They first appear (1887)
They first appear (1970)
They first appear (1975)
They first appear (2000)
They first appear (1964)
They first appear (1994)
They first appear (1930)
They first appear (1923)
The Hound's TOP TEN Crime Fighting Duos from British Fiction
No. 1 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes & John Watson
Holmes’ dear friend Dr Watson chronicles the detective’s adventures and deductions, narrating them to millions of readers. Watson also acts as a loyal assistant to Holmes in matters of a practical nature.
The Hound's pick
Criteria: The following twosomes all appear in crime fiction books predominantly set in Great Britain. Partnerships come in many forms: A hero with a sidekick, two individuals with different talents and a common goal, a master and a protégé, an aristocrat with a manservant, the brain and the brawn, or a genius with a friend and scribe.
No. 2 Reginald Hill’s Andy Dalziel & Peter Pascoe
The rough and uncouth superintendent Andy ‘fat man’ Dalziel regularly clashes with his younger intellectual sidekick DS Pascoe. Despite this they share a deep friendship and respect and their different skills combine effectively.
The Hound's pick
No. 3 Colin Dexter’s Endeavour Morse & Robert Lewis
Morse is a Jaguar driving, real ale drinking Englishman. An intelligent middle-class ‘gentleman detective’, Morse may be surly but, like his working class assistant Lewis, he’s a likeable guy. Lewis is a Welshman (a Geordie only on TV).
The Hound's pick
No. 5 Ruth Rendell’s Reginald Wexford & Mike Burden
Burden is Inspector Wexford’s long time right-hand man. Uptight and prudish – although this wanes after he marries – Burden provides a good foil to Wexford’s more liberal and less judgmental attitude.
The Hound's pick
No. 4 Stephen Booth’s Ben Cooper & Diane Fry
DC Cooper is the local boy, familiar with his Peak District countryside and its inhabitants; DS Fry, the intriguing, city girl, is more weary and aggressive. An interesting and complex relationship develops between the young stars of E Division.
The Hound's pick
No. 6 Christopher Fowler’s Arthur Bryant & John May
Old fashioned detectives still at work in a modern world. Bryant with his unorthodox and chaotic approach, and the dogged and methodical May with his pragmatism, head up a specialist police team called the Peculiar Crimes Unit.
The Hound's pick
No. 7 Adrian Magson’s Riley Gavin & Frank Palmer
London’s top investigative journalist is the young, hard-edged and tenacious Riley Gavin. She pairs up with the equally tough but easy-going former Royal Military Policeman Frank Palmer. Their different backgrounds provide an exciting dynamic.
They first appear (2004)
The Hound's pick
No. 8 G K Chesterton’s Father Brown and M Hercule Flambeau
Master criminal Flambeau becomes Father Brown’s friend and colleague after the priest first foils then befriends him. A useful adversary to Brown, the reformed Flambeau assists him with his detection.
They first appear (1910)
The Hound's pick
No. 9 Margery Allingham’s Albert Campion & Magersfontein Lugg
Well educated aristocrat Albert Campion’s faithful manservant Lugg is a former burglar happy to get his hands dirty on behalf of his boss. Lugg’s East End accent and awkward manners provide a comical contrast to Campion’s polished authority.
The Hound's pick
No. 10 Dorothy L Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey & Mervyn Bunter
Having served together during the Great War, Wimsey and his manservant Bunter share a strong bond. Much more than a valet, Bunter uses his photography and investigative skills to assist his aristocratic master.
The Hound's pick
Also enjoyed and recommended:
Ian Rankin’s John Rebus & Siobhan Clarke
Ngaio Marsh’s Roderick Alleyn & Nigel Bathgate
Elizabeth George’s Thomas Lynley & Barbara Havers
Michael Robotham’s Joe O'Loughlin & Vincent Ruiz
Martin Edwards’ Daniel Kind & Hannah Scarlett
Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope & Joe Ashworth
Peter James’ Roy Grace & Glenn Branson
E W Hornung’s Arthur J Raffles & Harry ‘Bunny’ Manders
Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway & Harry Nelson
Cath Staincliffe's Janet Scott & Rachel Bailey
Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge & Hamish MacLeod
Val McDermid's Tony Hill & Carol Jordan
"The Toff (Richard Rollinson) and his manservant Jolly
Ever get the feeling you've forgotten something? Left the stove on or the front door unlocked? Well I'm getting that feeling here. There's probably a brilliant British crime fighting duo that I've missed, so, if you can think of a glaring omission from my list, please contact me.