Pete & Jeanne Schofield

Created by Thomas B. Dewey Pseudonyms include Tom Brandt and Cord Wainer (1915-81) The thing about San Fernando Valley post-war private eye PETE SCHOFIELD and his "beautiful little redhead" wife JEANNE is that they're married--happily! Well, more or less. Trust me, in private detective fiction, particularly for those times, there weren't many happily married couples, … Continue reading Pete & Jeanne Schofield

Married to It!

Hitched! Married Eyes and Their Spouses... A few of these are true detecting duos, but most, sadly, have the wife reduced to the role of "the little woman," there simply as someone to occasionally be kidnapped, make breakfast or stamp her pretty little foot when hubby rushes out of the house to confront some femme fatale … Continue reading Married to It!

Nick & Sue Burney

Created by Edward Churchill Pseudonym o Edward C. Off (1902-1960) The Rock City correspondent for the Las Verdes Sentinel, tall thin NICK BURNEY has an"unruly mop of black hair," a beat-up but reliable Ford pick-up, and a habit of drinking and driving. He also has a wife, SUE BURNEY, an outdoorsy type who's "slim and boyish" with … Continue reading Nick & Sue Burney

Sabrina & Hilton Shire

Created by E.D. Bird A self-published novel by Elaine D. Bird, a Scottish writer living in Zimbabwe, Goldenviron: The First Encounter (2011) follows private investigator SABRINA SHIRE, who's hired a woman to find out who murdered her husband Ben Curl, apparently the only shareholder in a giant mining company, Goldenviron, in an apparently-unnamed African nation. The story kicks in with Sabrina … Continue reading Sabrina & Hilton Shire

Nick and Nora Charles

Created by Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) Nora: "I read where you were shot five times in the tabloids." Nick: "Not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids." -- from The Thin Man (1934 film) The glitzy adventures of Dashiell Hammett's retired private eye NICK CHARLES and his rich, beautiful (and not quite as ditzy as … Continue reading Nick and Nora Charles

Gail and Dwight “Di” Berke

Created by Carl G. Hodges (1902-64) Sports editor of The Journal, DWIGHT "DI" BERKE could always be counted on to dig into the crimonious aspects of sports, be it horse racing, bowling or whatever. Fortunately his wife (and photog for the same rag) GAIL BERKE, armed with "her four-by-five Grafix slung over her tailored shoulder," … Continue reading Gail and Dwight “Di” Berke

Jake & Hildy Pace

Created by Ron Goulart (1933--)  Private eyes pop up in the myriad universes of science fiction from time to time, and Ron Goulart has been responsible for quite a few of them; the husband-and-wife team of JAKE and HILDY PACE are probably the most enduring and memorable among his lazgun-packing ops. Take the sharp wit and … Continue reading Jake & Hildy Pace

Donald Langham & Marie Dupré

Created by Eric Brown DONALD LANGHAM is a struggling midlist mystery writer turned (initially reluctant) private investigator in 1950s England, slowly drifting through middle age. He's often accompanied by the beautiful and resourceful (and infinitely more spirited) literary agent Maria Dupré (later his wife) on his adventures, in this well-paced, cozyish series by sci-fi writer … Continue reading Donald Langham & Marie Dupré

Paul Beck (Alfred Juggins) & Dora Myrl

Created by M. McDonnell Bodkin, K.C. (1850-1933) "The devilish ingenuity of Mr. Bodkins' criminals is such as to make the nervous tremble for a world without Paul Beck." -- The Yorkshire Daily Observer PAUL BECK and DORA MYRL would have been interesting enough on their own: two prime examples of early fictional detectives, each successful … Continue reading Paul Beck (Alfred Juggins) & Dora Myrl

Pat & Jean Abbott

Created by Frances Crane (1896-1981) Definitely on the cozier side of the P.I. genre, but enjoyable enough in their own way, and at the time one quite popular. When JEAN HOLLY married PAT ABBOTT, one of the more interesting married teams of detectives was born. He's the slightly older, slick and dapper San Francisco gumshoe. … Continue reading Pat & Jean Abbott