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Portrait image of M. McDonnell Bodkin

Sample of authors

Bodkin, M. McDonnell

Matthias McDonnell Bodkin was an Irish barrister, journalist, Irish nationalist and Member of Parliament. He is best known for his autobiography and for creating a family of fictional detectives that consist of Paul Beck, his wife Dora Myrl and their son who is also called Paul Beck.
Bodkin was born to a devoutly Catholic family in Galway, Ireland. His father was a physician. Bodkin studied law...

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Literary figures

Piet van der Valk

Gender: Male

An independent, eccentric and short-tempered detective superintendent with the police in Amsterdam, the main character in a suite of police novels by Englishman Nicolas Freeling. Piet van der Valk is arrogant, but also critical of society and empathetic. He is married to Arlette with whom he has two sons and an adopted daughter. He is killed during an investigation, and his wife takes over the...

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