Sample of literary figures
-
Embla Nystrom
Female
Former Nordic champion boxer (light welterweight), now a county police officer in the west of Sweden. She is about 30 years old and muscular, with curly reddish-brown hair and blue-green eyes in a somewhat round face: cute but not pretty, according to her creator Helene Tursten. Having grown up with three brothers, Embla Nystrom knows how to put lads in their place. The man in her life is little Elliot, the son of her ex-husband Jason.
-
Anders Knutas
Male
A detective inspector of thirty years, Knutas is working for the Visby police on the Swedish island of Gotland in a series of books by Mari Jungstedt. Knutas is in his fifties, he is experienced, cautious and detailed in his investigations. He was married to a Danish midwife, Line. They have two children, twins, that in the most recent books are adults. He is devastated by his and Line’s divorce.
-
Nikki Liska
Female
Female police officer in Minneapolis, divorced with two teenaged sons, and together with colleague Sam Kovac the main character in a suite of crime novels by Tami Hoag. Nikki Liska has a sharp tongue, is tough and has quite a sense of humour. She gets on well with the older Kovac, and they miss each other – so they continue to cooperate – when she is moved to a cold-case group to be able to have more time with her sons.
-
Kay Scarpetta
Female
Patricia Cornwell’s protagonist is a forensic scientist based in Virginia, USA. She has been described as just over forty years old, blond with several love interests and a few female competitors who do not appreciate her confidence. She is a highly competent forensic investigator and crack shot, which is useful since she is often under threat. Scarpetta likes to cook in her spare time.