The GreatDetectives
An investigation
of the modernmystery
storyanditsfascination
to devotees
theworldover,in whichwe attempt
to
unravelthe puzzleof why Sherlock
Holmes,
Inspector
Maigret
and therestshouldlive
althoughtheywereneverborn...
plateauof literature
wheretheir
[] The cookbookcalledfor whiteinsteadof red transcendental
doingsare,to thereader,
intimate
reality.
winein thecoq-au-vin,
withjusta dropof sloegin fictional
just as they
15 minutesbeforeserving.The author,French We have come into theirhouseholds
foodcriticRobertCourtine,
explained
thatthisis have come into ours- in Holmes’scase a very
strangehousehold
indeed.
what Madame Maigret prepares and ~simmers
It has beensaid,thoughwithno suchdefinitive
with love"for her husbandJules,betterknown
proofas the subjecthimselfwoulddemand,that
to detectivestoryfanciersaroundthe worldas
ChiefInspector
Maigretof the Parispolice.Cour- SherlockHolmesis the best-knowncharacterin
He is a memberof that
tinehad piecedtherecipetogether
fromreferences all of Englishliterature.
most
exclusive
group
of
imaginative
creations
in severalMaigretstories.SinceMadameMaigret
who
have
outlived
not
only
their
creators,
but
is fromAlsace,he specified
an Alsatian
Traminger
their
era.
Through
films,
radio,
television
and
bothin the sauceand to be drunkwith the dish.
comic
strips,
the
peculiarities
of
Holmes’s
personThe use of the presenttensein the recipeis
instructive
in thatit showshow certainliterary ality are known to vast numbersof people who
have neverread the originalHolmesstories.In
creationscan loom so large in our mindsas to
becomevirtuallivingpersons.
Everyreaderof the what must be the ultimatetest of immortality,
MaigretstoriesknowsthatMaigretis frequently many madmenevidentlybelievethey are Sherlock
detained
fromsittingdownto hiswife’sdelicious Holmes.
This probablywouldhave pleasedhis creator,
offeringsby the untimelydemandsof his work.
Arthur
Conan Doyle,a spiritualist
who dabbled
Readers also know that Madame Maigret keeps
in
the
ways
of
immortality.
Conan
Doyle
hugely
a tightrein on her patiencewhenthis happens.
enjoyed
the
game
of
persuading
readers
that
They sympathizewith both of them; she in her
Holmes
was
a
real,
if
somewhat.shadowy,
human
kitchenwiththe dinnerover-cooking,
he sitting
being.He did thisby deftlyscattering
references
with his stomach grumblingin a car on some
to
actual
persons
and
events
throughout
his
shabbyside-street
waitingto confront
a suspect.
stories.
Their
tongues
in
their
cheeks,
Holmes
To Maigretenthusiasts,
the ChiefInspectorand
scholars
are onlytoo happyto keepthe gamegoing
his good wife are alive and--apartfrom the
to
this
day.
occasional
boutof indigestion
-- well.
The firstthingtheywill tellyou is thatthe
In the worldof detective
fictionMaigretstands
Holmes
storieswere not writtenby ConanDoyle
with the great SherlockHolmeshimselfon that
lendhima special
airofreality.
Inspecat all,butby a ratherstuffy
butgood-naturedunreality
police,the
chapnamedDr.Watson.
Sherlock
Holmes
societies torVan der Valkof theAmsterdam
of author
Nicholas
Freeling,
is an avid
everywhere
(andtheyareeverywhere)
operate
on creation
of Maigret
stories.
He oftenwonders
when
the elementarypremisethat Holmesand his reader
difficult
problem
what
apostlereallydidmaketheirheadquarters
in facedwitha particularly
would
do ina caselikethis.
theirlodgings
at 212BBakerStreet.
Theaddress Maigret
Obviously
thelasting
appeal
of theimaginary
doesnotexistnow,buttheyexplain
thatis behasmuchto do withthetypeof story
causeof demolition
andrebuilding
sinceHolmes’s detectives
players.
