Fictional sleuths are characters in literature, television, and film who solve mysteries. Four of the most famous fictional sleuths are Charlie Chan, a Chinese-American detective created by Earl Derr Biggers; Inspector Moto, a Japanese detective created by John P. Marquand; Sam SPADE, a hard-boiled detective created by Dashiell Hammett; and Hercule Poirot, a Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie.