(not including mutant, alien or sci-fi/fantasy beings)
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Detectives in Print, Sorted by Title (including starting word "The") | |
 Kinsey Millhone → No screen presence A tough-talking former cop, P.I. in the alphabet mysteries series of novels including "H" is for Homicide (Created by Sue Grafton). •Novels: 1982‑2017. | |
 Miss Marple → Portrayed in movies by Margaret Rutherford An old spinster is of independent means in a novels series, movies and TV series including 4.50 from Paddington (Created by Agatha Christie). •Novels: 1930‑1976 •Movies: 1961‑1964 •TV series: 1984‑1992, 2004‑2013. | |
 Matthew Scudder → Portrayed in the movie by Liam Neeson An alcoholic ex-cop in the several novels including A Walk Among the Tombstones (Created by Lawrence Block). •Novels: 1976‑2019 •Movie: 2014. | |
 Nero Wolfe → Portrayed in the 2001 TV series by Maury Chaykin An armchair detective in novels, short stories, movies, radio, and several TV series including A Nero Wolfe Mystery (Created by Rex Stout). •Novels: 1934‑1985 •Movies: 1936, 1937 •TV series: 1981, 2001‑2003. | |
 Agatha Raisin → Portrayed by Ashley Jensen Based on the mystery novels by Marion Chesney, a former public relations professional in the British TV series Agatha Raisin (Created by Marion Chesney using the pseudonym M. C. Beaton). •Novels: 1992‑2019 •TV series: 2014‑2020. | |
 Hercule Poirot → Portrayed in the British TV series by David Suchet A dignified and meticulous Belgian detective in novels, short stories, movies and TV including Agatha Christie's Poirot (Created by Agatha Christie). •Novels: 1926‑1975 •Movies: 1931‑1986 •TV series: 1989‑2013. | |
 Agaton Sax → No screen presence Owner of a detective agency in an animated movie and animated TV series, based on several Swedish novels including Agaton Sax and the London Computer Plot (Created by Nils Olof Franzén). •Novels: 1955‑1978 •Movie: 1976 •TV series: 1976. | |
 Alex Cross → Portrayed by Morgan Freeman Even tempered psychologist and former FBI agent in several books and movies such as Along Came a Spider (Created by James Patterson). •Books: 1993‑2014 •Movies: 1997, 2001. | |
 Cordelia Gray → Portrayed by Helen Baxendale A shy young woman who inherited a detective agency in two novels and several TV series including An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Created by P. D. James). •Novels: 1972, 1982 •TV series: 1997‑2001. | |
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 Arsène Lupin → Portrayed by Georges Descrières Gentleman thief and master of disguise in books, stage, comics, numerous movies, and several TV series including the French show Arsène Lupin (Created by Mauraice Leblanc ). •Books: 1907‑2012 •Movies: 1908‑2011 •TV series: 1971‑2007. | |
 Jesse Stone → Portrayed by Tom Selleck Former baseball shortstop and homicide detective in the book series and several movies, such as Benefit of the Doubt (Created by Robert B. Parker). •Books: 1997‑2015 •Movies: 2005‑2012. | |
 Beverly Gray → No screen presence A young woman solving mysteries in various venues Beverly Gray Mystery Stories (Written by Clair Blank). •Novels: 1034‑1955. | |
Beverly Gray → No screen presence A young woman solving mysteries in various venues Beverly Gray Mystery Stories (Written by Clair Blank). •Novels: 1034‑1955. | |
 Varg Veum → In movies portrayed by Trond Espen Seim A Norwegian private detective in a series of novels and several movies such as Bitre Blomster (Created by Gunnar Staalesen). •Novels: 1977‑2014 •Movies: 2007‑2012. | |
