There is a type of character in literature who manages to successfully fulfil what can seem at first sight a contradictory role, one which both readers and writers seem to turn to with great relish. The character of whom I speak is the anti-hero.

In this article, I’ll explore what it is about the anti-hero that appeals so strongly to both writer and reader alike, whilst also looking at the approach I take to my own example of the type, David Good, the protagonist in my private investigator series.

All definitions of the anti-hero boil down to describing a protagonist who possesses some major flaw in their make-up, such as being dishonest or violent, and who usually does good things because it is in their own self-interest rather than out of some sense of what is right and wrong.

There are, of course, plenty of well written examples to explore if you want to see just how appealing a character the anti-hero can be. I particularly like those created by Patricia Highsmith, whose Tom Ripley is a fabulous example of the type. Highsmith possessed an enviable ability to develop characters who continually blur the boundary between good and evil and do so in such a way that you can’t stop yourself from being drawn to them.

And it is this blurring of boundaries that begins to steer us towards what it is about such characters that appeals to writers and readers in equal measure. Straightforward heroes are not by definition without lasting appeal, but they can sometimes seem predictable and, frankly, even a little boring.

With the anti-hero, on the other hand, the writer has at their disposal the opportunity to develop a far more complex, less predictable and therefore more deeply engaging individual. What's more, there are times, such as in Highsmith’s books, we find ourselves actually liking such a character, even in the full knowledge that he or she does some bad, even downright unpleasant things. This can, in turn, engender a feeling of discomfort, even guilt, which draws us in even closer.

This blurring of good and bad within a character is something I look to explore with David Good in ‘Good Investigations’ and other books. I have focused on bringing this conflicting aspect of his make-up to the fore through his relationships with women. We find a man who casually, and only rarely with any sense of remorse, takes the various women in his life for granted. In fact, he frequently comes across as a sexiest git. Despite his lack of consideration, there is still an erratic flow of women who find him attractive, often to his own not inconsiderable surprise.

Whilst Good is an impressive operator when it comes to identifying what makes other people tick, he is pretty inept at understanding himself and, for one thing, fails to recognise what it is in his character that appeals to some women. Which brings us back to where we started, namely just how strong can be the appeal when we find someone with a conflicting set of characteristics.

Why not let us know who your own favourite anti-hero is and what it is about them that appeals so strongly.

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Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.