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List of fictional detectives

Wikipedia contributorsAdapted for Fathomly · View authors
12 min read
Source updated September 17, 2026
Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

Fictional detectives are characters in detective fiction. These individuals have long been a staple of detective mystery crime fiction, particularly in detective novels and short stories. Much of early detective fiction was written during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction" (1920s-1930s). These detectives include amateurs, private investigators and professional policemen. They are often popularized as individual characters rather than parts of the fictional work in which they appear. Stories involving individual detectives are well suited to dramatic presentation, resulting in many popular theatre, television, and film characters.

The first famous detective in fiction was Edgar Allan Poe's C. Auguste Dupin. Later, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes became the most famous example and remains so to this day. The detectives are often accompanied by a Dr. Watson, like assistant or narrator.

01Types

Fictional detectives generally fit one of four archetypes:

  • The accomplished amateur detective (Miss Marple, Jessica Fletcher, TinTin, Lord Peter Wimsey); From outside the field of criminal investigation, but gifted with knowledge, curiosity, desire for justice, etc.
  • The private investigator (Cordelia, Holmes, Marlowe, Spade, Poirot, Magnum, Millhone, Tommy & Tuppence); Works professionally in criminal and civic investigations, but outside the criminal justice system.
  • The police detective (Dalgliesh, Kojak, Lestrade, Morse, Hopkins, Columbo, Craddock, Alleyn, Japp, Maigret, Marriott); Part of an official investigative body, charged with solving crimes.
  • The forensic specialist (Scarpetta, Quincy, Cracker, CSI teams, Thorndyke); Affiliated with investigative body, officially tasked with specialized scientific results rather than solving the crime as a whole.

Notable fictional detectives and their creators include:

Accomplished amateur detectives

Private investigators

Police detectives

Forensic specialists

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation TV shows

Dr. John Thorndyke as drawn by H. M. Brock in 1908.
Dr. John Thorndyke as drawn by H. M. Brock in 1908.
Sherlock Holmes has become an icon of a detective. The term "Sherlock" is also used to refer to a detective.
Sherlock Holmes has become an icon of a detective. The term "Sherlock" is also used to refer to a detective.

02Anime and manga

Columbo is often considered to be one of the greatest original TV detectives.
Columbo is often considered to be one of the greatest original TV detectives.
Inspector Frans J. Palmu, played by Joel Rinne.
Inspector Frans J. Palmu, played by Joel Rinne.
Watch videos about List of fictional detectivesExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “List of fictional detectives”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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Related topics

Crime fiction

Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, often a murder. Most crime drama focuses on criminal investigation and does not feature the courtroom.

List of male detective characters

This is a list of fictional male detective characters from novels, short stories, radio, television, and films.

List of female detective characters

This is a list of fictional female investigators from novels, short stories, radio, television, films and video games.