Everybody
andWatson’s
heyday.
It is reported
thatthefirm in whichtheyaretheleading
Smallchildren
are enthralled
whichoccupies
thenearest
number
to 212Bregu- lovesa mystery.
hencetheirpassion
forriddles
larlyreceives
mailaddressed
to Sherlock
Holmes. by themysterious,
Adults
tendto likepuzzles
of
So,longafterthelasthackney
vanished
from andhide-and-seek.
thegaslit
streets
ofLondon,
Sherlock
Holmes
still allkinds,nonemorethanthepuzzleof whois
forthecorpseon the drawing-room
strides
conceitedly
across
thestage
offancy,
prac- responsible
tisingwhatWatson
calledhisspecialityomni- floor.
science.
SinceConanDoyle’scopyright
finally
lapsed
a fewyearsago,newbooksandfilmsabout Otherheroescomeand go, but
Holmes’s
adventures
by otherauthorshavebeen detectives
goon forever
appearing
regularly,
supposedly
culled
fromhitherto-undiscovered
documents.
Holmesis still
In common
withcharacters
in comicstrips
and
capableof bowlingoverreadersand audiences television
serials
andsituation
comedies,
fictional
withthemightof hismental
processes.
He is doing sleuths
oweat leastpartof theirfamiliarity
to
verywellfora manof125years
ofage.
thefactthattheykeepappearing
in one story
Whatis it thatmakes
fictional
detectives,
above afteranother.
Butwhiletheothertypessoonfade
allliterary
figures,
liveonagelessly
inourimagi- frommemory
whentheirstintin thelimelight
is
nations?A conversation
among any groupof over,the detectives
retaintheirprominence
mysterystoryfans-whichmeans almostany through
constant
retellings
of theiradventures
in
groupof people
wholiketo readforrelaxation-reprinted
paperback
booksandfreshadaptations
willturnup endless
minutia
aboutthelivesof fortelevision,
filmandthestage.
characters
whoneverexisted
in thestrict
sense
of
Yet,despite
thefactthatno lesser
a literary
theword.YoumighthearabouthowCharlie
Chan figurethan EdgarAllanPoe is creditedwith
not onlyhas a numberof sonsbuta daughter; writing
thefirstmodern
detective
stories
andsuch
abouthowHercule
Poirot
oncefailed
to tellsome- splendid
writersas Dashiell
HammettandRayonewhothought
he wasFrench
thathe wasreally mondChandler
havespecialized
in them,detecBelgian;abouthow Nero Wolfemightjust be tivefiction
isstill
notfully
recognized
asa serious
Sherlock
Holmes’s
illegitimate
son,theissueof a artform.Themoreearnest
literary
critics
frown
liaison
between
thegreat
detective
anda forgottenuponmysteries.
Onlyrecently
an historian
of the
ladylong ago in Montenegro
(theclue is the detective
genreputit downas "pre-eminently
the
similarity
in thespelling
of thetwonames;
note literature
of thesick-room
andtherailway
cartheidentical
vowels).
riage".
Butif artisanyreflection
of thepreoccuIn atleast
oneinstance
a fictional
detective
may pations
of society,
thenthepersistent
demand
for
be foundslipping
intothisstateof mindhimself, crime
fiction
in allmedia
should
makeit an imporwiththecurious
effect
thathisexcursions
into tantvariety
ofart.
In thetelevision
age,theliterary
critics
have
beenjoined
by theircounterparts
whositin judgmenton TV in suggesting
thatthepublic
really
oughtto turnitsmindto something
betterthan our PhilipMarloweor Lew Archeror Kojak,is
crimeandmystery.
Theycomplain
thatfar too really
a reincarnation
of thatmanriding
in purmanytoughcopsandcleversleuthscomeand go suitof a holygrail,
thatrescuer
of endangered
on thescreens
in ourhomes.
Butit should
be noted maidens?
