Bookreporter.com - Feature - Favorite Mystery Characters

His humor, wit and mystery-solving acumen makes Fletch the all-time great of the genre, eclipsing Spenser (Robert Parker's hero), Skink (Carl Hiassen's hilarious ex-governor) and any of Elmore Leonard's recurring characters.

The only character that comes close is Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko.

Above the Law by J.F. Freedman

My favorite character is SPENSER, the main character in Robert Parker's books.

My favorite character is Alex Delaware in Jonathan Kellerman’s series.

My favorite mystery character is Rex Stout's Archie Goodwin, wisecracking legman to the armchair detective Nero Wolfe.

My favorite mystery character is Nameless from Bill Pronzini's series.

My favorite just happens to be Lehane & his wonderful thrillers starring Kenzie & Gennaro! They are the kind of books that I have to read cover-to-cover & can't stop until it's done!

My favorite mystery series character is Robert Crais Elvis Cole

My favorite mystery character of all time is Harriet Vane from the Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers. She is a thinly veiled autobiographical depiction of Sayers. Harriet Vane is intelligent, self-reliant -- a woman with a past that doesn't degrade her but only makes her more interesting. She captures the heart of Lord Peter Wimsey while on trial for the murder of a former lover. One of my all-time favorite literary women.

I enjoy reading about Archie McNally, a sleuth in the series by Lawrence Sanders (McNally's Chance, McNally's Risk, McNally's Luck, etc). He is rich, a bon-vivant with a taste for all the good things in life, who Occasionally solves a mystery just for the fun of it or to help a friend or a beautiful woman. I love Sanders style and have read almost all the books.

My favorite mystery character of all time is -- don't faint -- Nancy Drew. When I first learned to read, Nancy Drew was my idol. As an only child, I spent many wonderful Christmas afternoons with a box of chocolate-covered cherries and the latest Nancy Drew. I dreamed of having my own "coupe." I envied her independence and her adventures. I couldn't figure out why her lawyer-father had such interesting cases, and all my father-lawyer got were divorces, DWI's and an occasional burglary? Her father let her help him; my father said there were no mysteries to be solved and talked about something called "lawyer-client privilege." My life was boring; hers was not. Eventually, adolescent angst replaced Nancy Drew, and I moved on to bodice-ripping, bosom-heaving novels and peeks at the naked natives in National Geographic. But I will tell you a secret, when I go to book stores see the latest Nancy Drew, I have the strongest urge to buy the book, get some chocolate-covered cherries, crawl up in the middle of my bed, and read, read, read.

My favorite mystery character was Nancy Drew. She had me enthralled with book after book way back in the 50's and it began a lifetime love of reading. I believe if we can teach a small child to love reading, books will keep him spellbound all his life!

My thanks to Carolyn Keene, and all the other wonderful authors along the way!

Miss Marple Agatha Christie Any one of the books featuring her as detective

Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone first came on the crime scene and to my attention in "A is for Alibi." I've read or listened to all of the books in the series and am hungering for more. Listening to narrator Judy Kaye in the audio books has given me a voice to go with my mental image of Kinsey and that image is of one tough cookie you don't want to mess around with. Sometimes Kinsey can be very vulnerable, but not very often. Even though I am the same age as this character, I want to be like her when I grow up!

My favorite mystery character is Alex Cross. The author is James Patterson. The best book is Roses are Red.

The character called "Mouse" in Walter Mosley's earlier novels, such as Black Betty and Devil in a Blue Dress. Mouse shoots without hesitating, backs up his friends, and loves money.

My favorite mystery writer of all time for me is Elizabeth Peters, here characters Amelia and Emerson and their son are the most fun and as she is an Egyptologist her books are filled with real information.

My favorite character in mystery novels is Inspector Roderick Alleyn in the series of mysteries written by Ngaio Marsh. I especially like Artists in Crime and Dead Pool.

My favorite mystery character would be Alex Cross from James Patterson's series of Alex Cross books.

Alex Cross' character (Kiss the girls, Along came a spider, Roses are Red etc.) created by James Patterson.

Favorite mystery character: Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters

Lankford0714@aol.com

I think this is very hard to pick just one, I have so many that are dear to me but I do especially love Elvis Cole in LA Requiem by Robert Crais. (And Elvis Cole in the other mystery novels of that series)

My favorite mystery character is Nero Wolf, well represented in many books by Rex Stout.