 Victoria "Vicki" Nelson → Portrayed by Christine Cox Based on the Blood Books by Tanya Huff, a former Toronto Police Service officer in the Canadian TV series Blood Ties (Series created by Peter Mohan). •Novels: 1991‑1997 •TV series: 2007. | |
 Brother Cadfael → Portrayed by Derek Jacobi An early 12th-century monk in the novel series and TV series Cadfael (Created by Ellis Peters also known as Edith Pargeter). •Novels: 1977‑1994 •TV series: 1994‑1998. | |
 Bulldog Drummond → Portrayed by Ronald Coleman A gentleman adventurer in novels, short stories, and several movies including Calling Bulldog Drummond (Created by H. C. McNeile). •Novels: 1920‑1969 •Short stories: 1937 •Movies: 1922‑1969. | |
 Albert Campion → TV portrayal by Peter Davidson An aristocrat in the early 20th century in several novels and the TV series Campion (Created by Margery Allingham). •Novels: 1930‑1965 •TV series: 1989‑1990. | |
 Shell Scott → No screen presence A 6-foot-2 ex-marine in several novels such as Case of the Vanishing Beauty (Created by Richard S. Prather). •Novels: 1950‑1987. | |
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 Jackson Brodie → TV portrayed by Jason Isaacs. A tough former soldier and policeman in several novels and the TV series Case Histories (Created by Kate Atkinson). •Novels: 2004‑2010 •TV series: 2011‑2013. | |
 Jack Casey → Portrayed by Richard Carlye A photographer who helps the police solve crimes in books, movies, radio, and the TV series Casey, Crime Photographer (Created by George Harmon Coxe). •Books: 1942‑1964 •Movies: 1936, 1938 •TV series: 1951‑1952. | |
 Slam Bradley (Samuel Emerson "Slam" Bradley) → No screen presence A tough private eye who loves working for women but prefers the platonic company of his sidekick "Shorty" Morgan in the comic book series. Detective Comics (Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster). •Comic books: 1937‑1949, revived in later years. | |
 Dirk Gently (real name is Svlad Cjelli) → Portrayed by several actors includingStephen Mangan in the 2010 TV series and show here. a "holistic detective" and psychic in the book series and TV series Dirk Gently (Created by Douglas Adams). •Books: 1987, 1988, 2002 •TV series: 2010‑ 2012, 2016. | |
 Bernie Little (image from 2015 book cover of Bernie's canine companion) → No screen presence A down-on-his-luck P.I. in the series of novels beginning with Dog on It (Created by Spencer Quinn, aka Peter Abrahams). •Novels: 2009‑2020. | |
 Elona Holmes → Portrayed by Millie "Bobby" Brown The sister of Sherlock Holmes in the book series The Enola Holmes Mysteries and the movie Enola Holmes (Created by Nancy Springer). •Book series: 2006‑2010 •Movie: 2020. | |
 Duncan Maclain → Portrayed by Edward Arnold.
A blind detective with a seeing-eye dog in the novel series of the detective and movies such as Eyes in the Night (Created by Baynard Kendrick). •Books: 1937‑1961 •Movies: 1942, 1945. | |
 Francesca Victoria (image from a comic book cover) → No screen presence A young, attractive and adventurous female private investigator in the popular Dutch comic book series Franka (Created by Henk Kuijpers). •Comics: 1972‑now. | |
 Lew Archer (renamed to Harper in movies) → Portrayed by Paul Newman An often world-weary P.I. working in Southern California in books, a TV series and movies such as Harper (Book written by Ross MacDonald). •Books: 1949‑1976 •TV series: 1975 •Movies: 1966, 1974, 1975. | |
 James Hazell → Portrayed by Nicholas Ball. A cockney private detective in the British TV drama Hazell (Created by Gordon Williams and Terry Venables). •TV drama: 1978‑1979. | |
