Sunday, June 17, 2018

Where are the Fathers in Mystery?

DEBORAH CROMBIE: I thought that for Father's Day, it would be great idea to celebrate fathers in mysteries--fathers as the main protagonists, not as incidental characters. Then I found myself really struggling to think of men in mysteries, either series or standalones, who were fathers.


There is my Duncan Kincaid, who is a biological dad, a step-dad, and a foster dad, and while he doesn't always do the best job of juggling fatherhood with work, he does try.

There is Rhys Bowen's Daniel Sullivan, who, if not the primary protagonist, is certainly an important character. Who else comes to mind? William Kent Kruger's Cork O'Connor has kids. Elizabeth Peter's Emerson in the Amelia Peabody books. Dick Francis's Lee Morris in DECIDER, who has five boys--a very unusual set up for a mystery or suspense novel. It's one of my favorite Dick Francis novels, and the kids are an integral part of the story.

And... Help, REDS!
But the really big question here is why aren't there more dads? I know parenting complicates things in a story, for both men and women, but it's also a very ordinary and necessary and ubiquitous part of life that adds dimension to characters.

RHYS BOWEN: You've made me think, Debs. Isn't it interesting how many male sleuths are loners... And female too for that matter. I think your Duncan is a fabulous father role model. He and Gemma take their parenting as seriously as their sleuthing and it plays a big part in the stories. Reginald Hill's Pascoe is also a dad--one stretched to the limit in ON BEULAH HEIGHT. Barnaby  is a dad. I'm sure my Constable Evans had become a father by now! But why can I think of only British men?

LUCY BURDETTE: You are right Deb, it’s not that easy to find fathers in mysteries. In my own work, the closest I came was Detective Meigs in the advice column mysteries. He struggled with being a stepfather to a teenager in a way that I hope was realistic and meaningful. But two characters in a long running series that I love also come to mind. The first is CJ Box's Joe Pickett. His complete devotion to his daughters is one of the characteristics that makes him so very appealing. Also, Kent Krueger‘s Cork O’Connor is a wonderful father figure. In both of those series, the theme of family is woven powerfully through every book, and the fathers struggle with how their dangerous work might affect the people they love.

HALLIE EPHRON: Blame Raymond Chandler who said, "A really good detective never gets married." It does complicate the plot if your sleuth has kids. But somehow Michael Connelly manages it in THE LINCOLN LAWYER, and Bob Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite is a terrific father. Jackson Brody in Kate Atkinson's books. Joe Finder's Nick Heller has to rescue his daughter when she's kidnapped and buried in a coffin in BURIED SECRETS.

But you're right. Not that many. Offspring do interfere with the potential studliness of a male protagonist.

INGRID THOFT: Carson Drew!  He’s the ultimate great mystery dad:  supportive yet cautious and loving.  And although they aren’t the characters actual fathers, I would argue that both Kinsey Millhone and V.I. Warshawski have wonderful father figures in their neighbors.  Henry cheers on Kinsey, but he isn’t afraid to butt head with her, and he bakes!  Mr. Contreras keeps an eye on the home front while V.I. is out sleuthing, and they share two dogs, making them co-parents of sorts.  Any of us would be lucky to have a Carson, Henry or Mr. Contreras in our corner.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Well, my own Russ Van Alstyne is about to become a father - and in fact, part of my last book, THROUGH THE EVIL DAYS, is about his coming to grips with the unexpected change in his life in his early fifties. Like Ingrid, I'm thinking about the fathers of detectives - they may be easier to spot! Paul Doiron's hero, game warden Mike Bowditch has a great father substitute in retired warden Charlie Stevens (who is the actual dad of Mike's girlfriend.) In addition, Mike's real dad is the focus of his first novel, THE POACHER'S SON. As you might tell from the title, he's not exactly an ideal role model.

The first book in Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series is THE BOOTLEGGER'S DAUGHTER, so you know Debra's larger-than-life father Keziah Knott plays a big role - and he continues to be a strong influence on his daughter throughout the series. Oh, and I just thought of a detective whose fatherhood is front and center in the series: Jeff Cohen's Aaron Tucker, a stay-at-home dad who fits in sleuthing between freelance journalism and getting his two kids to their various practices/playdates/appointments. The first book is titled FOR WHOM THE MINIVAN ROLLS, which tells you all you need to know.

