Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • George Smiley

    Male

    He is rather fat, has been said to liken a toad, and is married to the beautiful and forever unfaithful Lady Ann Sercombe. Besides which, George Smiley is a lethal agent with the British Secret Service in a suite of novels by John Le Carré. Before retiring, he also becomes the director of the secret service. In some of the early books, he is however more active as a detective.

    Further reading

  • Erik Winter

    Male

    Winter is a detective inspector in Gothenburg, Sweden. Contrary to most other literary detectives he comes from a wealthy family and is well off. He marries a physician, Angela, and they have a child together in Åke Edwardson’s string of books about him. After a period of hard work, the family moves to Spain, but a couple of years later Winter returns to Gothenburg, without his family, and returns to his former job.

    Further reading

  • Benny Griessel

    Male

    He is a middle-aged detective with the Cape Town police, is of average height with greying untidy hair, a rugged face and a Slavic appearance. Benny Griessel does, however, have problems. He boozes – which is why his wife and their two children throw him out, and he finds a new partner. He struggles determinedly against his alcoholism, author Deon Meyer tells us, and he embarks upon a relationship with singer Alexa.

    Further reading

  • Tommy Beresford

    Male

    The red-headed Thomas ‘Tommy’ Beresford is something of an unimaginative but stubborn Englishman, who took part in the First World War and was wounded twice. He subsequently married his childhood friend Prudence ‘Tuppence’ Cowley, and they have two children and adopt a third. Together, the couple solve a number of cases with good humour and entertaining dialogues in four novels and a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie.

    Further reading