I am a huge fan of detective fiction right from Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle to Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ed McBain and Ian Rankin. I thought it would be interesting to contrast some of the more recent fictional detectives. I am sure that Sherlock Holmes occupies a special place in every detective fiction fan's heart since he is likely to have been read very early in one's life and creates an immediate impact in an impressionable mind!
Some of the more recent authors and their creations which are among my favourites are P D James (Adam Dalgliesh) - the undoubted queen of detective fiction and well written books in general, Peter Robinson (Alan Banks), Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse) and Ian Rankin (John Rebus). I have selected only some of the modern detectives (though Adam Dalgliesh has been around for many decades). Among the reasons for selecting these four are that they should be comparable, all are men, all are part of the official police force and not amateurs. All are typically single, Banks and Rebus having been divorced and Dalgliesh a widower, Morse seems to be the only confirmed bachelor among them. All are workaholics, with Dalgliesh being the only one who does not seem to be in any danger of becoming an alcoholic (Rebus is clearly an alcoholic who refuses to acknowledge it, and Banks and Morse are close to becoming one with Banks being sensible enough to withdraw).
I would have loved to include Peter James (Roy Grace) as well as Henning Mankell (Kurt Wallander), may be in another installment!
P D James – Commander Adam Dalgleish
To call P D James' creations as detective fiction really does her books injustice, though the lady herself seems quite comfortable in being slotted as such. Anyway, a more detailed blog on P D James will have to wait for another day, lets get on with the main theme of today's blog.
Adam Dalgliesh comes across as truly cerebral, has intelligent officers around him, who don't seem to quite match his abilities. His background makes him seem more like an external observer rather than someone who is really participating in the investigation. His role as the establishment's troubleshooter who looks at “sensitive” crimes suits his personality. Among the four authors I have chosen, P D James' books are the most class conscious, though Dalgliesh is able to relate as well to the working class as to the professionals and aristocrats. He himself has quite evolved sensibilities with a taste for red wine and church architecture. He usually has a changing set of officers with him in every book, though of late, Kate Miskin has been a fixture. Her working class mindset and aspirations (she clearly looks up to Dalgliesh as a much more of a role model than purely as a superior officer) offer a welcome contrast to Dalgliesh.
The one major difference between the books of P D James and the other three is that the other three borrow heavily on their location, with Ian Rankin using Edinburgh as almost a central character in his books.
Peter Robinson – Chief Inspector Alan Banks – Eastvale (fictional)
Peter Robinson writes very well and in my view, suffers only in comparison and not if you look at the individual merits of each book, P D James is much more literate and Ian Rankin creates such a brooding atmosphere of Edinburgh that any comparisons are likely to be unfair on others.
Alan Banks comes across a very competent and likable person, the quintessential straight arrow, though with a rather overt fondness for Laphroaig single malt, which he gives up later in life. As with all fictional detectives, he tends to hold his cards close to his chest and is liable to go off on his own to follow-up on his leads. The crimes he tends to investigate are usually more modern and shocking than the others being compared to here. Banks also likes music (opera as well as rock and roll). Banks also has a strong supporting cast in Annie Cabot as well as others including Winsome Jackson as also his superior officer, DS Gristhorpe. Special Branch's Dirty Dick Burgess is also an interesting recurring character.
Ian Rankin – Inspector John Rebus – Edinburgh
Ian Rankin is a cross between the American hard-boiled style and the low key British style of detective fiction. Thus, John Rebus has probably more in common with Michael Connelly's Hieronymous Bosch rather than Adam Dalgliesh.
John Rebus is by far the most interesting and flawed character among the set chosen, though his morality and sense of right or wrong is never in doubt. His detection is much more physical than cerebral and more about following the momentum of a case rather than painstaking work in following up on leads, etc. As important as Rebus is to the books, the city of Edinburgh is clearly as central a character and Ian Rankin's books serve as a virtual tour of the city. Rebus' run ins with Big Ger Cafferty and his intense dislike for him are a recurring theme across many books. Rock and roll music is also interwoven into the stories. Rebus also has a good supporting cast in Siobhan Clarke and others. Rebus clearly drinks too much and his alcoholism is seen in his frequenting of the Oxford Bar.
Colin Dexter – Inspector Morse – Oxford
I have recently started reading Colin Dexter, so my knowledge of his books and Inspector Morse is not of the same level as the other three, however I thought that the little I have read makes him worthy of inclusion here.
Inspector Morse usually stumbles across the solution rather than by following a rigorous process of detection. He is clearly intelligent - solves the Times crossword under a self-imposed limit of ten minutes, has a love for classical music, but as clearly seems to be stuck in the wrong job, though he doesn't seem to be aware of it. He is given to creating elaborate and fanciful theories, often based on nothing more than a manipulated set of assumptions. Thus rather than he being fed red herrings, he is the person feeding the red herrings to the reader. Sergeant Lewis is an able counterfoil to Morse and his pragmatism often results in the right direction which Morse promptly appropriates as his own.
As always, if you like this, a line to me would be much appreciated!
