two Tower Records stores briefly (all I could take in that house of good inventory but stunted growth, along with a similarly short stint in a Tower Books) was more than enough of retail records as a business, alas. Though bookselling in the chains was only a bit more tolerable, it was a tolerable bit.
I’d say my favorite detectives, as characters, are Holmes and Columbo. Pretty obvious, huh? But my favorite series of novels starring a particular detective are the Lew Archer novels by Ross Macdonald even though Archer himself isn’t terribly interesting.
Michael, I binged on Ross Macdonald’s Lew Archer novels in the early 1970s. Little did I know Macdonald was suffering from Alzheimer’s at the time.
I read the Binyon book years ago when it first came out. It was probably Bill Crider who mentioned it.
Jeff, I’ve ordered a copy of Binyon’s MURDER WILL OUT published in 2009. I’m hoping Binyon updated his book, but it might just be a paperback copy of the original,
Morse is by far my favorite. But maybe it is really John Thaw’s performance that brought it to life.
Patti, our local PBS station brings Inspector Morse on Saturday night. It’s like John Thaw’s on a continuous loop!
We have a Brit Night every Saturday. We went through all of Midsomer Murders, Morse, Lewis, Kavanagh Q.C. (also John Thaw), Vera, Shetland, Jonathan Creek. Now we’re on Queens of Mystery (not up to most of the others).
Jeff, our PBS station celebrates Saturday nights with plenty of British mystery series including MIDSOMER MURDERS, INSPECTOR MORSE, and plenty of Christie series thrown in, too.
You’re all lucky to get that on Saturday. We get something called Frankie Lane and sometimes American Experience.
Rick, our local PBS station polls their contributors to find out what programs they want to watch. I always answer, “Mysteries.”
I’m surprised so many have one or three favorites. My favorites might run to Sharon McCone, “Nameless” Bill, V. I. Warshawski, John the Balladeer, Dr. Eszterhazy, Matt Scudder, Jim Rockford, Rachel Benham (on CITY ON THE HILL).
Todd, I’ve read all the JOHN THE BALLADEER stories. Manly Wade Wellman is an underrated writer.
Rick, it’s on Amazon Prime and Acorn or Britbox.
Holmes, of course, Thorndyke, Poirot, Nameless, Mike Shayne, Race Williams, Marlowe, the Continental Op, so many…
Rick, Binyon is a big Thorndyke fan. As soon as I whittle down the stack of Library books, I think I’ll start reading that Thorndyke set you alerted me was being published.
Nero Wolfe! I could also say Sherlock Holmes or Philip Marlowe depending on my mood!
Bob, we know Nero Wolfe is at the top of Art Scott’s and Steve Stilwell’s lists!
I went on a reading jag with Ken Bruen’s Brant and Roberts police series a few years ago, wonderful books.
Fred, Ken Bruen is another underrated writer.
So many new names to me to explore. My favourites will include Poirot though at the top, I’ll have Marlowe and Arthur Crook. Among the Indian detectives, I like Byomkesh, Feluda, and Sunil.
Neeru, I discovered some new detectives I want to read, too. I’m eager to see if the 2009 edition on Binyon’s book includes updates.