Garrett P.I.
Garrett P.I. is a series of books by author Glen Cook about Garrett, a freelance private investigator. The novels are written in a film noir-esque style, containing elements of traditional mystery and detective fiction, as well as plenty of dialogue-based humor. The Garrett P.I. novels are set in a fantasy universe; protagonist Garrett, during his adventures throughout his home city of TunFaire and across Karenta and the Cantard, meets elves, vampires, centaurs, trolls, gods, wizards, witches, and more. Unlike most fantasy series, the Garrett P.I. novels focus more on the detective aspects of the story and less on the fantastic and magical aspects.
From the files of Garrett, P.I.
The Garrett novels, in order, are:
- Sweet Silver Blues (1987)
- Bitter Gold Hearts (1988)
- Cold Copper Tears (1988)
- Old Tin Sorrows (1989)
- Dread Brass Shadows (1990)
- Red Iron Nights (1991)
- Deadly Quicksilver Lies (1994)
- Petty Pewter Gods (1995)
- Faded Steel Heat (1999)
- Angry Lead Skies (2002)
- Whispering Nickel Idols (2005)
- Cruel Zinc Melodies (May 2008)
Science Fiction Book Club omnibus editions:
- The Garrett Files (collects Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, and Cold Copper Tears; 2003)
- Garrett, P.I. (collects Old Tin Sorrows, Dread Brass Shadows, and Red Iron Nights; 2003)
- Garrett Investigates (collects Deadly Quicksilver Lies, Petty Pewter Gods, and Faded Steel Heat; 2004)
- Garrett On The Case (collects Angry Lead Skies, and Whispering Nickel Idols; 2005)
Major recurring characters in Garrett P.I.
Garrett
Garrett is the protagonist of the Garrett P.I. series, and as his name would indicate, he is a confidential investigator.
Garrett—the only name he is known by—is an ex-marine with a knack for figuring things out. He is described as handsome, 6'2" tall, with ginger hair and blue eyes. He is in his early to mid 30s and is physically fit but struggling to maintain his physique.
Garrett spent five years in the marines before being discharged and allowed to return home to TunFaire, where he began his freelance investigative service. Garrett's only standing job is working for Max Weider, rooting out corruption in the Weider Brewery. Eventually, in Angry Lead Skies, Garrett starts to make a permanent income after a deal made with the Tate and Weider families.
Garrett's favorite food is beer, and his favorite color is redhead (although he has been known to dabble in blonde and brunette). Despite his protests to the contrary, he is quite the ladies' man, rivaling only Morley Dotes in this. Garrett often describes himself as a knight in creaky, rusty armor, meaning that he is always a sucker for a damsel in distress. His conscience and inherent goodwill towards others often makes his cases more difficult, as he does not believe in killing others unless they are truly evil individuals.
Despite the fact that Garrett is consistently shown wearing a hat on the covers of most of the Garrett P.I. novels, Garrett makes it known on more than one occasion about his utter hatred of hats.
Garrett lives in a house he shares with the Dead Man. The house was purchased at the end of Sweet Silver Blues.
Morley Dotes
Morley is a half-dark-elf assassin and entrepreneur who owns his own restaurant and bar, originally called The Joy House but later renamed The Palms. Morley has a reputation as being the best street fighter in TunFaire, and he suffers none of the pangs of guilt that Garrett does when dealing with his opponents. He is vain and conceited, a dedicated vegetarian and health nut who constantly chases after women, married or otherwise. With his charm and exotic good looks, he usually gets them, yet he still claims that Garrett has an easier time attracting young ladies than he does.
Morley and Garrett, despite their differences, are best of friends. As the series progresses, we see their friendship grow even stronger, although neither one would readily admit it. As Morley matures, he seems to take more of a role managing his restaurant and less of a role in the world of crime, although he is always up for an adventure with Garrett when the time comes.
Morley Dotes first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
Saucerhead Tharpe
"Saucerhead" Tharpe, given name Waldo, is a professional thug and bodyguard. He is a friend of Garrett and Morley, and his line of work lies somewhere between theirs—he will beat people up for money, but will not kill for hire. He is a bit slow of thought, but has a deeply-ingrained sense of nobility, and once he accepts payment for a job he will see it through or die trying.
Physically, Saucerhead is a remarkably large and ugly human. He is much taller than Garrett's 6'2", incredibly strong, and almost impossible to kill. Though these qualities may imply a bit of ogre or giant blood in his background, Tharpe claims to be of pure human stock.