JENN MCKINLAY: The first author who came to mind for me is Harlan Coben. He writes a suburban New Jersey dad with a dark past like nobody's business. And then there's CJ Box's Joe Pickett, married with kids...and now I'm out of ideas. Parenting is not conducive to sleuthing unless your protagonist is in law enforcement in some way, like Pickett. At least, for me as a reader it doesn't work. I have a hard time believing a parent would put their child in danger to chase a bad guy while they have a two year old strapped in the car seat. 



HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: That is such a good question. In my books, I always make sure I plumb and understand the main characters's relationship with their father--but a father of the main character does not appear! That is pretty darn interesting.  And husband can be different than father, of course. But I'm trying to think of a book where someone runs to their father for attention or advice-in Ingrid's Fina books, the father is certainly a presence, but...   Oh!  Atticus Finch, of course.  Winner and still champion. 

DEBS:  Oh, thank you all! Now I have a bunch of things to add to my to-read list (must try Jeff Cohen--I cannot resist FOR WHOM THE MINIVAN ROLLS!) And lots of "Oh, of courses." How could I have forgotten Peter Pascoe? Or Joe Pickett? Or Jackson Brodie? And what about Ann Cleeve's Jimmy Perez? Or if you want to talk about a character who is haunted by a father, what about Ann Cleeve's Vera?

And how on earth could I have left out Armand Gamache??? 

READERS, who else have we missed? And do you agree that dads are underrepresented in mysteries?

62 comments:

  1. Your lists seem quite complete, and, no, there don’t seem to be too many. The only one that I can think of to add is Michael Bennett in the James Patterson’s series . . . .

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  2. Donna Leon's Brunetti has a rich family life. Going back a ways, there's the George Gideon series of police procedurals, by JJ Marric (aka John Creasy). He struggles with issues of work versus his large family. though from a 1950s perspective.

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  3. How about Peter Robinson's Alan Banks? He has adult children, and is frequently faced with the dilemma of how to be an independent adult in front of his independent adult children. But you're right that not many detectives are in the dad-changing-nappies phase of fatherhood.

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    1. By the way, I have known police officers in real life who are wonderful dads. I've also known a few who admit to taking questionable risks with their children in pursuit of a bad guy. You'll find the whole range of dad behavior in real life, but real life is messy. Maybe most authors prefer not to concentrate on anyone but their protagonist? I will add that a remarkable number of romance authors write about orphaned characters, perhaps because they want to focus on the couple, not the large, sprawling, nosy, neurotic families they come from.

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    2. How could I have left out Alan Banks? Wet noodle lash for me!

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  4. Great topic. Kate Flora's Joe Burgess is either a father or a stepfather and Kate does such a good job with his angst. I had thought of Joe Finder's Nick, too.

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  5. Someone mentioned Michael Connolly's "Lincoln Lawyer" but I wanted to add that Harry Bosch and his relationship with his daughter in especially the later books is central. Children at risk add a layer of danger to the sleuth's work.

    And Donna Leon's Brunetti sees his children at breakfast, lunch, and dinner whenever possible!! He is a husband and a father and a super detective.

    Interesting topic.

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  6. Parenthood seems to be more of a "woman" issue struggle to me (although you all listed far more examples than I could). For example, single mom detectives. Why not single dads?

    Mary/Liz

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    1. I suspect it's because fitting children into a mystery series is hard enough (unless they're late teens or older) without also making the protagonist the sole caretaker. You have to have SOMEONE to hand the kid off to as you chase down the bad guy!

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  7. Good ones everyone! Debs, I meant to add Jimmy Perez in Ann Cleeves' Shetland series. He is so serious about parenting his stepdaughter that it's painful. I have The Crow Trap on my pile...

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  8. Gamache immediately sprung to my mind! But then you remembered him too. Andy Carpenter (David Rosenfelt) is a dad now. Brady Coyne (William Tapply) and J.W. Jackson (Philip R. Craig) are both dads. I can't think of more but I bet I will later today!

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  9. The first that comes to mind is Kemmelman's Rabbi David Small (2 children). J. A. Jance's J.P. Beaumont also has children. To Kill a Mockingbird -- so much more than a just a mystery -- but Atticus Finch!

