10. Mma Makutsi in
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series
Mma Makutsi scored an astounding 97% at
Botswana Secretarial College,
but she longs to be more than just a secretary
at a detective agency.
9. The Little Seamstress
from Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Luo finds a stash of illegal classical novels
during Mao's Cultural Revolution
and shares them with an uneducated tailor's daughter,
changing the lives of everyone in the story.
8. Manny Rat, Muskrat, and C. Serpetina from
The Mouse and His Child
Lots of wonderful minor characters in this
classic story of a mouse and his son
who seek to find a way to
become self-winding.
7. The Family and the Animals from
My Family and Other Animals
by Gerald Durrell
Who is zanier? Durrell's family
or the animals they take on as pets
during the five years they live
on a Greek island.
6. Julia from
Julie and Julia
You get to know Julia Child
quite well as Julie
attempts to cook something every day from
Child's brilliant Mastering the Art
of French Cooking.
5. The Dead Wife from
The Photograph
His wife is long dead,
yet she becomes a fascinating character
in this novel about how a man's
perception of his wife changes
upon discovering an old photograph of her.
4. The Office from
Then We Came to the End
Like many good books,
the setting becomes a strong
minor character in this novel that tells the story of
the struggles of a group of people
in an anonymous office
that is having great troubles of its own.
3. Ludo from
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont
Mrs. Palfrey moves down in life
to live at the once-reputable Claremont.
She meets a young struggling writer
who brightens her bleak life.
2. Turtle Wexler,
Flora Baumbach, Christos Theodorakis,
Denton Deere, J.J. Ford, Alexander McSouthers,
Grace Wexler, James Hoo, Berthe Erica Crowe,
Otis Amber, Douglas Hoo, Theo Theodorakis,
Sydelle Pulaski, Angela Wexler, Sandy Hoo, Jake Wexler
from The Westing Game
Sixteen potential heirs try to solve the mystery of
who killed Samuel Westing.
1. Lula, Ranger, and Grandma Mazur in
the Stephanie Plum mystery series
You just have to love these
ridiculous minor characters
in this little mystery series.
(Reposted from May of 2011)
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.
Grandma Mazur!! and Grace Makutski! We are soulmates! lol It says in your sidebar you are reading The Guns of August--I can't recommend it highly enough. Excellent book.
ReplyDeleteWe are soulmates, Lisa!
DeleteInteresting list. Many books that I never heard of before, will have to explore.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with The Little Seamstress, not so sure about Mma Makutsi (especially in the later novels), she gets enough exposure as it is. LOL
Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.
Funny, but I love Mma Makutsi.
DeleteI seem to be the only one from what I read from other comments. I was alright with her in the first couple of books but the further I got into the series, the more I was annoyed by her behaviour. Similar in another series by Alexander McCall Smith. Well, we can't all like the same people, right?
DeleteIt's been a while since I watched it but I remember loving Julie & Julia! Such a good comfort movie (as far as I can recall)! Great list :)
ReplyDeleteThe book and the movie are both great.
DeleteGreat list! I haven't read any of these books.
ReplyDeleteI twisted the topic some, as I have trouble remembering secondary characters.
When you get the chance, I hope you stop by my post: https://readbakecreate.com/10-books-that-deserve-more-love/
I like your take on the topic, Pam.
DeleteThis is an interesting idea! Yes, MIss Makutsi -- it's been years since I read these but that's spot on. And Julia -- I never thought of her as supporting but in this case she is. Signorina Elecctra in the Donna Leon Brunetti series for sure, along with Brunetti's wife Paola. Simon Serrailler's sister, Dr. Cat Deerbon, in the Susan Hill "Serrailer" mysteries; Jean Guy Beauvoir and all the Three Pines people in Louise Penny's Gamache series; Cathblad the Druid in Elly Griffith's "Ruth Galloway" books; Nina and the staff of the Hotel Metropol in "The Gentleman from Moscow," and Billy Beale in Jacqueline Winspear's "Maisie Dobbs" books.
ReplyDeleteWonderful list, Jeanie. I agree---it's hard to think of Julia Childs as a supporting character.
DeleteI love animal supporting characters. and LAdies' Detective Agency- those always look so fun!
ReplyDeleteClearly I need to read the Westing Game. What a list! My TTT Characters who need their own novels
ReplyDeleteThere are lots of fun characters in THE WESTING GAME! I loved the book as a kid and recently re-read it. Super fun read.
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT!
At this point, I think I keep coming back to the Stephanie Plum books for Lula and Grandma Mazur. They crack me up! Great list!
ReplyDeleteGreat list, Deb! I love all the characters from The Westing Game and I agree about Mma Makutski. It's hard to say whether the family or the animals are zanier in Durrell's book, but I think it might be the family.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great list, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading The Westing Game when I was little.
ReplyDeleteI really need to read The Westing Game. I feel like I’ve been saying that for most of my life.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
So often the side characters are my favorite! The Westing Game was one of my absolute favorite books. I think I pretty much loved every character in the book.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed getting to know Julia's husband, Paul, in Julie & Julia. I've never read The Westing Game, but my daughter loved it. Maybe it's time I give it a read!
ReplyDeleteOh my, you just added to my TBR pile! Shame on you!
ReplyDeleteI just never have been able to get into the ladies detective agency books--not my cuppa' tea. I did read the Little Seamstress after you recommended it and loved everything about it.
Secondary characters is a clever idea for a post, girlfriend.
Julia Child led such an interesting life!
ReplyDeleteJust reading the names Lula, Ranger, and Grandma Mazur made me smile! I love those characters.
ReplyDeleteLula was such a fun character in that Stephanie Plum series and definitely deserves more love. :)
ReplyDeleteYou've made me add The Photograph to my reading list!
ReplyDeleteMma Makutsi, Grandma Mazur and Lula - all three are such memorable characters. I loved reading this because it reminded me of them and how much fun I've had reading about their adventures.
ReplyDelete