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 Lemmy Caution → Portrayed by Eddie Constantine Witty, crafty womanizing private detective in the book series and French movies such as La môme vert de gris (Created by Peter Cheyney). •Books: 1936‑1945 •Movies: 1953‑1991. | |
 Michael Shayne → Portrayed in the movies by Lloyd Noland Detective in old style, gathering suspects in one place and naming the murderer, in a series of books, TV series, and several movies such as Michael Shayne, Private Detective (Created by Brett Halliday). •Books: 1939‑1958 •Movies: 1940‑1946 •TV series: 1960‑1961. | |
 Mike Hammer → Portrayed on TV by Stacy Keach A P.I. who doesn't shy away from violence in the series of novels, movies, and several TV series such as Mike Hammer, ;Private Eye (Created by Mickey Spillaine). •Novels: 1947‑2014 •Movies: 1952‑2003 •TV series: 1958‑1960, 1984‑1998. | |
 Phryne Fisher → Portrayed by Essie Davis A wealthy aristocrat in a series of novels the TV series Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (Created by Kerry Greenwood and others). •Novels: 1989‑2008 •TV series: 2012‑. | |
 Hildegarde Withers → Portrayed by Edna May Oliver and later others. Spinster school teacher and amateur detective who collaborates, and frequently butts heads, with Inspector Oscar Piper in a series of novels and movies such as Murder on the Blackboard (Created by Stuart Palmer). •Novels: 1932‑1969 •Movies: 1932‑1972. | |
 Nancy Drew → Portrayed by various actors over the years including Sophia Lillis in the 2019 film as seen in image. A young high school graduate in many books, a TV series and several movies including the 2019 movie Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (Many writers under the ghost name Carolyn Keene ). •Novels: 1930‑2003 •TV series: 1997, 1995, 2019 •Movies: 1938‑1939, 2002. | |
 Nancy Drew → Portrayed in the 2007 movie by Emma Roberts A young teenager, then young woman in several novel series including Nancy Drew Mystery Stories (Created by Edward Stratemeyer). •Novels: 1930‑2003, 2002‑2012 •Movie: 2007. | |
 Nestor Burma → Portrayed by Guy Marchand French private detective in a series of books and the TV series Nestor Burma (Created by Léo Malet). •Books: 1943‑1983 •TV series: 1991. | |
 Garrett (image cropped from the book cover) → No screen presence A P.I. in a fantasy universe with his partner, the Dead Man, in a series of novels such as Old Tin Sorrows (Created by Glen Cook). •Novels: 1987‑2013. | |
 Tommy and Tuppence Beresford → TV portrayal of Tommy by David Walliams, of Tuppence by Jessica A typical upper middle class couple in novels, short stories and in the TV series Partners in Crime (Created by Agatha Christie). •Novels: 1922‑1973 •TV series: 2015. | |
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 Paul Drake → Portrayed by William Hopper The private detective working for Parry Mason Perry Mason (Created by Erle Stanley Gardner). •Novels: 1933‑1973 •Movies: 1934‑1940 •TV series: 1985‑1995, 2020. | |
 Sexton Blake → Portrayed by Laurence Stanley Payne A bargain basement Sherlock Holmes solving mysteries of all manner. Sexton Blake (Written by Harry Blyth (using the pseudonym Hal Meredeth)). •Comic strips: 1939‑1979 •Silent movies: 1909‑1928 •Movies: 1935‑1945 •TV series 1967‑1971. | |
 John Shaft → Portrayed by Richard Roundtree A black P.I. in the style of James Bond in three movies beginning with Shaft (Screenplay by Ernest Tidyman). •Movies: 1971, 1972, 1973. | |
 Sister Fidelma → No screen presence A Celtic nun in the middle of the 7th century who solves mysteries in the book series Sister Fidelma Mysteries (Created by Berresford Ellis, aka Peter Tremayne). •Books: 1994‑2015. | |