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  10. Jackson Brodie, Gamache, Jimmy Perez, Harlan Coben's characters. I'm writing about a co-parent dad who leaves for work before dawn so he can be home mid-afternoon to handle all the kid stuff. He cooks, too. What a guy.

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  11. Great examples and great topic! I'm especially fond of Duncan and Daniel Sullivan. And I'm looking forward to Russ becoming a father!

    Someone mentioned Margaret Maron's character, Deborah Knott's father,but her husband, Dwight Bryant, is also a father and is pretty much a protagonist, or at least an important character. Also, Elly Griffith's DCI Harry Nelson has a very interesting paternal relationship.

    It does seem like there should be more, though!

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    1. Yes, Mary, Harry Nelson certainly has a unique relationship with his daughter, but he's a very involved father. Good catch.

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    2. Harry Nelson: now THERE's one I can't believe I missed!

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  12. Happy Father's Day to the men of the blog who are dads of some kind! And special wishes for John, Rhys's wonderful husband.

    No one has mentioned Faye Kellerman's Peter Decker, who is not only a father (and his daughter is a cop), but he also takes on the role of stepfather to devout Orthodox Jewish sons during their difficult years. He's a great dad figure, not unlike my own husband, as my oldest daughter was not yet 8 when we started dating (she will be 48 this year!).

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    1. I did think about Peter Decker, after I'd put the blog up:-)

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  13. I may be wrong, but especially in cozy mysteries, it seems the mother/mother-figure of the protagonist is more common as an important side-kick. But I did think of one more other father protagonist--Max Tudor, who is enjoying his first child.

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  14. You mentioned Carson Drew, but what about Fenton Hardy, dad of Frank and Joe?

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  15. It pays to get here early as all my first ideas have been taken!

    So here goes:

    Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane had three sons eventually, although they cam into being only in later books.

    Then there is Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford, father of two daughters and a grandfather too.

    Mu current favorite is in a TV show, not a book, Martin Rohde of "The Bridge", father of six including two sets of twins. The Same actor, Kim Bodnia, plays another father, Konstantin, in "Killing Eve." Both shows are excellent.

    And how about Dave Robicheaux? His daughter Alafair plays a significant role in James Lee Burkes's books, modeled ever so much on his own Alafair.

    And every detective in Elly Griffith's books has children, not the least of which is Harry Nelson, father of two children, (possibly three) with his wife, not to mention little Kate, daughter of Ruth Galloway.

    I know I'll think of more as the day progresses.

    Happy Father's Day to all the fathers of the Reds!

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    1. Ann, is The Bridge the Swedish show that the French/UK show The Tunnel was adapted from? We loved The Tunnel, and the English detective also had children.

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    2. I wold LOVE to have Peter Wimsey be my father...xoxoo

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    3. Yes Deb. We got used to the subtitles, is mostly in Swedish with a bit of Danish thrown in. We are hooked, our summer binge. Next the Tunnel!

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  16. Hmm, I'm thinking more of fathers the protagonists have, rather than their being dads.

    So, Trixie Belden had a good set of understanding parents, including her dad, the bank manager, while Honey's dad was pretty much absent, but always willing to provide her with what she needed, such as a brother, Jim.

    Rhys's Georgie has a terrific relationship with her always obliging Grandad, the retired copper.

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  17. Having just finished the latest Max Tudor, he came first to mind. Also Rory Alleyn, whose son was a kidnap victim in one of the mysteries and (vague memory) had a role in solving a mystery as a young adult. Detective Chief inspector Alec Fletcher of the Daisy Dalrymple series —a single father and then adding twins with Daisy. His fatherhood plays a large role in several of the books. Finally, if I may count the father of a four-legged child: Spencer to Pearl. Good to have a day to celebrate fathers of all kinds.

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  19. Thanks so much Julia and Debs! In addition to Aaron Tucker (FOR WHOM THE MINIVAN ROLLS) I also wrote the Double Feature Mystery series with Elliot Freed (SOME LIKE IT HOT-BUTTERED) who was about to become a father after the last book (A NIGHT AT THE OPERATION) and did in a short story in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine ("It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Girl!"). So there's those.

