Famous Private Detectives in
Novels, Movies, and Television--

Tommy and Tuppence Beresford → TV portrayal of Tommy by David Walliams, of Tuppence by Jessica
A typical upper middle class couple in novels, short stories and in the TV series Partners in Crime (Created by Agatha Christie).
•Novels: 1922‑1973 •TV series: 2015.

Beatrice Adela Bradley → Portrayed by Diana Rigg
A widowed socialite in the novel series and British TV series The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (Created by Gladys Mitchell).
•Novels: 1929‑1975 •TV series: 1999‑2000.

Jackson Brodie → TV portrayed by Jason Isaacs.
A tough former soldier and policeman in several novels and the TV series Case Histories (Created by Kate Atkinson).
•Novels: 2004‑2010 •TV series: 2011‑2013.

Nestor Burma → Portrayed by Guy Marchand
French private detective in a series of books and the TV series Nestor Burma (Created by Léo Malet).
•Books: 1943‑1983 •TV series: 1991.

Albert Campion → TV portrayal by Peter Davidson
An aristocrat in the early 20th century in several novels and the TV series Campion (Created by Margery Allingham).
•Novels: 1930‑1965 •TV series: 1989‑1990.

Lemmy Caution → Portrayed by Eddie Constantine
Witty, crafty womanizing private detective in the book series and French movies such as La môme vert de gris (Created by Peter Cheyney).
•Books: 1936‑1945 •Movies: 1953‑1991.

Alex Cross → Portrayed by Morgan Freeman
Even tempered psychologist and former FBI agent in several books and movies such as Along Came a Spider (Created by James Patterson).
•Books: 1993‑2014 •Movies: 1997, 2001.

Nancy Drew → Portrayed in the 2007 movie by Emma Roberts
A young teenager, then young woman in several novel series including Nancy Drew Mystery Stories (Created by Edward Stratemeyer).
•Novels: 1930‑2003, 2002‑2012 •Movie: 2007.

Bulldog Drummond → Portrayed by Ronald Coleman
A gentleman adventurer in novels, short stories, and several movies including Calling Bulldog Drummond (Created by H. C. McNeile).
•Novels: 1920‑1969 •Short stories: 1937  •Movies: 1922‑1969.

Dr Gideon Fell (image cropped from the book cover) → No screen presence
A lexicographer and drinker in a series of novels such as The Man Who Could Not Shudder (Created by John Dickson Carr).
•Novels: 1933‑1967.

Sister Fidelma → No screen presence
A Celtic nun in the middle of the 7th century who solves mysteries in the book series Sister Fidelma Mysteries (Created by Berresford Ellis, aka Peter Tremayne).
•Books: 1994‑2015.

Garrett (image cropped from the book cover) → No screen presence
A P.I. in a fantasy universe with his partner, the Dead Man, in a series of novels such as Old Tin Sorrows (Created by Glen Cook).
•Novels: 1987‑2013.

Beverly Gray → No screen presence
A young woman solving mysteries in various venues Beverly Gray Mystery Stories (Written by Clair Blank).
•Novels: 1034‑1955.

Cordelia Gray → Portrayed by Helen Baxendale
A shy young woman who inherited a detective agency in two novels and several TV series including An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Created by P. D. James).
•Novels: 1972, 1982 •TV series: 1997‑2001.

Mike Hammer → Portrayed on TV by Stacy Keach
A P.I. who doesn't shy away from violence in the series of novels, movies, and several TV series such as Mike Hammer, ;Private Eye (Created by Mickey Spillaine).
•Novels: 1947‑2014 •Movies: 1952‑2003  •TV series: 1958‑1960, 1984‑1998.

James Hazell → Portrayed by Nicholas Ball.
A cockney private detective in the British TV drama Hazell (Created by Gordon Williams and Terry Venables).
•TV drama: 1978‑1979.

Sherlock Holmes-1 → Portrayed in the 1983 movie by Ian Richardson
A renowned detective in four novels, 56 short stories, and many movies including The Hound of the Baskervilles (Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).
•Novels: 1887‑1915 •Short stories: 1891‑1927  •Movies: many  •TV series: many.

Sarah Keate → Portrayed by Ann Sheridan and others
A nurse in novels and movies such as The Patient in Room 18 (Created by Mignon Eberhart).
•Novels: 1929‑1932 •Movies: 1935‑1938.

