Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Siv Dahlin

    Female

    After her divorce, assistant nurse Siv Dahlin leaves Gothenburg and works in lowly-paid jobs in rural areas in Sweden, including Dalarna. She is middle-aged and struggling with a tendency to put on weight. But she is also wise and observant, and when sudden deaths occur in the books by Aino Trosell, Siv Dahlin fortunately doesn’t always rely on the conclusions drawn by the authorities, but always carries out her own investigations.

    Further reading

  • 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

  • Arsène Lupin

    Male

    The name of this gentleman thief and amateur detective is Raoul d’Andrèsy, but he is better known to readers of the French author Maurice Leblanc’s stories as Arsène Lupin. The classic, fiendishly cunning thief is a classic character in mystery fiction, he even dupes Sherlock Holmes (alias Herlock Sholmes). After Leblanc’s death his character has been taken over by other authors.

    Further reading

  • Enzo Macleod

    Male

    British, famous forensic technician of Scottish-Italian heritage. After a trying divorce, he moves to France and is employed as a university teacher. He re-marries, but becomes a widower. Enzo Macleod is middle-aged, heavily built and (according to his creator Peter May) has a complex personality as well as a boorish temperament – which affects his two daughters, one from each marriage.

    Further reading