 Feluda (aka Prodosh Chandra Mitra) → Portrayed in 1974 movie by Soumitra Chatterjee An Indian detective of Bengali origin in novels and movies such as Sonar Kella (Created by Satyajit Ray). •Novels: 1966‑1997 •Movies: 1974‑2014. | |
 Spenser → Portrayed by in the TV series Robert Urich A smart-mouthed tough P.I. in novels, movies and the TV series Spenser: For Hire (Created by Robert B. Parker). •Novels: 1973‑2014 •TV series: 1985‑1988 •Movies: 1999, 2000, 2001. | |
 Cormoran Strike → Portrayed by Tom Burke An ex-SIB investigator, and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan in the books and the TV series Strike (Created by J. K. Rowling). •Novels: 2013‑2020 •TV series: 2017‑2020. | |
 Ellery Queen → Portrayed in the 1975 TV series by Jim Hutton A mystery writer and editor of a magazine in novels, movies, and several TV series including The Adventures of Ellery Queen (Ghost writers as Ellery Queen). •Novels: 1929‑71 •TV series:1950‑1956, 1975‑1976 •Movies: 1940‑1942. | |
 Encyclopedia Brown (Leroy) → Portrayed in the TV series by Scott Bremner A boy detective in the book series, a comic strip, and the TV HBO series beginning with The Case of the Missing Time Capsule (Books written by Donald J. Sobol). •Books: 1963‑2012 •TV series: 1989‑1990. | |
 Frank and Joe Hardy (The Hardy Boys) → Portrayed by Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy Teenage brothers and amateur detectives in a series of books and a TV series The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (Created by Edward Stratemeyer). •Books: 1929‑present •TV series: 1974‑1977. | |
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 Beatrice Adela Bradley → Portrayed by Diana Rigg A widowed socialite in the novel series and British TV series The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (Created by Gladys Mitchell). •Novels: 1929‑1975 •TV series: 1999‑2000. | |
 Sarah Keate → Portrayed by Ann Sheridan and others A nurse in novels and movies such as The Patient in Room 18 (Created by Mignon Eberhart). •Novels: 1929‑1932 •Movies: 1935‑1938. | |
 Philip Marlowe → Portrayed in the 1978 movie by Robert Mitchum A wisecracking, hard-drinking, tough P.I. in novels, TV series, and movies including The Big Sleep (Created by Raymond Chandler). •Novels: 1939‑1989 •Movies: 1942‑1978 •TV series: 1959‑1960, 1983‑1986. | |
 Dr. John Thorndyke → Portrayed in the 1964 TV series by Peter Copley A medical doctor and forensic specialist in a series of novels and short stories and TV series including The Case of Oscar Brodski (Created by R. Austin Freeman). •Novels: 1907‑1942. | |
 Amelia Peabody → No screen presence A rich Egyptologist in the novels series including The Curse of the Pharaohs (Created by Elizabeth Peters). •Novels: 1975‑2006. | |
 Hamilton Nash (aka The Continental Op) → Portrayed by James Coburn. A master of deceit in the 36 short stories and two novels and the TV series The Dain Curse (Created by Dashiell Hammett). •Short stories: 1923‑1927 •Novels: 1929 •TV series: 1978. | |
 Dave Robicheaux → Portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones Former New Orleans officer and recovering alcoholic in the book series and two movies including The Electric Mist (Created by James Lee Burke). •Books: 1987‑2013 •Movies: 1996, 2009. | |
 Sherlock Holmes-1 → Portrayed in the 1983 movie by Ian Richardson A renowned detective in four novels, 56 short stories, and many movies including The Hound of the Baskervilles (Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle). •Novels: 1887‑1915 •Short stories: 1891‑1927 •Movies: many •TV series: many. | |