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    1. I should have added that! And of course, Alison Kirby of the Haunted Guesthouse series is a single parent- both mom and dad to her daughter Melissa.

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    2. She is, Julia, thanks. But now there is a stepdad in the picture, although Alison remains the primary caregiver, except when the ghosts in the house are helping out.

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  20. One of my favorite Domestic Suspense novels is Ben McPherson’s A Line of Blood,for this very reason, Deb. We rarely see the father/husband taking center stage in domestic tales and here that is exactly what happens. It’s an excellent novel that is even more relevant today than it was when released a few years back.

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  21. Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire is a father. The cliffhanger of his last book was the abduction of his daughter Cady that left him as caretaker to granddaughter Lola. In the next book, Walt will rescue his daughter.

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  22. I had to go check my bookshelves although Walt Longmire came to mind right away. He is a father first and foremost to his grown daughter. Then we have Frances Brody’s Kate Shackleton: her father is with the police. Rennie Airth’s John Madden becomes a father over time in the series. Charles Lenox becomes a dad when his baby girl arrives. And don’t forget Bess Crawford. She has a formidable dad to lean on!

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    1. Yes, Pat, The Colonel Sahib in the Bess Crawford books is a wonderful father! What a great example!

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  23. But isn't this SUCH an interesting topic?

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  24. Trying to think of any new ones to add. Hmm. There's Tony Hetheridge of Emma James' Lord and Lady Hetheridge series. He's another one who has stepped up to be a father figure to a child not his own. I'm looking forward to seeing how two new fathers take to fatherhood, Julia's Russ and Anne Cleeland's Lord Acton in the Acton and Doyle series.

    My favorite father is Debs' Duncan, who actually took parent leave from his job for the care of his and Gemma's foster daughter. He is such a good father to all three of their children. My most frustrated-with father is in Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series, Harry Nelson, who has the two girls with Michelle, his wife, and the daughter with Ruth, and he's soon to find out if Michelle's third child, well, I've probably spoiled enough. I do wish that little Kate could get more of Nelson's time, and he puts his girls with Michelle first, or so it seems. He "protects" them from knowing about Kate, which irritates me. I keep offering Elly/Domenica ways to get rid of Michelle, which would allow Nelson more time with Ruth and Kate, but she only laughs at my serious suggestions.

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    1. Yes! Tony Hetheridge. Love that man. And I do like Harry Nelson but feel the need to give him a kick in the pants. And get rid of Michelle some way.

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    2. Thanks, Kathy! But I have to agree with Ellie--I don't think the Ruth Galloway books would be such fun if Harry weren't so aggravating:-)

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    3. I'm going to defend Harry and Michelle here--I think Ruth is the one who needs a kick in the pants. 'Life is messy, Ruth, you produced a child with a man you knew to be married, who chooses to stay with his wife. So let go already and get on with your life instead of pining for Harry.' I'd like to see some really interesting men come into her life, for one thing. For another, well, Kathy's comment about Michelle's third pregnancy and Harry's thoughts about what his options are--well, Harry! Michelle chose to stick with him even after Ruth and child!

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    4. Yes, but Michelle had an affair too and this third child is poosibly his not Harry's. It seems like they are both equally flawed in their relationship and actions.

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  25. Well, there's Duncan Kincaid in the Deborah Crombie novels, and the young cop who's name I can't remember in the Sarah Stewart Taylor books I miss so much.

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    1. Thanks, Debbie! And I am a big fan of Sarah Stewart Taylor's books, too. The last I heard from her, I think she was writing young adult books, but I really miss her mysteries.

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  26. And Maisie Dobbs' father, and Lady Georgie's!

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  27. Happy Father's Day, everyone! Great topic, Debs.

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  28. In Reed Farrel Coleman's terrific Gus Murphy series, Gus is a retired police detective who now freelances as a P.I when he isn't driving the airport shuttle for a hotel on Long Island. The recent death of Gus'son, who was in his twenties, hugely influences the character. His role as a father is his defining trait and really fleshes Gus out in a way that is rare for father/detective characters.

