I love books and I love reading all genres of books. The one genre that I have always been the most drawn to is "Detective Fiction" (a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction). There are hundreds of thrilling detective novels, many memorable detective characters and thousands of mystery plots to choose from but this is my list of detective characters and stories which have influenced me the most.
Hercule Poirot: The Belgian detective comes a close second in my list of favorite detective characters. My love for Agatha Christie novels still goes on and though I have read most of her books, I never get tired of them. Every time I am in a book shop, I gravitate towards the Agatha Christie shelf and try to find one which I haven't read yet. The reason Poirot is fascinating is because the writer has given him a personality that stands out from everyone else. Every time I hear "egg-shaped head" Poirot immediately comes to mind. His "little grey cells" and his disdain for any type of physical activity in solving crimes makes him unforgettable.
Byomkesh Bakshi: Another awesome character from Bengali literature, Byomkesh hates being called a detective. In his own words, he is a Satyanweshi or a seeker of truth. Unlike many other detective characters, Byomkesh stories span over a lengthy period which depict him ageing, having a family and moving on with life. He is active and possesses acute mental ability. Unlike Feluda stories, Byomkesh stories are edgier with more violence, lust and on the darker side. This makes him a great favorite of many Bengali readers.
Cormoran Strike: I am probably crazy to add him to this list when he has only two books as a detective, but this character from J.K. Rowling is very interesting. He has no charm but is somehow attractive and the stories are very compelling. Hope to read a lot more about him!
Famous Five/ Secret Seven: This is where it all began. Which young kid does not want to solve mysteries and catch the bad guys? Enid Blyton ensured that the idea of forming clubs and going on adventures was a complete childhood thrill. Though they are not detectives in the strictest sense of the word, I had to include them because they gave me the first taste of solving mysteries and how much of an adventure it could be.
Nancy Drew: An amateur American detective, Carolyn Keene's Nancy Drew was the ultimate teenage inspiration. She was smart, talented and beautiful and spent her time solving mysteries! Most of my teenage years were spent with the Nancy Drew series and her adventures seemed so sophisticated and fascinating back then.
Feluda: Being a Bengali girl, I was introduced to Feluda at a very young age. An iconic character by Satyajit Ray, Feluda is by far my favorite private investigator. I could go on about his qualities... he is intelligent, athletic, knowledgeable... but it would suffice to say that he is the complete detective. The stories are beautifully written, set in a variety of locations and the attention to small details is incredible. I had once done a school paper on my favorite character in Bengali literature and needless to say, Feluda was my choice!
Hercule Poirot: The Belgian detective comes a close second in my list of favorite detective characters. My love for Agatha Christie novels still goes on and though I have read most of her books, I never get tired of them. Every time I am in a book shop, I gravitate towards the Agatha Christie shelf and try to find one which I haven't read yet. The reason Poirot is fascinating is because the writer has given him a personality that stands out from everyone else. Every time I hear "egg-shaped head" Poirot immediately comes to mind. His "little grey cells" and his disdain for any type of physical activity in solving crimes makes him unforgettable.
Miss Marple: Another creation of Agatha Christie, Miss Marple is the polar opposite of Hercule Poirot. While Poirot stands out with his eccentricity, Miss Marple blends in to the extent that most people do not even bother to notice her. She rarely leaves her village and solves high profile crimes while sitting in her chair, knitting. "Drawing village parallels" is her way of solving mysteries. She is completely adorable and so different from our usual idea of detectives.
Sherlock Holmes: The quintessential Britisher, Sherlock's abilities border on being fantastic. He has amazing logical reasoning powers, can adopt any disguise and even uses forensic science. He is such an interesting character that he has been adapted innumerable times in movies and on television and he remains as compelling as ever. He is a detective who loves to get deep into the mystery he is solving and that makes the stories thrilling.
Byomkesh Bakshi: Another awesome character from Bengali literature, Byomkesh hates being called a detective. In his own words, he is a Satyanweshi or a seeker of truth. Unlike many other detective characters, Byomkesh stories span over a lengthy period which depict him ageing, having a family and moving on with life. He is active and possesses acute mental ability. Unlike Feluda stories, Byomkesh stories are edgier with more violence, lust and on the darker side. This makes him a great favorite of many Bengali readers.
Cormoran Strike: I am probably crazy to add him to this list when he has only two books as a detective, but this character from J.K. Rowling is very interesting. He has no charm but is somehow attractive and the stories are very compelling. Hope to read a lot more about him!
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