From Dr. Watson to Captain Hastings, the enduring “sidekicks” of thriller fiction have at all times held a particular place in followers’ imaginations. On this particular put up, G.M. Malliet discusses the literary operate of those sidekicks in historical past in addition to her personal work, together with her newest story, “The Get-Nicely Reward”
“I had in fact offended Magdalene and I’d spend a while doing penance for it, and the remainder of my life avoiding any type of the phrase “contain,” in any language. Maybe I’d convey some flowers subsequent time I got here to her flat.
“‘Do go on,’ I mentioned. ‘I perceive she pleaded with you to assist her.’ Magdalene gave the form of magnanimous nod a queen would possibly give a footman opening a door for her.”
These traces from “The Get-Nicely Reward” (EQMM, September/October 2025) seize one thing important concerning the relationship between beginner sleuth Magdalene Duchateau and her son-in-law, Hewitt: a mixture of admiration, exasperation, and deep-seated respect, a minimum of on Hewitt’s half. (For one factor, Hewitt would by no means make the error of calling Magdalene an beginner something.)
It additionally displays a well-recognized dynamic in thriller fiction—the sleuth and their sidekick.
The sidekick is a foundational determine in detective tales. From Dr. Watson narrating Sherlock Holmes’s exploits to Captain Hastings trailing after Hercule Poirot, the mannequin is constant: the sensible, typically eccentric detective paired with a much less sensible, however typically extra relatable companion.
In “The Get-Nicely Reward,” Hewitt performs the position of the listener, the challenger, the mild skeptic, and at occasions, the comedian aid. His reactions assist to floor the story. Magdalene’s typically dramatic pronouncements are tempered by Hewitt’s practicality.
And when Magdalene can’t see the forest for the bushes, it’s typically Hewitt who inadvertently helps her see the forest.
When she makes sweeping assertion like, “I, who delight myself on uncovering the reality at any value,” Hewitt doesn’t contest her grandiosity; he accepts it with a sort of indulgence tempered by lengthy expertise of her genius and eager sense of justice. This interaction humanizes each Magdalene and Hewitt, who sees his position as attempting to guard his mother-in-law from the worst excesses of her self-importance.
Somewhat than ship lengthy explanations on to the reader, Magdalene explains herself to Hewitt, which permits for a extra natural supply of key plot particulars.
That is a part of why sidekicks are so helpful to writers. They create a foil for the detective, somebody to query, misunderstand, and supply distinction. Hastings shouldn’t be as sensible as Poirot, however he provides voice to the reader’s confusion and assumptions. Dr. Watson, although clever, can’t at all times comply with Holmes’s leaps in logic, which supplies Holmes a possibility to elucidate—conveniently, for the bewildered reader.
The sidekick additionally typically serves as an ethical compass or emotional touchstone, reminding each detective and viewers of the human stakes in any crime.
Writing the a number of Magdalene Duchateau tales, I discovered that the connection between Magdalene and Hewitt gave me room to discover each character and plot. By their conversations, I might additionally drop in historic particulars of Thirties London with out resorting to blocks of exposition.
Magdalene’s quip in “The Get-Nicely Reward” about fox ears (that means dog-eared pages) not solely reveals her less-than-firm grasp on English patois however underscores the generational and cultural variations between her and Hewitt. Their banter helps set the tone of the story.
Magdalene shouldn’t be at all times proper, a minimum of not initially, however Hewitt’s perspective helps stability her typically absurd certainty with considerate skepticism.
He turns into the reader’s surrogate, asking the questions they might ask, and voicing doubts they could have.
Ultimately, the sleuth-sidekick relationship isn’t just a literary gadget—it’s an emotional and structural pillar of the thriller story. In writing “The Get-Nicely Reward,” I discovered it indispensable.
By Hewitt’s eyes, we see each the brilliance and the blind spots of Magdalene Duchateau.
And thru their bond, we glimpse the human connection on the coronary heart of each thriller.
