List of literary detectives and investigators
The list of literary detectives and investigators contains literary figures who work in detective novels in the role of detective or other investigator. Only characters who appear as protagonists in at least two novels or short story collections that have been published by regular publishers (i.e. no self , pseudo or grant publishers) are taken into account .
| Detective / investigator | Profession of detective | Co-detective | Land of action | author | year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jean Abel | Lawyer | Germany | Fred Breinersdorfer | 1980 | |
| Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg | Commissioner | Adrian Danglard | France | Fred Vargas | 1991 |
| Roderick Alleyn | Commissioner | Great Britain | Ngaio Marsh | 1934 | |
| Kristina Mahlo | Estate administrator | Germany | Sabine Kornbichler | 2013 | |
| Judith Kepler | Crime scene cleaner | Germany | Elisabeth Herrmann | 2011 | |
| Joachim Vernau | Lawyer | Marie-Louise Hoffmann | Germany | Elisabeth Herrmann | 2005 |
| Sanela Beara | Police chief | Lutz Gehring | Germany | Elisabeth Herrmann | 2013 |
| Rachel Eisenberg | Criminal lawyer | Germany | Andreas Foehr | 2016 | |
| Clemens Wallner | Commissioner | Leonhardt Kreuthner | Germany | Andreas Foehr | 2009 |
| Gabriel Allon | Secret agent / art restorer | United States | Daniel Silva | 2000 | |
| Tadeusz "Tad" Anders | SIS Defense Agent | Commander Bryant | Great Britain | Ted Allbeury | 1974 |
| Thomas Andreasson | inspector | Sweden | Viveca Sten | 2010 | |
| Tom Aragon | jurist | United States | Margaret Millar | 1976 | |
| Lew Archer | Private detective | United States | Ross Macdonald | 1949 | |
| Brother Athelstan | Dominican monk | Sir John Cranston | Great Britain | Paul Doherty | 1991 |
| Dr. David Audley | Medievalist, historian | Jack Butler | Great Britain | Anthony Price | 1970 |
| Kurt Austin | agent | United States | Clive Cussler | 1973 | |
| Avraham Avraham | Police inspector | Israel | Dror Mishani | 2011 | |
| Gunnar Barbarotti | Police inspector | Eva Backmann | Sweden | Håkan Nesser | 2006 |
| Alan Banks | Detective Chief Inspector | Great Britain | Peter Robinson | 1987 | |
| Tom Barnaby | Detective Chief Inspector | Great Britain | Caroline Graham | 1987 | |
| Hans Barlach | Commissioner | Switzerland | Friedrich Dürrenmatt | 1950 | |
| Smoky Barrett | FBI agent | United States | Cody McFadyen | 2006 | |
| Siggi builder | journalist | Germany | Jacques Berndorf | 1989 | |
| Phil Beaumont | Private detective | Jane Turner | United States | Walter Satterthwait | 1995 |
| Martin Beck | Commissioner | Lennart Kollberg, Gunvald Larsson | Sweden | Maj Sjöwall , Per Wahlöö | 1965 |
| Annika Bengtzon | Journalist | Sweden | Liza Marklund | 1999 | |
| Tommy Beresford | Private detective, secret agent | Tuppence Beresford | Great Britain | Agatha Christie | 1922 |
| Sebastian Bergman | Police psychologist | Torkel Höglund | Sweden | Michael Hjorth , Hans Rosenfeldt | 2010 |
| Ernst Bienzle | Commissioner | Günter Gächter | Germany | Felix Huby | 1977 |
| Adalbert Bietigheim | Professor of Culinary Studies | Germany | Carsten Sebastian Henn | 2011 | |
| Modesty Blaise | Secret agent | Willie Garvin | Great Britain | Peter O'Donnell | 1963 |
| Bella block | Detective | Germany | Doris Gercke | 1988 | |
| Kalle Blomkvist | child | Anders Bengtsson, Eva-Lotta Lisander | Sweden | Astrid Lindgren | 1946 |
