Detective Quote by Christopher Fowler
““There can be no supernatural elements, no secret passages, no imaginary poisons, no Chinamen, no twins, no mystical intuitive powers, and the detective himself can’t have done it. To them I would add several further moratoria: no more alcoholic policemen with dead wives, no autistic idiot-savant crime-scene specialists, no oppressed female detectives derided by sexist colleagues, no overweight computer nerds in dimly lit rooms, no erudite killers arranging corpses in tableaux reminiscent of medieval paintings, no renegade detectives sharing a psychic bond with the killer, no cryptic messages hidden in museums by victims, no opera-loving loners who solve crimes because without them their lives would have no meaning, and absolutely no more reinventions of Sherlock Bloody Holmes””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Deptford Mice series by Christopher Fowler, 2005
The quote sat a satirical list of clichés and tropes that have become overused in detective fiction, urging writers to avoid them.
In simple terms: Avoid overused detective tropes.
Key Takeaway
Write fresh, original mysteries.
Themes
creativity
genre criticism
writing
Mood
wry
critical
humorous
Type
satirical
commentary
guidance
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- screenwriting
- story development
- character design
- genre subversion
Key Concepts
literary satire
genre conventions
character archetypes
Questions to Reflect On
- Which cliché do you find most limiting?
- How can you subvert a trope without losing genre appeal?
A Different Perspective
Even without these tropes, compelling mysteries can be crafted with strong plotting and character depth.
![“Information can be harmful when you're not ready for it. ['The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes']” quote by Richard Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d7/richard-walter-100548_ideas_information-can-be-harmful-when-you-re-n_1713166.jpg)
![“My dear boy, your thinking has no structure, no foundation. You pick up your primary ideas from TV shows. You're like a fart in the bathtub. ['The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes']” quote by Richard Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/123/richard-walter-100548_ideas_my-dear-boy-your-thinking-has-no-structu_16450.jpg)
![“[In the theatre] Thanks.' He paused on the stairs. "And good- "Don't say it!" yelled Helena. "No whistling, no well-wishing." "I thought you weren't superstitious." "I'm not,' she said defiantly, 'but obviously there are limits.” quote by Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/84b/christopher-fowler-18390_superstition_in-the-theatre-thanks-he-paused-on-the-s_862538.jpg)