My favorite character in a mystery is Blue McCarron, of Blue and The Last Blue Plate Special by Abigail Padgett.

My favorite character is Robert B. Parker's Spenser, in the series whichIncluded Parker's A Catskill Eagle.

booksand@2xtreme.net

The character that is my favorite is John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee,Exemplified by MacDonald's The Turquoise Lament, and others.

My favorite detective:Barbara Havers in the series by Elizabeth George.

My favorite character is Spencer in Robert B. Parker’s books.

My favorite mystery character is JimQwilleran in Lillian Jackson Brauns'The Cat Who series.

dlhart@worldnet.att.net

My favorite mystery book character is DAISY PERIKA, the Ute

Shaman-grandmother starring in the "Shaman" series penned by author James D. Doss.

My all time favorite is Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. I believe many others first followed I The Jury. He created a true hero in Mike Hammer as well as a massive following for three or four decades.

E-mail address withheld

My favorite mystery character is Alex Deleware, who appears in Jonathan Kellerman's books. A favorite is Bad Love.

Six books by Jon Katz, former producer of the CBS Morning News and media critic for various magazines. Especially enjoyable for people who live in the suburbs, because his insights into suburban life are amusing and right on target. The stories take place in NJ, and since I live in that state, I enjoyed them even more. The crimes are believable and the books are well written.

E-mail address withheld

It's hard to pick a favorite - but I keep coming back to Koko and Yum Yum (with help from Quilleran) in "The Cat Who" series by Lillian Jackson Braun

Favorite character is Sherlock Holmes in the original by Doyle and also other authors over the years.

I like Kenzie and Gennaro by Mr. Lehane because they are witty, and down-to-earth. They also work well together, which a lot of partners in real-life don't or can't do. I especially enjoyed them in Gone, Baby, and Gone.

Kaye Scarpetta, in the Patricia Cornwell series starting with POSTMORTEM. As a medical examiner, she helps solve great mysteries with excellent forensic and medical detailing.

My favorite mystery character of all time is Alvira, the lottery winner turned amateur sleuth that is featured in several of Mary Higgins Clark's novels.

My favorite mystery character of all time is Alex Cross who was created by the author James Patterson. He has been the character in many of Patterson's books including Pop Goes the Weasel, Kiss the Girls, and his latest Roses are Red.

eesserman@stny.rr.com

My favorite mystery character is Lord Peter Whimsey. I first read him when I was in college and fell in love with him. He has bright and witty and his romance with Harriet swept me off my feet. It's a good thing that he was a character in a book since I introduced one of my best friends to the books and she fell in love with him too.

AlexandraMcLaren@aol.com

Author is Robert van Gulik

Judge Dee appears in THE CHINESE LAKE MURDERS

NECKLACE AND CALABASH

THE PHANTOM OF THE TEMPLE

wyvern@powerlink.net

Boy! you don't make it easy. It's a dead heat between Travis McGee and MattScudder. Since Lawrence Block is still writing, I'll give Matt Scudder the nod from the series by Lawrence Block.

Favorite character: Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ("Bony")

Author: Arthur W. Upfield

"Bony" appears in (among others):

THE BATTLING PROPHET

BONY AND THE KELLY GANG

My favorite mystery character of all time is Hap Collins from the Joe R. Lansdale series of Hap & Leonard books. The books he appears in are:

SAVAGE SEASON, MUCHO MOJO, THE TWO-BEAR MAMBO, BAD CHILI and RUMBLE TUMBLE.

The hands-down favorite of all time would have to be Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in "A Study In Scarlet" and continued through many short stories and novels, including "Hound of the Baskervilles" and "The Valley of Fear." Even when Doyle chose to "kill Holmes," he was forced by public demand to bring the detective back to solve many more cases. And when Doyle died, the character lived on through books by other authors, such as Nicholas Meyer ("The Seven-Per-Cent Solution").

My favorite character has to be Amelia Peabody in Elizabeth Peter's mysteries. My favorite is probably Crocodile On The Sandbank. Amelia is a very liberated lady. The books all have a humorous element to them.

Nancy Drew is my favorite mystery character of all time! She was smart, talented, brave, industrious, kind-hearted, gregarious, and adventurous.... I read her books when I was in grade school but, you know what? I still want to be just like her someday!

