Meny

Literary figures

Sample of literary figures

  • 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

  • Amos Decker

    Male

    A former professional footballer who has been a police officer but who had a breakdown when his wife and daughter were murdered. He is not handsome, but is athletically built and has dark hair. After the murders, Amos Decker stopped taking care of himself, became fat and shabby, and lost his job. He pulled himself together, however, became a private detective and later is employed by the FBI. He has hyperthemesia which means that he can remember in detail everything that happens to him.

    Further reading

  • Harry (Henry) Nelson

    Male

    Middle-aged detective chief inspector in Norfolk, where he cooperates with forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway in a series of detective stories by Elly Griffiths (pseudonym for Domenica Maxted). Harry Nelson is married to Michelle and has three children with her – but also a daughter with Galloway after a one-night-stand with her. He is tall and dark, with greying hair and has a reputation for being brusque when impatient.

    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