| Mikael Blomkvist | journalist | Lisbeth Salander | Sweden | Larsson rose | 2005 |
| Brünhilde Blum | Undertaker | Austria | Bernhard Aichner | 2014 | |
| James Bond | Secret agent | Great Britain | Ian Fleming | 1953 | |
| Louise Bonì | Commissioner | Germany | Oliver Bottini | 2005 | |
| Harry Bosch | Police officer | United States | Michael Connelly | 1992 | |
| Jason Bourne | Secret agent, contract killer | United States | Robert Ludlum | 1971 | |
| Lindsay Boxer | Inspector | United States | James Patterson | 2002 | |
| Nicholas Bracewell | Theater director | England | Keith Miles | 1988 | |
| Peter Brandt | Chief inspector | Germany | Andreas Franz | 2004 | |
| Wanda von Brannburg | Private detective | Germany | Unknown | 1907 | |
| Kate Brannigan | Private detective | Great Britain | Val McDermid | 1992 | |
| Miles Bredon | Insurance detective | Great Britain | Ronald Knox | 1927 | |
| Temperance Brennan | Forensic anthropologist | United States | Kathy Reichs | 1997 | |
| Simon Brenner | Private detective | Austria | Wolf Haas | 1996 | |
| Max Broll | mortician undertaker | Austria | Bernhard Aichner | 2011 | |
| David Bronstein | Police officer | Austria | Andreas P. Pittler | 2008 | |
| Father Brown | Catholic priest | Great Britain | Gilbert Keith Chesterton | 1911 | |
| Horne Fisher | Hobby detective | Howard Marsh | Great Britain | Gilbert Keith Chesterton | 1920 |
| Guido Brunetti | Commissario | Italy | Donna Leon | 1992 | |
| Kate Burkholder | Police chief | United States | Linda Castillo | 2009 | |
| Nestor Burma | Private detective | Roger Zavatter, Louis Réboul | France | Léo Malet | 1943 |
| Brother Cadfael | monk | Great Britain | Ellis Peters | 1977 | |
| Jack Caffery | Detective Inspector | Great Britain | Mo Hayder | 2001 | |
| Mario Carozzi | archaeologist | Austria | Christoph Wagner | 2002 | |
| Pepe Carvalho | Private detective | Biscuter | Spain | Manuel Vázquez Montalbán | 1972 |
| Lemmy Caution | FBI agent | United States | Peter Cheyney | 1936 | |
| Hal Challis | Detective Inspector | Australia | Garry Disher | 1999 | |
| Charlie Chan | detective | Hawaii | Earl Derr Biggers | 1925 | |
| Roger Chapman | peddler | England | Kate Sedley | 1991 | |
| Kostas Charitos | Commissioner | Greece | Petros Markaris | 1995 | |
| Jim Chee | Police officer on the Navajo reservation | United States | Tony Hillerman | 1984 | |
| Chen | Chief Inspector | Asia | Qiu Xiaolong | 2000 | |
| Markus Cheng | Private detective | Austria | Heinrich Steinfest | 1999 | |
| Emile Cinq-Mars | Sergeant detective | Bill Mathers | Canada | John Farrow | 1999 |
| Perry Clifton | Department store detective | Dicki Miller | Great Britain | Wolfgang corner | 1964 |
| Mario Conde | Commissar lieutenant | Cuba | Leonardo Padura | 1991 | |
| Petra Connor | policewoman | United States | Jonathan Kellerman | 1986 | |
| Jerry Cotton | FBI agent | Phil Decker | United States | Delfried Kaufmann | 1954 |
| Bruno Courrèges | Police chief | France | Martin Walker | 2008 | |
| Joshua Croft | Private detective | United States | Walter Satterthwait | 1987 | |
| Alex Cross | Police psychologist | United States | James Patterson | 1993 | |
| Adam Dalgliesh | Commander at Scotland Yard | Kate Miskin | Great Britain | Phyllis Dorothy James | 1962 |
| Andrew Dalziel | Chief Superintendent | Peter Pascoe | Great Britain | Reginald Hill | 1970 |
| Peter Decker | Commissioner | Rina Lazarus | United States | Faye Kellerman | 1986 |
