Top Ten Anti-Heroes in Crime Novels, Film and Television
As a crime writer, I have always been drawn to the dark sides of the mind and the shadow sides of life. That’s why I also have a special love for the anti-hero as a main character. I think it’s most interesting to write about the imperfect and follow a character who, in stressful situations, will do everything to achieve his goals. A character whose moral compass is broken and who, through the story, must either learn from this, reconcile with his surroundings or even perish. Unfortunately, there are too few female anti-heroes, especially within the police -genre. Fortunately, there was room for one of the best female characters ever written to make up this personal list of my favorite anti police-heroes.
Police detective Rust Cohle from “True detectives” by Nic Pizzolatto. Rust is characterized by his pessimistic and nihilistic approach to police investigation and to life in general. His spiritual and tormented character makes him a unique character who settles into you so that you feel the pain of the world.
Sheriff Ed Tom Bell from “No Country For Old Men” by Cormac McCarthy is an old-fashioned police type. But also a man who on a personal level, struggles with an ever changing world, and it’s increasing evilness. It makes him very fragile character but also very human.
Police Officer Mare Sheehan from “Mare of Easttown” by Brad Ingelsby. Female police officer with equal parts tragedies and problems on the home front, who tries to solve a murder case in the local community despite its personal consequences for her. One of the very few female anti-heroes out there.
Alonzo Harris from “Training day” by David Ayer. A character who is equal parts corrupt, violent and manipulative in the pursuit to achieve his own goals and to survive in an equally criminal world. Alonzo is in every way the mentor from hell.
David Miles from “Seven” by Andrew
Kevin Walker. Miles is a young, impulsive, career-oriented and thrill-seeking cop who has just applied for a position in the city’s toughest area. He is in every way the counterweight to his aging, retirement-ready partner. The interesting thing is that Miles only becomes an anti-hero at the end with no redemption to follow.
Police Commissioner Harry Hole from Oslo in Norway by Jo Nesbø. He is the archetypal drunken and self-destructive anti-hero, but with a Scandinavian humanistic view that gives him an almost woke
’ish moral compass.
Police officer from L.A. Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly. A solid yet uncontroversial character who is consumed by his cases which he solves in a very unorthodox style. He is almost the incarnation of the city he lives in by good and evil.
Sonny Crockett from “Miami Vice” by Anthony Yerkovich. Is as much hurting disillusioned anti-hero as he is an 1980s style icon. Just the fact that he lives on his sailboat with his pet alligator Elvis puts him on this list.
Dave Robicheaux by James Lee Burke. Former police officer and Vietnam veteran from Louisiana. Justice-seeking anti-hero fighting a personal battle with his inner demons and increasing alcoholism. He also personifies southern culture.
New York cop John McClane from “Die Hard” by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. A very ordinary and relatable cop but with a quick-witted, sarcastic and devil-may-care side who goes up against terrorists as authorities in a violent yet humorist way.