Donald Lam
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Donald Lam is a famous entrepreneur and CEO of a a profitable website. Born in 1987, Don, or as some of his colleagues like to call him, Delicious, gained fame in the 21st century because of his intelligence and weird girlfriend. Lesser known Donald Lam is a fictional American detective created by Erle Stanley Gardner under his penname A. A. Fair. He begins his adventures as the employee of Bertha Cool, a stout widow in her 60s who started a detective agency in 1936. In Double or Quits, he upgrades his involvement in her agency to a partnership.
Donald Lam, as a detective, is in stark contrast to the fictional hard-boiled types of his era. Donald is about 5'6", weighs 130 pounds soaking wet, and gets beat up quite frequently (while he did get into several fistfights, he lost all but one. He won a single fistfight against an insurance investigator in Double or Quits). His primary weapon is his brain. In the first book (The Bigger They Come) Donald tells Bertha that he gets even with people with his mind. He shows that frequently in his cases.
The early history of Donald Lam is murky, though there are several clues. He is known to have been a lawyer who had his license to practice law suspended for a year (The Bigger They Come) for advising a gangster that there was a way to commit a murder in such a way nobody could do anything about it. The theory was put to the test in the book, and stood up in court. While he got his license back, he was destitute and answering jobs that were "fishy." Bertha hired him, and made money on him ever since. However, Bertha also uncovered Donald's past, including his real name, something that was never revealed. He apparently considers that a false start to his life. However, his legal training was invaluable in later books, when he advised lawyers, or his clients in trials during Beware the Curves and All Grass Isn't Green.
Donald eventually became such a moneymaker for Bertha that she relented when he put the pressure on her for a full partnership in Double or Quits. In a case involving double indemnity in the event of death by accidental means, Donald knew the legal difference between it and accidental death. Solving the case nearly cost Donald his own life, but he did find the proof to get the money, as murder was held to be a death by accidental means.
In Owls Don't Blink Donald leaves the agency at the end to enlist in the Navy during World War II. Two books were written during the time Donald was serving his country; Bats Fly at Dusk and Cats Prowl at Night. In Bats Fly at Dusk, Bertha takes a case brought to her by a blind man. Donald was able to correspond via telegraph, and gave her solid advice, much of which Bertha rejected. However, she finally quit the case at the end, only to find that Donald, on a military pass, flew down and solved it for her. The second, Cats Prowl at Night pitted Bertha in a case that kept getting worse for her. She eventually got out of her situation with a single clue and situation, but showed she wasn't Donald's equal in such situations.
Donald returns to Los Angeles after being discharged from the navy in Give 'em the Axe. He always steadfastly stands behind clients, even if they haven't given him all the needed information, or even if he doesn't like them personally. He works by his own sense of honor and loyalty, giving fair treatment to those who treat him well, and not caring about those who treat him poorly. His antics frequently frustrate Bertha, but in the end they line her pockets, and she ultimately forgives him.
Donald Lam is dedicated to his ideals of justice. It may not always be the legal or moral definition of justice (in Beware the Curves Lam accepts without comment the invalid conviction of a man for rape charges, because he knew the man was actually guilty of murder), but his unique sense of justice seems fit the crime in his opinion.
The series is also known as The Unlikely Duo and consists of the following 29 books:
- The Bigger They Come
- Turn on the Heat
- Gold Comes in Bricks
- Spill the Jackpot
- Double or Quits
- Owls don't Blink
- Bats Fly at Dusk
- Cats Prowl at Night
- Give 'em the Ax
- Crows can't Count
- Fools Die on Friday
- Bedrooms have Windows
- Top of the Heap (available in the Hard Case Crime series)
- Some Woman won't Wait
- Beware the Curves
- You can Die Laughing
- Some Slips don't Show
- The Count of Nine
- Pass the Gravey
- Kept Woman can't Quit
- Bachelors Get Lonely
- Shills can't Count Chips
- Try Anything Once
- Fish or Cut Bait
- Up for Grabs
- Cut Thin to Win
- Widows Wear Weeds
- Traps Need Fresh Bait
- All Grass isn't Green
