Talk:Crime fiction/Catalogs/Famous detectives

We could, I suppose, expand briefly on each entry: Sherlock Holmes, private investigator for hire; Matt Helm, U.S. government counter-agent and assassin; Father Brown, priest and amateur private investigator; etc, although precisely categorizing some of these will be tricky. Hayford Peirce 17:10, 9 January 2010 (UTC)

possible name change?

We've now got the Saint, Parker, Dortmunder, Arsene Lupin, Raffles, and a bunch of secret agents. I'm wondering if the Catalog name should be changed to "Famous detectives and criminals" or "Famous protagonists" or "Famous series characters" or some such? Hayford Peirce 01:32, 23 January 2010 (UTC)

This was to be expected since "crime fiction" was meant to include these genres, and (I think) it was you who started to add the Saint and James Bond. However, I do not think that it is mandatory to change the title (I like short and suggestive titles ;-). It should suffice to explain in the introduction that also other characters "acting as (or similar to) detectives" are included. Even Miss Marple is not a "detective" proper. But if you think that the title has to be literally correct I won't mind. --Peter Schmitt 00:24, 24 January 2010 (UTC)

Perhaps just 'detective protagonists', since famous many are surely not. Ro Thorpe 01:55, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

How about Crime fiction protagonists -- that ought to cover *everyone*, including Prof. Moriarty, about whom, if I recall correctly, John Gardner, the guy who wrote the Boysie Oakes books, wrote three or four fairly noir novels.... Hayford Peirce 04:37, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Just remember, if relevant, that, in correct usage, there's only ever one protagonist. Peter Jackson 10:38, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

True. But in this case, *if* the word were used, it would be referring to one protagonist per series, ie, Sherlock Holmes in one, Nero Wolfe in another. But I'm thinking that "characters" may be better.... Hayford Peirce 16:10, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

"Detectives and others" ? Or "Crime solvers" ? --Peter Schmitt 01:34, 26 January 2010 (UTC)

Since the full title would be Crime Fiction/Catalogs/Famous characters or Crime Fiction/Catalogs/Famous detectives and others, either one would be both precise and descriptive and not *too* cumbersome. Hayford Peirce 02:14, 26 January 2010 (UTC)