Comparison Of Adam Dalgliesh And Quentin Altman

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In P.D. James’ “Great Aunt Allie’s flypapers “ and Jeffrey Deavers’ “Copycat,” the audience is introduced to two entertaining and quintessential Police detectives: James’s Adam Dalgliesh and Deaver’s Quentin Altman. They are both quintessential in that they both adhere to three elements of Police Detective fiction: the detective is a police detective, the detective must utilize evidence, and justice is not always achieved. However, the ways these two detectives satisfy these elements of police procedurals is different. Detectives Dalgliesh and Altman are both attached to police forces, but they utilize their connections differently. Adam Dalgliesh, a Superintendent with the London Metropolitan Police, does not utilize his police …show more content…

For instance, the evidence Dalgliesh collects is still useful to his investigation, even if he is not working for the Metropolitan Police while he solves the case. He speaks to expert “Aubrey Glatt . . . a wealthy amateur criminologist” and the witness “QUOTE MAURGAURITE GODDARD.”. Aubrey Glatt assists Dalgliesh with the particulars of the case ________________________. Marguerite Goddard is absolutely essential to solving the case because she knows exactly who committed the crime. Altman, however, has the opportunity to use evidence besides expert and witness testimony. “Copycat” is set more recently than “Aunt Allie’s Flypapers,” Altman has technology available to him Dalgliesh did not possess. For instance, Altman utilizes the Forensics Department to prove that the writing in the library book is the same hand as the suspicious fan letter sent to the author. Because of modern forensics and the fact that all of the evidence he collects will have to stand in a court of law, there is more emphasis on physical evidence and the integrity of the evidence. To ensure the integrity of the evidence: “[Altman] pulled on his own latex gloves and slipped the book into an evidence envelope” (Deaver. 360). But, evidence, even reliable evidence, does not ensure

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