Garrett

From Glen Cook Wiki

Our Favorite Confidential Investigator.

Garrett - no known first name - is an ex-marine with a knack for figuring things out. He is discribed as handsome, 6'2" or 6'3", with ginger hair and blue eyes, fit but struggling for it. We know that he had an older brother, who died in the Cantard, as did his father and grandfather. His mother died before his return from the Cantard, believing that both of her sons had died.

Garrett served in the Fleet Marines, eventually making it to Sergeant. He served as his platoon's "wrecker", or Recon. Spending most of his time on the Imperial Kimmswick out of Full Harbor, he was trapped with most of his battalion on an swampy island due to a Venagati raid. They spent quite some time there, subsisting on whatever didn't eat them. A great many of his commerades were lost on that island. The military believed the entire force lost, which resulted in the premature posthumous medal delivered to his mother.

There have been several of Garrett's adventures hinted at, but not explained. After his retirement from the military, he indulged his curiosity by becoming a confidential agent and investigator. He spent time "sneaking around after cheating wives", and freelancing for the Registry Probate. Then, as luck would have it, he stumbled upon a life-changing job - rooting out corruption in the Wieder Brewery, saving the Wieder family a fortune without exposing the possibly dirty fingers of Ty Wieder. Max Wieder, father of Ty and owner of the brewing empire, rewarded his vigilance by hiring him on retainer to periodically make sneak inspections of the breweries, hoping to keep pilferage to a minimum. This retainer has carried Garrett and his household through many a tight time before, and his friendship with Max Wieder has been invaluable over time. Garrett's lack of indictment of Ty Wieder seems contrary to his later style - often stated, he tends to find results that the client didn't want to see. However, there is some indication that Max pulled him from the case before Ty could be implicated, which could indicate that Max was aware of the root of the problem.

Also mentioned, in Bitter Gold Hearts, is "The Case of the Perilous Pixies", and "The Starke Case", which paid for the installation of the cold well in Garrett's kitchen.

Garrett's favorite food is beer, and his favorite color is Redhead (although he has been known to dabble in blonde and brunette). Despite his protests to the contrary, he seems to have quite the magic touch with the ladies, and seems unable to beat them off, even with a stick. Of course, his resistance is usually quite low, except when it comes to Pular Singe (but give her time, folks - I smell it in the wind).

Garrett lives in a house he shares with the Dead Man.

The most dangerous man in TunFaire?

Garrett presents himself as largely reactive, preferring to avoid work whenever possible and grumbling about having to get out of bed before noon. He is certainly a capable investigator and a formidable fighter - early in the series he can reliably take on groups of four to six attackers with little more than a weighted stick. However his real asset is his strength of character. From the beginning, he is described as a man of his word - he sees this as essential to his business. Increasingly, it becomes clear that keeping his word is more than good business sense. He is genuinely honorable and fanatically faithful to his friends. In a city of cynics oppressed by a corrupt and amoral ruling class, this is a rare trait.

Chodo recognizes this early on and (we later learn) considers Garrett the only truly honorable man he knows. Garrett's neutrality and consistency win him reluctant fans among a wide and unlikely range of communities. He occasionally bemoans his failure to keep current with his contacts throughout the city, but in point of fact he has the ear of top people in organized crime, law enforcement, the church (including the deities), industrial leaders (the Tates and the Weiders), and the nonhuman communities (including the virtually isolated ratkind community), the library, and the military. The events in many books are somewhat chaotic and involve numerous actors pursuing different agendas, but the common factor leading to resolution (as Garrett eventually sees) is usually himself.

By Whispering Nickel Idols, The Dead Man learns that Garrett enjoys an "astonishing reputation" among TunFaire's mobsters, and that some of the most powerful criminals (e.g. Rory Sculdyte) consider Garrett one of the most dangerous men in TunFaire. In point of fact, Sculdyte is probably right.

References

• Cook, Glen (1987). Sweet Silver Blues. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45070-1.
• Cook, Glen (1988). Bitter Gold Hearts. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-15371-5.
• Cook, Glen (1989). Cold Copper Tears. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-15773-7.
• Cook, Glen (1989). Old Tin Sorrows. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-16013-4.
• Cook, Glen (1990). Dread Brass Shadows. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45008-6.
• Cook, Glen (1991). Red Iron Nights. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45108-2.
• Cook, Glen (1994). Deadly Quicksilver Lies. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45305-0.
• Cook, Glen (1995). Petty Pewter Gods. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45478-2.
• Cook, Glen (1999). Faded Steel Heat. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45479-0.
• Cook, Glen (2002). Angry Lead Skies. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45875-3.
• Cook, Glen (2005). Whispering Nickel Idols. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-451-45974-1.