Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Anastasia Kamenskaya

    Female

    The young, later middle-aged, Anastasia Kamenskaya is an analyst and investigator for the Moscow Police Department. She is linguistically gifted and beautiful, but is careless about her appearance and how she dresses. Her kind live-in partner (later her husband) looks after their home and accepts that she is often too tired for sex. She is also the main character in a long suite of novels by Alexandra Marinina (pseudonym for Marina Anatolyevna Alekseyeva).

    Further reading

  • Logan McRae

    Male

    Author Stuart MacBride paints a picture of a dark and gloomy Aberdeen, where police detective Logan McRae investigates cases which include a lot of violence – sometimes against children. He, himself, has a background which is not entirely without blemishes, and sometimes he is wounded on duty or is transferred after breaking various rules. He is tired, often unshaven and a bit shabby-looking, but nevertheless has a permanent, if somewhat shaky, relationship with Samantha.

    Further reading

  • Barlach

    Male

    Although he only features in two (short) novels by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Inspector Barlach – no first name is ever mentioned – is one of the most famous policemen in literature. He is old, worn out and unmarried, works in the police force in Bern and has stomach cancer, which he knows will lead to his death within a year. With his great knowledge of human nature and his intuition, he works on his investigations.

    Further reading

  • Harry (Henry) Nelson

    Male

    Middle-aged detective chief inspector in Norfolk, where he cooperates with forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway in a series of detective stories by Elly Griffiths (pseudonym for Domenica Maxted). Harry Nelson is married to Michelle and has three children with her – but also a daughter with Galloway after a one-night-stand with her. He is tall and dark, with greying hair and has a reputation for being brusque when impatient.

    Further reading