The series was written by Carolyn Keene.

My favorite mystery character is actually both characters from Patricia Cornwell'sseries featuring Kate Scarpetta, a Chief Medical Examiner, & her friend/colleague,Pete Marino. They have such a complexchemistry without (or with??) the two being romantically involved. They are bothnormal, vulnerable,believable characters

you can't help but care about them.

My favorite mystery character is Alex Cross from James Patterson's Kissthe Girls and other Alex books in that series.

My favorite mystery character is Inspector Piet Van der Valk, of the Amsterdam police, created by Nicolas Freeling. Van der Valk was killed off in mid-novel by his creator, after successfully starring in at least a dozen wonderful mysteries. One of the reasons I enjoy reading Freeling--he was himself a cook and hotelier--and I owns his KITCHEN AND COOK BOOK, a marvelous compilation. I've made his "authentic" pea soup on many occasion; in his mystery DOUBLE BARREL he has Piet's wife Arlette tantalize Piet, by making him wait three days until the soup is deemed ready to be consumed.

Hands down, it's got to be Janet Evonovich's Stephanie Plum!

Author: Ellis Peters

A MORBID TASTE FOR BONES

THE LEPER OF SAINT GILES

THE VIRGIN IN THE ICE

THE SANCTUARY SPARROW

AN EXCELLENT MYSTERY

THE RAVEN IN THE FORGATE

THE HERMIT OF EYTON FOREST

THE CONFESSION OF BROTHER HALUIN

CONTENTED123@aol.com

My favorite mystery character is SHERLOCK HOLMES author-SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

Sherlock Holmes Series

flyinggoat@sprintmail.com

You know the best most beguiling has got to be that old English snob,Inspector Morse from the Inspector Morse series. Below that exterior ofJudgment and low tolerance lies a heart of pure gold.

My favorite mystery character is Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme from the BONE COLLECTOR

My favorite mystery character was "Rebecca" in Daphne De Maurier's novel by the same name.

Character - Porfiry Petrovich

Author - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Book - Crime and Punishment

Alex Cross, the psychologist/detective in James Patterson novels

(ie."Cradle Will Fall", "Along Came a Spider","Kiss the Girls")

My all time favorite mystery character is Dave Robicheaux and the book: "In the Electric Mist with the Confederate Dead" by James Lee Burke. Dave is an incredibly flawed, troubled man with a strong core of ethics. He makes big mistakes and pays for them - doesn't try to wiggle out, admits his mistakes and goes on. He is harder on himself than anyone from the outside could be and he is capable of a great deal of love. Burke is an incredibly talented writer who makes you not only see the surroundings he loves but you also smell and feel. I get lost in his books.

Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle. Favorite book - The Complete Annotated Sherlock Holmes with everything single story about him. Favorite story is The Hound of the Baskervilles.

My vote would be for Jane Whitefield, the character created by Thomas Perry in his series of books beginning with "Vanishing Act".

Favorite character is Spenser who appears in numerous books written by Robert B. Parker. First book in the series was The Godwulf Manuscript.

patti@nationalbankproducts.com

Mystery Character: Steve Carella

Series: 87th precinct

tcheezhead@email.msn.com

My favorite character in a mystery/thriller is Jason Bourne in Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Identity.

My favorite mystery character of all time is Stephanie Plum; the author is Janet Evenovich, in her One for the Money, etc. series.

Favorite detective - Matt Wallendar in the Swedish mystery series - current and latest title is "The Fifth Woman" - most highly recommended.

Patricia Cornwell's mysteries have a wonderful female character that I dearly love: Dr. Kay Scarpetta Nelson DeMille's mysteries: the character John Corey of the NYPD is pretty funny and street smart, too.

My favorite mystery character is Stephanie Plum. She's been in all the Janet Evanovich books; One for the Money; Two for the Dough; Three to Get Deadly; Four to Score; High Five; and Hot Six.

hayesje@gse.harvard.edu

Character: Ellery Queen

Authors: "Ellery Queen"

Ellery Queen Book Series (later TV series)

Kay Scarpetta from Patricia Cornwell's books (there isn't a special series).

It has to be Kinsey Millhone in Sue Grafton's "Alphabet" series. She is the kind of woman I wish I could be...fearless, smart, and persistent! (Though she's followed closely by Karen Kijewski's Kat Colorado!)

