The Prominent Leading Characters Of World-Famous Crime Novels
The crime novel is a kind that has been followed and loved by many people from past to present. Although it is not regarded as a literary genre by some and is subject to controversy, it has always been one of the most-read genres. So much so that some of the world-famous crime novels are known as characters from life. In this article, we will include the most beloved main characters of the crime novels. Here are the prominent characters of world-famous crime novels as much as the books itself!
Sherlock Holmes
British detective Sherlock Holmes, created by the beloved writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of the famous detective characters. This character, inspired by the author’s professor at the university, is a man of strong observation, living for thought and logic. When there is no problem to solve, his mind uses cocaine and morphine because it bothers him, and he can instantly tell which ash falls from which cigarette. His worst enemy is a bad character named Moriarty, and his closest friend is Dr Watson. Sherlock Holmes has been submitted to cinema and TV screens many times besides novels, hence he has become the most known crime character.
Hercule Poirot
Another of the most famous characters of crime literature is Hercule Poirot, one of Agatha Christie’s iconic characters. The Belgian detective, who appeared in the author’s 33 novels and 54 short stories, first met Christie’s first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Later, the character appeared in cinema and TV many times. Agatha Christie has said that she finds Poirot unbearable, but she has continued his story for many years instead of killing him because he is so loved.
Mike Hammer
Another famous detective character appears as Mike Hammer. The character of Mike Hammer owes this fame to its translations and books written by Kemal Tahir with the same name rather than the author of the book, Mickey Spillane. So much so that Tahir’s sequel books have been kept and loved more than the originals. Mike Hammer books have been adapted to cinema and TV many times, just like other famous detectives.
Behzat Ç.
Of course, there is also a place for Turkish detective characters in our list! Because they are just as famous as foreign characters. The character Behzat Ç was the lead character in Emrah Serbes’ novel “Behzat Ç Bir Ankara Police,” before becoming a popular TV series character. He graduated from the Police Academy in 1985 and is an officer at the Murder Bureau. However, he was never promoted due to the punishments he received during his service and he always served as superintendent.
Superintendent Nevzat
The character of the Superintendent Nevzat (Başkomiser Nevzat), created by the beloved writer Ahmet Ümit, who is loved and world-renowned in our country, appears as another famous lead character. This character, which is included in the author’s 4 books, was written based on three figures, one real person and two cinema characters. He is an Istanbul native and lives in Balat. His wife and daughter were killed as a result of a bomb exploded for him and their murderers were still not found. Superintendent Nevzat is also a very important element of the homicide office in Istanbul Police Headquarters.
Sam Spade
The character Sam Spade, who appeared before the reader in Dashiell Hammett’s novel The Maltese Falcon, is also among the known and popular detective characters. This character, famous for a single book, inspired characters like Philip Marlowe, who came after him. Sam Spade is the familiar American detective himself. He is the detective of dreams with his personality, image and style.
Miss Marple
Miss Marple is the only female detective on our list. This detective character, created by Agatha Christie, is the protagonist of 12 novels and 20 short stories in total. She is an old woman, an amateur detective, but her talent and superior intelligence to uncover the unknown make her extremely impressive. Miss Marple’s adventures have been adapted to cinema and TV many times.
Philip Marlowe
The character Philip Marlowe, from Raymond Chandler’s pen, is a real phenomenon. It was mentioned for the first time in a short story written by the author in 1934, called Finger Man. In the following stories, he was called Carmady and John Dalmas. He regained his original identity with the author’s first novel, The Big Sleep, and has since been one of the most original detectives of crime literature. The character of Philip Marlowe has also appeared in cinema and TV many times.
These articles may also be of interest to you:
Crime Fiction in Turkey: Authors You Must Read
