RARA-AVIS: The 100 Best Characters in Hard Boiled Writen Fiction Since 1900 - the voting

From: M Blumenthal ( blumenidiot@21stcentury.net)
Date: 01 Apr 2002

As I see it there are There are three two ways to vote. Perhaps the easiest is for voters to just list up to twenty of the numbers in front of those you prefer. Another method is to cut and paste up to twenty names. A third method would be to put an 'X' next below to those you choose. This would use a lot more bandwidth.

We will allow write ins.

 In theory everyone on this list should know what chacters are not in hard boiled fiction. . In any event I strongly doubt those not considered hard boiled by the majority of the list will not make the cut.

As you should know I don't think there should be rigorous qualifications, and you could use because I feel it is impossible to not be subjective. If you, like Jim Blue, want some guidance here is the definition of 'best' in Random House's College Dictionary

 " 1 Of the highest quality or standing. 2 Most advantageous or suitable."

The voting will end April 15.

Here is Joe's list with a few corrections and the most recent additions:

 ===========================
 UPDATED APRIL 1, 2002

 1. Aaron Gunner (series, Gar Anthony Haywood)
 2. Abraham Trahearne (THE LAST GOOD KISS, James Crumley)
 3. Alan Grofield (Parker & Grofield series, Richard Stark)
 4. Alexander Cutter (CUTTER AND BONE, Newton Thornburg)
 5. Alicia (ADIOS MUCHACHOS, Daniel Chavarria)
 6. Amos Walker (series, Loren D. Estleman)
 7. Angela Gennaro (series, Dennis Lehane)
 8. Anna Lee (series, Liza Cody)
 9. Arkady Renko (series, Martin Cruz Smith)
 10. Arnie Kendall (Leo Haggerty series, Benjamin M. Schutz)
 11. Artie Wu & Quincy Durant (series, Ross Thomas)
 12. Atticus Kodiak (series, Greg Rucka)
 13. Augustus Mandrell (series, Frank McAuliffe)
 14. Auric Goldfinger (GOLDFINGER & James Bond series, Ian Fleming)
 15. Batman (comics/novels series, various authors)
 16. Ben Perkins (series, Rob Kantner)
 17. Benny Cooperman (series, Howard Engel)
 18. Bernie Gunther (series, Philip Kerr)
 19. Bernie Ohls (THE BIG SLEEP, Chandler)
 20. Bill Crane (series, Jonothan Latimer)
 21. Blackbird Armand Degas (KILLSHOT, Elmore Leonard)
 22. Bob Hightower (GOD IS A BULLET, Boston Teran)
 23. Bob Lee Swagger (series, Steven Hunter)
 24. Bobby Peru (WILD AT HEART, Barry Gifford)
 25. Brady (THE HACKMAN BLUES, Ken Bruen)
 26. Brice (EVERBODY SMOKES IN HELL , John Ridley)
 27. Bridgett Logan (series, Greg Rucka)
 28. Brigid O'Shaughnessy (THE MALTESE FALCON, Dashiell Hammett)
 29. Brock "the Rock" Callahan (series, William Campbell Gault)
 30. Bubba Rogowski (series, Dennis Lehane)
 31. Bumper Morgan (THE BLUE KNIGHT, Joseph Wambaugh)
 32. Burke (series, Andrew Vachss)
 33. Burke Devore (THE AX, Donald Westlake)
 34. Buzz Meeks (BIG NOWHERE, James Ellroy)
 35. C. W. Shugrue (series, James Crumley)
 36. Carl Bigelow (SAVAGE NIGHT, Jim Thompson)
 37. Carlotta Carslyle (series, Linda Barnes)
 38. Carmen Sternwood (THE BIG SLEEP, Raymond Chandler)