Although he is typically attracted to small, feisty women, late in the series he falls for Garrett's friend Winger.
Saucerhead Tharpe first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
The Dead Man
Garrett's partner, known only as the Dead Man, is a member of a very rare species called the Loghyr. About four hundred years before the events of Sweet Silver Blues, he was stuck with a knife and killed. However, the Loghyr spirit prevails long after death, so his minds (plural) are still functional, as are his formidable mental powers.
Within a certain range of his corpse, the Dead Man is telepathic and telekinetic. He is able to communicate through direct mind contact, as well as read and control the minds of unwilling subjects. He can lift physical objects up to the size of a small person, perhaps larger. The full extent of his powers is uncertain, and Garrett suspects he can do far more than he normally lets on.
The Dead Man is also a deductive genius, often helping Garrett solve cases, though he prefers to give limited advice and force Garrett to think for himself. He entertains himself by running military simulations, using "armies" of mind-controlled insects that go through maneuvers on the walls of his room.
The Dead Man's body weighs about four hundred and fifty pounds and spends all its time in an oversized chair in Garrett's house. He is a little ragged around the edges where the vermin have pecked at him, but Loghyr flesh corrupts extremely slowly. Despite being dead, he does have to "sleep" from time to time, apparently abandoning his body for weeks and even months at a time while he rebuilds his energy.
The Dead Man and Garrett are friends as well as business partners. Garrett has been known to refer to the Dead Man as Chuckles, Smiley, Old Bones, and His Nibs.
The Dead Man first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
Dean
Dean is Garrett's housekeeper and cook. Dean is elderly, around 70 years old, and he watches the house while Garrett is away. Dean dislikes cleaning the Dead Man's room, and is somewhat unnerved by the presence of the Dead Man in general. Dean is generally critical of Garrett's lady friends, with the exceptions of Tinnie Tate and Maya Stump, whom he adores.
Dean first appears in Bitter Gold Hearts.
Tinnie Tate
Tinnie Tate is Garrett's on-again off-again girlfriend. She is a short, fiery redhead in her mid 20's with long, straight hair, green eyes, a few freckles, and a body most men would kill for. She lives in the Tate family compound with her cousin, Rose Tate, and her uncle, Willard Tate, among others. Her relationship with Garrett is often strained by Garrett's promiscuity, but when push comes to shove, Garrett and Tinnie truly love each other, and a marriage between the two is a distinct possibility, although neither one is ready for such a commitment just yet.
Tinnie Tate first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
Playmate
Playmate is a black man close to seven feet tall, though Garrett often exaggerates his height as closer to nine feet. Despite his fierce appearance, he does not have a mean bone in his body. Playmate owns a stable close to Garrett's house, and he often provides horses and carriages to Garrett when he needs them. Garrett thinks Playmate would make an excellent preacher, but Playmate's dedication is to his stable, first and foremost.
Playmate first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
Winger
Winger is a country bumpkin turned thug-for-hire. She is tall (roughly Garrett's height) and attractive, though strong and built like a brick outhouse. Garrett likens her to Saucerhead, but with better teeth and long blonde hair. Winger has a tendency to act before she thinks, and she has a penchant for schemes that get her and everyone around her into hot water. Her taste in clothing is atrocious, and she is something of a kleptomaniac. She has about as much of a conscience as Morley Dotes.
Garrett and Winger have a history together. Garrett is not entirely sure why he and Winger are friends, but they are, and he counts Winger as one of the few people who would rise up to defend him under any circumstances.
Winger first appears in Dread Brass Shadows.
Chodo Contague
Chodo Contague is the Kingpin of the Outfit, TunFaire's organized crime syndicate. He rose to the position following the assassination of the previous Kingpin, which came at the end of Sweet Silver Blues and was orchestrated by Morley Dotes.
Although he is about 60 years old and wheelchair-bound by an unspecified condition, Chodo is still a very menacing figure; there is a ruthlessness about him that makes even his henchmen seem kind by comparison. As head of the Outfit, he is one of the most powerful men in TunFaire.
Due to several of Garrett's actions in the first few novels of the series, Chodo feels that he owes him a number of favors. Being a mafia don, Chodo has his own personal sense of loyalty and respect, but at the same time, Chodo only favors Garrett as long as their goals coincide. At the end of Dread Brass Shadows, Chodo suffers a stroke that seemingly turns him into a vegetable. At the end of Whispering Nickel Idols, he is on the road to recovery.
