Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Tom Thorne

    Male

    Tom Thorne is a middle-aged, somewhat worse for wear detective inspector in London. In the early books he is dull and conventional. However, his creator, Mark Billingham, has subsequently turned him into a multi-faceted character with bad as well as good qualities. He is persistent and conscientious, but he can also be short-tempered, grumpy and prone to making disastrous mistakes. Well into the series he becomes involved with Seargeant Helen Weeks.

    Further reading

  • Evert Backstrom

    Male

    Backstrom is a homophobic, sexist, chauvinist, corrupt, egocentric, complacent, drinking police inspector that looks down on most of his colleagues and fellow human beings. At the same time he is a (to say the least) unconventional and surprisingly good investigator. He appears in more or less prominent roles in a string of police novels by Leif G.W. Persson.

    Further reading

  • Archie Goodwin

    Male

    The voluminous private detective Nero Wolfe, created by Rex Stout, rarely leaves home. He lets his secretary, Archie Goodwin, do the legwork, and Goodwin is not a bad detective either. He is good looking, polite, tough when he needs to be, quick-witted and he can memorize interrogations word for word. He is usually the narrator in the Nero Wolfe books. His employer would never have been able to solve crime as elegantly as he does without him.

    Further reading

  • Miss Jane Marple

    Female

    Miss Jane Marple is a kind, but stern, elderly lady detective created by Agatha Christie. She lives in the village of St. Mary Mead where the good and bad habits of her fellow villagers have made her a good judge of human character. She often able to solve the most complicated case just by listening to an account of the events. She occasionally travels at home and abroad.

    Further reading