Mclevy

James McLevy was a real-life member of the Edinburgh police, becoming a detective in 1833. In his 30-year career, he handled over 2,200 cases, almost always securing a conviction. Drawing on his vast experience with crime and the criminal underclass of Scotland's capitol city, he published a series of extremely popular books in the 1860s. McLevy was one of the first exponents of the crime genre and was a likely influence on the creator of Sherlock Holmes. In July, 1999, the BBC's Radio 4 brought the Edinburgh detective to radio, first as a single 45-minute show and then in multiple series of four 45-minute stories each. He is accompanied by his sergeant/sidekick Mulholland. His chief nemesis is one of the most powerful 'madames' of the day, Jean Brash.