Armchair detective Armchair detective An armchair detective is a fictional investigator who does not personally visit a crime scene or interview witnesses; instead, he or she either reads the story of the crime in a newspaper or has it recounted by another person. As the armchair detective never sees any of the investigation, the reader can attempt to solve the mystery on the same terms as the detective. The phrase possibly originates in a Sherlock Holmes story from 1893, "The Greek Interpreter", in which Holmes says of his brother Mycroft, "If the art of the detective began and ended in reasoning from
Mycroft Holmes (novel) to the Caribbean—along with the usual Holmesian array of brightly obtuse knowledge and libertine philosophy." Amy Thomas, writing for "Baker Street Babes", said "The book is extremely well-written and well-researched, with layers of sensory detail and filmic tableaux that reflect Waterhouse’s screenwriting influence. Doylean Easter Eggs are also sprinkled throughout and are presented with a witty subtlety that will delight longtime fans. Ultimately, Mycroft Holmes is a good book and an engaging mystery for Sherlockians and non-Sherlockians alike, but it’s a particular delight for aficionados of the Doylean world." With Raymond Obstfeld, Abdul-Jabbar authored the graphic novel "Mycroft Holmes and