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  29. Ellis Peters's detective George Felse is a father, and his son Dominic has several books in the series where he is the protagonist. Both Ruth Rendell's Chief Inspector Wexford and Dorothy Simpson's Luke Thanet are also fathers. And Lord Peter Wimsey after marrying Harriet Vane becomes a father to several sons, both in a short story by Dorothy L. Sayers and in the continuation of the series by Jill Paton Walsh.

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  30. I'm not sure what happened to my last comment, so I'll apologize in advance if this is a duplicate. How about Rick Atwood? He's the father of a precocious 10-year-old daughter who has a habit of sticking her nose where it doesn't belong, especially when there's murder involved. And yes, that one's mine in the Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mysteries.

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  31. Meg Langslow became a mom part way through Donna Andrews's series, so that makes Meg's husband Michael a dad. And since he always seems to have the twins while Meg is off sleuthing, he must be a great one.

    Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller was mentioned, but Harry Bosch has become a father as well.

    But it is true, they aren't easy to come by. However, there aren't as many sleuths who are moms, either. I think it's because the single sleuth is so much easier to let loose in a mystery.

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  32. Mike McCabe in James Hayman 's books tried to be a good dad.

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  33. Joe Pickett, Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch are good fathers. Spenser has been a father figure to some kids as well.

    I wrote this back in 2013 about my dad and a father figure of mine from basketball:

    "On this Father's Day, I wanted to take a blog post and remember a couple father/father figures and mention some other dad type related passing thoughts.

    My dad has been gone for more than seven years now. He was a husband, dad to three kids, a police officer, a ham radio enthusiast, loved computers, yodeling music, tinkering, building things, buying cookbooks and so many other things too numerous to mention here. He took me to my first rock concert despite the fact that he didn't like rock music at all. He took me to my first Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics games, and he didn't care for sports all that much.

    Along with my mother, he was in the stands rooting me on when the teams I coached won championships, and he told many people how proud he was of my coaching work. He grew up without much of a stable home life, but gave my mom, my siblings and me that which he never had.

    When he was in the hospital the final time, a man he arrested came to visit him and thanked him for helping him straighten out. Cops from all over the region came to his wake and the place he grew up as a child allowed his final wish to have his ashes spread on the grounds.

    He was proud of me for my coaching...I'm proud to be the son of George Roberts.

    My basketball father has been gone for 8 years now. When I was a kid, Tony Dias was the only one who ever encouraged me when I would tell any of the coaches in the basketball league that I wanted to be a coach when I grew up. But 25 years later, not only did I coach but I spent time in charge of the program as well. And I got to coach with him as a fellow assistant and with him by my side, working as my assistant. And while my hard work plays a part in that, I lay the credit at his feet. I would not have gotten to where I did in basketball today without his encouragement.

    I attended his wake and funeral which is something I never do if I can avoid it. At the wake, his son Tony Jr. gave the eulogy and it was well done. I had written a piece that got printed in the local paper. When the family got a copy of it, they said it was better than the one his son gave.

    Sadly, Tony Jr. just died this week at the age of 62.

    So to my Dad, I send my love and I miss you every day.

    To Tony, I miss you and thank you for what you did for me.

    Happy Father's Day to all Dads both biological and by example."

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    1. this is what the day is all about. Thank you Jay.

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    2. Thank you, Jay, for sharing that tribute to you dad and to your coach. They must have been great guys.

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  34. Miranda James' Charlie has 2 kids and now grandchildren as well as Diesel the cat. Jeffrey Allen had a series with a detective father, too.

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  35. I like Meg Lanslow's husband, Michael, and her father in Donna Andrew's Meg Lanslow's series. In Kathleen Bridge's Hampton Homes and Gardens series, the main character, Meg, gets a lot of support and aid from her dad, a retired cop.

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  36. Thought of Tom Barnaby from Midsomer Murders then John Barnaby who becomes a father in Midsomer Murders. Yes, Carson Drew is Nancy Drew's father. I also thought of father figures like Kinsey Millhouse's neighbor Henry. Sheriff Longmire has a daughter who is an attorney. Charles Lenox becomes a father in later books. The father of the Hardy Boys. I was thinking that Constable Evans would be a father by now. Julie Mulhern's Ellison has a father. Ellie Alexander's Juliet Capshaw's father passed away, though she has a father figure in the Professor. That is all I can think off the top of my head at the moment.

    Happy Father's Day!

    Diana

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