It’s Elementary, Dear Reader! 10 Outstanding Fictional Detectives

Move over, true crime — it’s time for fiction to star! From zany comedies to gritty dramas, we suspect you’ll love these detectives.

Kaija Strong –
Fandom Pop Culture TV & Movies
A blue background with yellow caution tape in every corner. In the center, images of the fictional detectives Jake Peralta, Hercule Poirot, and Evangeline Navarro. White emphasis marks appear above the characters' heads. On the left, the white silhouette of a female detective holding a magnifying glass. On the right, the white silhouette of a male detective smoking a pipe with the smoke in the shape of a question mark.

The true crime craze has risen to staggering heights in recent years. But this swirling abyss of violence and reality can be too heavy-handed at times. We at Bookstr invite you to take a break from the carnage and escape into the dazzling and colorful world of fictional crime. Read on for a list of fictional detectives from your favorite books, movies, and TV shows!

Trigger Warning: The properties discussed within this article contain mentions of sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and racism. Please exercise personal care when reading.

Sherlock Holmes from the Sherlock Holmes Series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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Sherlock Holmes is the definitive detective character. First appearing in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1887 novel, A Study in Scarlet, Holmes is a studious detective known for his keen observation and deductive reasoning. Accompanied by his friend and roommate, Dr. Watson, Holmes acts as a consulting detective in London, often solving cases for Scotland Yard. His sober approach to crime-solving and his skill at unraveling puzzles make Sherlock Holmes a compelling character to watch. Holmes has appeared in four novels, over 50 short stories, and dozens of screen adaptations.

Benoit Blanc from Knives Out

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Benoit Blanc’s outrageous Southern accent immediately made him stand out in Rian Johnson’s 2019 film, Knives Out. This aristocratic private detective has a glittering reputation for solving unsolvable cases; the cops within the film are starstruck by his celebrity. Blanc’s swaggering confidence is also matched with a genuine heart. In every case he is given, Blanc strives to look beyond the easy answers to find the hole — or donut — hiding beneath them. In the sequel film, Glass Onion, it was also confirmed that Benoit Blanc is gay and married to a man named Phillip. Blanc is set to appear in a third Rian Johnson film, Wake Up Dead Man.

Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU

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Olivia Benson is the star of Dick Wolf’s procedural television drama, Law & Order: SVU. Originally starting as a detective, she is now the Captain and Commanding Officer of the Special Victims Unit in the New York City Police Department. Benson’s policework focuses on rape and child sexual abuse cases, so unlike many of the other detectives on this list, she’s not marked by wild or humorous zaniness or quirkiness. Instead, Olivia Benson is iconic for her compassion and empathy toward the people she protects. As a survivor of child abuse herself, Benson’s strong determination to fight for justice is admirable.

Hercule Poirot from the Hercule Poirot Series by Agatha Christie

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Agatha Christie wrote many memorable mystery books throughout her career, but the most famous and prevalent character she ever created was Hercule Poirot. This Belgian detective first appeared in her 1920 novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Poirot is a fastidious, borderline obsessive-compulsive man with a perfectly trimmed moustache. In a departure from the Sherlock Holmes style of detective, Hercule Poirot, though concerned with the logical order of facts, spends more time delving into the psychology of his suspects. Poirot has appeared in more than 30 novels, over 50 short stories, and has graced the screen multiple times.

Shawn Spencer from Psych

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Shawn Spencer from Steve Franks’s television comedy, Psych (and its associated spinoff movies), is a modern twist on the Sherlock Holmes character. He even has his own Dr. Watson — his childhood best friend, Gus, who works in pharmaceuticals. Shawn Spencer is the son of a now-retired Santa Barbara detective, who trained him from birth to become a police officer. Though his teenage rebellion drove a rift between him and his father, a series of events led Spencer to masquerade as a psychic detective. Don’t let his casual attitude and joking demeanor fool you — Shawn Spencer is actually a smart and crafty detective.

Nancy Drew from the Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene

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Nancy Drew is a teenage detective from the massive book series published under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. Originally created as a female counterpart to the equally popular Hardy Boys Series, Nancy Drew first appeared in the 1930 novel The Secret of the Old Clock. Drew is a capable and independent girl who never backs down from a challenge. She is studious, determined, and whipsmart. Nancy Drew has appeared in over 170 books and has been adapted to movies, TV, and video games numerous times.

Jake Peralta from Brooklyn Nine-Nine

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Jake Peralta is the hilarious and skilled Jewish NYPD detective from the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, created by Michael Schur and Dan Goor. Peralta’s devil-may-care attitude causes a lot of tension early on in the series, particularly with his boss, the disciplined Captain Holt. Despite his joking persona, Jake Peralta is a dedicated cop who cares deeply for his friends and fellow service members. He matures as the series goes on, most poignantly when he acknowledges to his friend and fellow officer, Rosa Diaz, that he may have been unconsciously complicit in the inequity, both racial and gendered, within the police department.

Evangeline Navarro from True Detective: Night Country

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Created by Issa López, True Detective’s fourth installment, Night Country, features Alaska State Trooper Evangeline Navarro. Half-Dominican and half-Iñupiaq, Navarro is a dedicated officer willing to go to any length to solve her cases. Her rocky partnership with fellow trooper, Liz Danvers, is a continuing theme in the show. Evangeline Navarro is obsessed with the unsolved murders of both her mother and the activist Annie Kowtok. Her commitment to these cases is a poignant portrayal of the real-life crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Adrian Monk from Monk

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Adrian Monk is a former San Francisco Police Department homicide detective from the television comedy drama Monk, created by Andy Breckman and David Hoberman. Monk, who is diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, was forced to retire after his wife’s murder escalated his symptoms and threw him into emotional turmoil. Though Monk is unable to return to the department officially, he begins to work as a private detective and consultant. Adrian Monk’s meticulous attention to detail and emotional backstory drive the plot forward. Aside from the series, he also appeared in the spinoff film, Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie.

Enola Holmes from the Enola Holmes Series by Nancy Springer

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The Sherlock Holmes family tree is completed in Nancy Springer’s Enola Holmes Series. Enola Holmes, the younger sister of the famed Sherlock, is a teenage detective with a rebellious spirit and a specialization in missing persons cases. Her first appearance in The Case of the Missing Marquess shows Enola’s craftiness can outwit even the legendary Sherlock himself. A tomboy at her core, Enola views the strict gendered dress code of the Victorian era as a tool to bend to her will when in need of an undercover disguise. Enola Holmes has appeared in nine novels, one short story, and two films, with a third movie currently in production.

We started with one Holmes and ended with another! Whether these characters are topful of wacky hijinks or weighed down by the gravity of their work, we love them all the same.

For an in-depth look at the Holmes and Watson dynamic, click here.

Check out our Thrillers and Mysteries bookshelf on Bookshop.org to meet more great detective characters.

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