amonthoffaves

Today’s post for  A Month of Favorites, hosted by Girlxoxo, Traveling with T and Estella’s Revenge, is supposed to be a book review or a discussion post. Today you can link up at Traveling with T.

I read a lot of mysteries, which you may have gathered from some of my other “favorites” posts.  Since today is a “free” day, I thought I’d list a few of my favorite detectives, ones who I’ve either read or watched this year.

1. Hercule Poirot – I don’t remember when I discovered Christie’s mysteries. I do remember, when I was young, it was Poirot who I most enjoyed reading about. He had a certain aplomb that I loved. I may not have ready any of his stories this year, but I did watch a couple of the mysteries on PBS. Actually, I take that back, I did read The Monogram Murders, but that’s not really Poirot.

2. Miss Marple  – It took me a little longer to appreciate Miss Marple. I think, when I was a kid, I found her rather boring, but now I enjoy the quieter way she goes about solving things, how well she knows people. She’s also one I only watched on tv this year.

3. Inspector Armand Gamache – He was with the Sûreté du Québec but is currently retired. He’s a good man, who knows that the feelings, thoughts, secrets that lie deepest can be the most damaging. He’s more likely to notice people and motives than fingerprints.

4. Inspector Roderick Alleyn – Alleyn’s with the Scotland Yard. He’s down to earth, although quite the gentleman, the younger brother of a Baronet. He’s intelligent and handsome, enjoys travel and marries an artist. quite an all-around attractive man who also solves crimes.

5. Sherlock Holmes – No list of my favorite detectives can be complete without Holmes. I love how he’s so analytical and socially inept. This year, I’ve been watching Elementary, which I enjoy. I don’t mind the different incarnations of Holmes, I find them fun.

Interesting that all but one of my choices are from what I consider vintage mysteries. Have they just stood the test of time, or are today’s detectives too much, either too tough, too melodramatic, make too many poor decisions, or am I just reading the wrong current series? Cormoran Strike almost made my list, but I’ve only read two, and I’m not sold yet. And I didn’t read any of Rendell’s Wexford books this year.

Do you have any favorite detectives?

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