 Philo Vance → Portrayed in the 1933 movie by William Powell An aristocrat of unusual culture and brilliance in novels and movies including The Kennel Murde Case (Created by S. S. Van Dine). •Novels:1926‑1939 •Movies: 1929‑1947. | |
 Sam Spade → Portrayed in the 1941 movie by Humphrey Bogart A hard and shifty P.I. in a novel, short stories, and movies, including The Maltese Falcon (Created by Dashiell Hammett). •Novel: 1930 •Short stories: 1932 •Movies: 1931‑1978. | |
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 Dr Gideon Fell (image cropped from the book cover) → No screen presence A lexicographer and drinker in a series of novels such as The Man Who Could Not Shudder (Created by John Dickson Carr). •Novels: 1933‑1967. | |
 C. Auguste Dupin → No screen presence An upper class gentleman appearing in stories by such as The Murders in the Rue Morgue (Created by Edgar Allan Poe). •Novels: 1841,1842, 1844. | |
 Joseph Rouletabille → Portrayed in the 1949 French movie by Serge Reggiani A journalist in several movies and a novel series starting with The Mystery of th Yellow Room (Created by Gaston Leroux). •Novels: 1907‑1923 •Movies: 1913‑2005 •TV series: 1965‑1966. | |
 Simon Templar (known as The Saint) → Portrayed by Roger Moore in the TV series A British amateur detective portrayed in books, radio, movies and TV by various actors over many years; for example, in the TV series The Saint (Originally created by Leslie Charteris). •Books: 1928‑1963 •Movies: 1938‑1943 •Radio: 1944‑1951 •Comics: 1948‑1961. | |
 Sally Lockhart → Portrayed by Billie Piper A teen-age girl in the novel series and TV shows such as The Shadow in the North (Created by Philip Pullman). •Novels: 1872‑1882 •Movie: 2006, 2007. | |
 Nick and Nora Charles → Movie portrayal of Nick by William Powell An alcoholic former private detective and a wealthy heiress in the novel and several movie adaptations such as The Thin Man (Created by Dashiell Hammett). •Novel: 1934 •Movies: 1934‑1947 •TV series: 1957‑1959. | |
 Tif and Tondu (no last names for the duo) → No screen presence Adventurers and detectives who solve cases around the world in the Belgian comic strip Tif et Tondu (Created by Fernand Dineur). •Comic strip: 1938‑1997 •Books: 1954‑1997. | |
 Gil Jourdan along with partners Libellule and Crouton → No screen presence A Belgian dectective handles various cases which sometimes took them to many countries in comics titled Tout Gil Jourdan (Created by Maurice Tillieux). •Comics: 1956‑1989. | |
 V. I. Warshawski → Portrayed in the movie by Kathleen Turner A lean and athletic female P.I. appearing novels, short stories, and the movie V.I. Warshawski (Created by Sara Paretsky). •Novels: 1982‑2013 •Movie: 1991. | |
 Sid Halley → Portray on TV by Mike Gwilym Former British jump racing Champion Jockey in a TV series based on novels such as Whip Hand (Created by Dick Francis). •Novels: 1965‑1995 •TV series: 1979. | |
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 William Monk (image from book cover) → No screen presence An inspector, fired from the police force, becomes a private investigator in the series of novels featuring William Monk (Created by Anne Perry). •Novels: 1990‑2018. | |
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For a list of other private eyes in novels where no image is available, see Detecting Men: Hard-boiled Private Eyes. | |
First title on each page | |
| 1 | "H" is for Homicide (Kinsey Millhone) |
| 2 | Arsène Lupin (Arsène Lupin) |
| 3 | Case Histories (Jackson Brodie) |
| 4 | La môme vert de gris (Lemmy Caution) |
| 5 | Perry Mason (Paul Drake) |
| 6 | The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (Beatrice Adela Bradley) |
| 7 | The Man Who Could Not Shudder (Dr Gideon Fell) |