SUE TRAVEL Kinsey Millhone in Sue Grafton's

I love Alex Cross in the James Patterson books. His character is quite complex, leaving the reader with the need to know more about him.

Maxsilent Kinsey Millhone in Sue Grafton's

My favorite mystery character of all time? Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe (isn't he everyone's?) heck, I even named my golden retriever "marlowe" in his honor. As far as the name of the series in which he appears, well, the philp Marlowe series, which began with "the big sleep."

Runner up: Robert Crais Elvis Cole, the modern equivalent of Marlowe.

My favorite mystery character of all time is Nero Wolfe by Rex Stout. His quirky personality and mysterious background are interesting and his relationship with Archie is so much fun to follow. Needless to say, I miss the author, Rex Stout. Even the minor characters in his books were intriguing.

My favorite mystery character of all time is Amelia Peabody, who quietly solves a mystery in each new archaeological dig site she goes to in Egypt. The Amelia Peabody series is written by Elizabeth Peters and includes such books as: He Shall Thunder in the Sky, The Hippopotamus Pool, and The Last Camel Died at Noon. (And it did).

My favorite mystery character is Stephanie Plum who appears in all of Janet Evanovich's books. Which are as follows: One for the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to Get Deadly, Four to Score, High Five, Hot Six

Mike Hammer in Mickey Spillane's MY GUN IS QUICK

Miss Marple, The Murder at the Vicarage-Agatha Christie-such a wonderfully sly, unexpected sleuth!!

My favorite mystery character is SEARGENT LARRY COLE of the Chicago Police Dept. he can be found in the books written by Hough Holton.

cmwilson@wildestdreams.org

Lord Peter Wimsey from the books by Dorothy L. Sayers

Some of the books are:

The Five Red Herrings

Murder Must Advertise

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club

Qwilleran from The Cat Who series by Lillian Jackson Braun

My favorite is Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle.

My favorite mystery character is Alex Delaware. The author is Jonathan Kellerman.

James Patterson Mysteries - several

My favorite mystery character of all time appears in the books of Agatha Christie. His name is Hercule Poirot.

My all time favorite character is James Patterson's -- Alex Cross.

My favorite is the ELIZABETH GEORGE character of LYNLEY

My favorite mystery character of all time is Sherlock Holmes; author Arthur Conan Doyle, Hound of the Baskervilles.

My favorite mystery character is Sgt. Barbara Havers. She is in all of the books that I have read that were written by Elizabeth George. I can't wait for the next one.

My favorite mystery character is Kinsey Millhone from the alphabet series by Sue Grafton. I have read all of her books and am now waiting for P is for Peril.

James Qwilleran is my favorite mystery character of all time.

Qwill appears in the series of Cat Who books, which have been written by Lillian Jackson Braun.

My favorite character is Dr. Kay Scarpetta in the books written by Patricia Cornwell.

Rick Beanblossom in St. Mudd also Silent Snow. The author is Steve Thayer

LAZYANDLOVINGIT@aol.com

Kinsey Millhone in Sue Grafton's "alphabet series" of mysteries.

Miss Marple-by Agatha Christie,The Murder At The Vicarage

My favorite mystery character is Miss Jane Marple in the mysteries by Agatha Christie. I guess I like her because she is so unlikely to be a solver of mysteries and because she is so amazingly worldly despite rarely ever leaving her village of St.Marys Mead. She has a strong sense of what’s right and wrong and a dead on eye for a bad character. She is my grandmother's generation (she'd be well over 100 now if she were still alive) and very much of that generation. She is very well drawn and not always likeable.

My favorite mystery character is James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux.

Tough choice but I have to say Travis McGee, the laconic boat bum/ modern day knight-errant featured in the novels by John D. MacDonald. I loved his funky Florida lifestyle - the Houseboat won in a poker game, the vintage Rolls Royce truck, and the quirky friends in the Marina. He was toughened but slow to engage - cases evolved from salvage operations gone wrong or from an assault on his private sense of honor. Decidedly old fashioned, low tech in technique Travis McGee took his punches but delivered the knock out every time. Miss him.

Stephanie Plum is my favorite character of all mystery books. She is in the Janet Evanovich series, One for the Money, etc. Eager for #7 which is titled 7 Up.