 39. Casper Gutman (THE MALTESE FALCON, Dashiell Hammett)
 40. Cathy Dunbar (NOTHING IN HER WAY, Charles Williams)
 41. Charles LeBlanc(TIDEWATER BLOOD, William Hoffman)
 42. Charles Ripley (Lessford Police series, John Wainwright)
 43. Charlie Arglist (THE ICE HARVEST, Scott Phillips)
 44. Charlie Gants (THE SHAMAN TREE, Richard Abshire & William Claire)
 45. Chili Palmer (GET SHORTY and BE COOL, Elmore Leonard)
 46. Christie Opara (Opara series, Dorothy Uhnak)
 47. Clarice Starling (series, Thomas Harris)
 48. Clete Purcell (Dave Robicheaux series, James Lee Burke)
 49. Cliff Hardy (series, Peter Corris)
 50. Coffin Ed Johnson (series, Chester Himes) 51. Cora Papadakis (THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, James M Cain)
 52. Corey Bradford (NIGHT SQUAD, David Goodis)
 53. Dan Brown (POMONA QUEEN, Kem Nunn)
 54. Dan Fortune (series,Michael Collins)
 55. Dan Kearney (DKA series, Joe Gores)
 56. Dan Roman (series, Edward Mathis)
 57. Dan Turner (Hollywood Detective series, Robert Leslie Bellem)
 58. Dashiell Hammett (HAMMETT, Joe Gores)
 59. Dave Brandstetter (series, Joseph Hansen)
 60. Dave Robicheaux (series, James Lee Burke) 61. Delilah West (series, Maxine O'Callahan)
 62. Deputy Detective Carl Houseman (series, Donald Harstad)
 63. Derek Strange (series, George Pelecanos)
 64. Detective Sergeant Department of Unexplained Deaths (Factory series,
 Derek Raymond)
 65. Dick Contino (DICK CONTINO'S BLUES, James Ellroy)
 66. Dick Tracy (newspaper strip, Chester Gould)
 67. Dimitri Karras (series, George Pelecanos)
 68. Dix (THE ASPHALT JUNGLE, W. R. Burnett)
 69. Dix Steele (IN A LONELY PLACE, by Dorothy Hughes)
 70. Doc McCoy (GETAWAY, Jim Thompson)
 71. Doc Savage (series, house name 'Kenneth Robeson - 'various authors)
 72. Dolan (NO POCKETS IN A SHROUD, Horace McCoy)
 73. Donald Robak (series, Joe L. Hensley)
 74. Dudley Smith (L.A. QUARTET series and CLANDESTINE, James Ellroy)
 75. Earl Drake (Operation series, Dan J. Marlowe)
 76. Earl Swagger (series, Stephen Hunter)
 77. Easy Rawlins (series, Walter Mosley)
 78. Ed Clive (NO GOOD FROM A CORPSE, Leigh Brackett)
 79. Eddie Coyle (THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE, George V. Higgins)
 80. Edmund Exley (L.A. QUARTET series, James Ellroy)
 81. Elise Andrioli (DEATH IN THE WOODS, Brigitte Aubert)
 82. Elvis Cole (series, Robert Crais)
 83. Ernest Guelvada (Dark series, Peter Cheyney)
 84. Ernest Stickney (STICK and SWAG, Elmore Leonard)
 85. Ernst Stavro Blofeld (James Bond series, Ian Fleming)
 86. Eva Wylie (BUCKET NUT, Liza Cody)
 87. Eye (EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, Marc Behm)
 88. Fabe Falleti (THE TAKE, Eugene Izzi)
 89. Fast Eddie Felson (THE HUSTLER and COLOR OF MONEY, Walter Tevis)
 90. Fearless Fosdick (comic strip parody, Al Capp)
 91. Fireball Roberts (LAST GOOD KISS, James Crumley)
 92. Frank Chambers (THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, James M Cain)
 93. Frank Clemons (trilogy, Thomas Cook)
 94. Frank Mansfield (COCKFIGHTER, Charles Willeford) 95. Fred Carver (series, John Lutz)
