Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Ben Cooper

    Male

    Cooper’s father was a policeman and Benjamin, or Ben, followed in his footsteps. He works at the Derbyshire police. Cooper grew up in Derbyshire and many of his investigations take place in the Peak District. He usually works alongside his superior officer, Diane Fry. In Stephen Booth’s novels they are in love; a fact they both refuse to admit it even to themselves.

    Further reading

  • Lindsay Boxer

    Female

    Homicide investigator with the San Francisco police, a well-built and well-educated lady with a weakness for beer and ice cream. Lindsay Boxer has a collie, Martha, and a husband, Joseph Molinari. She is a central figure in the Women’s Murder Club, a gathering of professional women who discuss (and solve) murder cases in their free time in books by James Patterson and two of his co-authors.

    Further reading

  • Reginald Wexford

    Male

    Inspector Reginald “Reg” Wexford, who operates in the fictional town of Kingsmarkham in Sussex, was a traditional detective when Ruth Rendell first introduced him. He is overweight and has a foul temper, which leads to conflicts with his superiors, but he has a pleasant and understanding family. Wexford has become more tolerant over the years and has developed into a major authority on human character.

    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