Publisher's Synopsis
If you love a good, juicy murder mystery, you'll enjoy MURDER! The 25 Most Intriguing Private Eyes in Books, Movies and TV: Their Lives, Cases, Dives, Digs, Drives & Drinks. This is the new book by award-winning writer Lan Sluder, author of more than 20 books, who delivers the good stuff on 25 of the most awesome private detectives in history, from Edgar Allan Poe's Auguste Dupin -- who appeared in the first detective story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" -- to the latest thriller by Sue Grafton. Which mystery writer had the highest IQ, estimated at more than 180? Is Travis McGee's 1936 Rolls-Royce pickup the coolest ride of any PI? Where exactly in San Francisco did Sam Spade live? What detective has appeared in more movies than any other? What cocktail did Miss Jane Marple like to drink? What is the murder capital of America (hint: it's not Chicago). Which tough guy detective had at one time seven of the 10 best-selling novels in history? Who is the best-selling mystery author of all time? Whether you like "cozies" or hardboiled and noir detective stores or locked door puzzle mysteries, you find something interesting in this new 70,000-word guide to 25 great private detectives, not just in books but also in television and film. MURDER! covers all the bases: TALENTED AMATEURS Nick and Nora Charles (Dashiell Hammett and various film producers and directors) C. Auguste Dupin (Edgar Allan Poe) Jessica Fletcher (Murder, She Wrote created for television by Richard Levinson and William Link) Hallmark Blondes (created for television by various producers and writers for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle and many film, radio and television versions) Miss Jane Marple (Agatha Christie and many film and television versions) Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie and many film and television versions) Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy L. Sayers and on television) THE PROFESSIONALS Charlie Chan (Earl Derr Biggers and many movies) Perry Mason and Paul Drake (Erle Stanley Gardner and on television and in film) Adrian Monk (co-created for television by Andy Breckman) Ellery Queen (Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee and in film, radio and television) Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin (Rex Stout and in radio and television) TOUGH GUYS Lew Archer (Ross Macdonald and in film) Mike Hammer (Mickey Spillane and in film and television) Philip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler and in film and television) Travis McGee (John D. MacDonald and in film) Jim Rockford (created for television by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell) Sam Spade (Dashiell Hammett and the film directed and written by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart) Spenser (Robert B. Parker and in television) NEW WOMEN Cordelia Gray (P. D. James) Judge Deborah Knott (Margaret Maron) Sharon McCone (Marcia Muller) Kinsey Millhone (Sue Grafton) Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich) You'll learn about the lives of these private eyes and about the writers who created them. You'll find out where they hung out, what cars they drove, what drinks they drank (cocktail recipes included) and where they lived and worked. If you or a friend or family member loves mysteries, murders and an exciting detective story, get this guide to the 25 best and most intriguing private eyes.