| Alex Delaware | Child psychologist | Milo Sturgis | United States | Jonathan Kellerman | 1985 |
| Georg Dengler | Private detective, former BKA investigator | Germany | Wolfgang Schorlau | 2003 | |
| Tuesday | Judge | China | Robert van Gulik | 1956 | |
| The three ??? | Detectives | Alfred Hitchcock | United States | Robert Arthur | 1964 |
| C. Auguste Dupin | Amateur detective | France | Edgar Allan Poe | 1841 | |
| Georges Dupin | Commissioner | Kadeg, Riwal | France | Jean-Luc Bannalec | 2012 |
| Julia Durant | Chief Commissioner | Germany | Andreas Franz | 1996 | |
| Julius Eichendorff | cook | Germany | Carsten Sebastian Henn | 2002 | |
| Erlendur Sveinsson | Commissioner | Elinborg | Iceland | Arnaldur Indridason | 1997 |
| Andreas Eschenbach | Commissioner | Switzerland | Michael Theurillat | 2005 | |
| Elena Estes | Groom | United States | Tami Hoag | 2003 | |
| Evangelists | Prehistoric, medievalist, historian, ex-police officer | France | Fred Vargas | 1995 | |
| Jan fable | Chief detective | Germany | Craig Russell | 2005 | |
| Erast Fandorin | State Council | Russia | Boris Akunin | 1998 | |
| Kate Fansler | Literary scholar, professor | Reed Amhearst | United States | Amanda Cross | 1964 |
| Dr. Gideon Fell | lexicographer | Great Britain | John Dickson Carr | 1933 | |
| Hanspeter Feller | Private detective | Jürg Lüthi | Switzerland | Stefan Haenni | 2009 |
| Andrew Fenwick | Chief Inspector | Louise Nightingale | England | Elizabeth Corley | 1998 |
| Sister Fidelma | nun | Brother Eadulf | Ireland | Peter Tremayne | 1993 |
| Kit fielding | jockey | Great Britain | Dick Francis | 1962 | |
| Polonius Fischer | Chief inspector | Germany | Friedrich Ani | 2006 | |
| Regina Flint | Public prosecutor | Bruno Cavalli | Switzerland | Petra Ivanov | 2005 |
| Diane Frey | Detective Sergeant | Ben Cooper | Great Britain | Stephen Booth | 2002 |
| Franz Gasperlmaier | police officer | Renate Kohlross | Austria | Herbert Dutzler | 2011 |
| Dirk Gently | Private detective | Great Britain | Douglas Adams | 1987 | |
| Frank Gerdes | Private investigator | Germany | Tomas Cramer | 2013 | |
| Ganesh V. Ghote | Inspector | India | HRF Keating | 1964 | |
| Laura Gottberg | Commissioner | Germany | Felicitas Mayall | 2004 | |
| Roy Grace | Detective superintendent | Great Britain | Peter James | 2005 | |
| Emma Graham | Hobby detective | Great Britain | Martha Grimes | 1992 | |
| Maria Grappa | Journalist | Germany | Gabriella Wollenhaupt | 1993 | |
| Cordelia Gray | Private detective | Great Britain | Phyllis Dorothy James | 1972 | |
| Knut Gribb | Police detective | Norway | Sven Elvestad | 1908 | |
| Benny Griessel | Captain / captain | South Africa | Deon Meyer | 2004 | |
| Fiona Griffiths | Detective Constable | Wales | Harry Bingham | 2012 | |
| Fold pennies | Detective inspector | Austria | Franzobel | 2014 | |
| Ebenezer Gryce | inspector | Amelia Butterworth | United States | Anna Katharine Rohlfs | 1878 |
| Salvatore Guarnaccia | Maresciallo | Italy | Magdalen Nabb | 1981 | |
| Guido Guerrieri | Lawyer and Defense Attorney | Italy | Gianrico Carofiglio | 2002 | |
| Sid Halley | Jockey / private investigator | Great Britain | Dick Francis | 1962 | |
| Mike Hammer | Private detective | United States | Mickey Spillane | 1947 | |
| The black hand | Children group | FRG | Hans Jürgen Press | 1965 | |
