Detectives in Love Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tommy Beresford

So far as I can tell, Ariadne Oliver never shows the slightest interest in the opposite sex in any of the books and stories she appears in. She is MRS Oliver, however, so there must have once been a Mister.

Hercule Poirot does have a passion for Vera Rossakoff, the jewel thief, but it can hardly be described as stable, happy, and long term.

I think the "Miss" in Miss Marple's name can speak for itself.

Tommy Beresford is, of course, half of Tommy and Tuppence (Tuppence's real maiden name was Prudence Cowley). They have a long and happy marriage, raising two children, and growing old together.

Answer: Harriet Vane

Harriet first appears in "Strong Poison", on trial for the death of her lover. She and Peter duke it out until "Gaudy Night", when she finally accepts him; they are married in "Busman's Honeymoon".

Harriet and Peter also appear in a few books written to Sayers' notes by Jill Paton Walsh, but the less said about them, the better.

Answer: Nora

While there are indications in the book that Nick had previously been the "love 'em and leave 'em" type so beloved of hard boiled writers, he's a happily married man now. Hammett only wrote one book about this couple, but their first film outing was so successful that William Powell and Myrna Loy went on to make five "Thin Man" sequels.

Answer: Agatha Troy

Agatha is an artist. Marsh's first choice of career was the stage, and many of her detective stories are set in and around the theatre.

I don't know if Ngaio Marsh is read much these days - her books may not have the 'spark' which the 21st century reader needs to go back in time, the way that Christie's and Sayers' do.

Answer: Ned Nickerson

Ned is a good kind of boyfriend to have - attentive and solicitous when needed, yet blithely abandoned whenever his presence is not convenient.

The first "Nancy Drew" book, "The Secret of the Old Clock" was published in 1930. Ned first appeared in "The Clue in the Diary" (1932).

Carolyn Keene, the series' author, was a pen name used by various ghost writers, working from outlines provided by Edward Stratemeyer, and later, his daughters. Stratemeyer also brought us the Hardy Boys, The Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift, and others.

Answer: Teddy

Teddy is deaf, and the recurring villain in the books is also (probably) deaf; he calls himself "The Deaf Man". We never really find out if there is any connection, however.

For anyone who has never read an 87th precinct book, I highly recommend them. There are 54 books, from "Cop Hater" in 1956 to "Fiddlers" in 2005, and the quality is consistently great. The style and tone of the books changed considerably over the nearly fifty years, but they are always excellent - there has always been a little "something different" about the 87th. During a recent bout of ill health, I reread most of the series (the books from the '50s and '60s are 150 page three-a-dayers) and was amazed at how well they hold up. McBain (aka Evan Hunter/aka Salvatore Lombino) died in 2005.

Answer: Susan Silverman

Susan was a high school guidance counselor in that first book - she has since gone on to become a psychologist.

I have to admit that Susan Silverman is my least-favourite purportedly positive character in fiction - she really gets up my nose. And, despite their seemingly world-shattering love, Spenser and Susan don't live together - maybe, secretly, he can't stand her either....

Answer: Rina Lazarus

Rina is an orthodox Jew, and the accommodations she and Peter must make to each other's very different lifestyles are an interesting addition to the books. Of late, the series seems to have moved on to follow Peter's daughter by his first marriage, Cindy. She has also by this time become a Los Angeles cop.

Answer: Nelson Sharpe

Judith and Nelson eventually broke up - not because the affair was over, but because neither could face what they were doing to their families. Fast forward twenty years - Judith's husband has died, her children have grown up and moved away, and she is trying to take widowed middle age in her stride. Just in time to keep her from sinking into terminal boredom, here comes another Long Island suburban murder... and another meeting with Lieutenant Sharpe.

Not all of Susan Isaacs books are mysteries, but there is an element of mystery or thriller in most of them. I love her books - they are fast and funny, and the characters are real people, especially the women.

Answer: Irene Adler

Adler outwits Holmes, in "A Scandal in Bohemia" (1891) the first Holmes short story from "The Strand" magazine.

Many modern writers have tried their hands at a Holmes story, and they often try to inject a little romance into the mix. On the whole, though, this is unsuccessful - he's just not a sexy kinda guy.