Meny

Sample of literary figures

  • Conny Sjöberg

    Male

    As an experienced detective chief inspector with Hammarby Police in Stockholm, he leads a well-coordinated team of murder investigators who, for example, deal with cases where children have been hurt. Conny Sjöberg is a middle-aged, unusually ordinary man, happily married to Åsa; they have five children. He is described as handsome, empathetic, sensitive and honest. According to author Carin Gerhardsen, he is partly modelled on her husband Ken.

    Further reading

  • Kristin Bye

    Female

    Approximately 30 years old, Kristin Bye is a famous TV journalist and personality in her home country, Norway. Her creator, Tom Egeland, describes her as tall and slim, with green eyes and reddish-brown hair. She is interested in mysticism, which is not always appreciated by her good friend and colleague, veteran journalist Gunnar Borg. She lives alone but has a long-term relationship with Christoffer, a docusoap celebrity actor.

    Further reading

  • Kathy Mallory

    Female

    Kathleen ‘Kathy’ Mallory is a tall, green-eyed, beautiful blonde. She is also – according to her creator Carol O’Connell – a sociopath who can be both callous and ruthless. At the age of six, after witnessing the murder of her mother Kathy Mallory, she lived on the streets until she was adopted by a police officer. Encouraged by him, she becomes a police detective. She doesn’t lack admirers, but lives on her own.

    Further reading

  • 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