Sally Lockhart → Portrayed by Billie Piper
A teen-age girl in the novel series and TV shows such as The Shadow in the North (Created by Philip Pullman).
•Novels: 1872‑1882 •Movie: 2006, 2007.

Duncan Maclain → Portrayed by Edward Arnold.
A blind detective with a seeing-eye dog in the novel series of the detective and movies such as Eyes in the Night (Created by Baynard Kendrick).
•Books: 1937‑1961 •Movies: 1942, 1945.

Miss Marple → Portrayed in movies by Margaret Rutherford
An old spinster is of independent means in a novels series, movies and TV series including 4.50 from Paddington (Created by Agatha Christie).
•Novels: 1930‑1976 •Movies: 1961‑1964  •TV series: 1984‑1992, 2004‑2013.

William Monk (image from book cover) → No screen presence
An inspector, fired from the police force, becomes a private investigator in the series of novels featuring William Monk (Created by Anne Perry).
•Novels: 1990‑2018.

Victoria "Vicki" Nelson → Portrayed by Christine Cox
Based on the Blood Books by Tanya Huff, a former Toronto Police Service officer in the Canadian TV series Blood Ties (Series created by Peter Mohan).
•Novels: 1991‑1997 •TV series: 2007.

Hercule Poirot → Portrayed in the British TV series by David Suchet
A dignified and meticulous Belgian detective in novels, short stories, movies and TV including Agatha Christie's Poirot (Created by Agatha Christie).
•Novels: 1926‑1975 •Movies: 1931‑1986  •TV series: 1989‑2013.

Agatha Raisin → Portrayed by Ashley Jensen
Based on the mystery novels by Marion Chesney, a former public relations professional in the British TV series Agatha Raisin (Created by Marion Chesney using the pseudonym M. C. Beaton).
•Novels: 1992‑2019 •TV series: 2014‑2020.

Joseph Rouletabille → Portrayed in the 1949 French movie by Serge Reggiani
A journalist in several movies and a novel series starting with The Mystery of th Yellow Room (Created by Gaston Leroux).
•Novels: 1907‑1923 •Movies: 1913‑2005  •TV series: 1965‑1966.

Shell Scott → No screen presence
A 6-foot-2 ex-marine in several novels such as Case of the Vanishing Beauty (Created by Richard S. Prather).
•Novels: 1950‑1987.

John Shaft → Portrayed by Richard Roundtree
A black P.I. in the style of James Bond in three movies beginning with Shaft (Screenplay by Ernest Tidyman).
•Movies: 1971, 1972, 1973.

Sam Spade → Portrayed in the 1941 movie by Humphrey Bogart
A hard and shifty P.I. in a novel, short stories, and movies, including The Maltese Falcon (Created by Dashiell Hammett).
•Novel: 1930 •Short stories: 1932  •Movies: 1931‑1978.

Jesse Stone → Portrayed by Tom Selleck
Former baseball shortstop and homicide detective in the book series and several movies, such as Benefit of the Doubt (Created by Robert B. Parker).
•Books: 1997‑2015 •Movies: 2005‑2012.

Simon Templar (known as The Saint) → Portrayed by Roger Moore in the TV series
A British amateur detective portrayed in books, radio, movies and TV by various actors over many years; for example, in the TV series The Saint (Originally created by Leslie Charteris).
•Books: 1928‑1963 •Movies: 1938‑1943  •Radio: 1944‑1951  •Comics: 1948‑1961.

Tif and Tondu (no last names for the duo) → No screen presence
Adventurers and detectives who solve cases around the world in the Belgian comic strip Tif et Tondu (Created by Fernand Dineur).
•Comic strip: 1938‑1997 •Books: 1954‑1997.

Varg Veum → In movies portrayed by Trond Espen Seim
A Norwegian private detective in a series of novels and several movies such as Bitre Blomster (Created by Gunnar Staalesen).
•Novels: 1977‑2014 •Movies: 2007‑2012.

V. I. Warshawski → Portrayed in the movie by Kathleen Turner
A lean and athletic female P.I. appearing novels, short stories, and the movie V.I. Warshawski (Created by Sara Paretsky).
•Novels: 1982‑2013 •Movie: 1991.

Nero Wolfe → Portrayed in the 2001 TV series by Maury Chaykin
An armchair detective in novels, short stories, movies, radio, and several TV series including A Nero Wolfe Mystery (Created by Rex Stout).
•Novels: 1934‑1985 •Movies: 1936, 1937  •TV series: 1981, 2001‑2003.