Sample of literary figures
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Guido Brunetti
Male
Commissario (Detective Superintendent) Brunetti in the Italian state police, stationed in Venice, solves murder cases in a number of books by American author Donna Leon, herself resident in the city. Brunetti is married to Paola, daughter in an aristocratic family and a university lecturer, and has a lively family life which includes children and his own as well as his wife’s relatives. He also battles against the Italian bureaucracy which doesn’t exactly facilitate his work.
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Will Robie
Male
When the police and the military can’t stop the USA’s enemies, the government calls in its most skilful assassin. He never questions an order and never fails, David Baldacci ensures us. The well-built Will Robie has sharp facial features, dark hair and a lot of scars on his torso and arms. A weak point, however, is his feelings for Jessica Reel, she too a notorious and effective US agent.
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Tiny (Thobela) Mpayipheli
Male
South African warrior from the Xhosa tribe, renowned freedom-fighter – former ANC soldier – but also a Stasi agent and assassin for the KGB. He is the son of a peaceful pastor, and according to author Deon Meyer is a giant of a man with very dark skin and dazzlingly white teeth. Thobela ‘Tiny’ Mpayipheli is a skilled rugby player and for a while lives together with Miriam Nzululwazi, whose death hits him hard.
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Sandy (Alejandro) Stern
Male
His father was a doctor who emigrated from Europe to Argentina. Alejandro ‘Sandy’ Stern moved on to the USA when he was a teenager, and there became successful as a skilful and empathetic defence lawyer. His greatest sorrow in life in that his wife, Clara, the mother of his children, committed suicide after 31 years of marriage. He has a role – sometimes central – in a handful of Scott Turow’s crime novels.