James McLevy
James McLevy was a prominent detective in Edinburgh during the mid 19th century, and later an author of popular crime mysteries.
Biography
The son of a farmer, he was born in Ballymacnab in County Armagh, Ireland. McLevy later moved to Edinburgh, Scotland, and became a builder's labourer before joining the police force in 1830.
In 1833 he became Edinburgh's first detective and handled 2,220 cases during his 30-year career, almost always securing a conviction. His fame was such that the UK Parliament asked for his advice on dealing with criminals and Mary Carpenter, the great social reformer, quoted him in her paper on dealing with convicts.
McLevy published a series of extremely popular books in the 1860s, including Curiosities of Crime in Edinburgh, Sliding Scale of Life and The Disclosures of a Detective. It is sometimes suggested that his writings helped to inspire Arthur Conan Doyle. McLevy sought forensic advice from members of the medical faculty at the University of Edinburgh, where Conan Doyle later studied.
In the late 1990s, the James McLevy Trophy, named after him, was donated by former Detective Superintendent John McGowan to recognise outstanding achievement in crime detection in Scotland.
In popular culture
BBC Radio 4 has broadcast several series of dramas starring Brian Cox as McLevy, Siobhan Redmond as Jean Brash, Michael Perceval-Maxwell as Mulholland and David Ashton as Lieutenant Roach.
Pilot 1999
- 1. P- 1 Jul 26 99 McLevy (The Afternoon Play)
1st Series 2000
- 2. 1- 1 Dec 21 00 For Unto Us
- 3. 1- 2 Dec 28 00 The Trophy Club
- 4. 1- 3 Jan 04 01 The Second Shadow
- 5. 1- 4 Jan 11 01 The Burning Question
2nd Series 2002
- 6. 2- 1 Jun 19 02 A Good Walk Spoilt
- 7. 2- 2 Jun 26 02 Wild Justice
- 8. 2- 3 Jul 03 02 The Wild Spark
- 9. 2- 4 Jul 10 02 Stab in the Back
3rd Series 2003
- 10. 3- 1 Dec 01 03 Behind the Curtain
- 11. 3- 2 Dec 08 03 A Voice from the Grave
- 12. 3- 3 Dec 15 03 The Dark Shadow
- 13. 3- 4 Dec 22 03 Servant of the Crown
4th Series 2006
- 14. 4- 1 Apr 03 06 A Piece of Cake
- 15. 4- 2 Apr 10 06 The Sea Change
- 16. 4- 3 Apr 17 06 Sins of the Fathers
- 17. 4- 4 Apr 24 06 The Devil's Disguise
- 18. 4- x Dec 25 06 Christmas Special
5th Series 2009
- 19. 5- 1 Jan 27 09 To Keep Him Honest
- 20. 5- 2 Feb 03 09 Picture of Innocence
- 21. 5- 3 Feb 10 09 The Chosen One
- 22. 5- 4 Feb 17 09 The Reckoning
6th Series 2009/10
- 23. 6- 1 Dec 21 09 A Bolt From the Blue
- 24. 6- 2 Dec 28 09 End of the Line
- 25. 6- 3 Jan 04 10 Jack O' Diamonds
- 26. 6- 4 Jan 11 10 Queen of Spades
7th series 2011
- 27. 7- 1 Mar 02 11 The Firebrand
- 28. 7- 2 Mar 09 11 Dead Reckoning
- 29. 7- 3 Mar 16 11 Prince of Darkness
- 30. 7- 4 Mar 23 11 A Distant Death
8th series 2011
- 31. 8- 1 Nov 29 11 The Blue Gown
- 32. 8- 2 Dec 06 11 Flesh and Blood
- 33. 8- 3 Dec 13 11 A Fine Deception
- 34. 8- 4 Dec 20 11 The Last Illusion
9th series 2012
- 35. 9- 1 Nov 26 12 A Dangerous Remedy
- 36. 9- 2 Dec 03 12 No Looking Back
- 37. 9- 3 Dec 10 12 A Pearl in the Oyster
- 38. 9- 4 Dec 17 12 The Cross-Roads
David Ashton has continued McLevy's story in his 2006 book Shadow of the Serpent (ISBN 1 904598 70 6); Fall From Grace followed the following year (ISBN 1-84697-007-5), and most recently 2009's Trick of the Light (ISBN 1-84697-091-1), featuring a young Arthur Conan Doyle, was published.