Chodo Contague first appears in Bitter Gold Hearts.
Crask and Sadler
Crask and Sadler are Chodo Contague's bodyguards and right hand men. They are cold, ruthless killers who follow Chodo's directions to the letter, and both are vicious fighters on a par with Saucerhead Tharpe and Morley Dotes. Although Crask and Sadler often team up with Garrett on raids and stakeouts, it is always an uneasy truce between the parties. Crask and Sadler would as soon kill Garrett as help him if Chodo Contague gave the order.
In Dread Brass Shadows, Crask and Sadler turn against Chodo Contague, and with the aid of Garrett and Winger, they attempt to assassinate him. When Chodo suffers a stroke, Crask and Sadler take over as heads of the Outfit, under the pretense that Chodo is still giving them orders. At the end of Red Iron Nights, Belinda Contague snatches power back from Crask and Sadler, and the two flee TunFaire.
Crask and Sadler first appear in Bitter Gold Hearts, and they die at the end of Faded Steel Heat.
Belinda Contague
Belinda Contague is the daughter of Chodo Contague. She has black hair, very pale skin, and prefers to wear all black clothing. Despite her choice of attire, she is very attractive.
Belinda suffers from conflicting emotions. Part of her wishes to be normal, so she could be carefree and spend time with Garrett, for whom she has a tender spot in her heart. However, for the most part, she is just as ruthless and cruel as her father. Although she confesses to Garrett often that she wishes she could get rid of this part of herself, she knows well enough that she never will.
Belinda Contague first appears in Red Iron Nights.
Westman Block
Westman Block is Captain, and later Colonel, of the city Watch. Unlike previous, corrupt heads of the Watch, Block is a true champion of law and order, and along with Deal Relway, he establishes the Guard, an offshoot of the Watch that governs the TunFaire secret police. Block can usually be found at the headquarters of the Watch, in the Al-Khar.
Westman Block and Garrett have a mutual respect for one another, although they are not necessarily friends. Block is often willing to overlook some of Garrett's more unseemly actions in exchange for his help in solving difficult crime cases plaguing TunFaire.
Westman Block first appears in Red Iron Nights.
Deal Relway
Deal Relway, referred to simply as Relway, is a pioneer and advocate of a New Order, where law, order, and justice will reign supreme. He starts out working for the Watch and quickly works his way up to being the Director of the TunFaire secret police. By the later novels in the series, Garrett fears that Relway's influence is starting to approach that of Chodo Contague's, just on a different side of the law. The relationship between Relway and Garrett is tenuous, at best.
Deal Relway first appears in Red Iron Nights.
Pular Singe
Pular Singe is a ratgirl, renowned as being the best tracker in the city of TunFaire. She is incredibly smart for her species (making her a little smarter than the average human), speaking Karentine (though she has a problem with sibilants) and learning how to read and write. She has a voracious appetite and a huge crush on Garrett. Garrett, though he has no interest in Pular romantically, enjoys having Pular Singe around, as she is a huge help in his cases and she constantly amazes Garrett with her ability to learn and mature.
Pular Singe first appears in Faded Steel Heat.
Minor Recurring Characters in Garrett P.I.
The Goddamn Parrot (Mr. Big)
The Goddamn Parrot, whose real name is Mr. Big, is a gift from Morley Dotes and his nephew Spud, who claimed they gave it to Garrett to keep Dean from bringing in stray cats. Mr. Big, while not quite intelligent, has a vocabulary to make a sailor blush. He also has a knack for mimicking small children calling for help.
The Dead Man quickly discovered that he could use the bird from a distance—connecting to its sensory systems, and speaking through its mouth, thus enabling him to bug Garrett from miles away. At the end of Angry Lead Skies, Mr. Big is missing, presumed kidnapped by aliens.
Besides calling him The Goddamn Parrot, Garrett has been known to refer to Mr. Big as The G.D.P., or just T.G.P.
Mr. Big first makes an appearance at the very end of Red Iron Nights.
Puddle and Sarge
Puddle and Sarge are two of Morley Dotes' henchmen. Former soldiers turned head-knockers, Puddle and Sarge are now middle-aged, fat, and out of shape. Mainly, they work the bar and serve the customers at the Joy House, but when Morley needs muscle for a fight, Puddle and Sarge can still get it done.
