Created by James L. Rubel Pseudonyms include Mason Macrae, Timothy Hayes (1894-1960) "Meet Miss Donovan, the only private eye who wears mascara. She's easily the most beautiful shamus living.” — the original cover blurb One of the first attempts at writing a more down-to-earth woman detective in book form was James L Rubel's surprisingly decent … Continue reading Eli Donovan
Tag: Ex-Marine
Len Buonfiglio
Created by Brian Silverman Freedom Drop (2021) introduces ex-Marine and former New York bar owner "with a few miles on him" LEN BUONFIGLIO, in what could be a great series, full of solid characters and sparkling with local colour. Recently divorced and tired of the Big Apple life, he packed up and moved to the small … Continue reading Len Buonfiglio
Erica Jensen
Created by Debbi Mack Licence? I don't need no stinkin' licence! Playing by the rules and following orders while deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as a Marine left ERICA JENSEN with a fucked-up back, PTSD and an addiction to painkillers, so she's decided to keep it low key. And who really needs all that tiresome … Continue reading Erica Jensen
Freddy Otash
Created by James Ellroy "Ellroy’s a dipshit. I knew him in my waning months alive. I’ve been granted tell-all telepathy. I will know that cocksucker cold." -- Freddie nails Ellroy to the wall, in "Shakedown" According to Wikipedia, FREDDIE OTASH was "a Los Angeles police officer, private investigator, author, and a WWII Marine veteran, who became known … Continue reading Freddy Otash
Max Thursday
Created by Wade Miller Pseudonym of Bob Wade (1920-2012) and Bill Miller [1920-1961]) "Outside the sky was the same monotonous gray. The rain was drying into large puddles on Fifth Avenue. Max Thursday watched the early morning traffic and wished for the clean needles of a cold shower and something scalding to change the taste … Continue reading Max Thursday
Joe (You Were Never Really Here)
Created by Jonathan Ames A dark and disturbing character study dressed up in action flick clothes, You Were Never Really Here (2017) stars Joaquin Phoenix as JOE, an unstable former FBI agent and Marine, plagued by thoughts of suicide. He hunts down missing girls in the New York City area, but he's not some slick, handsome private eye … Continue reading Joe (You Were Never Really Here)
Dave Barrett (Manhunter)
Created by Sam H. Rolfe Taciturn DAVE BARRETT was an ex-WWI marine turned bounty hunter who goes up against a Bonnie-and-Clyde team of bank robbers who murdered his former girlfriend (and his dog!) in Manhunter, a 1974 TV movie. Dave was played by Ken Howard, later to star as television's The White Shadow. Killed his … Continue reading Dave Barrett (Manhunter)
Matt Mercer
Created by Day Keene Pseudonym of Gunnar Hjerstedt Other pseudonyms include Lewis Dixon, William Richards, Daniel White, John Corbett & Donald King (1904-1969) "Matt Mercer had come back from the South Pacific, leaving his arm behind on some Jap-infested island until, six-thousand miles away from that hell-hole, he found that the Little Yellow sons had returned--to claim … Continue reading Matt Mercer
Jack Starkey
Created by William Wells JACK STARKEY is an ex-homicide cop from Chicago who dumps the Windy City and the CPD to live the life aquatic on a houseboat called Phoenix and runs a bar called the Drunken Parrot in sleepy Fort Myers Beach, Florida, in a couple of easy-going books by William Wells. Jack figures this is the … Continue reading Jack Starkey
Rick and A.J. Simon (Simon & Simon)
Created by Philip DeGuere Ever wonder what would happen if the HARDY BOYS grew up? At least a little bit? Squabbling siblings and San Diego private eye brothers RICK and ANDREW JACKSON "A.J." SIMON attempted to answer that question every week for seven seasons on Simon & Simon, one of the eighties' more popular detective … Continue reading Rick and A.J. Simon (Simon & Simon)