Garrett P.I. is a series of fantasy novels by American writer Glen Cook about Garrett, a freelance private investigator. The novels are written in a hard-boiled detective fiction style, with elements of traditional mystery and dialogue-based humor. Garrett, during his adventures in his home city of TunFaire and across Karenta and the Cantard, has to deal with elves, vampires, centaurs, trolls, and numerous mixed breeds, along with gods, wizards, witches and more. Unlike most fantasy series, the Garrett P.I. novels focus more on the detective aspects of the story and less on the magical.
Background
TunFaire is a large city in the kingdom of Karenta. It is home to an uneasy mix of humans, dwarves, elves, ogres, pixies, ratmen and various other races, along with numerous mixed breeds in seemingly endless combinations, with humans predominating. Corruption, poverty, crime and general lawlessness abound.
Karenta has been involved in a generations-long war with the kingdom of Venageta over control of the Cantard, a region that houses most of the world's silver mines. (Silver is necessary for magic.) Male humans are subject to a mandatory five years of military service, which many do not survive (including Garrett's father and brother). However, anyone who can prove they are at least one quarter non-human is exempt. This is a source of much resentment, exacerbating racial tensions.
Works
Novels
Sweet Silver Blues (1987) Bitter Gold Hearts (1988) Cold Copper Tears (1988) Old Tin Sorrows (1989) Dread Brass Shadows (1990) Red Iron Nights (1991) Deadly Quicksilver Lies (1994) Petty Pewter Gods (1995) Faded Steel Heat (1999) Angry Lead Skies (2002) Whispering Nickel Idols (2005) Cruel Zinc Melodies (2008) Gilded Latten Bones (2010) Wicked Bronze Ambition (2013)
Short stories
"Shadow Thieves" appears in Down These Strange Streets (2011) (edited by George R. R. Martin & Gardner Dozois)
Science Fiction Book Club omnibus editions
The Garrett Files (collects Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, and Cold Copper Tears; 2003) Garrett, P.I. (collects Old Tin Sorrows, Dread Brass Shadows, and Red Iron Nights; 2003) Garrett Investigates (collects Deadly Quicksilver Lies, Petty Pewter Gods, and Faded Steel Heat; 2004) Garrett On The Case (collects Angry Lead Skies, and Whispering Nickel Idols; 2005)
Roc Trade softcover omnibus editions
Introducing Garrett, P.I. (collects Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, and Cold Copper Tears; 2011) Garrett Takes the Case (collects Old Tin Sorrows, Dread Brass Shadows, and Red Iron Nights; 2012) Garrett For Hire (collects Deadly Quicksilver Lies, Petty Pewter Gods, and Faded Steel Heat; 2013)
Major recurring characters
Garrett
Garrett is the protagonist of the series and, as the series name indicates, is a private investigator.
Garrett is an ex-marine with a knack for figuring things out. He is in his early 30s at the beginning of the series, 6'2" tall, with blond (or dirty blond) hair and blue eyes. He struggles to stay in shape due to his laziness and affinity for beer. Garrett survived his five years of mandatory military service as a marine in the ongoing war with Venageta. When he returned home to TunFaire, he began his freelance investigative service.
Garrett avoids work as much as possible, doing just enough to make ends meet at the beginning of the series. However, he comes into a substantial fee at the end of Sweet Silver Blues, which allows him to buy a house (with a room for his associate the Dead Man) and hire Dean as cook and housekeeper. He initially has one steady source of income, a retainer from Max Weider to keep the insider theft at the latter's breweries in check. Later (in Angry Lead Skies), he is given a small ownership share in the highly profitable Amalgamated Manufacturing Combine (for his efforts which lead to its formation).
He becomes involved romantically with several women at various times, the most prominent being Tinnie Tate, with whom he has a tumultuous, on again-off again relationship. However, he ends up seriously involved with and engaged to Furious Tide of Light, an extremely powerful, well-connected sorceress, at the end of Gilded Latten Bones. Garrett's weakness for beautiful women often results in him trying to rescue them from their troubles. Unlike his friend Morley Dotes, Garrett has a conscience and avoids killing whenever possible, even when it would be in his best interest to do so.