columbo
and about every detective on "law and order"

most of the great detectives = sherlock holmes, mike hammer etc practiced privately. many =jessica fletcher were not even private detectives.

Great writing, but Dave and his sidekick Crete Purcell are getting a little long in the tooth to continue beating the hell out of the bad guys.

Tom Barnaby, Inspector Morse, Inspector Lewis, Dalgleish, Will Trent.

Lt. Det. Frank Bullitt

Frank Drebin

Jim West and Artemis Gordon (secret service agents, it counts)

Rockford also hold the world record for the number of times knocked out by thugs.

He was a PI.

I agree with most of the list, especially Bosch & Rebus. I own every book in both series.

Some greats who could have easily made the list:

Ari Arason, author Ragnar Jónasson

Alan Banks, author Peter Robinson

Martin Beck, authors Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö

Elma & Sæver, author Eva Ægisdóttir

Tony Hill & Carol Gordon; Karen Pirie, author Val McDermid

Jules Maigret, author Georges Simenon

Jimmy Perez; Vera Stanhope, author Ann Cleeves

Jane Templeton, author Lynda la Plante

Kurt Wallender, author Henning Mankell

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache/Louise Penny

Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers/John Sandford