Who are the great American crime fighting duos from literature?

[John Baird]

Well represented in TV shows and comic books, the US has a strong history of crime stopping twosomes (Batman & Robin, Starsky & Hutch etc…) but what about in crime novels? Most of the best characters seem to be the lone-wolf types. So who are the best US based hero/sidekick pairings?

I’ve come up with:

Stout’s Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin

Coben’s Myron Bolitar and Win Horne Lockwood III

Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs

Crais’s Elvis Cole and Joe Pike

Gerritsen’s Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles

But there must be more great crime solving duos out there.

As THIS LINK shows, British literature is full of them.

[I. J. Parker]

Yes, and you can probably make some interesting deductions about the influence of women's lib. Not only do female authors have female protags, but recently men use more and more women in leading roles. That's because there are more women reading and buying than men.

[John Baird]

Interesting. In the UK about 60% of crime fiction is bought by women but how many of them prefer a female lead?

[Eric Christopherson]

Lehane's Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro

[I. J. Parker]

There you are!  :)

[John Baird]

Oh yes. And I read Moonlight Mile not so long ago... Good suggestion.

[John Pappan]

How about Nick and Nora Charles? I'm not so sure she was a part of the sleuthing, but she was a lovely little elbow in the ribs for her husband.

[John Edward Mullen]

I would add S.J. Rozan's Lydia Chin and Bill Smith.

[John Baird]

Thanks John.

[Julian Donn]

James Lee Burke: Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell.

[Dana King]

Chester Himes: Gravedigger Jones and Coffin Ed.

Robert B. Parker: Spenser and Hawk.

Walter Mosely: Easy Rollins and Mouse

[John Baird]

Some great suggestions. Thanks all.

Seems to me that the typical US sidekick acts as the muscle or is that unfair?

[Dana King]

The American brand of sidekick is sometimes referred to generically as the "psycho sidekick." They often get to do the things that would make the hero less sympathetic if he did them.