best fictional detective?

[two sheds]

yes whoops I did remember and added it right after I'd posted. He's an excellent character, with a fine sidekick

 

[gosub]

I'd say Jim Rockford but he's let down secretarially...fucking answer phone every time

 

[MrsArcanum]

A couple few will have heard of.
Inspector Chopra - from the Baby Ganesh Agency by Vaseem Khan
Reverend Francis Oughterard and Maurice the Cat and Bouncer the Dog (Bones stories) by Suzette A Hill

Both cosy crime writers but with a great deal of wit IMO.

 

[geminisnake]

I really like DCI Logan and his team, written by JD Kirk

 

[BassJunkie]

Enrico Pallazo

 

[Elpenor]

I really like Zoe Boehm (the e in Zoe has a thing over it) in the series of books by Slow Horses scribe Mick Herron. They’re going to be made for posh telly (Apple TV) with I think Emma Thompson in the title role, I thought the character is written as in her early 40s but think she’s a good choice

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

Currently rereading the Cadfael series.

 

[A380]

I'd say Jim Rockford but he's let down secretarially...fucking answer phone every time

Excellent filing system though.

 

[Aaronf]

Lieutenant Columbo for the same reason mentioned by the OP, it's always my answer to this question

 

[Saffy]

I used to love the time between Neighbours and kids telly being on when there used to be a detective show on.
It would be Quincy, Diagnosis Murder, Colombo or Cagney and Lacey and so on.

But I loved Murder she wrote, especially the one with Magnum in.

 

[The39thStep]

Enjoyed Colin Fox as John Sugar in the recent series Sugar .

 

[breadandcircuse]

Can we count a US Marshal? He's not technically a detective, but he's a lawman who oversteps the remit constantly, by working the plot out, and kicking arse, well actually doing more than that. He's also extremely easy on the eye in the tv version of Elmore Leonard's character, if you are not bothered about the plots but just want something nice to look at. Every episode is full of cracking lines .

 

[hitmouse]

Have we had Jack Black?

 

[Lotte]

Nancy Drew.

 

[A380]

Can we count a US Marshal? He's not technically a detective, but he's a lawman who oversteps the remit constantly, by working the plot out, and kicking arse, well actually doing more than that. He's also extremely easy on the eye in the tv version of Elmore Leonard's character, if you are not bothered about the plots but just want something nice to look at. Every episode is full of cracking lines .

One of the few cop shows I watched. Concur with everything you wrote.