Fictional Detectives

Cosy crime has long been my go-to genre when I need something light to read; something which is enjoyable, but doesn't require me to think too hard. My TV viewing is the same. Although neither fit strictly into the 'cosy' genre, Poirot and Miss Marple are often my choice of viewing when I want to watch something whilst doing something else - it's not a massive problem if I miss bits of the plot. Admittedly, part of the reason I'm able to do this is because I've read the books and watched both series so many times that I know them almost off by heart. Thus, detective fiction is something I love to indulge in. What I find interesting when I reflect more objectively on my favourites is that on the face of it, there are few similarities between the detectives themselves. Hercule Poirot, Jane Marple, Phryne Fisher, Daisy Dalrymple and Sherlock Holmes are all very different from each other, and yet they all hold immense appeal for me.

Hercule Poirot

One of Belgium's most famous exports, Poirot is the only fictional detective, as far as I know, to have their obituary printed in The Times. The creation of Agatha Christie was already retired before he arrived on the literary scene in 1921, but his adventures spanned more than 50 years, until his final outing in Curtain, published in 1975. Famous for his use of his "little grey cells"|, Poirot is not a 'run around hunting for clues' kind of detective, preferring to solve the mystery from the comfort of his armchair. He is also driven, in several of the books, by his devout Catholicism and this belief often influences his actions and occasionally causes him a dilemma. This is most clearly seen in 'Murder On The Orient Express' where he works out the solution to the murder, but then has to decide what to report to the police. His belief that murder can never be justified is at war with the idea of justice having been served. He can be fierce at times, and fatherly at others, but as a reader, you never get the sense that he is detached from either the gravity of the crime, or the emotiona turmoil that often preceipitated it. There are numerous examples of where he has either anticipated the event and tried to head the murderer off, or when he has demonstrated empathy, if not sympathy, for the murderer, even as he ensures they are brought to justice.

Miss Marple

The image of the fluffy little old lady from St Mary Mead is, in reality, far from the truth. The benign exterior conceals a shrewd mind that is not afraid to confront the depravity of the human mind. The comparisons she draws between relatively minor village incidents and incitements to murder, are remarkable. They demonstrate her immense understanding of human psychology and she further proves this with her behaviour. She is never afraid to allow people to deceive themselves - her opponents often underestimate her, dismissing her as nothing more than an elderly spinster who has never experienced life outside of her quiet little village. Miss Marple is happy to play up to this stereotype and allow people to misjudge her, confident that they will only realise their mistake when it's too late. In this, she is similar to Poirot, who is equally happy to lean into the 'silly little foreigner' stereotype, if it means getting the result he wants. Similarly, Phryne Fisher allows her fashionable clothes and slim frame to fool people into thinking she cannot defend herself. Also, like many of the other detectives, Miss Marple has the ear of a senior figure in the police force - in her case, Sir Henry Clithering, who can always be relied upon to vouch for her to his fellow officers who may be sceptical about her ability to help. Whilst she clearly doesn't need the police to work out who the killer is, ultimately, it is them who has to make the arrest.

Phryne Fisher

Phryne is proof that it's possible to create a TV adaptation that is very different from the books is is based on, and still get it absolutely spot on. Book Phryne is much younger than her TV counterpart at the beginning of the series and her relationship with DI Jack Robinson is of a very different nature. Nevertheless, both work beautifully and I enjoy them equally, which is rare. Another thing I love about these books is the language Kerry Greenwood uses. Every book in the series has taught me a new word, which I love, even when they are words I can't necessarily use in my own writing because they don't suit the style I'm writing in! Phryne is a woman a ceentury ahead of her time; her attitude to things like sex, sexuality and race are more suited to the 21st century than the early years of the 20th and I think this is one of the reasons for her popularity. Whilst it might be more historically accurate for characters to hold views inkeeping with the era they live in, it is much more comfortable for the reader if they don't. Plus, it's always worth remembering that whilst modern sensibilities were rarer a hundred years ago, they were certainly present in society, and that fact should be recognised.

Daisy Dalrymple

Whilst the Daisy Dalrymple is also set in the 1920s and has a strong female lead, Daisy herself is a very different character to Phryne. Daisy is far more conventional and gets married to her police chief inspector quite early in the series. What marks Daisy out as different is that she continues to play a role in the investigations even after her marriage, at a time where is was expected that women would give up work after the wedding. Daisy does have to juggle her home life alongside her detecting, she never shies away from seeking out the murderer. The series also touches on some of the social issues that affected people at the time, such as unemployment and the surplus women who were part of the collateral damage of World War One. Daisy is absolutely a woman of her time and recognises the limitations her gender places on her, but like Miss Marple, she is not averse to using this to her advantage and whilst allowing her DCI husband to take the credit for her workmight occasionally rankle, she recognises that doing so allows her to continue helping him without too frequently incurring the wrath of his superiors.

Sherlock Holmes

No study of fictional detectives would be complete without a mention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's eponymous hero. Although similar to Poirot in the sense that much of his work is cerebral, unlike Poirot, Holmes has no problem with combining the brain work with more physical clue-hunting. Very rarely does Poirot resort to disguising himself, whereas for Holmes it is a necessary part of almost every case and he takes great pleasure in fooling even those closest to him. Where Poirot has Captain Hastings, Holmes has Doctor Watson and both serve the purpose of allowing the great detectives to explain to both sidekick and reader, how they arrived at their conclusion. Both detectives have a strong sense of their own intelligence and abilities and have no compunction about sharing that sense with others. I think the main difference between Holmes and the other detectives is that whereas they inadvertently put themselves in danger, at times, Holmes appears to actively seek dangerous situations. This recklessness may be due in part to his belief in his own superiority, but also on occasion, as a result of his own flaws. These highlight another key difference between Holmes and the others; Holmes' addiction to opium makes him unique in this group as none of the others have such an obvious weakness.

Nevertheless, despite their differences, the one thing they all have in common is their ability to engage readers. Whilst some are better known than others, each has their own set of devoted fans who avidly follow their adventures whether through the books or through the various adaptations of them.