 96. Frederick J. Frenger, Jr. (MIAMI BLUES, Charles Willeford) 97. George Gideon (series, John Creasey as JJ Marric)
 98. George Smiley (series, John Le Carre)
 99. Ghost (SHELLA, Andrew Vachss) 100. Gideon Loway (series, John Leslie)
 101. Ginny Fistoulari (series, Reed Stephens) 102. Gordianus the Finder (series, Steven Saylor)
 103. Gottfleisch (recurring character, Russell James)
 104. Gravedigger Jones (series, Chester Himes)
 105. Hannibal Lecter (series, Thomas Harris)
 106. Hanson (NIGHT DOGS, Kent Anderson)
 107. Hap Collins & Leonard Pine (Hap & Leonard series, Joe R. Lansdale)
 108. Harold Odom (PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN DROWNING, Charles Perry)
 109. Harry aka Hieronymus Bosch (series, Michael Connelly)
 110. Harry Lime (THE THIRD MAN, Graham Greene)
 111. Harry Stoner (series, Jonathan Valin)
 112. Hawk (Spenser series, Robert Parker)
 113. Hoke Moseley (series, Charles Willeford) 114. Honey West ( series, G G Fickling) 115. Inspector DeCock(series, Cornelius Bjaantjer)
 116. Isaac Sidel (Isaac Quartet series , Jerome Charyn)
 117. Ivan Monk (series, Gary Phillips)
 118. Jack Carter (series, Ted Lewis)
 119. Jack Devlin (series, John Clarkson)
 120. Jack Kyle (series, Richard Abshire)
 121. Jack Liffey (series, John Shannon)
 122. Jack Reacher (series, Lee Child)
 123. Jack Ryan (series, Elmore Leonard)
 124. Jack Wild (GARDEN OF SAND AND TATTOO, Earl Thompson)
 125. Jackie Burke (RUM PUNCH, Elmore Leonard)
 126. Jake Asch (series, Arthur Lyons)
 127. James Bond (series, Ian Fleming)
 128. Jane Whitfield (series, Tom Perry)
 129. Jay Gatsby (THE GREAT GATSBY, F. Scott Fitzgerald)
 130. Jeffty Kittridge (LOVE IS A RACKET, John Ridley)
 131. Jim Sader (SLEEP WITH SLANDER, Delores Hitchens)
 132. Jo Gar (short stories, Raoul Whitfield)
 133. Joe Friday (Dragnet series, various authors)
 134. Joe Gall (series, Philip Atlee)
 135. Joe LaBrava (LABRAVA, Elmore Leonard)
 136. Joe Pike (Elvis Cole series, Robert Crais)
 137. Joe Puma (series, William Campbell Gault)
 138. John Francis Cuddy (Cuddy series, Jeremiah Healy)
 139. John Marshall Tanner (series, Stephen Greenleaf)
 140. John Rebus (series, Ian Rankin) 141. John Shaft( series, Ernest Tidyman)
 142. Johnny DiPietro (TRINITIES, Nick Tosche)
 143. Johnny Hayden (THE GIRL WITH THE LONG GREEN HEART, Lawrence Block)
 144. Jonathan Hemlock (EIGER SANCTION and LOO SANCTION, Trevanian)
 145. Julie Killeen (THE BRIDE WORE BLCK, Cornell Woolrich)
 146. Keller (HIT MAN and HIT LIST, Lawrence Block)
 147. Kells (FAST ONE, Paul Cain)
 148. Kinsey Millhone (series, Sue Grafton)
 149. Lamar Pye (DIRTY WHITE BOYS, Steven Hunter)
 150. Lamont Cranston (THE SHADOW, various authors)
 151. Lena the waitress (SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER, David Goodis)
 152. Lew Archer (series, Ross Macdonald)
 153. Lew Griffin (series, James Sallis)
 154. Lionel Essrog (MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN, Jonathan Lethem)
 155. Lloyd Hopkins (series, James Ellroy)
 156. Lorenzo Council (FREEDOMLAND, Richard Price)
 157. Lou Ford (KILLER INSIDE ME and WILD TOWN, Jim Thompson)
 158. Lucas Davenport (Prey series, John Sandford)
 159. Lucifer Dye (THE FOOLS IN TOWN ARE ON OUR SIDE, Ross Thomas)
 160. M (James Bond series, Ian Fleming)
 161. Mac (series, Thomas Dewey)
 162. Mac [Matt Helm's Boss] (series, Donald Hamilton)
 163. Madox (HELL HATH NO FURY a.k.a. THE HOT SPOT, Charles Williams)
 164. Maigret (series, Georges Simenon)
 165. Marcus Clay (series, George Pelecanos)
 166. Mario Balzic (series, K.C. Constantine)
 167. Marion "Doc" Ford (series, Randy Wayne White)
 168. Martin Beck (series, Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo)
 169. Martin Plunkett (KILLER ON THE ROAD, Ellroy)
 170. Matt Helm (series, Donald Hamilton)
 171. Matthew Scudder (series, Lawrence Block)
 172. Max Cady (THE EXECUTIONERS, John D. MacDonald)
 173. Max Dembo (NO BEAST SO FIERCE, Edward Bunker) 174 Max Kearney series, Ron Goulart)
 175. Max Latin (short stories, Norbert Davis)
 176. Maximum Bob Gibbs (MAXIMUM BOB, Elmore Leonard)
 177. Merci Rayburn (BLUE HOUR, RED LIGHT and BLACK WATER, T. Jefferson Parker)
 178. Michael Schaefer (SLEEPING DOGS and THE BUTCHER BOY, Thomas Perrry)
 179. Mick Ballou (series, Lawrence Block)
 180. Mike Hammer (series, Mickey Spillane)
 181. Miles Jacoby (series , Robert J. Randisi) 182. Mike Shayne(series, "Brett Halliday" Dresser, many others)
 183. Milo Milodragovitch (series, James Crumley)
 184. Mitch Roberts (series, Gaylord Dold)
 185. Mitch Taylor (Taylor/Freeman/Decker series, Lawrence Treat)
 186. Mitch Tobin (series, Donald Westlake writing as Tucker Coe)
 187. Maureen/Mo (CUTTER AND BONE, Newton Thornburg)
 188. Moneypenny (James Bond series, Ian Fleming)
 189. Mongo (MONGO'S BACK IN TOWN, E. Richard Johnson)
 190. Morgan Hunt (series, Geoffrey Norman)
 191. Moses Wine (series, Roger L. Simon)
 192. Mouse (Easy Rawlins series, Walter Mosley)
 193. Ms. Tree (comics series, Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty)
 194. Munch Mancini (series, Barbara Seranella)
 195. Nameless (series, Bill Pronzini)
 196. Ned Beaumont (THE GLASS KEY, Dashiell Hammett) 197. Neil Fargo (Interface + short stories, Joe Gores)
 198. Nestor Burma (series, [DEATH OF A MARSEILLES MAN - English] L鯊 Malet)
 199. Nick & Nora Charles (THE THIN MAN, Dashiell Hammett)
 200. Nick Corey (POP 1280 - Jim Thompson)
 201. Nick Sharman (series, Mark Timlin)
 202. Nick Stefanos (series, George Pelecanos)
 203. Nina Zero (series, Robert Eversz)
 204. Op with No Name (SOLOMON'S VINEYARD, Latimer) 205. Parker (series, Richard Stark) 206. Patrick Kenzie (series, Dennis Lehane)
 207. Paul Kavanagh (SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS, Lawrence Block as Paul Kavanagh)
 208. Paul Pine (Halo series, Howard Browne)
 209. Perdita Durango & Romeo Dolorosa (PERDITA DURANGO, Barry Gifford)
 210. Perry Mason (series, Erle Stanley Gardner)
 211. Peter Bondurant (UNDERWORLD USA trilogy, James Ellroy)
 212. Philip Marlowe (series, Raymond Chandler)
 213. Philip St. Ives (series, Ross Thomas as Oliver Bleeck) 214. Phyllis Nirdlinger (DOUBLE INDEMNITY, James M Cain)
