Alien Detectives

In 1953, Isaac Asimov’s Sci-Fi-Detective story “The Caves of Steel”
was set in the distant future when space travel to colonized planets would be the norm.
Many authors set detective fiction in rather exotic places: this one is extreme! (source)

Jean-Luc Bannalec is an author I’ve been reading recently, and I thought he was French. Nope. Turns out that Banalec is a pen name, and his real name is Jörg Bong. He is German. Bannaluc’s Brittany mystery series about Commissaire Dupin is his big international success. His police officer, Dupin, is from Paris, so we are seeing Brittany from the point of view of an outsider, but not a German! Dupin loves Breton food, which is described in every novel as part of the local color. 

Thinking about this made me consider how many other detective fictions are set in places not native to their authors, about detectives from very different backgrounds from their own. I’ve also noticed that in creating their exotic settings, many of these authors use local foods to create atmosphere and provide a background for the action — in several cases, cookbooks have been written to show what the detectives ate and how it was prepared. I’ve enjoyed reading books from each of these series, and recommend them all!

Martin Walker, born in Scotland, was a journalist who became a crime-fiction writer. His Bruno books are written in English about the Perigord area of France, where he and his wife have lived for some time. Bruno is an amazing cook. Walker has also written a cookbook about the fantastic French country cuisine that is described in every novel — I’ve been exploring his recipes.

Georges Simenon, author of a renowned series of police procedural novels, was actually from Belgium. His famous Inspector Maigret lives in Paris and works for the Paris police. Madam Maigret is a fantastic cook — and yes, there’s a Madam Maigret cookbook.

Donna Leon, inventor of Guido Brunetti of the Venice police force, was born in New Jersey. All thirty-two of her novels were written in English and have never been translated into Italian. Brunetti is another policeman who loves good food — and yes, there’s a cookbook.

Tony Hillerman invented the Navajo policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. He lived not far from the reservation, but no way was he a Native American. Hillerman’s daughter has continued the series after his death. She’s also written guides — including restaurant guides — to the New Mexico area, though food is not as central in these books as in many others. Her book Santa Fe Flavors isn’t connected to the detective novels.

Jason Goodwin has written five novels about Investigator Yashim, set in Istanbul in the 1830s. Goodwin, who was born in England, identifies himself as "a novelist, historian and columnist; host, dragoman and hierophant." Yashim, while in the course of solving a crime, often spends time buying food at the market and then preparing it, which is described in great detail. Goodwin has published a collection of recipes titled Yashim Cooks Istanbul. (Note: a hierophant is a priest of esoteric mysteries.)

Louise Penny, born in Toronto, Canada, was a radio host; she is the much-loved author of a series of books set in Quebec, featuring French-speaking detective Armand Gamache. Yes, there is food: Penny has written a short cookbook titled The Nature of the Feast, which is available online from her publisher.

Sujata Massey, born in Sussex, England, grew up in St. Paul Minnesota from the age of five. She has written two series of novels featuring amateur women detectives. The first series is set in Bombay, India, in the early 1920s with detective Perveen Mistry. The second is set in Tokyo and Washington, DC, with a Japanese-American detective named Rei Shimura. Every one of these novels offers lots of food descriptions that create atmosphere and help define the characters.

Edgar Allen Poe was one of the first ever detective writers, and his most famous story is “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” He never actually visited Paris. (Note that his detective, who also appeared in two other stories, was also named Dupin!)

Robert van Gulik may be the creator of a detective with the most totally different cultural background from his own. Van Gulik’s character, Judge Dee, based on a semi-fictitious Tang Dynasty government official, investigates a series of murders in various parts of China in the seventh century. Van Gulik was born in the Netherlands, and wrote both in Dutch and English. He got the idea for his series from a 19th century treatment of the character, but invented new plots and stories.

On TV?

I’m tempted to mention “Death in Paradise,” with its catchy Caribbean rhythms and beautiful island settings as well as numerous murder victims and police officers of various ethnicity. It’s filmed in Guadeloupe (though the TV island is the fictional Saint Marie) and made by English and French TV companies. The first episodes were made in 2011. Twelve seasons with a total of 98 episodes have now been released.

Blog post © 2023 mae sander