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Not many to add from my side, as all of my current favorites already appear up there. But here are some classics:
MODESTY BLAISE - probably my all time favorite.
MATT HELM - gritty, sort of godfather to all the "killer books" that are now out there.
TRAVIS McGEE - somehow I always figured him to be the prototype for Jack Reacher. I know, they are miles apart from philosophy, social life and moral compass, but both characters probably enjoy the greatest freedom and independence of society of all the typical detective/sleuths/private eyes/investigators

Jaron Eckbert III in the False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen. This is an amazing read. It's the first book in the Ascendance Trilogy,I high;y recommend this for people who like adventure fantasy and competitions. Even though it says "fantasy" there's nothing too out there. Nothing like unicorns and werewolfs, just made up countries. And this is one of those stories where you don't know how much foreshadowing was going on until you've read it a second time. and trust me, you will want to read it again

Like Kate Watterson' s Ellie MacIntosh. Alex Kava' s Maggie O'Dell.

Alex wrote: "MATT HELM - gritty, sort of godfather to all the "killer books" that are now out there..."

Wow! Matt Helm! Now there is a blast out of my past. I started reading those when I was in the Navy. And, I've been out of the Navy for over 50 years.

Don't remember much about the series, though. And, after looking it up here on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, none of the books are familiar. At least, not by title.

Think I might like to read some of them again, but, my local library doesn't have any of them. :( Which, if I remember right, was the reason I stopped reading them years ago. Different library, same reason. [sigh]...

Dr. Bill Brockton (Jefferson Bass books)

Sheriff Walt Longmire (Craig Johnson's Longmire series) -- both TV and books

Det. Skip Langdon (Julie Smith books)

and of course Sherlock Holmes

Spenser from Robert B Parker
Longmire

I have lots of favourites, in no particular order, except for Harry Bosch number one

Harry Bosch - Michael Connelly
Elvis Cole & Joe Pike - Robert Crais
Alex McKnight - Steve Hamilton
Gabe Quinn - Keith Houghton
Kenzie & Gennaro - Dennis Lehane
Jack Reacher - Lee Child
Shane Scully - Stephen J Cannell
Lucas Davenport - John Sandford
Dave Robicheaux - James Lee Burke
Manny Williams - Rick Murcer

I forgot Lou Mason -Joel Goldman

Burke- Andrew Vachss

Same here. Sherlock Holmes and also Bruce Wayne, if somebody could find it worthy.

Flavia from Alan Bradley is one of my favorites.

Joona Linna from Lars Kepler is a another great one.

I also lime Dan Brown's Robert Langdon.. cheesy I know but I love art history...

Dr Bill Brockten is one of my favorites. The history of the Body Farm mixed in with the mystery is always intriguing.
Eve Dallas from the Death series has been a favorite since book one. For my first neck surgery, my husband bought every one in paperback (that was out at the time) and I did a read fest.
The women's murder club by James Patterson is a good series with multiple personalities to follow. I got burned out on Alex Cross.

I wholeheartedly concur with Kinsey Millhone (I'm still in denial that there are only 3 more books to come in that series) and Hercule Poirot. I'd also add Thursday Next from the books by Jasper Fforde, she never fails to entertain me.

Shannon wrote: "Dr Bill Brockten is one of my favorites. The history of the Body Farm mixed in with the mystery is always intriguing.
Eve Dallas from the Death series has been a favorite since book one. For my fir..."

I love the In Death series. Have you tried the audiobooks, Shannon? Susan Ericksen is great as narrator/performer!

Brian wrote: "I wholeheartedly concur with Kinsey Millhone (I'm still in denial that there are only 3 more books to come in that series) and Hercule Poirot. I'd also add Thursday Next from the books by [author:J..."

I wondered about that. Maybe she'll start over or use numbers. Like Mary Daheim's Alpine series, I wonder what happens after Z.

Kirsten I love the In Death in audio. They are great.

My favs have pretty much all been mentioned but I'll list them anyway:

Harry Bosch
John Rebus and Siobhan Clarke (not sure she counts as a leading character, but she's amazing eitherway)
Hercule Poirot
Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist
Harry Hole
Longmire
Thrusday Next
Lord Peter Wimsey

These are the first that come to mind. I'm sure there are a few I am forgetting.

Some great choices, Helena!

Love John Rebus and Lord Peter!

I like Myron Bolitar and his associates in Harlan Coben's novels. They are quirky and interesting and Coben writes with humor as well as suspense. However, I do feel the older novels in the series are better than the more-recent ones.

Wow! Lots of very good lead characters! Tough to add others off the top of my head but perhaps, Steve Carella and the detectives of the 87th Precinct from Ed McBain. I have yet to find one of the books that I disliked or that I ever got tired of these men.

For women, I have to say Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher. I've only gotten through the first three books of this series (after watching the TV series) and enjoy them and her immensely.

My favorites are Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly, the Dublin Murder Series by Tana French and the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo. I thought the Lisbeth Salander books were great.

I also have read the entire DI John Rebus (Ian Rankin) and DCI Alan Banks (Peter Robinson) series. I also read the Wallender series by Henning Mankell.

I'm looking for some new series, preferably with an interesting female protagonist. I gave up on the Kay Scarpetta books after the first four and the Kinsey Millhone series after the first 6 or 7.

Has anyone read the Benjamin Justice series by John Morgan Wilson. Those were pretty good but they got very very dark around book 5 or so.
It's about an openly gay detective. They are better than the Michael Nava books (which also have an openly gay detective.)

Bosch, Hole, Rebus, Banks and salads we are indeed great books. Talking of Michael Connelly, I do like his lawyer Mickey Haller. In real life I might not but as a character in a book, he's very good.

Valerie wrote: "Laura wrote: "Right now I like fearless Katya in Zoe Ferraris' series of literary mysteries. (Finding Nouf, City of Veils, etc.) She's a medical examiner in a coroner's office in Saudi Arabia. Her ..."

Those are some of my favorites as well, Valerie! Course, I cut my mystery teeth on Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. And when my cousin sent me the whole series of Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus, I found myself reading them almost back to back. Rebus is a great character.

Patricia wrote: "I love Eve Dallas in J.D. Robb's In Death series. Great detective, funny sidekick, and a hunky husband. What's not to love. And it's set in the future. As a lover of both mysteries and science fict..."

Oh my gosh, almost forgot about Anne Perry's Pitt and Monk! Truly there are too many to mention like Sister Fidelma by Peter Tremayne and Gaius Petreius Ruso by Ruth Downie, Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood, Bernie Rhodenbarrr by Lawrence Block, Lincoln Rhyme by Jeffery Deaver and Gabriel Allon by Daniel Silva ...

Jack Reacher by Lee Child, Maggie O'Dell by Alex Kava, Ellie McIntosh by Kate Watterson, Ali Reynolds by J. A. Janice.