Meet Sherlock’s Competition: 6 Lovable Detectives to Rival Mr. Holmes

The best mystery novels are only as good as their lead detectives, and that’s a fact. Case in point: I read several of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s short stories in college, but I couldn’t tell you a thing about the plot of any of ’em. No, what I remember is how much I enjoyed spending time with the idiosyncratic Sherlock Holmes and his more down-to-earth companion, Dr. Watson. Given how they have become one of the most popular duos in pop culture, deconstructed and then reassembled for an endless string of TV shows and movies and books, I think it’s fair to say I’m in good company.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of memorable, lovable detectives in the mystery genre. In fact, the next time you’re missing Sherlock and Watson, I encourage you to call on one of these exceptional crime-fighters: