life of the detective. Although these assistants may not always be the ideal helper, their skills, talents, and even blunders are crucial in making the detective fiction novel realistic and believable to our society.
             "Marino was the stuff of tough-guy flicks-a crude, crass gumshoe who probably had a foul mouthed parrot for a pet and a coffee table littered with Hustler magazines" (9). This image of Marino is not the typical idea of what a sidekick resembles. He is grouchy, set in his ways, and determined that he is right no matter what happens. Marino is very clear in sharing that he does not like working under Kay Scarpetta, because he does not like having a female as a superior. However, Marino grudgingly admires Scarpetta's immense knowledge, particularly in the medical field. Cornwell specifically designs Marino to question everything Scarpetta does, and vice versa, in order for the ideas of both characters to be carefully scrutinized to show their validity.
             Marino is not the typical sidekick who is willing to listen to everything the primary investigator says, but instead is determined to question every possible idea and theory. " 'You're suggesting Matt got home just after the killer left, that the killer's got some weird case of B.O.?' 'I'm suggesting it's possible.' His face tightened with anger, and as he stalked dow
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