Stana Katic
(Kate Beckett)

One of the youngest women to ever make homicide detective with the NYPD, Kate Beckett is a tough, smart, first-class investigator known for being a closer. She’s also gained a reputation as a detective who’s intrigued by the sort of cases that don’t fit neatly into a box. It’s a reflection of her ongoing quest for justice. Motivated to join the force after her mother’s murder was never solved, Beckett’s firsthand experience with tragedy fuels her unceasing drive to bring closure and justice to the victims and their families.

Initially forced to work with Castle, she chaffed against his less than serious approach to their partnership, but over time she has come to appreciate his storyteller’s mind. Solving case after case by combining his unique approach with her no-nonsense cop skills, Beckett and Castle have become unlikely partners with a very successful track record. And the tension of their early relationship has now evolved into a more challenging and complicated romantic tension.

In addition to being his partner in crime, Beckett also serves as Castle’s muse for his series of Nikki Heat novels, the character he based on her. Their relationship and many of their cases have been immortalized in three novels: Heat Wave, Naked Heat, and Heat Rises. Although she feigns annoyance, Beckett is a huge fan of Castle’s previous novels and gets a secret kick out of being his inspiration.