Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Nestor Burma

    Male

    Private eye Nestor Burma is a famous character in French 20th century crime fiction. He runs his own detective agency, Fiat Lux, in Paris with his secretary Hélène Chatelain, who is hopelessly in love with him. They feature in a string of hardboiled, humorous books by Léo Malet. Burma also features in films, television dramas and a cartoon.

    Further reading

  • Alex Morrow

    Female

    Morrow is a working class detective from Glasgow. She is the mother of twins and the protagonist in a series of tartan noir books by Denise Mina. Morrow is not always very forthcoming or correct, but she struggles to combine her job with being a mother and against misogynous bosses and colleagues in a city characterised by increasing class differences and violent crime.

    Further reading

  • Jack Reacher

    Male

    He is a former officer in the US Army military police, but after being discharged he lives as a vagabond who – usually in a violent manner – solves criminal cases and other problems in books by Lee Child. The well-built Reacher’s parents and only brother are dead, and he steers clear of permanent relationships. He sometimes suffers from claustrophobia and likes to listen to music that he can memorise in an unusual way.

    Further reading

  • Stephanie Plum

    Female

    A 30-year-old bounty hunter, quick-witted and sexy, with brown curly hair. She works in Trenton, New Jersey, her creator Janet Evanovich tells us. She stumbled into her profession by chance when she was unemployed. She is single – although she co-habits with her hamster Rex – and has two handsome admirers in the police officer and childhood friend Joe Morelli and her professional colleague Carlos ‘Ranger’ Mañoso.

    Further reading