Now It’s Down to Two

Well, this isn’t what I expected. Blogger Jen Forbus has released the names of the two finalists in her “World’s Favorite Detective” tournament--and neither of them is Sherlock Holmes, who I certainly expected to still see in the running at this point. Instead, the last two fictional sleuths standing are Raymond Chandler’s best-known Los Angeles private eye, Philip Marlowe, and Michael Connelly’s series protagonist, Los Angeles Police Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch.

This contest began, you may recall, with 64 nominees, including Lew Archer, Elvis Cole, V.I. Warshawski, Sam Spade, Nero Wolfe, Hercule Poirot, Tess Monaghan, Spenser, and Easy Rawlins. While I always expected Marlowe to make it into the final rounds, I didn’t see Bosch as his principal opponent. Of these last two, I’m going to have to cast my ballot for the iconic Marlowe, whose literary career made it possible for somebody like Bosch to exist. Connelly’s man is good, but not more interesting than Chandler’s tarnished knight.

The “World’s Favorite Detective” (or at least the most popular one with blog readers who participate in this competition) will be chosen through an online vote that begins this coming Monday and runs through Friday of next week. Click here to participate.