100 Great Detectives or the Detective Directory

By Maxim Jakubowski

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0881847291
• ISBN13: 9780881847291
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub
• Length: 255 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.3" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

100s of people you do not know give their view on 100s of detectives.

Whether you saw the movies or read the book series, it is likely that you will find your favorite detective in this book. While reading this book, you may find a new series to add to your repertoire and library. Each detective is described by a different individual, so the quality of the information may vary. Then again, you may see a side of your detective that has eluded you. I have not read all 100 yet, but the handful that I read about had a quick overview and some surprises to find that some books did not lose their title on movies and TV programs. I will not go into detail, as that is why you will read this book. However, I will drop a few names for the fun of it: Albert Campion – named after a flower. Father Brown – different actors in different series. Joe Leaphorn – a Navaho with a Greek name Jim Chee – always crossing paths with Joe Leaphorn Ellery Queen – easily remembers endings There is another list of the editor’s favorites on the back cover.

No 'red herrings' in this index to the great detectives!

I can't imagine anyone being more qualified to put together this compendium of the great detectives of the world than Maxim Jakubowski! Maxim runs the Murder One bookstore in London which houses perhaps the greatest collection of whodunits in England. Right on Charing Cross Road it is, too. (Drop in if you're ever in the area! And he's usually right there at his desk, working on one of his books or answering questions about other writers!) In "100 Great Detectives," he presents 100 essays on various characters (detectives) of the genre. Short, they read quite well. Undoubtedly, you will find your own favorite detectives listed. Among my favorites were the essays: John Malcolm on Reginald Hill's Dalziel and Pascoe; Deborah Valentine on P.D. James' Cordelia Grey; Bob Biderman on Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee; Peter Robinson on Simenon's Inspector Maigret; Loren Estleman on Chandler's Philip Marlowe; Wendy Grossman on Christie's Miss Marple; Simon Brett on Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone; Ralph Spurrier on Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse; Robert Wallace on John LeCarre's George Smiley. Other essays include V.I. Warshawski, Lord Peter Wimsey, Nero Wolfe, and Aurelio Zen, to name a few others. What this collection does is to give our favorite characters even more meaning. Of course, as in any literary interpretation, it is just that--an interpretation--and the writers' views may be different from yours; no matter, it still provides plenty of insight into these unforgettable detectives!Billyjhobbs@ tyler.net