My favorite mystery character of all time is the Nameless Detective from

Bill Pronzini's series of books/stories.

Favorite Character. Kay Scarpetta

Author...Patricia Cornwell

Book...Black Notice.... Kay Scarpetta series

My favorite is Father Brown in the stories by G. K. Chesterton. I have thestories in THE FATHER BROWN OMNIBUS which includes the five volumes ofFather Brown stories; THE INNOCENCE OF FATHER BROWN, THE WISDOM OF FATHER BROWN, THE INCREDULITY OF FATHER BROWN, THE SECRET OF FATHER BROWN, and THE SCANDAL OF FATHR BROWN.

My favorite mystery character is Alex Delaware in Jonathan Kellerman's books

My favorite mystery character is Dr. Kay Scarpetta

Kemper Boyd in James Ellroy's American Tabloid.

LenaEllis2000@aol.com

My favorite is Carolyn Keene, Nancy Drew. She is my favorite character, a great detective

Hieronymous "Harry" Bosch in the Michael Connelly series.

Alexis the Catt@aol.com

My favorite character is Alex Cross in Along Came a Spider by James Patterson and the rest of the Alex Cross series.

Lord Peter Whimsey in mysteries written by Dorothy L. Sayers: Gaudy Night, etc.

Anna Pigeon - Nevada Barr series

j.stienstra@quicknet.nl

My favorite character is Harry Bosch in the books of Michael Connelly. Trunk Music, The Black Echo, Black Ice and The Concrete

My favorite mystery character of all time is Annie Laurence Darling, who appears in the series by Carolyn G. Hart (latest book: Sugarplum Dead.) Annie lives on an island off South Carolina, owns mystery bookstore, and is married to the perfect husband!

E-mail address withheld

James Qwilleran from "The Cat Who..." series written by Lillian Jackson Braun.

My favorite mystery character of all time would HAVE to be Fletch in the legendary Fletch series of books, written by Gregory McDonald.

My favorite mystery character is hands down - Sherlock Holmes. I read the Complete Works a few years ago & now that I'm thinking about it - I think I'm going to pull it out & read it again. The Sherlock Holmes mysteries were written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (As if anyone out there didn't already know that.)

My favorite character in mystery is Alex Delaware created by Jonathan Kellerman in his mystery novels.

E-mail address withheld

My favorite mystery character is "Spenser" by Robert Parker.

He isn't afraid to do what needs to be done to solve a case and be sure the villain is punished, but he is also a pussycat with his lady friend. I like his attitude.

E-mail address withheld

Lew Archer in the Ross Macdonald mystery series.

E-mail address withheld

My favorite mystery character of all time is...ta da...Benjamin Malaussene, the eccentric, yet reasonable star of Daniel Pennac's crime spoof's The Fairy Gunmother, The Scapegoat and Write to Kill all published in the U.S. by Harvill.

E-mail address withheld

I love Elliott Roosevelt's series "Murder in _______" and that makes my favorite character - Eleanor Roosevelt.

E-mail address withheld

Favorite character: Deputy DA Lauren Crowder

Author: Stephen White

Book: most recently in Cold Case, previous books as well

My favorite mystery character is Amelia Peabody, Egyptologist and amateur detective. From the series by Elizabeth Peters.

My all time favorite mystery character is Ellery Queen who appears in a myriad of mystery stories by the talented duo Manfred Lee and Frederic Dannay writing under the name of Ellery Queen. Ellery's father, Inspector Queen runs a close second. It is hard to pick one favorite but I am especially fond of the Roman Hat Mystery.

Agatha Christie's series with Belgian detective, Hercule Poiroi

We asked you to tell us your favorite mystery character of all time.

Alex Cross – James Patterson

Alex Delaware – Jonathan Kellerman

Amelia Peabody – Elizabeth Peters

Ellery Queen - Ellery Queen

Kay Scarpetta – Patricia Cornwell

Kinsey Millhone - Sue Grafton

James Qwilleran – Lillian Jackson Braun

Jane Marple, Hercule Poirot – Agatha Christie

Nancy Drew – Carolyn Keene

Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Spenser – Robert B. Parker

Stephanie Plum – Janet Evanovich

My favorite mystery character of all time has to be Irwin M. Fletcher of Gregory McDonald's "Fletch" series.