Detective Inspector John Rebus, Edinburgh
Ian Rankin has recently retired Rebus, the moody, hard-rock-loving former SAS man, but he lives on in the appropriately rumpled form of Ken Stott on television. In the 17 Rebus novels, Edinburgh is every bit as much a character as the gruff but lovable detective, and they touch on much local history and politics (Set in Darkness, for example, revolves around the then new Scottish Parliament), as well as the odd murder and sessions at the Oxford Bar. If you want to visit his favourite watering holes and other locales, Rebus Tours (0131 553 7473, www.rebustours.com) offers two-hour walks, with readings from the books, on Saturdays at noon and 3pm for £10.
Philip Marlowe, Los Angeles
He might not have been the first, but Marlowe (seen portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, left) is arguably the most loved of all hard-boiled, wise-cracking (and ultimately soft-hearted) gumshoes. It is 50 years since his creator, Raymond Chandler, died, leaving behind a relatively small body of work - but as that list includes The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely, The High Window and The Lady in the Lake, as well as some excellent short stories, it remains hugely influential.
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The books offer a fascinating picture of California in the 1930s and 1940s, although often pseudonymously: his Bay City, for example, is actually Santa Monica. To tour Marlowe's mean streets, contact Esotouric, which runs two four-hour Chandler coach tours, In a Lonely Place and Bay City, for £35 each.
Commissario Guido Brunetti, Venice
The American academic Donna Leon's Brunetti is not your average thriller detective. Not alcoholic, divorced or misanthropic, he manages nobly to rise above the cesspool of murder and corruption through which he is forced to wade. Leon's 18 books are ensemble pieces, with Brunetti's loyal sidekick, Inspector Vianello, his secretary, Signorina Elettra, his wife, kids and mother-in-law all equally well observed. The key player, however, is Venice itself, wonderfully captured by the resident Leon. In fact, fans cherish the novels as much for the insider tips - such as the best wine bar or lunch spot - as the labyrinthine plots. To visit Brunetti's haunts, contact Dr Toni Sepeda, a professor of literature and art history who is recommended by Leon's American publisher. She offers private tours that last up to two hours; for prices, e-mail tosepeda@libero.it
Dave Robicheaux, Louisiana
The Southerner James Lee Burke's most famous creation is a reformed drinker and Vietnam veteran, Detective Dave Robicheaux (portrayed most recently by Tommy Lee Jones), a moral man in a very immoral world. Although he is familiar with the fleshpots of New Orleans (see The Tin Roof Blowdown), Robicheaux's home town is picturesque New Iberia. If you want to see where he hangs out, the lovely people at Books Along the Teche (106 East Main Street; 00 1 337 367 7621) offer a free booklet called Discover Iberia, with a Dave's Domain touring map; you can download a version of it from www.iberiatravel.com
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