 215. Pierre Ange a.k.a. Pete Sawyer (Stone Angel series, Marvin Albert)
 216. Pinky (BRIGHTON ROCK, Graham Greene)
 217. Preacher (series, Ted Thackrey, Jr.)
 218. Private Ray Elwood (BUFFALO SOLDIERS, Robert O'Connor)
 219. Q (James Bond series, Ian Fleming)
 220. Quiller (series, Adam Hall) 221. Race Williams/Terry Mack (series, John Carroll Daly)
 222. Ray Hicks (DOG SOLDIERS, Robert Stone)
 223. Raymond Cruz (CITY PRIMIEVAL: HIGH NOON IN DETROIT, Elmore Leonard)
 224. Reid Bennett (series, Ted Wood)
 225. Repairman Jack (series, F. Paul Wilson) 226. Richard Bone (CUTTER AND BONE, Newton Thornburg)
 227. Richard Hudson (WOMAN CHASER, Charles Willeford)
 228. Richard Wentworth a.k.a. The Spider (pulp series, various authors)
 229. Rick Bocca (AFTERBURN, Collin Harrison)
 230. Rico Cesare Bandello (LITTLE CAESAR, W. R. Burnett)
 231. Roy Dillon (THE GRIFTERS, Jim Thompson)
 232. Roy Martin (THE NAME OF THE GAME IS DEATH, Dan Marlowe)
 233. Sailor (RIDE THE PINK HORSE, Dorothy Hughes)
 234. Sam Spade (THE MALTESE FALCON, Dashiell Hammett)
 235. Samantha Dolan (LA REQUIEM, Robert Crais)
 236. Shan Tao Yun (SKULL MANTRA and WATER TOUCHING STONE, Eliot Pattison)
 237. Sharon McCone (series, Marcia Muller)
 238. Shell Scott (series, Richard S. Prather)
 239. Sid Halley (trilogy, Dick Francis)
 240. Skink a.k.a. The Governor (recurring character, Carl Hiassen)
 241. Skinny (series, James Colbert)
 242. Slim Callaghan (Dark series, Peter Cheyney)
 243. Slot Machine Kelly (short stories, Dennis Lynds)
 244. Smilla Jaspersen (SMILLA'S SENSE OF SNOW , Peter Hø¥§©Š
 245. Socrates Fortlow (series, Walter Mosley)
 246. Spenser (series, Robert Parker)
 247. Stan Carlisle (NIGHTMARE ALLEY, William Lindsay Gresham)
 248. Stanley Moodrow (series, Stephen Solomita a.k.a. David Cray)
 249. Steve Carella (87th Precinct series, Evan "Ed" McBain)
 250. Terrell McCaleb (BLOOD WORK and A DARKNESS MORE THAN NIGHT, Michael
 Connelly)
 251. Terry Quinn (series, George Pelecanos)
 252. The Continental Op (series, Dashiell Hammett)
 253. Thomas Kyd (KYD FOR HIRE and GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE, Timothy Harris)
 254. Thorn (series, James W. Hall)
 255. Toby Peters (series, Stuart Kaminsky) 256. Tom Bethany(series, Jerome Doolittle)
 257. Tom Buchanan (THE GREAT GATSBY, F. Scott Fitzgerald)
 258. Tom O'Toole (EVERYBODY WINS, Arthur Miller)
 259. Tom Ripley (series, Patricia Highsmith)
 260. Tony Rome (MIAMI MAYHEM, Marvin H. Albert)
 261. Travis McGee (series, John D. MacDonald)
 262. Tres Navarre (series, Rick Riordan)
 263. V (V FOR VENDETTA, Alan Moore)
 264. V.I. Warshawski (series, Sara Paretsky)
 265. Virginia (BLACK WINGS HAS MY ANGEL, Elliot Chaze)
 266. Walter Huff & (DOUBLE INDEMNITY, James M Cain)
 267. Walter Stackhouse (THE BLUNDERER, Patricia Highsmith)
 268. Wes Farrell (series, Robert Skinner)
 269. Wil Hardesty (series, Richard Barre)
 270. Will Graham (RED DRAGON, Thomas Harris)
 271. Wyatt (series, Garry Disher)

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