Created by William E. Barrett (1900-1986) I wonder if Jeff Johnson, creator of P.I/tatoo artist Darby Holland, knows about NEEDLE MIKE, William E. Barrett's crime-solving tattoo artist from the pulps? Posing as a seedy, disreputable alcoholic owner (complete with gold tooth and bum leg) of a grimy tattoo parlor on South Broadway in the equally … Continue reading Needle Mike (aka Ken McNally)
Tag: It’s my prerogative…
Humphrey Bogart (Rest in Pieces)
Fictionalized by John Stanley & Kenn Davis "I don't care what anybody says about me as long as it isn't true." — Humphrey Bogart Okay, Bogart's not a private eye. Or a writer of private eye stories. He was just an actor, for cryin' out loud! But has anyone ever so epitomized the private eye … Continue reading Humphrey Bogart (Rest in Pieces)
Blake Glover
Created by Morgan Shy Pseudonym of Gordon Brown Flag down some Tartan Noir, lads! Thirty years a Glasgow constable, BLAKE GLOVER has retired and returned to his hometown of Fraserburgh on the north-east coast of Scotland with his tail between his legs — dour, disgraced and not at all sure where his life is heading, … Continue reading Blake Glover
Cooper MacLeish
Created by Sam Reaves Pseudonyms include Dominic Martell "It was a long way to fall, a very long fall through the cold night air, and she fell the whole way without making a sound. At the end there was a sound, a sudden sick sound, but after a minute of stillness no one had come … Continue reading Cooper MacLeish
Dale Hunter
Created by Delvin R. Chatterson Trouble is his business? Not exactly. It's just that successful young Montreal entrepreneur DALE HUNTER just can't seem to stay out of trouble, in this engaging non-P.I. series of thrillers by Del Chatterson. Chatterson, it should be noted, writes about business like Dick Francis wrote about horses. When we meet … Continue reading Dale Hunter
Frankie Elkin
Created by Lisa Gardner Pseudinyms include Alicia Scott (1972--) "In my line of work — which isn't exactly a real job if you consider I have no training and receive no pay — I normally choose my cases. I can't always explain why this missing person cold case versus that one... I mostly gravitate to … Continue reading Frankie Elkin
Jimmy Burns
Created by Charles Portis (1933-2020) "Christmas again in Yucatán. Another year gone and I still scratching around this limestone peninsula." Best known for his classic (and bestselling) Western, 1968's True Grit, genre-hopping author Charles Portis never quite got around to writing a private eye novel. But 1991's character-driven, tongue-in-cheek Gringos comes awfully close. JIMMY BURNS … Continue reading Jimmy Burns
Rex the Wonder Dog
Created by Robert Kanigher (1915–2002) and Alex Toth (1928–2006) Okay, I'm not really sure where to begin. Partly because I'm not sure even DC Comics quite knew what to do with REX THE WONDER DOG, who at various times was a faithful canine companion, a superhero, and even, yes, a "detective." Rex was the top … Continue reading Rex the Wonder Dog
Duke Valentine
Created by Bob Shields Not exactly a private eye, maybe, but nobody bothered to tell former baseball jock turned night-time radio broadcaster and full-time shit magnet DUKE VALENTINE that. He wades into all sorts of murder and malicious mayhem in at least five stories in the short-lived and sleazy digest Off Beat Detective Stories in … Continue reading Duke Valentine
Mary Lou “Dunk” Bateson
Created by Lawrence Sanders (1920-98) Nope. Not a private eye at all, though she sure ends up making like one, trying to clear her name, six-foot two MARY LOU "DUNK" BATESON is a NYC rare coin specialist stuck in a jam. She's been accused of swiping the valuable Greek coin she's been hired to appraise … Continue reading Mary Lou “Dunk” Bateson