History Main / GentlemanDetective

* Creator/ArthurConanDoyle's SherlockHolmes is often seen to be the quintessential GentlemanDetective. Although Doctor Watson is more stereotypically upper class than Holmes, Sherlock is still a man of some means, and is nothing if not knowledgeable, particularly on chemistry and sensational literature. Retires to become a beekeeper, of all things.
** Actually, Holmes acted ''very'' upper class (with country squires and French artists in his bloodlines), and Victorians would have recognized this. Not so noticeable these days, because he doesn't always come off as the ''modern'' idea of a Victorian gentleman. Watson was very much the gentlemanly ''middle class''. Both men being the younger sons in their families, they would have had to work for a living, however, no matter their families' financial circumstances.

* E.C. Bentley's Philip Trent (acknowledged by DorothyLSayers as a model for Lord Peter)

* AgathaChristie's Tommy Beresford and HerculePoirot.

* S. S. Van Dine's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philo_Vance Philo Vance]]

* RandallGarrett's Literature/LordDarcy.

* Creator/ArthurConanDoyle SherlockHolmes is often seen to be the quintessential GentlemanDetective. Although Doctor Watson is more stereotypically upper class than Holmes, Sherlock is still a man of some means, and is nothing if not knowledgeable, particularly on chemistry and sensational literature. Retires to become a beekeeper, of all things.

Subtrope of GreatDetective. A sleuth who is known to belong to the higher strata of society - to have been raised in a privileged environment, and shows it, even if they have since rejected their background. Will tend to be some form of polymath, possibly autodidactic, at the least being very well-educated and well-read. Probably multilingual to boot, and often has notable eccentricities or unusual hobbies. Frequently a competent musician. Like the GreatDetective, this was first instantiated in the form of EdgarAllanPoe's C. Auguste Dupin, and popularised by ArthurConanDoyle's SherlockHolmes.

* ArthurConanDoyle's SherlockHolmes is often seen to be the quintessential GentlemanDetective. Although Doctor Watson is more stereotypically upper class than Holmes, Sherlock is still a man of some means, and is nothing if not knowledgeable, particularly on chemistry and sensational literature. Retires to become a beekeeper, of all things.

* NickKnatterton (full name: Nikolaus Kuno Freiherr von Knatter), German comic strip character, uses the pseudonym because he promised not to embarrass his noble family.

[[quoteright:99:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Hershel_Layton_6974.png]]
[[caption-width-right:199: "A true gentleman never leaves a puzzle unsolved."]]

!!'''Examples:'''

->''To be a real policeman\\
Be big and strong by heck\\
But let the strength be always found\\
Just above the neck.''
-->''Courtesy is the Best Policy'', a tribute to the Newfoundland Ranger Force

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* [[{{Ptitlewo6dni8e}} Dorothy L. Sayers]]' LordPeterWimsey is another archetype. Younger brother of a duke, he was educated at Eton and Oxford, he is notably eccentric, and collects 15th Century books as a hobby.
* E.C. Bentley's Philip Trent (acknowledged by [[{{Ptitlewo6dni8e}} Dorothy L. Sayers]] as a model for Lord Peter.)

* The titular hero of Randall Garrett's ''Literature/LordDarcy'' series.

* Margery Allingham's Albert Campion.

Subtrope of GreatDetective. A sleuth who is known to belong to the higher strata of society - to have been raised in a privileged environment, and shows it, even if they have since rejected their background. Will tend to be some form of polymath, possibly autodidactic, at the least being very well-educated and well-read. Probably multilingual to boot, and often has notable eccentricities or unusual hobbies. Frequently a competent musician. Like the Great Detective, this was first instantiated in the form of EdgarAllanPoe's C. Auguste Dupin, and popularised by ArthurConanDoyle's SherlockHolmes.

TheOtherWiki has a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentleman_detective page]] on this trope.

* [[InspectorLynley Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, 8th Earl of Asherton]]

* Randall Garrett's LordDarcy.

* The Lady's nephew Robert Audley in Mary Elizabeth Braddon's [[LadyAudleysSecret Lady Audley's Secret]].

* The Lady's nephew Robert Audley in Mary Elizabeth Braddon's [[LadyAudleysSecret Lady Audley's Secret]].

* DashiellHammett's Nick Charles
* AgathaChristie's Tommy Beresford and HerculePoirot

* Michael Arlen's Gay Falcon

* Dashiell Hammett's Nick Charles
* AgathaChristie's Tommy Beresford and Hercule Poirot
* Leslie Charteris's Simon Templar

* Some versions of Batman, particularly those that lean toward the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism idealism end of the scale]].

* Nick Knatterton (full name: Nikolaus Kuno Freiherr von Knatter), German comic strip character, uses the pseudonym because he promised not to embarrass his noble family.

* ProfessorLayton. He's actually an archaeologist by trade, not a detective, but his "notable eccentricities or unusual hobbies" as mentioned in the intro are puzzles, meaning he gets into some mysteries. He also makes it a point to be a proper gentleman to everyone he meets.

* Randall Garrett's LordDarcy.