gday all, toying with the name of a french detective and ive settled on two names, just want your feelings on them and which one you prefer etc Felix Moreau Felix Cocteau Am writing a detective novel set in england before WW2 and without going into much detail, the murders are similiar to those committed in France during the decadence of 1920's paris.... The character thinks of himself as a bit of a ladies man, well educated and likes the high life....he also has the annoying habit of quoting Rimbauld and Baudelaire
I'd go for something like Deveraoux, it feels less "stock character" to me, and please, avoid the typical french stereotypes as well! Stereotyping is always bad IMO. For what I know about the french cousins, they always had a great sense of the State (la grand nation) and their civil servants are bred in special schools where they're taught to serve the Government and France above all, so they take their job very seriously and they won't womanize or quoting decadent poets who were considered, especially between the two wars the reason of the weakening of the French spirit at the end of the Second Empire and during the Third Republic.
And yet, if set during the Victorian Era or the so called Age of Reason, such a character might be in keeping with historic reality.
Second Empire: 1852->1870 Third Repubblic: 1870->1940 So they cover what in England is called "Victorian Era".
French detective = Inspector Clouseau of "Pink Panther", and nothing you say in your book will ever get me to see a French detective differently.
yes, poirot was belgian... i didn't say he wasn't... and spade was american, so i thought it was clear i was only referring to tec types, not nationality... hugo romilly doesn't sound french at all, if that matters...
thanks for this guys and girls, much appreciated, so ive gone back to the drawing board, and this is what ive come up with Hugo Vernon Arnaud Benoit Simon Fornier thoughts, opinions, ideas.....please
To add to mammamaia's comment: Is he from a privileged background? Or is he from a poor, working class family? etc etc These are the kinds of question that'll help you with the name.
'blaise' sounds effeminate to me, for a flic... but if that fits your character, it does go well with the surname...