Throughout the history of literature both authors and their characters have become famous. Well known, they take on a life of their own. Movies, television shows, and books breathe life into the words us authors creature. We will look at the most famous mystery characters and why they stand out in our mind.
Today's Rundown:
- Top 10 Characters of Mystery
- Why are they compelling?
- Why are we interested in them?
- When do we loose interest in characters?
- Why do we want to see these characters again?
Top 10 Characters of Mystery
1.) Sherlock Holmes is one quite well known despite the age of the character. Holmes first appears in Sir Arthur Doyle's "A Study in Scarlet" in 1887. Since then many books, television series, and movies have been made based around the character and Doyle's works.
Sherlock is seen to be intelligent and logical. He constructs puzzles in a way that fascinate and keep others engaged. Although his forensic investigation in the beginning books may seem dated, he has aged well with society. This character can keep up with decades and centuries of change. His evolution grows with Watson at his side. Together they follow finger prints, cyphers, handwriting, and footprints from the late 1800s-2020s. Although he may look different in the mind and adaptation, the soul of his character is consistent.
2.) Nancy Drew entered bookstores in 1930. She appears in 175 novels, multiple movies, and PC games. These middle grade novels served as the female counterpart to the "Hardy Boys". She first appears Carolyn Keene's "The Secret of the Old Clock."
3.) C. Auguste Dupin first appears in Edgar Allen Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgan". Published in 1841, Poe is seen as a pioneer in the "detective" genre. Like those listed above, Dupin has history both on the page and the big screen. Although he is not as popular today, Dupin still holds high standings in the mystery world. Dupin has been known to inspire Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.
Poe created Dupin as an eccentric French man who helps the police solve crimes for his own amusement. He works by candlelight, and much like Sherlock, he has a sidekick that helps him solve crimes. Although, his sidekick is unnamed, this is a parallel he has with Sherlock. Perhaps Dupin and Sherlock could have been friends if they had ever met.
4.) Miss. Jane Marple first came to print in October 1930. Agatha Christie's well known series featuring such a unique character started with "The Murder at the Vicarage". She is described being an amateur sleuth and always knows what's going on. Christie created an innocent woman that collects information over tea. Although she is not the youngest on the block, Miss. Marple has a fearless nature that is carried off the page. Christie's character can be seen on the big and small screen.
I would say because of her age and her intelligence her character carries through into today's world. Although there haven't been any recent adaptations to the character, I would love to see her come back. She stands out not only because of her age and popularity, but her uniqueness.
5.) Philip Marlowe debuted in "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler (1939). Marlowe shows traits of honesty, integrity, and a desire of the truth. His nature is seen in many heroic characters with a charitable sense. For it is written that he only works for $25 a day. Marlowe is said to only show animation when there is a crime to catch his interest. He also follows in inspiration of Sherlock Holmes in his intelligence and genius. Many of Chandler's novels featuring Marlowe have become movies, mainly in the 1970s. However, there are rumors of a movie based on this character coming out in 2023.
6.) Frank and Joe Hardy first came to life in "The Tower of Treasure" by Franklin W. Dixon (1927). Frank and Joe are teenage boys who are fearless and use their courage to solve crimes. They are set in a small American town, which many children in this region can relate. Together they play out as partners. Frank and Joe display how brothers can work together and create a bond with one another, even though that's not always easy.
Their popularity has not wavered in almost a century. Movies have been made and recently (2020) a television series has been published on Hulu.
7.) Ezekiel (Easy) Rawlins appeared in Walter Mosley's "Devil in a Blue Dress". This novel hit the shelves in 1990. Easy Rawlins is a known detective that fights racial injustices in Los Angeles, California. Not only is he an unlicensed private investigator who turned into a detective, but he is also a World War II veteran.
Personally, I am intrigued by this character and how he comes across. He is a veteran and a well known character. Rawlins has earned his place on the big screen in a couple of adaptations.
8.) Lisabeth Salander appears in Stieg Larsson's series beginning with "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Unlike many other characters on this list, the writer has focused on her antisocial nature. She has the ability to hack computers. She barely trusts authority figures either which most-likely comes from her rough past. Lisabeth stands out with her imperfections that others can relate.
There has been one movie adaption including Lisabeth Salander.
9.) Phyrne Fisher made her debut in Kerry Greenwood's 1989 novel "Cocaine Blues". She is mainly referred to as Miss. Fisher is known to be independent, bold, aggressive, and charming. Fisher is grounded in Melbourne, Australia in-between World War I and II in the 1920s. Much like Sherlock she has an assistant who helps her with her detective work.
Miss. Fisher became a television show from 2012-2015.
10.) Gideon Fell came to be in 1933 created by John Dickson Carr. Fell appears in 23 mystery novels. Carr created him to be a softer detective that more people could adore. He is known to lecture and recite things throughout his tales. Although this has shown to be a dynamic character, films and television adaptions have not been made including this character.
Most of these characters have a drive or a strong desire to find the missing piece to a large puzzle. Puzzles are key to a mystery, but if the character doesn't have the desire or the drive your story will fold. Each of these characters hold a timeless nature that compels them into the future. Although some of the characters listed above are more recent, they have still carried themselves into present times.
Create a character that stands out but your readers can relate to. For example, Miss. Marple is an elderly woman that knows everything that goes on in her neck of the woods. This is familiar, even in other parts of the world. However, Miss. Marple has a unique side to her. Same with Easy Rawlins, he is a WWII veteran that fights social injustices in the black community. He a relatable to readers but has a unique nature to him.
Why are we interested in them?
- Unique
- Quirky
- Intelligent
- Stand-out personality
- Understandable
- Strong
- Diverse
Every member of the top ten have these attributes that keep them in our memories. For example, Sherlock Holmes has an engaging nature that was inspired by C. Auguste Dupin and has inspired many other characters on this list.
The challenge is figuring out how to make your own character through inspiration of what works. Readers want characters that are similar but in a different package. Make your character an individual, but there is no shame in taking attributes from what works.
When do we loose interest in characters?
- Boring
- Run of the mill
- Cliches used distastefully
- Creating a character that cannot solve problems on their own (now having a partner isn't a bad thing, but the main character has to be the one to do everything, otherwise the reader will loose interest)
- Lack of evolution
The characters above do not display any of these attributes. Now, I'm not against using cliches, but nothing good ever comes from being boring or ordinary. Your characters, especially the main character, has to be extraordinary. Sure, they can start out average, but that starts to intertwines with certain cliches.
If there is a lack of evolution or growth happening with your character, readers will loose interest.
Why do we want to see these characters again?
Happy writing!
P.S Make sure to check out my sources at the bottom and if you have anything to add please comment. Remember to be kind and respectful to others. Thanks.
-C.Mack
Sources: closeup.de (Image 1), https://prowritingaid.com/best-mystery-characters, https://www.britannica.com/topic/C-Auguste-Dupin, penguinrandomhouse.com (Image 2), fanpop.com (Image 3), Miss-Marple, https://murder-mayhem.com/best-classic-mystery-characters, Murder-My-Sweet, Google, artofmanliness.com (Image 4), https://www.waltermosley.com, movieposter.com (Image 5), https://www.goodreads.com/characters/7800-lisbeth-salander, https://miss-fishers-murder-mysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Phryne_Fisher, https://www.worlds-best-detective-crime-and-murder-mystery-books.com/dr-gideon-fell.html, penguinrandomhouse.com (Image 6), Flickr.com Jay Scott Pike (Image 7), Oprah.com (Image 8)
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