Similarities and Differences among Detectives, as Portrayed in "The Hound of Baskervilles" and "The Speaker of Mandarin"

This essays looks at how "The Hound of Baskervilles" and "The speaker of Mandarin" display that all detectives of crime share similar characteristics in both deduction and their attitude towards life.
People that posses a high degree of intellect and focus on solving the quandaries and puzzles of life, often display common characteristics. Especially those that specialize in solving crime display this parallel. The portrayals of two great detectives of fiction - Sherlock Holmes, in The Hounds of Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Inspector Wexford, in The Speaker of Mandarin by Ruth Rendell employ these characteristic traits. Firstly both Holmes and Wexford display enthusiasm. Secondly, both detectives display guile and recognize the situations that demand tact, and those that demand bluntness. …