Mike Hammer is the protagonist in Dashiell Hammett's "Deadline", a hard-boiled detective who must solve a murder case before the deadline set by the killer.

In the film "Speed", a bus rigged with a bomb must maintain a speed of at least 50 miles per hour to prevent it from exploding.

Jack Bauer is the protagonist in the TV series "24", a counter-terrorism agent who must prevent a nuclear attack within 24 hours.

Robert Langdon is the protagonist in Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code", a symbologist who must solve a murder mystery related to Leonardo da Vinci's artwork.

John McClane is the protagonist in the film "Die Hard", a New York City police officer who must save hostages from terrorists who have taken over a skyscraper.

Mikael Blomkvist is the protagonist in Stieg Larsson's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", a journalist who teams up with a hacker to investigate the disappearance of a young woman.

Sherlock Holmes is the protagonist in the TV series "Sherlock", a consulting detective who solves crimes with his partner, Dr. John Watson.

Nick Dunne is the protagonist in Gillian Flynn's "Gone Girl", a husband who becomes the prime suspect in his wife's disappearance.

Dr. Richard Kimble is the protagonist in the film "The Fugitive", a doctor who is wrongly accused of murdering his wife and must prove his innocence while on the run.

Theo Faber is the protagonist in Alex Michaelides' "The Silent Patient", a psychotherapist who tries to uncover the truth behind a woman's silence after she murders her husband.

Jason Bourne is the protagonist in the film "The Bourne Identity", an amnesiac assassin who must uncover his past while being hunted by a secret government agency.

Patrick Jane is the protagonist in the TV series "The Mentalist", a former con artist who uses his skills to help the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) solve crimes.

Rachel Watson is the protagonist in Paula Hawkins' "The Girl on the Train", a woman who becomes obsessed with a couple she sees on her daily commute and suspects them of being involved in a crime.

Verbal Kint is the protagonist in the film "The Usual Suspects", a con artist who gathers a group of criminals to pull off a heist and then frames them for a crime they didn't commit.

John Luther is the protagonist in the TV series "Luther", a brilliant but troubled detective who is known for his unorthodox methods and his ability to get inside the minds of criminals.