Hannis Gruer is a character in Isaac Asimov's Robot series.
About Hannis[]
Hannis Gruer is the Director of Security for the planet Solaria. A prominent and influential Solarian, Hannis Gruer was a bald man whose physical appearance, lacking the stereotypical Spacer handsomeness, marked him as somewhat unconventional among his peers.
As the head of Solarian security in a society with virtually no crime, his role was largely theoretical until the shocking murder of the renowned fetologist Rikaine Delmarre. Convinced that this was not an isolated incident but part of a larger, hidden conspiracy threatening Solaria and potentially the entire Galaxy, Gruer took the unprecedented step of requesting investigative assistance from Earth. He specifically sought out Elijah Baley, whose work on the Spacer murder case on Earth had impressed him, believing a Terrestrial's experience with human psychology and crowds would be invaluable in understanding a crime incomprehensible to isolated Solarians. To secure Baley's services, Gruer was forced to accept the condition that Baley be partnered with R. Daneel Olivaw from Aurora. Gruer was initially circumspect with Baley, presenting the official view that Gladia Delmarre was the only possible culprit, but during a private trimensional interview, he revealed his true fears of a subversive organization and his belief that Delmarre had been on the verge of exposing it. It was this conversation that fully engaged Baley in the case's larger implications.
Shortly after this revelation, Gruer was himself poisoned during a meal while visually conversing with Baley and Daneel. He collapsed after drinking from a glass of water, crying out that it burned his throat. He survived the attempt, though was left severely incapacitated and removed from active duty, with his position assumed by his deputy, Corwin Attlebish. Gruer's poisoning served to confirm his conspiracy theory to Baley and dramatically raised the stakes of the investigation.
Appearances[]