There’s a great deal of conversation these days about what many people call work/life balance. In fact, many job candidates ask about that balance during interviews, and aren’t interested in jobs that don’t offer it. And savvy business leaders know that employees whose jobs offer some flexibility and the chance at balance are likely to be happier, more loyal, and more productive. While the term ‘work/life balance’ might be relatively new, the concept certainly isn’t. Just a quick look at crime fiction shows that there are plenty of fictional sleuths who value the balance between getting the job done well and caring for family, friends, and self.
Consider, for instance, Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. He is certainly a dedicated detective. He travels for work, he doggedly pursues each case until he gets answers, and he doesn’t always keep ‘banker’s hours.’ And yet, he takes the time to enjoy life’s pleasures. For instance, in Five Little Pigs, Poirot investigates the sixteen-year-old murder of famous painter Amyas Crale. At the time, Crale’s wife Caroline was accused of the crime, and there was evidence against her. In fact, she was convicted of the murder and died in prison. But her daughter, Carla, is convinced she is innocent. At one point, Poirot approaches the Crale family lawyer (now retired), Caleb Jonathan. Instead of rushing in and making the interview strictly business, Poirot accepts an invitation for dinner and an overnight stay:
‘He [Caleb Jonathan] had his own methods of approach to a subject, and it was not until well on towards midnight, when sipping a glass of fragrant old brandy, that Mr. Jonathan really unbent.’
Both of these men understand the value of connecting and of balancing the business aspect of their conversation with the comforts of enjoying an evening. And Poirot learns some valuable information.
Fans of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe know that Wolfe does not allow the pressures of his job to get in the way of pursuing his own interests. He takes specific times each day, for example, to tend to his orchids, and he has many enjoyable conversations with his orchid nurse, Theodore Hortzmann. During those times, no-one is to interrupt him. He sees no clients, and he doesn’t even want Archie Goodwin or any of his other employees to disturb him. Wolfe feels the same way about meals. He is a gourmand, and he and his chef, Fritz Brenner, have plenty of conversations about food. During meals, Wolfe doesn’t like to discuss business, and he doesn’t want to, say, have lunch with a client. In fact, Archie often thinks his boss would do well to see more clients and work a little harder. But for Wolfe, living his life is too high a priority to sacrifice his contentment in order to get a longer list of clients.
If you’re familiar with Georges Simenon’s Paris Commissaire Jules Maigret, you know that he is a hardworking police officer who dedicates himself to the cases he works. He pursues leads, follows the trail, and so on. At the same time, he doesn’t spend all his days and nights at the police station. He spends plenty of time at local bars and taverns, and he maintains a mostly good relationship with his wife. He stops at a café when he wants a pick-me-up, and he and his wife take holidays, too. In one novel, Maigret’s Holiday, he and Mme. Maigret are doing just that when Mme. Maigret has an attack of appendicitis. There is a murder that’s the ‘mystery’ part of the novel, but Maigret also takes the time to visit his wife each day while she’s recuperating. It’s an interesting balance of Maigret’s dedication to his job with his commitment to having a family life.
There’s also Mike Martin’s Sergeant Winston Windflower. He’s an RCMP police detective based in Grand Bank, Newfoundland. When he first arrives, he’s single, but as the series goes on, he gets married and becomes the father of two daughters. Windflower is a dedicated cop. He works hard to find out the truth, solve crimes, and prevent them, too. But he also understands the importance of nurturing relationships with his family and friends. He does his share of household chores, he is an active and involved father, and he strengthens his ties to the community. He maintains a spiritual life, too, and he doesn’t let the pressures of his job prevent him from pursuing his own interests.
Donna Leon’s Commissario Guido Brunetti is also dedicated to his wife Paola and his two children. He spends time with them, and he’s developed solid family bonds with them and with his parents-in-law. He doesn’t spend all day and all evening in the office, and he knows better than to dismiss his family as ‘less important’ than his job. He’s got friends and acquaintances, too, and enjoys spending time with them at a trattoria or a café. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about his work. He’s a determined cop, and he does what it takes to get to the truth of the cases he works. He negotiates the tricky business of getting things done, too, despite office politics that can sometimes impede him.
There are, of course, plenty of fictional sleuths who are absolutely driven. They don’t have much in the way of a home life, and they don’t have hobbies or interests outside of work. I’m sure you could list more than I could. But there are also fictional sleuths who balance their home and work lives. They know the value of nurturing relationships, enjoying some of life’s pleasures, and taking care of the non-work sides of themselves. Sometimes it’s good to linger over a meal, take a long walk, explore a place just for fun, or get in an impromptu snowball fight. You’re likely to have a much richer life that way.