| Rosina Hardenstein | Comedian | Claes Hermanns | Germany | Petra Oelker | 1997 |
| Tamara Hayle | Private detective | United States | Valerie Wilson Wesley | 1996 | |
| Sören Henning | Chief inspector | Lisa Santos | Germany | Andreas Franz | 2006 |
| Hippolytus Hermanus | former police psychologist, wine connoisseur | Germany | Michael Böckler | 2003 | |
| Tony Hill | Profiler | Carol Jordan | Great Britain | Val McDermid | 1995 |
| Paul Hjelm | Police officer | Kerstin Holm | Sweden | Arne Dahl | 1998 |
| Dido Hoare | Bookseller | England | Marianne MacDonald | 1996 | |
| Harry Hole | Chief inspector | Norway | Jo Nesbø | 1997 | |
| Rebekka Holm | Investigator | Denmark | Julie Hastrup | 2009 | |
| Sherlock Holmes | detective | Dr. Watson | Great Britain | Arthur Conan Doyle | 1892 |
| Peter Hunkeler | Commissioner | Switzerland | Hansjörg Schneider | 1993 | |
| David Hunter | Forensic scientist | Great Britain | Simon Beckett | 2006 | |
| Irene Huss | Inspector | Sweden | Helene Tursten | 1998 | |
| Jack Irish | Ex-lawyer | Australia | Peter Temple | 1996 | |
| Smilla Jaspersen | scientist | Denmark | Peter Høeg | 1992 | |
| Kimmo Joentaa | Commissioner | Finland | Jan Costin Wagner | 2003 | |
| Trevor Joseph | sergeant | Great Britain | Katherine John | 1990 | |
| Richard Jury | inspector | Great Britain | Martha Grimes | 1981 | |
| Maria Kallio | Commissioner | Finland | Leena Lehtolainen | 1993 | |
| Lothar Kaltenbach | Wine merchant | Germany | Thomas Alder | 2013 | |
| Anastasia Kamenskaya | Criminalist | Russia | Alexandra Marinina | 1992 | |
| Viktor Kärppä | Secret service agent, crook, informant | Finland | Matti Rönkä | 2002 | |
| Kemal Kayankaya | Private detective | FRG | Jacob Arjouni | 1985 | |
| Irene Kelly | reporter | Frank Harriman | United States | Jan Burke | 1993 |
| Duncan Kinkaid | Superintendent | Gemma James | Great Britain | Deborah Crombie | 1993 |
| Jacqueline Kirby | librarian | United States | Elizabeth Peters | 1972 | |
| Ann Kathrin Klaasen | Chief Commissioner | Frank Weller, Rupert | Germany | Klaus-Peter Wolf | 2007 |
| Frieda Klein | Psychotherapist | Great Britain | Nicci French | 2011 | |
| AI Kluftinger | Commissioner | Germany | Volker Klüpfel , Michael Kobr | 2003 | |
| Adolf Kottan | Police major | Alfred Schrammel | Austria | Helmut Zenker | 1974 |
| Sam Kovac | Detective | United States | Tami Hoag | 1999 | |
| Asbjørn Krag | Police detective | Norway | Sven Elvestad | 1904 | |
| Magdalena Kuisl | Hangman's daughter | Simon Fronwieser | Germany | Oliver Pötzsch | 2008 |
| Donald Lam | Private detective | Bertha Cool | United States | AA fair | 1939 |
| Robert Langdon | Professor of Symbology | United States | Dan Brown | 2000 | |
| Joe Leaphorn | Police officer on the Navajo reservation | United States | Tony Hillerman | 1970 | |
| Lecoq | inspector | France | Émile Gaboriau | 1866 | |
| Gabriel Lecouvreur | Private detective | France | Jean-Bernard Pouy et al | 1995 | |
| Katharina leather maker | Detective Inspector | FRG | Richard Hey | 1973 | |
| Leopold Lemming | Private detective | Austria | Stefan Slupetzky | 2004 | |
| Lennet | Secret agent | France | Vladimir Volkoff | 1965 | |
| Abe Liebermann | police officer | Bill Hanrahan | United States | Stuart Kaminsky | 1991 |
| Ann Lindell | Detective Inspector | Sweden | Kjell Eriksson | 1999 | |
| Thomas Lynley | inspector | Barbara Havers | Great Britain | Elizabeth George | 1988 |
| Joona Linna | Commissioner | Sweden | Lars Kepler | 2009 | |
