Thuppariyum Sambu is a detective short-story series in Tamil, written by Indian writer Devan in the early 20th century.[1] The novel's protagonist is Sambu, a not-very-intelligent bank clerk in middle age, who solves difficult crime puzzles out of serendipity but is quick to explain as well as take credit. Sambu's character is sometimes considered to be a comical version of Sherlock Holmes.
The stories are known for their distinctive humor set around contemporary society and eloquently portray the conditions of the modern city of Chennai during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s period. Some of the episodes carry subtle references to World War II as well.