tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post3355837464151475665..comments2024-03-24T06:32:13.194+13:00Comments on Crime Watch: Forever young or aging (un)gracefully: what to do with series detectives?Kiwicraighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11687089028299093360noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-1645751966205684452011-07-05T19:29:06.277+12:002011-07-05T19:29:06.277+12:00I'm in the middle of the third book of my Harr...I'm in the middle of the third book of my Harry Pines series. Harry is sort of in his early forties and I'm decades beyond that. I hope the fates and the fortunes force me to confront this question as times goes on. Until then, I'll ignore it. I do think avoiding literary pretension is the way to go. It's just entertainment, you know. I guess that puts me at odds with Burke and in bed with Cornwell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-67209616480764162782011-07-05T08:44:13.751+12:002011-07-05T08:44:13.751+12:00Both approaches have their pros and cons. It’s gre...Both approaches have their pros and cons. It’s great Burke talks of “aesthetic honesty” in relation to his own work but I hope he doesn’t apply the “dishonest” tag to others. On the other hand, I question Patricia Cornwell’s take on it: it seems to buy into the misogynistic belief that older women don’t appeal. Helen Mirren/Jane Tennison is evidence to the contrary - are there more like her in crime lit? (Miss Marple is not the same.)Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17549609289169890919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-91864881200324545502011-07-04T22:44:54.262+12:002011-07-04T22:44:54.262+12:00Geldof in Johan Theorin's books! He's 85 i...Geldof in Johan Theorin's books! He's 85 in The Quarry which I've just started. Is he the best crime fiction character ever, or what?! He first features in #1 Echoes from the Dead, and makes a brief appearence in #2, The Darkest Room. The Quarry is #3.Maxine Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06628509319992204770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-12706991967507506522011-07-04T13:38:15.762+12:002011-07-04T13:38:15.762+12:00Craig,
I think that it depends on how the author ...Craig,<br /><br />I think that it depends on how the author treats "time" in the novels. Some don't really seem to have a sense of time passing--it's always the present in each of the novels and little has changed since the last one and therefore the detective doesn't have to change.<br /><br />One of my favorite exceptions to this is Steven Saylor's Gordianus the Finder series, which began in 80 BC and so far has progressed to where it is now 46 BC. Saylor in his novels has incorporated historical events into his mysteries.<br /><br />Consequently, Gordianus has aged as the series progressed. He is now very close to retiring completely and is now referring some of his cases to his daughter. <br /><br />PD James' Inspector Dalgliesh will probably retire in his next novel, although he hasn't shown much of the aging process throughout the novels. One reason for that is that the series is more of a cerebral mystery than an action oriented mystery and Dalgliesh seldom gets physical during the novel. <br /><br />I guess I like both types.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10233846613173866140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-88257607687647219012011-07-04T04:40:39.616+12:002011-07-04T04:40:39.616+12:00Craig - This is a terrific post! You're quite ...Craig - This is a terrific post! You're quite right that different authors handle it differently. I agree with Maxine that Connelly's handled Bosch's getting older quite well, and I wonder how he'll work with the character once Bosch has retired. In general I prefer that characters age as a series goes on. It's more realistic that way (although I am a deep-dyed Christie fan, and her Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple did not age, well not in real time anyway). I don't think there's just one way to handle that question, but I do believe it needs to be addressed. I'm actually already thinking about how to go about it with my own protagonist, who's in his early fifties. Good thing to keep in mind...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591679994751212734.post-87806506519839006472011-07-04T04:30:04.746+12:002011-07-04T04:30:04.746+12:00Great post, Craig. I like the way Connelly has &qu...Great post, Craig. I like the way Connelly has "placed" Bosch over the past 5 or 6 books, with his new contacts in the legal and journalistic professions as well as the fatherhood angle and the various ongoing FBI connections. He now has plenty of options post-retirement! Also agree on Wallender, a few books ago Linda took over as lead in the series but when the actress who played her in the Swedish series tragically died, the author decided to call it a day. It reminds me a bit of the Indiana Jones franchise, which had a refresh a couple of years ago with the introduction of a son. (or someone- a teen version of Indiana anyway, I forget the details). And we've had various TV series Young Superman etc (unwatched by me!).Maxine Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06628509319992204770noreply@blogger.com