| 8 | William Monk (William Monk) |
Detectives in Print Sorted by Title | ||
| # | Title | Detective |
| 1. | "H" is for Homicide | (Kinsey Millhone) |
| 2. | 4.50 from Paddington | (Miss Marple) |
| 3. | A Walk Among the Tombstones | (Matthew Scudder) |
| 4. | A Nero Wolfe Mystery | (Nero Wolfe) |
| 5. | Agatha Raisin | (Agatha Raisin) |
| 6. | Agatha Christie's Poirot | (Hercule Poirot) |
| 7. | Agaton Sax and the London Computer Plot | (Agaton Sax) |
| 8. | Along Came a Spider | (Alex Cross) |
| 9. | An Unsuitable Job for a Woman | (Cordelia Gray) |
| 10. | Arsène Lupin | (Arsène Lupin) |
| 11. | Benefit of the Doubt | (Jesse Stone) |
| 12. | Beverly Gray Mystery Stories | (Beverly Gray) |
| 13. | Beverly Gray Mystery Stories | (Beverly Gray) |
| 14. | Bitre Blomster | (Varg Veum) |
| 15. | Blood Ties | (Victoria "Vicki" Nelson) |
| 16. | Cadfael | (Brother Cadfael) |
| 17. | Calling Bulldog Drummond | (Bulldog Drummond) |
| 18. | Campion | (Albert Campion) |
| 19. | Case of the Vanishing Beauty | (Shell Scott) |
| 20. | Case Histories | (Jackson Brodie) |
| 21. | Casey, Crime Photographer | (Jack Casey) |
| 22. | Detective Comics | (Slam Bradley) |
| 23. | Dirk Gently | (Dirk Gently) |
| 24. | Dog on It | (Bernie Little) |
| 25. | Enola Holmes | (Elona Holmes) |
| 26. | Eyes in the Night | (Duncan Maclain) |
| 27. | Franka | (Francesca Victoria) |
| 28. | Harper | (Lew Archer) |
| 29. | Hazell | (James Hazell) |
| 30. | La môme vert de gris | (Lemmy Caution) |
| 31. | Michael Shayne, Private Detective | (Michael Shayne) |
| 32. | Mike Hammer, ;Private Eye | (Mike Hammer) |
| 33. | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | (Phryne Fisher) |
| 34. | Murder on the Blackboard | (Hildegarde Withers) |
| 35. | Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase | (Nancy Drew) |
| 36. | Nancy Drew Mystery Stories | (Nancy Drew) |
| 37. | Nestor Burma | (Nestor Burma) |
| 38. | Old Tin Sorrows | ( Garrett) |
| 39. | Partners in Crime | (Tommy and Tuppence Beresford) |
| 40. | Perry Mason | (Paul Drake) |
| 41. | Sexton Blake | (Sexton Blake) |
| 42. | Shaft | (John Shaft) |
| 43. | Sister Fidelma Mysteries | (Sister Fidelma) |
| 44. | Sonar Kella | ( Feluda) |
| 45. | Spenser: For Hire | ( Spenser) |
| 46. | Strike | (Cormoran Strike) |
| 47. | The Adventures of Ellery Queen | (Ellery Queen) |
| 48. | The Case of the Missing Time Capsule | (Encyclopedia Brown) |
| 49. | The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries | (Frank and Joe Hardy) |
| 50. | The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries | (Beatrice Adela Bradley) |
| 51. | The Patient in Room 18 | (Sarah Keate) |
| 52. | The Big Sleep | (Philip Marlowe) |
| 53. | The Case of Oscar Brodski | (Dr. John Thorndyke) |
| 54. | The Curse of the Pharaohs | (Amelia Peabody) |
| 55. | The Dain Curse | (Hamilton Nash) |
| 56. | The Electric Mist | (Dave Robicheaux) |
| 57. | The Hound of the Baskervilles | (Sherlock Holmes-1) |
| 58. | The Kennel Murde Case | (Philo Vance) |
| 59. | The Maltese Falcon | (Sam Spade) |
| 60. | The Man Who Could Not Shudder | (Dr Gideon Fell) |
| 61. | The Murders in the Rue Morgue | (C. Auguste Dupin) |
| 62. | The Mystery of th Yellow Room | (Joseph Rouletabille) |
| 63. | The Saint | (Simon Templar) |
| 64. | The Shadow in the North | (Sally Lockhart) |
| 65. | The Thin Man | (Nick and Nora Charles) |
| 66. | Tif et Tondu | (Tif and Tondu) |
| 67. | Tout Gil Jourdan | (Gil Jourdan) |
| 68. | V.I. Warshawski | (V. I. Warshawski) |
| 69. | Whip Hand | (Sid Halley) |
| 70. | William Monk | (William Monk) |
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