Some of the more recent authors and their creations which are among my favourites are P D James (Adam Dalgliesh) - the undoubted queen of detective fiction and well written books in general, Peter Robinson (Alan Banks), Colin Dexter (Inspector Morse) and Ian Rankin (John Rebus). I have selected only some of the modern detectives (though Adam Dalgliesh has been around for many decades). Among the reasons for selecting these four are that they should be comparable, all are men, all are part of the official police force and not amateurs. All are typically single, Banks and Rebus having been divorced and Dalgliesh a widower, Morse seems to be the only confirmed bachelor among them. All are workaholics, with Dalgliesh being the only one who does not seem to be in any danger of becoming an alcoholic (Rebus is clearly an alcoholic who refuses to acknowledge it, and Banks and Morse are close to becoming one with Banks being sensible enough to withdraw).
I would have loved to include Peter James (Roy Grace) as well as Henning Mankell (Kurt Wallander), may be in another installment!
P D James – Commander Adam Dalgleish
To call P D James' creations as detective fiction really does her books injustice, though the lady herself seems quite comfortable in being slotted as such. Anyway, a more detailed blog on P D James will have to wait for another day, lets get on with the main theme of today's blog.
Adam Dalgliesh comes across as truly cerebral, has intelligent officers around him, who don't seem to quite match his abilities. His background makes him seem more like an external observer rather than someone who is really participating in the investigation. His role as the establishment's troubleshooter who looks at “sensitive” crimes suits his personality. Among the four authors I have chosen, P D James' books are the most class conscious, though Dalgliesh is able to relate as well to the working class as to the professionals and aristocrats. He himself has quite evolved sensibilities with a taste for red wine and church architecture. He usually has a changing set of officers with him in every book, though of late, Kate Miskin has been a fixture. Her working class mindset and aspirations (she clearly looks up to Dalgliesh as a much more of a role model than purely as a superior officer) offer a welcome contrast to Dalgliesh.
The one major difference between the books of P D James and the other three is that the other three borrow heavily on their location, with Ian Rankin using Edinburgh as almost a central character in his books.
Peter Robinson – Chief Inspector Alan Banks – Eastvale (fictional)
Peter Robinson writes very well and in my view, suffers only in comparison and not if you look at the individual merits of each book, P D James is much more literate and Ian Rankin creates such a brooding atmosphere of Edinburgh that any comparisons are likely to be unfair on others.
Alan Banks comes across a very competent and likable person, the quintessential straight arrow, though with a rather overt fondness for Laphroaig single malt, which he gives up later in life. As with all fictional detectives, he tends to hold his cards close to his chest and is liable to go off on his own to follow-up on his leads. The crimes he tends to investigate are usually more modern and shocking than the others being compared to here. Banks also likes music (opera as well as rock and roll). Banks also has a strong supporting cast in Annie Cabot as well as others including Winsome Jackson as also his superior officer, DS Gristhorpe. Special Branch's Dirty Dick Burgess is also an interesting recurring character.
Ian Rankin – Inspector John Rebus – Edinburgh
Ian Rankin is a cross between the American hard-boiled style and the low key British style of detective fiction. Thus, John Rebus has probably more in common with Michael Connelly's Hieronymous Bosch rather than Adam Dalgliesh.
John Rebus is by far the most interesting and flawed character among the set chosen, though his morality and sense of right or wrong is never in doubt. His detection is much more physical than cerebral and more about following the momentum of a case rather than painstaking work in following up on leads, etc. As important as Rebus is to the books, the city of Edinburgh is clearly as central a character and Ian Rankin's books serve as a virtual tour of the city. Rebus' run ins with Big Ger Cafferty and his intense dislike for him are a recurring theme across many books. Rock and roll music is also interwoven into the stories. Rebus also has a good supporting cast in Siobhan Clarke and others. Rebus clearly drinks too much and his alcoholism is seen in his frequenting of the Oxford Bar.
Colin Dexter – Inspector Morse – Oxford
I have recently started reading Colin Dexter, so my knowledge of his books and Inspector Morse is not of the same level as the other three, however I thought that the little I have read makes him worthy of inclusion here.
Inspector Morse usually stumbles across the solution rather than by following a rigorous process of detection. He is clearly intelligent - solves the Times crossword under a self-imposed limit of ten minutes, has a love for classical music, but as clearly seems to be stuck in the wrong job, though he doesn't seem to be aware of it. He is given to creating elaborate and fanciful theories, often based on nothing more than a manipulated set of assumptions. Thus rather than he being fed red herrings, he is the person feeding the red herrings to the reader. Sergeant Lewis is an able counterfoil to Morse and his pragmatism often results in the right direction which Morse promptly appropriates as his own.
As always, if you like this, a line to me would be much appreciated!
2 comments:
Superb pen sketches Nilesh...And where is Aurelio Zen of Dibdin ? hope he follows in the next chapter :-)
The only thing I have to say in my defence is that Dibdin is not as widely read as he deserves to be and Aurelio Zen surely deserves a bigger fan following. Maybe a post on lesser known detectives would address it.
I have also got a request for including Hieronymous 'Harry' Bosch, but he also deserves a post to himself.
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