The Top 10: Detectives’ Hobbies

Coins, darts, opera and making implausibly large sandwiches: what fictional sleuths get up to in their spare time

Ullo John! Gotta new motor?: Inspector Morse (played by John Thaw, above), preferred a more classic mode of transport (Rex)

This list was Andrew Ruddle’s idea. Morse is the obvious one, but I liked some of the more obscure nominations.

1. Violin; beekeeping; cocaine. Sherlock Holmes. Nominated by Graham Kirby, Rafael Behr, Peter A Russell, John Ruddy, Elliot Kane and Mark Jackson.

2. Chess. Philip Marlowe. “Though he mainly played against himself or from books,” said Graham Kirby. “He spends a part of each story playing over chess games or working on chess puzzles. At the end of The High Window, Marlowe plays over a Capablanca game. ‘Beautiful cold remorseless chess, almost creepy in its silent implacability.’ He ends up looking at himself in the mirror, sipping iced water. ‘You and Capablanca, I said.’ Truly, Chandler had some superb final lines,” said Bruce Napier.

3. Coins. Max Carrados, the blind detective written by Ernest Bramah, who was as popular as Sherlock Holmes in Strand Magazine, from 1914. Nominated by Robert Boston

4. Darts. Sergeant Beef, a methodical and engaging vulgarian written by Leo Bruce, the pen name of Rupert Croft-Cooke, 1903-1979. Another from Robert Boston.

5. Economics. Ludovic Travers, private investigator who was considered a dilettante, but who had an unusual obsessive hobby. Written by Christopher Bush, born Charlie Christmas Bush on Christmas Day 1885. Robert Boston again.

6. Growing vegetable marrows. Hercule Poirot retired to King’s Abbot to cultivate his garden (The Murder of Roger Ackroyd). Sundry nominations.

7. Flower arranging, knitting sweaters, painting, cordon bleu cooking. “Nancy Drew was annoying even in her hobbies,” said Graham Kirby. She was also “as fine on her feet as Ginger Rogers”.

8. Making implausibly large sandwiches. Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. Thanks to Chris Rowland.

9. Writing poetry. Adam Dalgliesh (PD James) and Falco (Lindsey Davies). Nominated by Graham Kirby, ExSpAd, Michael Reid, Christine.

10. Opera; classical music, especially Wagner, ale, classic cars and crosswords. Chief Inspector Morse. Thanks to Robert Boston and Graham Kirby. Adam Greves pointed out that Wallander (played by Kenneth Branagh in the TV series from Henning Mankell’s novels), also loves opera. “Wallander is particularly fond of Maria Callas and dreams of leaving the Ystad PD to become an impresario. His failure to do so haunts him.”

Honourable mention for David Mills, who pointed out Jonathan Creek is a magician whose hobby is being a detective.

Next week: Songs Released Consecutively by the Same Artist That Contradict One Another, such as EMF’s “Unbelievable” followed by “I Believe”

Coming soon: Famous People Who Lived on the Same Street, such as Jimi Hendrix and George Frideric Handel in Brook St, London

Your suggestions please, and ideas for future Top 10s, to me on Twitter, or by email to top10@independent.co.uk