| Sara Linton | Coroner | Grant County | United States | Karin Slaughter | 2001 |
| Jakob Löhr | Commissioner | Germany | Peter Meisenberg | 2000 | |
| Marco Luciani | Commissario | Italy | Claudio Paglieri | 2005 | |
| Andrew M'butu | Police sergeant | Constable Kobari | Kenya | Walter Satterthwait | 1982 |
| George Macrae | Detective superintendent | Leo Silver | Great Britain | Alan Scholefield | 1990 |
| Cassandra "Cassie" Maddox | policewoman | Ireland | Tana French | 2007 | |
| Leo Magozzi | Detective | Gino Rolseth | United States | PJ Tracy | 2003 |
| Kristina Mahlo | Estate administrator | Germany | Sabine Kornbichler | 2013 | |
| Jules Maigret | Detective inspector | Lucas, Janvier, Lapointe, Torrence | France | Georges Simenon | 1931 |
| Philip Maloney | Private detective | Switzerland | Roger Graf | 1989 | |
| Hermione "Minni" man | Private detective | "Joey" Howorka | Austria | Helmut Zenker | 1989 |
| Alan Markby | inspector | Meredith Mitchell | Great Britain | Ann Granger | 1999 |
| Philip Marlowe | Private detective | United States | Raymond Chandler | 1939 | |
| Jane Marple | Amateur detective | Great Britain | Agatha Christie | 1930 | |
| Robert Marthaler | Detective inspector | Germany | Jan Seghers | 2004 | |
| Rebecka Martinsson | Lawyer, Public Prosecutor | Anna Maria Mella | Sweden | Åsa Larsson | 2003 |
| Perry Mason | Defense attorney | Paul Drake, Della Street | United States | Alder Stanley Gardner | 1933 |
| Theo Matthies | Undertaker | Germany | Christiane Fux | 2012 | |
| Balthasar Matzbach | Universal dilettante | Germany | Gisbert Haefs | 1981 | |
| Valerie Mauser | Detective | Manfred Stolwerk | Austria | Joe Fischler | 2015 |
| Cyril McCorkle | Pub owner | Michael Padillo | FRG / USA | Ross Thomas | 1966 |
| Patrick McLanahan | Army Lieutenant | United States | Dale Brown | 1987 | |
| Tony Mendez | Detective | United States | Tami Hoag | 2009 | |
| Sir Henry Merrivale | detective | Great Britain | John Dickson Carr | 1934 | |
| Willibald Adrian Metzger | restorer | Danjela Djurkovic | Austria | Thomas Raab | 2007 |
| Eberhard Mock | Detective | Poland | Marek Krajewski | 1999 | |
| William Monk | Private detective | Hester Latterly | Great Britain | Anne Perry | 1990 |
| Salvo Montalbano | Commissario | Mimì Augello, Fazio, Catarella | Italy | Andrea Camilleri | 1994 |
| Fabio Montale | police officer | France | Jean-Claude Izzo | 1995 | |
| IA Moto | Secret agent | United States | John Phillips Marquand | 1935 | |
| Carl Mørck | Detective inspector | Denmark | Jussi Adler-Olsen | 1997 | |
| Endeavor Morse | Inspector | England | Colin Dexter | 1975 | |
| Charlie Muffin | Secret agent | Great Britain | Brian Freemantle | 1977 | |
| Heinrich Muller | Private detective | Switzerland | Paul Lascaux | 2008 | |
| Joseph Müller | Secret policeman | Austria | Auguste Groner | 1890 | |
| Mrs. Murphy | Tiger cat | United States | Rita Mae Brown | 1990 | |
| Johanna di Napoli | Detective | Switzerland | Michael Herzig | 2007 | |
| Timo Nortamo | police officer | Finland | Ilkka Remes | 2005 | |
| Michael Ochajon | Criminal inspector | Israel | Batya Gur | 1992 | |
| Conrad Orsini | Private detective | Austria | Lizl Stein , Georg Koytek | 2010 | |
| Michel Osbourne | CIA agent | United States | Daniel Silva | 1998 | |
| Siri Paiboun | pathologist | Laos | Colin Cotterill | 2004 | |
| Charlie Parker | Private investigator | United States | John Connolly | 1999 | |
