Thrillers

6 Thriller Characters in the Dirty Harry Mold

Dirty Harry Collection

Dirty Harry Collection

Blu-ray $64.99

Dirty Harry Collection

Director Buddy Van Horn , Don Siegel , James Fargo
Cast Clint Eastwood

Blu-ray $64.99

It’s been 46 years since Dirty Harry hit movie screens, establishing an anti-hero cop character who was thrillingly edgy at the time. People sometimes forget Harry Callahan wasn’t conceived as a hero—he’s depicted as morally equivalent to the serial killer he hunts in the first film. Sequels softened the character a bit, but the influence of Dirty Harry has remained a powerful force on the screen and the page ever since. Writers are still drawing on the character to inform their creations today—as evidenced by the main characters of the six book series listed here, all of them cops who do things according to their own set of rules.

It’s been 46 years since Dirty Harry hit movie screens, establishing an anti-hero cop character who was thrillingly edgy at the time. People sometimes forget Harry Callahan wasn’t conceived as a hero—he’s depicted as morally equivalent to the serial killer he hunts in the first film. Sequels softened the character a bit, but the influence of Dirty Harry has remained a powerful force on the screen and the page ever since. Writers are still drawing on the character to inform their creations today—as evidenced by the main characters of the six book series listed here, all of them cops who do things according to their own set of rules.

The Midnight Line (Jack Reacher Series #22)

The Midnight Line (Jack Reacher Series #22)

eBook $6.99

The Midnight Line (Jack Reacher Series #22)

By Lee Child

In Stock Online

eBook $6.99

Jack Reacher
Reacher was once an army MP, and trained as an investigator. Intelligent, physically imposing, and self-reliant, he was forced out of the military and became a nomad without property or plans. As a result, he continually finds himself embroiled in investigations, usually defending good people against evil forces. While Reacher has a strict moral code, he does not consider himself bound by the normal rules of legality or fair play. The bad guys in a Reacher novel usually find this out the hard way. There’s little doubt Reacher could have been anything he wanted to be. The fact that he’s chosen to be a wandering butt-kicker is just our lucky break.

Jack Reacher
Reacher was once an army MP, and trained as an investigator. Intelligent, physically imposing, and self-reliant, he was forced out of the military and became a nomad without property or plans. As a result, he continually finds himself embroiled in investigations, usually defending good people against evil forces. While Reacher has a strict moral code, he does not consider himself bound by the normal rules of legality or fair play. The bad guys in a Reacher novel usually find this out the hard way. There’s little doubt Reacher could have been anything he wanted to be. The fact that he’s chosen to be a wandering butt-kicker is just our lucky break.

Golden Prey (Signed Book) (Lucas Davenport Series #27)

Golden Prey (Signed Book) (Lucas Davenport Series #27)

Hardcover $29.00

Golden Prey (Signed Book) (Lucas Davenport Series #27)

By John Sandford

Hardcover $29.00

Lucas Davenport
A close match for Dirty Harry’s sensibility and contempt for due process and civil rights, Lucas Davenport is one of those cops who gets away with his behavior because he gets results. And how—over the course of 27 novels, Davenport has suffered repeated career mishaps linked directly to his extralegal techniques and his loner personality—he has few friends and makes little effort to play at politics. Being rich helps—he doesn’t have to worry about losing a pension or his salary when he sleeps with suspects or engineers complex scenarios to ensure a perp dies without casting suspicion on himself. Bottom line: if you want justice and aren’t concerned with procedure, call Lucas Davenport, and don’t ask questions.

Lucas Davenport
A close match for Dirty Harry’s sensibility and contempt for due process and civil rights, Lucas Davenport is one of those cops who gets away with his behavior because he gets results. And how—over the course of 27 novels, Davenport has suffered repeated career mishaps linked directly to his extralegal techniques and his loner personality—he has few friends and makes little effort to play at politics. Being rich helps—he doesn’t have to worry about losing a pension or his salary when he sleeps with suspects or engineers complex scenarios to ensure a perp dies without casting suspicion on himself. Bottom line: if you want justice and aren’t concerned with procedure, call Lucas Davenport, and don’t ask questions.

The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Series #1)

The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Series #1)

Paperback $10.00

The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Series #1)

By Michael Connelly

Paperback $10.00

Harry Bosch
Harry Bosch isn’t the most violent rogue cop in literature, but he may be the most relentless, often demonstrating a nearly-pathological disregard for his own career when in pursuit of a suspect. Bosch is routinely at odds with his supervisors in the LAPD—he’s forced out of the Robbery Homicide Division due to an internal affairs investigation, and forced to retire altogether at one point—though he eventually comes back. His career is defined by his rigid sense of right and wrong, his laser focus on punishing criminals, and an endless opposition to his bosses and outside forces like the FBI. Bosch is surprisingly less anti-social than some others on this list; he’s usually embroiled in one romance or another, and develops deep relationships fellow officers who share his dedication to justice.