Puddle and Sarge first appear in Bitter Gold Hearts.
Spud
Spud, who's real name is Narcisio, is Morley's nephew. He starts working at the Joy House after he gets to be too much for Morley's sister to handle. Like Morley, he is part dark elf, making him short, lithe, and handsome. Spud is a fair fighter, and he tags along with Morley, Puddle, and Sarge when muscle is needed.
Spud first appears in Red Iron Nights.
Dojango Roze
Dojango Roze is one of the Roze Triplets, born of different mothers. Dojango is about 5'6" tall, and seems to be of a mixed elvish breed, some distant relation of Morley Dotes. Although small, he is a fair fighter, and he is rather plucky. He has a minor speech impediment, always using the word "actually", and like his brothers, he has a drinking problem.
Dojango Roze first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
Doris and Marsha
Doris and Marsha are two of the Roze Triplets, born of different mothers. They are Grolls, a mixture of troll and giant, roughly 20 feet tall, with pale lime-green skin and wide, frog-like mouths. Their weapons of choice are enormous clubs, so large that only they can wield them.
Though they look simple, they are not dumb. They can initially speak only in trollish, although by their appearance in Angry Lead Skies they have managed to learn Karentine. Like their brother Dojango, they have trouble handling their alcohol.
Doris and Marsha first appear in Sweet Silver Blues.
Rose Tate
Rose Tate, daughter of Willard Tate and cousin to Tinnie Tate, is a black-haired beauty, short but well-built. She is also cruel and self-serving, with a shrewish temperament. Garrett and Rose do not particularly get along, but Morley and Rose appear to have a tryst in Sweet Silver Blues.
Rose Tate first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
Willard Tate
Willard Tate is the patriarch of the Tate Shoe Company and a cobbler at the very peak of his trade. He is old and bent with the weight of years, but he has a powerful will and a shrewd business sense. The Tates, who tend to be short and claim a hint of elvish in their blood, are master craftsmen who have worked hard to become one of the wealthier families in TunFaire. The Tates, a very large, extended family, live in an enormous compound that is part home, part factory.
In Angry Lead Skies, Willard Tate helps fund a manufacturing project spearheaded by Garrett.
Willard Tate first appears in Sweet Silver Blues.
Maya Stump
Maya Stump is a member of the Sisters of Doom, a street gang made exclusively of young girls who were abused as children. She became Warchief of the Doom but was forced from the gang when she used her influence to have the gang help Garrett during a case.
Garrett and Maya are good friends, and Maya is one of the few women that Dean approves of as a match for Garrett, although he is uncertain due to her age (about 19).
Maya Stump first appears in Cold Copper Tears.
Max Weider
Max Weider is the owner of a vast brewing empire that supplies TunFaire with its best beer. Since the start of the series, Garrett has been on a permanent retainer by Max Weider, occasionally stopping by the brewery to make sure that no one steals funds or beer from the Weider enterprise.
Max Weider is mentioned throughout the series, but he makes his first appearance in Faded Steel Heat.
Linda Lee
Linda Lee is an attractive young librarian and friend of Garrett's who works at the Royal Library. She is just over five feet tall, with brown hair and big brown eyes. Although there is some attraction between the two, Linda mainly just helps Garrett when he's in need of historical information.
Linda Lee first appears in Deadly Quicksilver Lies.
Glory Mooncalled
Glory Mooncalled is a general first for the Venageti army and then for the Karentine army, who eventually turns rogue and seeks to establish his own republic in the Cantard. The Dead Man is fascinated by Glory Mooncalled, and he often tries to predict Mooncalled's next move by playing wargames in his room using hordes of small bugs as markers for Mooncalled's forces.
Although Glory Mooncalled is referenced throughout the series, he only makes a brief appearance in Faded Steel Heat.
John Stretch
"John Stretch", whose given name is Pound Humility, is Pular Singe's half-brother. Although he and Garrett start out on the wrong foot, John Stretch helps out Garrett in his later cases.
John Stretch first appears in Angry Lead Skies.
Mrs. Cardonlos
Mrs. Cardonlos is a police informant and Garrett's neighbor across Macunado street. Although she has never had an active role in any of the novels, she can often be seen leaning out her window, giving Garrett the evil eye.
