Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Lindsay Gordon

    Female

    Lindsay Gordon is a hardboiled, cynical, lesbian crime reporter and the protagonist of half a dozen novels by Val McDermid. She is a Socialist, feminist jazz lover who tries to cut down on her cigarette and whiskey consumption. Her unorthodox methods are not always appreciated, especially not by the police, but that does not stop her from continuing to harass them.

    Further reading

  • Yashim Togalu

    Male

    He is tall, well-built, aged between 30 and 40, with curly black hair and a nice moustache. He is also a eunuch, and he investigates murders and other crimes in 19th century Istanbul on the orders of the sultan, whom he faithfully serves. Yashim Togalu is not uninterested in women, according to author Jason Goodwin, but he understandably prefers to devote his time to cooking, French novels and mysteries.

    Further reading

  • Erast Fandorin

    Male

    A Russian police officer, secret agent and spy in Tsarist Russia in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Erast Petrovich Fandorin never knew his mother, and when his bankrupt father died when Erast was 19 years old, he is forced to break off his studies and start working in the police force. His brilliant career is described in a row of books by Boris Akunin (pseudonym for Grigory Chkhartishvili).

    Further reading

  • Knut Gribb

    Male

    Scandinavia’s busiest detective: he has solved cases in more than 1,500 stories! He was created by Stein Riverton (pseudonym for Sven Elvestad), but was taken over by a large number of other authors. Even Swedes, which is why the police officer from Oslo has also worked in Sweden. Riverton’s Knut Gribb stories were later published with the main character changed to Asbjørn Krag, which is why the two are like each other.

    Further reading