S is for Sleuths

First of all, I want to apologize for my post on Saturday. Apparently blogger chose to publish a draft of my R is for Rebel Leaders post rather than the ACTUAL post, something I didn't notice until late yesterday afternoon. Apologies to those who read it. And now for today's A to Z post:

A sleuth is, in essence, a detective, one who solves mysteries for a living. Though they sometimes work alongside cops and law enforcement, fictional sleuths are generally considered outside the police world. Known for their keen observational skills and intuition, sleuths are ready to take on any mystery. 

S is for Sleuth 

Nancy Drew (Nancy Drew series) – Nancy Drew is the idol of my childhood. An independent high-school girl with a a mind for mysteries, Nancy is smart and resourceful, quick-thinking and inquisitive  In short, she has all the qualities necessary for a successful amateur sleuth. With her two best friends,  Bess and George, she's ready to investigation any mystery, from theft to murder. 

Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes canon) – You can't say the word sleuth without immediately thinking of Sherlock Holmes. Houndstooth, magnifying glass, and smoking pipe –   Sherlock is the very image of gumshoe detective. He has a veritable host of tricks up his sleeve when it comes to solving a case . . . not to mention his incredible deductive reasoning. And of course his loyal side-kick Watson. When it come to solving a mystery, Sherlock is the best. It's elementary my dear readers. 

Richard Castle (Castle) – As a best-selling crime novelist, Richard Castle might not be your typical sleuth, but when he partners up with Detective Kate Beckett, they're practically unstoppable. With his extensive knowledge in criminology and the mystery genre, not to mention an unlimited imagination, Castle is quick with a theory (which are often ridiculous and off-base), but never gives up on a case until the killer is caught and brought to justice. 

Mystery, Inc. (Scooby Doo series) – Amateur is the word that comes to mind when I think of this mystery solving team – particularly when it comes to Shaggy and his best friend/Great Dane Scooby Doo. With their love of food and penchant for screwing up carefully constructed, villain-catching plans, this duo is hard not to love. Lucky for them, Fed, Daphne and Velma are there to save the day. Together this team of teenagers and their dumb dog too are an unstoppable force of crime-solving sleuths. So if you have a monster, ghost or plain old bad guy that needs to be unmasked, just call Mystery, Inc. 

Veronica Mars (Veronica Mars) – Veronica Mars the teenage daughter of a former police chief turned private investigator who uses her prodigious skills to solve a crimes at Neptune High, starting with the murder of her best friend Lily. In some ways she reminds me of a modern, sarcastic Nancy Drew. 

Shawn Spencer (Psych) – Shawn Spencer is a bit different from the other sleuths on this list. Why? Because he's psychic – or at least he says his is. In truth he's just incredibly observant, able to deduce a great deal from a single glance. Acting as a freelance consultant for the Santa Barbara PD, Shawn uses his supposed psychic episodes to communicate his observations. 

And there you have it, my Top 5 (or, again, 6 in this case) favorite Sleuths. What are some of your favorites?

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This post is part of the Blogging A through Z Challenge 2013. My theme (in case you didn't already guess) is character types and tropes. Stay tuned for the rest of the alphabet, and if you’d like to check in on the other participants, simply click here.