Without a doubt, my favorite is Harry Bosch in the books by Michael Connelly.

A close second is Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta, although her last 2 books lack the intensity/suspense of the past novels.

Bringing up 3rd is Repairman Jack in the F. Paul Wilson books. Although his Repairman Jack character seems to investigate more towards the paranormal, his character is very slick.

-Steve

Well of course Harry Bosch! :)

I also like Terry McCaleb from Blood Work and Darkness....

I'm not a Kay Scarpetta fan. Don't know why. I like the writing, but not the character.

I like Jack Reacher from the Lee Child books, although he's not really an investigator per say.

Also, Lou Boldt from the Ridley Pearson books is good.

I've not read many books with recurring investigative characters, but I have to say that I really kinda dig Kinsey Milhone from the Alphabet series by Sue Grafton. They're really pretty cool to listen to while driving, too.

robyn

I hate to mention this novel so much in this forum, but I just can't help myself. My favorite would be Lionel Essrog in Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn. He's a Tourettic detective's assistant who is trying to solve the murder of his boss. It must be read to understand what a great character he is.

Lucas Davenportin John Sanford's books

Mark Beamon in Kyle Mill's books

Alex Cross isn't too bad in Patterson's novels

Edited to add Stone Barrington from Stuart Woods

I loved how he merged McCaleb and Bosch in A Darkness More Than Night. Reading it was like watching a crossover of your 2 favorite TV shows. (I'm still waiting for the Oz/Soprano's crossover :) )

I've never read Lee Child, but what you said about Jack Reacher peaked my curiousity. What do you mean "he's not really an investigator per say." ? Or is it something where I would have to read one of the books to find out what you mean?

-Steve

Encyclopedia Brown ;)

Sherlock Holmes
Sam Spade
Phillip Marlowe

Haven't really read much, if any, more modern type stuff.



[Edited by Scarecrow on 04-29-01 at 09:42 PM]

I've always liked Sherlock Holmes, in modern novels I like Alex Cross.

A tossup between these two
 

Liam Rhenford in a series of fantasy books by Daniel Hood:

• Fanuilh
• Scales of Justice
• King's Cure
• A Familiar Dragon - trade edition

Garrett in a series of "metal" books by Glen Cook:

• Cold Copper Tears
• Sweet Silver Blues
• Bitter Gold Hearts
• Faded Steel Heat
• Deadly Quicksilver Lies
• Red Iron Nights
• Petty Pewter Gods

Lucas Davenport from John Sandford's Prey novels.

The Late Inspector Morse from the Collin Dexter novels

Lucas Davenport from the Prey novels

Lord Peter Wimsey from the Dorothy L Sayers novels

Hercule Poirot from the Agatha Christie novels

and of course Sherlock Holmes from the Doyle novels

I'm reading my first Jack Reacher book, Die Trying right now. So far, it's very good.

Why has no one mentioned Elvis Cole and Joe Pike from Robert Crais' novels or Archy McNally from Lawrence Sanders?

Gregor Demarkian from Jane Haddam's holiday murder series. Great series if you like mystery.

Gotta add Encyclopedia Brown to 'keep it real.' :)

Tictacboy,
Check out KILLING FLOOR by Child.

Here it is at Amazon, but MODS, can you make this a DVDTalk link, please? :)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...123447/dvdtalk

Reacher is this former military guy who is just happens to always find trouble, and then has to figure out "what really happened." He's very smart, and without a doubt, the toughest SOB I've read in a long time.

[Edited by gkleinman on 05-01-01 at 12:06 PM]

Wow. No one mentioned Boston's best, Spenser, by Robert Parker. Great reads!

Henry Chinaski in Pulp by Charles Bukowski

Cole & Pike / Reacher
 

Cole & Pike - superb choices.
Obviously (or not) Spenser & Hawk. - previously mentioned.
Harry Bosch used to be brilliant but I think he's taken a downturn since Angels Flight.
And let's throw in Stephanie Plum out of Janet Evanovichs series.

how about Andrew Vachss's anti-hero Burke?
Dark, dark, dark hard-boiled stuff.

Lucas Davenport (MR. PREY)

Alex Cross is THE Man. :D

Re: Cole & Pike / Reacher
 

Actually, there hasn't been a Bosch novel since Angel's Flight.

Bosch was in "Darkness...," but that was a Terry McCaleb novel.

Alex Cross is great. Whats her butt Scarpeta is good. Although, Scarpeta is a little too good. Can she possibly be more un-real than she is? Lets tone her down a bit.

I like the Kinsey Millhone series. She is a "lite" read. I wish she was a bit more tougher. I have been reading her series since A is for Alibi.

rayman

Re: Re: Cole & Pike / Reacher
 

That was a heck of book though. I loved A Darkness More than Night.

Amen, Burke is the baddest of the bad. Vachss pulls no punches and all of his books are great. I nominated 2 of his books, Born Bad and Hard Candy, for the May book club but no one seemed interested.

With people saying this :

"Burke would eat Spade and Marlowe for breakfast, not even spitting out the bones. [He] is one tough, mean, pray-god-you-don't-meet-him...hombre." -- Boston Herald

Burke is my obvious choice :D

Detective/Mystery series investigators - who's the best?
 

I don't think there's a character around better for a battle than Lee Child's Jack Reacher, but what about the best all-around investigator?

If you had a crime that absolutely HAD to be solved, who would you want on the case?

Bosch?
Davenport?
Scarpetta?
Archer?
Cross?
twikoff?

Of all the series investigators, who do you think is the best?

:)