Reading stories about a famous detective solving crimes is bliss. A good story can make your day and fuel your brain. Your imaginations will be filled with many things when you read a detective story. This is why it is a popular genre that bookworms like to read and follow.
To help you make your bookshelf contain a collection of top detective stories, we will discuss the famous fictional characters that make detective stories worth reading. This list of fictional detective characters is popular worldwide. Use this list to make your own collection of detective story books.
List of Fictional Detectives We Love to Read
List of Famous Fictional Detectives
1. Sherlock Holmes
This has to be the first name on the list. The immortal creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lives at 221B Baker Street, London. This character is probably the most played in films. Dozens of TV series have been directed and produced. He is considered to be the best detective in the world.
It is truly the most significant name in this list of fictional detectives we will always rejoice to discuss. His sidekick’s name was Dr John H. Watson. He was a retired mercenary by profession. You will be surprised to know that this protagonist of all the detective books written by Doyle was so famous that his fans pressured the author to bring him back to life.
2. The Famous Five
This is the creation of Enid Blyton. It is one of our childhood favourite groups that solved crimes and mysteries. This series of children’s detective books contain 21 issues published in 1942-62. This group was made of four children named Dick, Anne, George, and Julian and a dog named Timothy. You will be surprised to know that Enid Blyton wrote over 600 books for children in her lifetime.
3. The Secret Seven
The Secret Seven is a famous group of children that solve crimes and mysteries. The creator of this group was Enid Blyton too, the creator of the Famous Five. In this group, there were seven children named Peter, Janet, Barbara, Pam, Colin, Jack and George. Peter is the head of this group. Together, they solved puzzles and adventures, giving us so many wonderful memories. There are 15 books in this series published between 1949 and 1963.
4. Hercule Poirot
He is the second most popular name after Sherlock Holmes when it comes to solving crimes. Hercule Poirot, a popular detective character, comes from the desk of Agatha Christie. His signature moustache and his Belgian roots with remarkable intelligence make him one of the best fictional detectives of all time. He appears in 33 books, 50 short stories and 2 plays written by Agatha Christie.
5. Miss Marple
Miss Marple is one of the detective characters created by Agatha Christie. She appears in 20 short stories and 12 novels written by none other than Agatha Christie. She is an elderly sleuth who solves crimes with her intelligence. You will be surprised to know that Agatha Christie holds the Guinness World Record for being 3rd most widely published author after Shakespeare and the Bible.
6. Robert Langdon
He is a Harvard professor who solves critical cases related to his subjects, which are symbology, art, and history. His creator’s name is Dan Brown. He is one of the bestselling authors of all time in this genre. The character of Robert Langdon has been played by Tom Hanks in several movies based on his books. He is in fact one of the most admirable fictional detectives of the present times.
7. The Hardy Boys
This is the name of a dynamic duo, the Hardy brothers named Frank and Joe. They were in their teen ages and loved to solve mysteries and crimes. These characters were created by Franklin W. Dixon. These boys made their debut in 1927. There are 66 books on this list to start with.
8. Byomkesh Bakshi
Byomkesh Bakshi is a popular Indian sleuth originating in Bengal. His creator’s name is Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. His sidekick’s name is Ajit Kumar Bandyopadhyay. This series has 32 stories written by the author between 1932 and 1970. Many films have been directed and produced based on the stories written. The author was inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
9. Feluda
Feluda, one of the best fictional detectives, is a Bengali detective. His real name is Prodosh Chandra Mitra. He has two sidekicks named Topshe and Jatayu. This character comes straight from the pen of Satyajit Ray, the only Indian filmmaker who won an Oscar. Feluda is a beloved detective character children love to read. He appears in 35 short stories and is considered the Indian Sherlock Holmes.
10. Lalli
This is an Indian detective created by Kalpana Swaminathan. Lalli is an elderly yet stylish Indian woman who lives in Mumbai. She is serving her notice period but still loves to engage with the police to solve crimes. Her 60 years of age does not cause any hindrance when it comes to solving mysteries. The interesting and off-beat adventures are described by her niece.
Detectives in Real Lives
There are famous real detectives the world does not know. Moe Smith and Izzy Einstein managed to arrest 4932 criminals. Imagine that! There are many such names that can give the fictional ones a run for their money.
Fictional or real, these detectives make great characters in many stories. These stories inspire us to think differently and out of the box. They teach us how to see the unseen and how to pay attention to details. Follow this list of fictional detectives to restock your book collections and start all over again.
