Mumsnet Talk

Oops, sorry, Copper!

Alber Campion in Margery Allingham's books.

Another vote for Precious Ramotswe.

I'm not sure if Sam Vimes would consider himself a detective? He is first and foremost a Copper, even if he does happen to be the Commander of the Ankh Morpork Watch!

Anyone mentioned George Gently? I haven't read any of the books but I adored the TV series.

Inspector Wexford
Albert Campion
Perry Mason, I must have read 30 of them in the last month. Hours of fun.
Miss Marple
Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg (in Fred Vargas' books, they push all my tormented detective buttons)

DI Hal Challis
Tess Monaghan
Fin Macleod

Joe Pike (Elvis Cole's mate, strong and silent, such a cliche but mmm!)

My nephew's middle name is Sam after Sam Vimes.

His folks were considering Esmerelda for his sister's middle name (after Esmerelda Weatherwax) but went with something more usual instead!

I’ve just got an Ian Rnakin book out of the library, starring John Rebus, so good to see him mentioned here!

OnTheBottomWithAWomansWeekly I was desperate to call dd1 Esme, but a very close family member beat us to it!

Marcus Didius Falco, more of an informer really but...

Rebus (Edinburgh, Ian Rankin)
Charlie Resnick (Nottingham, John Harvey)
Jack Taylor, Galway (Ken Bruen)
Alex Morrow, Glasgow (Denise Mina)

VI Warshawski, Chicago (Sara Paretsky)
Nick Stefanos, Washington DC (George Pelecanos)
Sharon McCone, San Francisco (Marcia Muller)
Carlotta Carlyle, Boston (Linda Barnes)

Erlendur, Reyjavik (Arnaldur Indridason)
Martin Beck, Sweden (Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo)

I am in love with Salvo Montalbano...

Me too

Will Trent.
gorgeous!

I'll add a new name to the mix - I love Kate Shugak (Dana Stabenow) and have just finished the last book. I am bereft!

Also Kinsey Millhone, VI Warshawski and Arkady Renko.

I like the Kate Shugak series but have only read the first 4 so far. Kindle users can get the first book, A Cold Day for Murder, free.

Tuppence and Miss Marple
Robert Marthaler in Jan Seghers' books - a Hauptkomissar in Frankfurt who cycles a lot and spends a lot of time clinging fearfully on the back of police motorbikes!

Wimsey
And if journalist investigators count, Jack Parlabane and his friend Tim Vane who was probably in MI6 but doesn't talk about it

elkiedee they only get better! I like the Liam Campbell ones as well, but there's only four of them.

I still have to try the Liam Campbell books - the first of those is free for Kindle as well.

Definitely do - I read all of them after I read the first Kate Shugak one and was not very impressed. I decided to try again though and was hooked! I hope she writes more of both!

Have also got the Star Svensdotter one which is free from Amazon, but can't get into it. Shame, as I normally love SF!

Reviving this to get into the Wimsey queue.

I also enjoy Andy Dalziel tremendously and Gervase Fen too.

Lugg is more fun than Campion.

I'm getting rather fond of Shardlake in the C.J.Sansom books.
Though tbh that may be the setting rather than the character.

elkie thanks for Marcia M mention. Never heard of her but have asked for 1st one for Xmas.

Mine are mainly from the 'Golden Age' of detective fiction. Gervase Fen, John Appleby, Dr Thorndike and Peter Wimsey. Modern ones are Wexford, Precious Ramotse and Morse.

Henri Castang (French) and Van der Valk (Dutch) from Nicloas Freeling's unforgettable novels, now hard to find, which nobody else seems to know and love except me...