| Parker | Professional criminal | United States | Richard Stark | 1962 | |
| Amelia Peabody | Egyptologist | United States | Elizabeth Peters | 1975 | |
| Toby Peters | Private detective | United States | Stuart Kaminsky | 1977 | |
| Baldwin whistles | Master detective | FRG | Wolfgang corner | 1975 | |
| Dirk Pitt | agent | United States | Clive Cussler | 1973 | |
| Thomas Pitt | police officer | Charlotte Pitt | Great Britain | Anne Perry | 1979 |
| Stephanie Plum | Private detective | United States | Janet Evanovich | 1995 | |
| Hercule Poirot | Private detective | Arthur Hastings | Great Britain | Agatha Christie | 1920 |
| Simon Polt | Gendarmerie officer | Austria | Alfred Komarek | 1998 | |
| John Poole | inspector | Great Britain | Henry Wade | 1928 | |
| Milena Proháska | Ex-lawyer | Jean Beringer | Germany | Doris Gercke | 2002 |
| Ellery Queen | Amateur detective | United States | Ellery Queen | 1929 | |
| Gerriet Quirke | pathologist | Ireland | Benjamin Black | 2006 | |
| John Rain | Contract killer | United States | Barry Eisler | 2002 | |
| Mma Ramotswe | Private detective | Botswana | Alexander McCall Smith | 2000 | |
| Mitch Rapp | CIA agent | United States | Vince Flynn | 1999 | |
| Gereon Rath | Commissioner | Germany | Volker Kutscher | 2007 | |
| Jack Reacher | former military policeman | United States | Lee Child | 1997 | |
| Joseph Reavley | Vicar | Great Britain | Anne Perry | 2003 | |
| John Rebus | inspector | Siobhan Clarke | Great Britain | Ian Rankin | 1987 |
| Lincoln Rhyme | Forensic expert | Amelia Sachs | United States | Jeffery Deaver | 1997 |
| Jason Richter | major | Talon | United States | Dale Brown | 2005 |
| Jacques Ricou | Judge | France | Ulrich Wickert | 2005 | |
| Jane Rizzoli | Detective Inspector | Maura Isles | United States | Tess Gerritsen | 2001 |
| Köbi Robert | Private detective | Switzerland | Stephan Pörtner | 1998 | |
| Bennie Rosato | Lawyer | United States | Lisa Scottoline | 1993 | |
| Porifirij Petrovich Rostnikov | Criminal inspector | Russia | Stuart Kaminsky | 1981 | |
| Joseph Rouletabille | reporter | France | Gaston Leroux | 1907 | |
| Francesco Santamaria | Commissario | Italy | Fruttero & Lucentini | 1974 | |
| Agaton Sax | Master detective | Sweden | Nils-Olof Franzén | 1955 | |
| Kay Scarpetta | Coroner | United States | Patricia Cornwell | 1990 | |
| Schmitty | police officer | United States | George Bagby | 1935 | |
| 00 tailors | Commissioner | Germany | Helge Schneider | 1994 | |
| Matthew Scudder | Private detective | United States | Lawrence Block | 1976 | |
| Konrad Sejer | Commissioner | Norway | Karin Fossum | 1995 | |
| Gerhard Selb | Private detective | Germany | Bernhard Schlink | 1987 | |
| Doug Selby | Prosecutor | Rex Brandon, Sylvia Martin | United States | Alder Stanley Gardner | 1937 |
| Peter Shandy | professor | United States | Charlotte MacLeod | 1978 | |
| Matthew Shardlake | barrister | England | CJ Sansom | 2003 | |
| Rei Shimura | Detective | Japan | Sujata Massey | 1997 | |
| Maud Silver | Detective | Frank Abbott | Great Britain | Patricia Wentworth | 1928 |
| Leonie Simon | Forensic doctor | Germany | Renate Kampmann | 2001 | |
| David Small | rabbi | United States | Harry Kemelman | 1964 | |
| George Smiley | Secret agent | Peter Guillam | Great Britain | John le Carré | 1961 |
| Mackenzie Smith | Law professor | Annabelle Reed (Smith) | United States | Margaret Truman Daniel | 1990 |