*NOTE: The title of this post is a line from Simon and Garfunkel’s The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy).
Crime Writer Margot Kinberg 
Those are some great examples, Margot. It seems the best detectives know that you need to take a little time to rest the little grey cells if you want to be at your best in solving mysteries!
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Thank you, KBR. I’m very glad you enjoyed the post. And you’re right; you can’t properly solve mysteries if you haven’t eaten, rested, and so on. I don’t think any of us could work like that!
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I never thought about it but Nero Wolfe is a perfect example of a detective who maintains a work / life balance. He seems to me to be more focused on the life part, and only allows work to interfere when he deems it necessary. That is part of what makes that series so interesting.
I really need to start reading the Sergeant Winston Windflower series by Mike Martin. I cannot imagine why I haven’t read it before now, because I enjoy reading about Newfoundland. Both you and Bill Selnes of Mysteries and More from Saskatchewan have influenced my interest in reading Canadian authors.
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I’ve always found Wolfe interesting on that score, too, Tracy. He is a brilliant detective, but he doesn’t allow his work to dictate his life. And he sets firm boundaries. There are plenty of fictional detectives who don’t do that, so Wolfe, to me, is a fascinating exception.
As for Mike Martin’s work, I do recommend his novels. They have interesting mysteries in them, as well as a good look at life in Newfoundland and Labrador. I like the way Winston Windflower conducts his life, too. He’s not perfect, but he works to nurture his relationships and be a contributing member of the community. He’s a dedicated detective, too.
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It always makes a detective feel more ‘real’ if they have some kind of life outside work. Even Sherlock Holmes would go to a concert sometimes!
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Oh, I think so, too, FictionFan. Sleuths who don’t do anything but detect just feel so wooden, I think. And you’re right; even Holmes took time off for concerts or other things!
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Andrea Camilleri’s Montalbano is into his food too, if memory serves, he refuses to talk at all while he’s eating.
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Good memory, Cath! Yes, he never lets work get in the way of his enjoyment of food. Everyone knows better than to talk business when he’s having a meal. Thanks for adding Montalbano to the post and making it better.
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An enjoyable post, Margot. Presently, there is a debate in India whether employees have the right to disregard their employer’s calls, mails etc. after office hours.
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Thank you, Neeru. I’m glad you enjoyed the post. It’s interesting you would mention that debate going on in India. In France, it’s illegal to contact employees when they are off duty, and there are several countries that I believe are considering similar moves. It makes me wonder whether we will at some point move to a different conception of how we use our time. I’ll be interested in what India decides.
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Margot: Thanks for an interesting post. As I read it I thought of Martin Walker’s sleuth, Bruno, and Louise Penny’s sleuth, Armand Gamache. Each works hard but does their best to savour life. I think residing in rural France and rural Quebec aid them in enjoying life.
What struck me most is that out of all your examples and my examples only one involves an American sleuth and the Nero Wolfe series ended 50 years ago. I want to think about whether there is a difference in fictional sleuthing on work/life balance between America and the rest of the world.
I am sorry I have not been commenting often. Sharon and I are cruising in the Mediterranean. I expect to be commenting more as we have found our ship routine.
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Your cruise sounds wonderful, Bill. I hope you’re enjoying it. And thanks for mentioning both Bruno and Armand Gamache. Both are such good characters, and you’re right that both have a solid work/life balance.
You make a really interesting point about the difference between American fictional sleuths and sleuths from other countries. I do believe that work/life balance is a very different matter in the States than elsewhere, at least in fiction. It’s a fascinating question and I’m glad you brought it up. It’s a lot to think about, and I’d want to really look at US vs non-US crime stories, but I’d guess that difference is there.
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This is very well thought out post. You’ve given some great examples of sleuths who balance life and work. I think balancing life and work is extremely important and more so, during these days of 90 hour work weeks and four hours of sleep. It’s better to work for lesser pay if your high paying job is consuming you. I’ve seen so many people just lose themselves to work.
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Thank you for the kind words, OP. I’m glad you thought the post worked. I know what you mean, too, about a job consuming a person. I’ve seen people, too, who’ve sacrificed family, health, and a lot more on the altar of a job, and to me, it’s just not worth it. Of course it’s nice to have money, but not at the expense of one’s physical and mental and emotional health. Balance is a far better way to go about life, I think.
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Ear Worms now. Enjoyable read thanks so much.
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You’re welcome (for the Ear Worm) 😉 And thanks for the kind words, Jane!
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Still humming it…!
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😃
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