Harry Bosch
Harry Bosch isn’t the most violent rogue cop in literature, but he may be the most relentless, often demonstrating a nearly-pathological disregard for his own career when in pursuit of a suspect. Bosch is routinely at odds with his supervisors in the LAPD—he’s forced out of the Robbery Homicide Division due to an internal affairs investigation, and forced to retire altogether at one point—though he eventually comes back. His career is defined by his rigid sense of right and wrong, his laser focus on punishing criminals, and an endless opposition to his bosses and outside forces like the FBI. Bosch is surprisingly less anti-social than some others on this list; he’s usually embroiled in one romance or another, and develops deep relationships fellow officers who share his dedication to justice.

Vicious Circle (Joe Pickett Series #17)

Vicious Circle (Joe Pickett Series #17)

eBook $9.99

Vicious Circle (Joe Pickett Series #17)

By C. J. Box

In Stock Online

eBook $9.99

Joe Pickett
Pickett is a game warden, not a police officer, but n the wide open spaces of Wyoming, he has law enforcement authority—and, more importantly, usually finds himself on his own, with no backup or capability of contacting his superiors. That doesn’t stop him from doing things over the course of 17 novels that keep him up at night, haunted. Pickett never hesitates to break the rules, but it’s semi-justified, because the locals are cowboys who disdain calling the authorities when they all have guns and can take of business on their own.

Joe Pickett
Pickett is a game warden, not a police officer, but n the wide open spaces of Wyoming, he has law enforcement authority—and, more importantly, usually finds himself on his own, with no backup or capability of contacting his superiors. That doesn’t stop him from doing things over the course of 17 novels that keep him up at night, haunted. Pickett never hesitates to break the rules, but it’s semi-justified, because the locals are cowboys who disdain calling the authorities when they all have guns and can take of business on their own.

Pronto (Raylan Givens Series #1)

Pronto (Raylan Givens Series #1)

Paperback $17.99 $19.99

Pronto (Raylan Givens Series #1)

By Elmore Leonard

In Stock Online

Paperback $17.99 $19.99

Raylan Givens
One of Elmore Leonard’s most famous creations, Givens escaped coal country in Kentucky and became a U.S. Marshall, but finds himself back home after his trigger-happy ways mar his reputation. Givens usually starts off investigations with good intentions, but does tend to shoot a lot of people, and sometimes goes after suspects with the clear intention of killing them. He can be charming, and treats non-criminals with respect, but in classic Dirty Harry tradition, he often finds rules of procedure and basic civil rights only get in the way of meting out justice.

Raylan Givens
One of Elmore Leonard’s most famous creations, Givens escaped coal country in Kentucky and became a U.S. Marshall, but finds himself back home after his trigger-happy ways mar his reputation. Givens usually starts off investigations with good intentions, but does tend to shoot a lot of people, and sometimes goes after suspects with the clear intention of killing them. He can be charming, and treats non-criminals with respect, but in classic Dirty Harry tradition, he often finds rules of procedure and basic civil rights only get in the way of meting out justice.

Echoes in Death (In Death Series #44)

Echoes in Death (In Death Series #44)

Hardcover $27.99

Echoes in Death (In Death Series #44)

By J. D. Robb

Hardcover $27.99

Eve Dallas
Eve Dallas was found as a child in an alleyway in Dallas, and in the mid-21st century (the first In Death novel is set in 2058, when she’s about 30) she’s a detective in the New York Police and Security Department (NYPSD). The sci-fi elements are light, and her Dirty Harry tendencies are subtle—but Dallas doesn’t hesitate to break rules, including sleeping with a murder suspect in the first book. Although she’s warmed up to other people over time, she is originally depicted as very much the loner, working on her own and refusing (or incapable) of relying on others, leading to a lot of rogue cop moments. Combined with a tendency towards sarcasm and a brusque attitude towards everyone (especially her superiors), she’s definitely a spiritual successor to Harry Callahan.
 

Eve Dallas
Eve Dallas was found as a child in an alleyway in Dallas, and in the mid-21st century (the first In Death novel is set in 2058, when she’s about 30) she’s a detective in the New York Police and Security Department (NYPSD). The sci-fi elements are light, and her Dirty Harry tendencies are subtle—but Dallas doesn’t hesitate to break rules, including sleeping with a murder suspect in the first book. Although she’s warmed up to other people over time, she is originally depicted as very much the loner, working on her own and refusing (or incapable) of relying on others, leading to a lot of rogue cop moments. Combined with a tendency towards sarcasm and a brusque attitude towards everyone (especially her superiors), she’s definitely a spiritual successor to Harry Callahan.