Ifso,doesthataccount
forthedetective’s
thatas fastas suchshowsgo,newonesemerge, pullon theimagination?
Is theresomething
deep
andoldonesmakea reappearance.
Theirattrac- withinus thatmakesus wantto believein the
tivenessmust say somethingaboutthe inner reality
of sucha man,eventhoughwe areaware
feelings
oftheirconsumers,
including
anatavisticthathe exists
onlyon paper
oron a screen?
fascination
withrobberyandmurder.Still,if
There
canbe no question
aboutourpsychological
people
areinterested
in crimeforitsownsake, needfor heroes.
A herois someonebiggerthan
theyarealsointerested
in punishment.
Theylike life,
andthedetective
certainly
fills
thatbill.
Heis
thethrills
thatgo withdeception
andpursuit,
but smarter
and,in mostinstances,
stronger
thanmost
theyarenot on thesideof thecriminal.
They ofus,andhe hasa keener
sense
ofintegrity.
Heis
wantto seejustice
triumph
in theend.
usuallyas much a protectorof the weak and
Thisis wherethefictional
detective
comesin- innocent
as a hunter
oftheguilty.
as an instrument
of justice.
He is theman(or,in
rarecases,sheis thewoman)whoovercomes
all Softness
and humanity
in the
theperplexing
andoccasionally
dangerous
obsta- chiefof thehomicide
squad
clesto seeto it thatwrong-doers
payfortheir
crimes.
Moreover,
thedetective
achieves
justice
Perhaps
themostunusual
of alldetective
heroes
whenit seemsas if it willnotbe donethrough --andsome thinkthe greatestis the aboveordinary
channels.
If itwerenotforhisskill
and mentioned
Inspector
Maigret.Maigretmakesa
diligence
in penetrating
to theheart
ofthemystery goodfocalpointforanydiscussion
of thedifferwherelessintelligent
andintrepid
people
would encesandsimilarities
amongfictional
detectives,
havefailed,
theculprit
wouldhavegotofffree. andof whytheyarecapable
ofliving
in ourminds.
Maigretis the creationof an acknowledged
Theimageof thedetective
writerof genius,GeorgesSimenon.
Simenonhas
as a modernknighterrant
written
morethan150novels,
thebulkof which
are not mysteryor detective
stories;
Maigret
According
to somehistorians,
thedetective’sfigures
in onlyaboutone-third
of theauthor’s
non-fictional
antecedents
areconsiderably
less works.In his othernovels,Simenon
dealswith
noble.
Theoriginal
detective,
theysay,wasatbest themes
likesickness,
oldage,ignorance,
suicide
a spyandat worsta stool-pigeon
whooperated andmadness.
on theseamyfringesof thecentralized
police
It wasintothisnightmare
worldthat,in 1930,
forces
of thecities
ofEurope
in themid-19th
cen- Simenonintroduced
the sereneand reassuring
tury.Detectives
wereregarded
withsuspicion
and figure
of Inspector
Maigret.
Critics
haveseentwo
hostility
by thepublic
andlooked
downuponas a facesto Simenon’s
work:tragedyand wisdom.
necessary
evilbythepolice.
Thewisdomshines
forthin theMaigret
stories,
themes
of tragedy,
subjected
to the
A moreliterary
approach
to thehistory
of the wherethestark
detective
giveshima morearistocratic
pedigree. uncompromising
glareof Simenon’sartistry,
Herehe is seenas thesuccessor
to the knight comeunderthesoftening
influence
of Maigret’s
errantof old,thatwandering
figurewho comes humanity.
intoa situation
at a moment
of crisis,
rights
the
wrongs,
andthenridesoffin search
of newwrongs
to right.
Could
itbethatourclassic
modern
sleuth,
andthechampion
of thedominant
social
Softness
andhumanity
arenotwordsonewould innocence
literary
historian
IanOusbywroteof
normally
associate
withthechiefof thehomicide morality,"
detective.