| Hans von Solberg | detective | Notary Püster | Germany | Friedrich Gerstäcker | 1870 |
| Soneri | Commissario | Italy | Valerio Varesi | 2000 | |
| Sam Spade | Private detective | United States | Dashiell Hammett | 1930 | |
| Spenser | Private detective | United States | Robert B. Parker | 1973 | |
| Matthäus Spielberger | Innkeeper | Austria | Christian Mähr | 2014 | |
| John Stableford | Literature professor | Sir Perceval Holmes, Harriet Taylor | Great Britain | Rob Reef | 2010 |
| Philip St. Ives | Negotiator | Myron Greene | United States | Ross Thomas | 1969 |
| Jack Stapleton | pathologist | Laurie Montgomery | United States | Robin Cook | 1992 |
| Fred Dust | Police captain | Switzerland | Ernst Solèr | 2006 | |
| Frank Stave | Chief Inspector | James MacDonald | Germany | Cay Rademacher | 2011 |
| Felicitas Stern | abbess | Germany | Petra Oelker | 2001 | |
| Sergeant Studer | Constable | Switzerland | Friedrich Glauser | 1936 | |
| Tabor south | Commissioner, later private investigator | Germany | Friedrich Ani | 1998 | |
| Nora Tabani | Private detective | Switzerland | Mitra Devi | 2008 | |
| Simon Tanner | Commissioner | Switzerland | Urs Schaub | 2003 | |
| Simon Templar | Criminal | Great Britain | Leslie Charteris | 1928 | |
| Paul Temple | Private detective and crime writer | Steve Temple | Great Britain | Francis Durbridge | 1938 |
| John Evelyn Thorndyke | Coroner | Great Britain | Richard Austin Freeman | 1907 | |
| CJ Townsend | Public prosecutor | United States | Jilliane Hoffman | 2004 | |
| Will Trent | Special agent | United States | Karin Slaughter | 2007 | |
|
The triumvirate:
Albrecht, Bargmann, Korff |
Colonel a. D., pastor, doctor | Innkeeper | FRG | Gisbert Haefs | 1987 |
| Dagobert Trostler | Amateur detective | Austria | Baldwin Groller | 1910 | |
| tweed | deputy Director Secret Service SIS | Great Britain | Colin Forbes | 1982 | |
| Mira Valensky | Journalist | Austria | Eva Rossmann | 1999 | |
| Philo Vance | Private detective | United States | SS Van Dine | 1926 | |
| Fran Varady | Private detective | Great Britain | Ann Granger | 2004 | |
| Van Veeteren | Commissioner | undefined | Håkan Nesser | 1993 | |
| Bodo Völxen | Commissioner | Germany | Susanne Mischke | 2008 | |
| Johann Friedrich von Allmen | detective | Switzerland | Martin Suter | 2011 | |
| Kurt Wallander | Commissioner | Sweden | Henning Mankell | 1991 | |
| Vic Warshawsky | Private detective | United States | Sara Paretsky | 1982 | |
| Tim Waverly | Professional card player | United States | Tom Kakonis | 1982 | |
| Regionald Wexford | Chief Inspector | Great Britain | Ruth Rendell | 1964 | |
| Hanne Wilhelmsen | Commissioner | Norway | Anne Holt | 1993 | |
| Lord Peter Wimsey | Amateur detective | Harriet Vane, Mervyn Bunter, Charles Parker | Great Britain | Dorothy L. Sayers | 1923 |
| Jonathan Wide | Private detective | Sweden | Åke Edwardson | 1997 | |
| Erik Winter | Commissioner | Sweden | Åke Edwardson | 1997 | |
| Max Winter | Private detective | Netherlands | Felix Thijssen | 2002 | |
| Nero Wolfe | Private detective | Archie Goodwin | United States | Rex stout | 1934 |
| CF Wong | Feng Shui detective | Joyce McQuinnie | Singapore | Nury Vittachi | 2000 |
| Artie Wu | Private detective | Quincy Durant | United States | Ross Thomas | 1978 |
| Aurelio Zen | Police commissioner | Italy | Michael Dibdin | 1988 |
Remarks
- ↑ Year of first publication