Fictional Detectives, Part 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: He slept with Archer's wife.

Spade was a hard drinker, and he slept with his partner's wife. But he got the job done and was meticulous about reporting the progress of the case. The book was published in 1929 and made into several movies, the best of which was directed by a young John Huston in 1941.

Answer: "The Girl in the Cellar"(1961)

Miss Maud Silver, a retired governess turned private detective, appeared in 32 novels and appears to have inspired Miss Jane Marple, who first appeared in 1930. Patricia Wentworth (Dora Amy Elles Dillon Turnbull) also wrote over 30 other novels. "The Girl in the Cellar" appeared shortly after her death in 1961.

Answer: He saved the bottle caps from each beer and counted them.

Wolfe counted bottle caps. His limit was never revealed, but once or twice he scowled at the result of his count and refrained from drinking more; and at no time was Wolfe ever portrayed as being in his cups. He uncapped his beers with an opener made of gold, a gift from a grateful client.

Answer: Agatha Troy and Ricky

Roderick Alleyn appears in 32 novels from 1934 to 1982, meeting Agatha Troy in "Artists in Crime"(1938); she remains an ever present influence from then on. Ricky first appears in "Spinsters in Jeopardy"(1953).

Answer: His wife.

According to William Nolan's biographical sketch of Gardner, the character of Della Street was based on Gardner's second wife, (Agnes) Jean Bethel, who had been first his secretary and then his assistant for years. Gardner was separated from his first wife, Natale, for many years, but reportedly vowed never to marry again while she was alive. Natale died of a heart attack in early 1968, and about six months later, Gardner married Jean.

In the Perry Mason TV series which aired in the late 1950s and early 60s, Barbara Hale played Della. Hale married Bill Williams.

Their son, William Katt, also played Paul Drake in the Perry Mason made-for-TV movies in the late 1980s.

Answer: A(rthur) J. Raffles

A.J. was a gentleman cricketer, who, like Holmes, was eventually killed off by his creator in "A Thief in the Night" only to return, albeit in "reminiscence" four years later in "Mr Justice Raffles". Many of his "attributes" were echoed in "The Saint" and even James Bond.

Answer: Robert B. Parker

Parker did his doctoral dissertation on Chandler, Ross MacDonald and Dashiell Hammett, and has said that when he began writing he consciously tried to emulate Chandler. Parker also wrote a sequel to Chandler's "The Big Sleep", entitled "Perchance to Dream".

Answer: The Nine Tailors

Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey was featured in twelve novels and four short story collections - two of the novels were co-written by Jill Paton-Walsh (excellently). Dorothy L. Sayers also created a series of short stories featuring Montague Egg (a wine salesman sleuth).

Answer: Maroon

MacDonald published 78 books in his career. His first published work was a short story he wrote while serving in the military in Asia. He mailed it to his wife just to entertain her, and she sold it to a magazine for $25.00 without his knowledge. She gave him the check when he came home. In 1964 he published his first four Travis McGee novels, a very unusual move for an author.

Answer: G. K. Chesterton

Father Brown appeared in 52 short stories between 1911 and 1936. Anthony Berkeley created the amateur sleuth Roger Sherringham in 1925, Berkeley also wrote more serious crime novels under the name Francis Iles. Ernest Bramah created the blind detective Max Carrados in three short story collections, beginning in 1914, amongst many other novels, poems and articles. R(ichard) Austin Freeman created the forensic investigator Dr. (John) Thorndyke who appeared in numerous novels and short stories starting in 1907.