Whether
an upperclass
squadin a greatcity.Butthereader
soonfinds thefictional
gent
like
The
Saint
or
a
rough
diamondlike
thatMaigret
is closer
to essential
humanconcerns
J. D. MacDonald’s
TravisMcGee,thedetective’s
thantheothergreatsleuths.
Theirpersonalities
of honesty
andlifestyles
setthemapartfromeveryday
life placeis on thesideof thestandards
and
decency
to
which
the
majority
subscribe.
andordinary
peolSle.
Mostof themarebachelors
ourpaperdetectives
really
witha pretty
insensitive
approach
to theopposite Seenin thislight,
are
modern
knight
errants.
It
is
difficult
to
picture
Sex.Almost
allareeccentric
inonewayoranother.
MissMarpleor G. K. ChesterTheyusually
makea pointof thumbing
theirnoses AgathaChristie’s
ton’s
Father
Brown
riding
in on horseback
to rout
at convention.
villains
and
vandals,
but
that
is
basically
the
Maigret,
on theotherhand,is one of us- a
tradition
they
followed
every
time
they
applied
quiet,
pipe-smoking,
rather
overweight
fellow
who
intellects
to thequestion
of whodiswouldmakea goodneighbour.
He is no toughguy marvellous
turbed
the
social
order
by
exterminating
another
of theAmerican
pattern,
forever
punching
outor
human
being.
shooting
downhisadversaries.
On thecontrary,
he istouchingly
vulnerable.
In Maigret’s
eye,thequestion
is not ’whodunit",
butwhy?
We can onlyhopethatheroes
likethese
really
doexist
In addition
tothefactthatdetective
stories
are
harmless
tranquillizers,
Histhinking
runscounter
tothatof thegeneral funandmakeexcellent
runof fictional
detectives.
Mystery
stories
usually theywouldindeedseemto owesomeof theirento a humanneed for knight
hingeon a puzzle
thatdemands
a solution;
in the duringpopularity
errant
images.
Moralphilosophers
havesaidthat
orthodox
"whodunit",
theoverriding
consideration
errants
represent
theconscience.
EvenDon
is to unknotthe puzzleandtherebysolvethe knight
tilting
ridiculously
atthewindmills
is an
crime.
Maigret
is notso muchinterested
in who Quixote
of thelatent
nobility
ofmancoming
out
diditas in whytheydidit.Thekiller’s
identity expression
is oftenrevealed
at leasthalf-way
through
the to confront
thedarkforces
thattrouble
thesoul.
of whywe should
wantto believe
story.
In onefamous
case,
we aretoldinthetitle: Thequestion
in thesemythical
creatures
to theextent
of preLeCharretier
de laProvidence.
theyactually
existleadsus backintothe
Allof which
mightseemto leadtotheconclusiontending
tobacco-scented
presence
of Inspector
thatMaigret
is so different
fromtheothers
as to comforting,
Maigret
is good,
strong,
simple,
wise,and
be in a classby himself.
Actually,
though,
he is Maigret.
Whowouldnotwantto believe
in
theexception
thatproves
therule.
Forhe is above understanding.
alla public
protector,
as areallhisconfreres
in a manlikethat?
Thesamegoesforalltheothergreatdetectives
therealmof fictional
crimedetection.
Theyall
in timeas theystrive
bringtheirwits,theirinstincts,
andsometimes (takeyourpick)suspended
waysto accomplish
justice.
theirmuscles
to bearon thetaskof restoring
the intheirownparticular
thepossibility
thatpeople
withthe
socialcertainties
thathavebeenupsetby the Forwithout
willandskillto deliver
us fromevilwalkthe
commission
of a crime.
wherewouldwe be?We canonlyhopethat
~Inthecomplex
andperilous
worldof theme- earth,
existnotonlyon paperthatsometropolis
he actsas thedefender
of embattled suchpeople
wheretherereallyareheroesfighting
for the
freedomfrommolestation
thatis the basisof
everyday
civilized
life.
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©THE ROYAL BANK OF CANADA 1979/PRINTED IN CANADA