Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Myron Bolitar

    Male

    Promising, attractive basketball player, who damaged his knee and instead sports agent – and an amateur detective. Myran Bolitar solves a row of murder cases, which usually take place in sports circles, in books by Harlan Coben. He often has girlfriends (but only one at a time) as assistants. He also has a nephew, Mickey, who solves cases in a handful of detective stories for young adults in which his uncle features as a minor character.

    Further reading

  • Jane Tennison

    Female

    A British police detective, originally the main character in a TV-series scripted by Lynda La Plante who wrote a handful of novels about her. On TV she was portrayed by Helen Mirren, and is thus described like her in the books: a middle-aged, well-groomed woman, who is also a tough and realistically portrayed police officer. Later, La Plante has written a series of novels that describe Tennison’s first years in the police force.

    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

  • George Smiley

    Male

    He is rather fat, has been said to liken a toad, and is married to the beautiful and forever unfaithful Lady Ann Sercombe. Besides which, George Smiley is a lethal agent with the British Secret Service in a suite of novels by John Le Carré. Before retiring, he also becomes the director of the secret service. In some of the early books, he is however more active as a detective.

    Further reading