Geography and Locations
TunFaire
TunFaire is the capital of the kingdom of Karenta. It is a large, sprawling city, home to people and creatures of all types. Some of the areas of TunFaire include:
- Wizard's Reach: The area in which Garrett's house is located.
- The Hill: Where the wealthy individuals and war leaders of TunFaire live.
- The Bustee: The poorest and most dangerous neighborhood in TunFaire.
- The Safety Zone: An area where species can intermix without fear of prejudice, created by Morley Dotes and home to The Joy House.
- The Dream Quarter: Home to the major churches and chapels of TunFaire.
- The Tenderloin: A mafia-controlled red light district where anything can be purchased for the right price.
- The Dead Zone: The politic area of the city.
The Joy House (The Palms)
The Joy House is a bar and restaurant in the Safety Zone, owned and operated by Morley Dotes. Morley's henchmen can often be found working the bar. The establishment serves only vegetarian and non-alcoholic fare. Morley lives in an apartment suite on the second floor, reached by a set of stairs near the bar; a speaking tube allows the bartender to communicate with him.
In Petty Pewter Gods, Morley decides to renovate the Joy House, turning it into The Palms, a more upscale establishment that caters to TunFaire's elite.
The Bledsoe Infirmary
An imperial charity, the Infirmary is supposed to provide medical care for the indigent population of TunFaire. Due to lack of funding, few patients at the Bledsoe receive any medical attention at all. The Bledsoe is also the city's insane asylum. It has been said that the poor conditions are not as much due to financial problems but the corrupt administration. The hospital workers even make money by providing the insane patients for home entertainments.
The Al-Khar
The Al-Khar is an old, decrepit building that serves as the main jail in TunFaire. It is also the headquarters for the city Watch.
Karenta
Karenta is the kingdom in which TunFaire is located. Karenta has been at war with another kingdom, Venageta, for over a hundred years. Part way through the series, this war will abruptly end, leading to unrest in the city of TunFaire.
The Cantard
The Cantard is a huge geographical region eight hundred miles to the south of TunFaire. The Cantard contains the majority of the world's silver mines (in Garrett's world silver is a necessary material for the working of magic), which has led to the Cantard Wars between Karenta and Venageta. Most of the countryside is desert. Many residents of TunFaire have a shared history of the fighting a war in the Cantard, because of the mandatory five years of service while the war was still active. Soldiers could then enlist with a voluntary two years which few took up, followed by another voluntary twenty year that very few survived.
Law and Disorder
The Watch
The Watch is the police force of the city of TunFaire. The Watch is notoriously slow to respond to incidents and is extremely corrupt. The Watch undergoes a major overhaul as Colonel Block and Deal Relway take over, turning into a well oiled machine over the course of a few novels.
The Outfit
The Outfit is a name for the organized crime syndicate in TunFaire. Although the individual in charge of the Outfit changes over the course of the series, the Outfit as a whole always retains significant power. The Outfit owns the entire Tenderloin, and they have business ventures in various other parts of the city, as well.
Races
Intelligent
- Breeds - individuals containing mixed racial backgrounds.
- Centaurs
- Dwarves
- Elves
- Fairies
- Grolls - a mixture of troll and giant.
- Humans
- Loghyr - an extremely rare race of long-lived humanoids with advanced mental powers including telekinesis, telepathy, and mind control.
- Ogres
- Pixies
- Ratkind - large rat people created by sorcery; they perform many of the city's menial jobs.
- Shapechangers
- Trolls
- Vampires
Semi-Intelligent
- morCartha - a small, winged, semi-intelligent race that mainly live in the rainforests up near Thunder Lizard country.
Animals
- Mammoths
- Rocs
- Thunder Lizards - large, dinosaur-like lizards with tough hides. They are carnivorous and vicious.
- Unicorns
Allusions
Allusions to other works
- The characters from this series parallel characters from the Nero Wolfe series:
- Garrett parallels Archie Goodwin
- The Dead Man parallels Nero Wolfe
- Dean parallels Fritz
- Garrett P.I. also contains similarities to the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald:
- Garrett parallels Travis McGee
- The book titles in both series follow nearly identical naming conventions: McGee books reference a color (i.e. The Deep Blue Good-by), while Garrett books reference a metal (i.e. Sweet Silver Blues)
Allusions/references to actual history, geography and current science
Allusions in other works
- An "investigator from TunFaire" is mentioned in Wm Mark Simmons' The Dreamland Chronicles.
