On the trail of a female gumshoe
April 28, 2012 5:16 PM Subscribe
I'm interested in reading some detective fiction with a female protagonist. What titles/authors should I check out?
I've been reading a fair number of books and watching a few movies and TV shows that deconstruct or play with the detective genre. I'm thinking about writing something that plays with detective fiction or film noir, but from a female perspective.
There was a glut of novels about female detectives about 20 years ago, most of which were written by female writers. I'm curious to see how they deal with some of the issues I've been thinking about when I read/watch the books/films I've been exposed to. Because there are so many, I'm not sure where to start.
I'm leaning towards wanting to read popular fiction instead of literary fiction. My main interest is in something that's well-written for genre work, and was put together with some care. I've enjoyed the Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy Sayers, and the Charlotte Carter novels that are set in Harlem.
Where should I start?
I've been reading a fair number of books and watching a few movies and TV shows that deconstruct or play with the detective genre. I'm thinking about writing something that plays with detective fiction or film noir, but from a female perspective.
There was a glut of novels about female detectives about 20 years ago, most of which were written by female writers. I'm curious to see how they deal with some of the issues I've been thinking about when I read/watch the books/films I've been exposed to. Because there are so many, I'm not sure where to start.
I'm leaning towards wanting to read popular fiction instead of literary fiction. My main interest is in something that's well-written for genre work, and was put together with some care. I've enjoyed the Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy Sayers, and the Charlotte Carter novels that are set in Harlem.
Where should I start?
If you want to go back to the source...Anna Katharine Green was one of the creators of the so-called "procedural" detective novel in the 19th century; one of her sleuths, Violet Strange, was a member of New York's upper-crust "400" families and therefore able to investigate crimes in rarefied circles with discretion. A collection of Violet Strange stories called "The Golden Slipper" is available free via Project Gutenberg.
posted by bcwinters at 5:29 PM on April 28, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by bcwinters at 5:29 PM on April 28, 2012 [5 favorites]
I'm a big fan of the Kay Scarpetta books by Patricia Cornwall (older ones are kind of gritty, and a really great snapshot of the early 90s), and the "Bones" books by Kathy Reichs are also great. They do not bear much resemblance to the show, though (they are so different as to be incomparable; they are similar only in that the main characters are both women who are forensic anthropologists). Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli & Isles novels were fantastic when she first started writing them (I haven't read one in a few years, but TG has always pretty consistently put out great work).
Recently, I had the Kate Shugak series recommended to me by a friend who has excellent taste; I haven't started the books yet, but the first one appears to currently be available for free for the Kindle.
posted by shamash at 5:30 PM on April 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
Recently, I had the Kate Shugak series recommended to me by a friend who has excellent taste; I haven't started the books yet, but the first one appears to currently be available for free for the Kindle.
posted by shamash at 5:30 PM on April 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
Megan Abbott's noir novels are great revisits of the genre from a woman's perspective. Queenpin is particularly fantastic.
Lisa Lutz's Spellman Files novels are very funny takes on the private-eye genre (the protagonist, Izzy Spellman, has grown up in her family's private eye business and as such is the world's most neurotic and paranoid human, but with a big heart).
Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan books are excellent private eye procedurals.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:33 PM on April 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
Lisa Lutz's Spellman Files novels are very funny takes on the private-eye genre (the protagonist, Izzy Spellman, has grown up in her family's private eye business and as such is the world's most neurotic and paranoid human, but with a big heart).
Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan books are excellent private eye procedurals.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:33 PM on April 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman and The Skull Beneath the Skin by P.D. James feature a female P.I.
posted by orange swan at 5:37 PM on April 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by orange swan at 5:37 PM on April 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
For actual policiers where the heroine is a police detective, I'd recommend Helene Tursten's Inspector Huss novels, Carol O'Connell's Mallory novels, Laurie R. King's Kate Martinelli novels, and Eleanor Taylor Bland's Marti McAlister novels.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:37 PM on April 28, 2012
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:37 PM on April 28, 2012
Carol O'Connell's Mallory is an NYPD detective.
Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon is a US Park ranger.
posted by rtha at 5:39 PM on April 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon is a US Park ranger.
posted by rtha at 5:39 PM on April 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
I like the Kate Shugak series but they're definitely flawed (Kate is just sooo perfect even if she doesn't know it).
Sarah Caudwell's books are great and might have a female protagonist.
Miss Marple, of course.
I'm not crazy about the one Amanda Cross book I read, but some people love her.
Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books are great (read them in order).
I adore Elizabeth Peters' Vicky Bliss and Amelia Peabody series.
Ayelet Waldman's Mommy-Track series is okay.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:40 PM on April 28, 2012
Sarah Caudwell's books are great and might have a female protagonist.
Miss Marple, of course.
I'm not crazy about the one Amanda Cross book I read, but some people love her.
Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books are great (read them in order).
I adore Elizabeth Peters' Vicky Bliss and Amelia Peabody series.
Ayelet Waldman's Mommy-Track series is okay.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:40 PM on April 28, 2012
I really like Joan Hess. She has two separate female 'detective' characters and each lives in Arkansas. Much hilarity ensues. There is even a murderous pig.
Seconding Elizabeth Peters. She also writes under the name Barbara Michaels.
posted by Leezie at 5:44 PM on April 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Seconding Elizabeth Peters. She also writes under the name Barbara Michaels.
posted by Leezie at 5:44 PM on April 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Seconding Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta novels. She's a tough medical examiner who works closely with local police and the FBI to catch killers. She refuses to be relegated to her lab.
posted by Night_owl at 6:03 PM on April 28, 2012
posted by Night_owl at 6:03 PM on April 28, 2012
Betty Webb's Lena Jones series. Set in Arizona.
Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone series. Set in San Francisco.
Sue Grafton?
posted by fuse theorem at 6:11 PM on April 28, 2012
Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone series. Set in San Francisco.
Sue Grafton?
posted by fuse theorem at 6:11 PM on April 28, 2012
Tana French
posted by sweetkid at 6:15 PM on April 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by sweetkid at 6:15 PM on April 28, 2012 [3 favorites]
Virginia Lanier's Jo Beth Siddon breeds, raises and trains bloodhounds for search & rescue, criminal pursuit, contraband detection etc.
Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series (starts with Bootlegger's Daughter) set mostly in North Carolina. She also has an older series featuring a NYC police detective, Sigrid Harald.
(The Knott series latest book features Sigrid Harald. The Siddon books is six books only; Lanier died in 2003)
posted by jaimystery at 6:24 PM on April 28, 2012
Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series (starts with Bootlegger's Daughter) set mostly in North Carolina. She also has an older series featuring a NYC police detective, Sigrid Harald.
(The Knott series latest book features Sigrid Harald. The Siddon books is six books only; Lanier died in 2003)
posted by jaimystery at 6:24 PM on April 28, 2012
'Popular fiction', 'detective story' and 'female protagonist' instantly made me think of Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich. I'm not sure if they are considered 'genre' books, but definitely worth picking up at least one (there are about 17 now).
posted by jacalata at 7:04 PM on April 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by jacalata at 7:04 PM on April 28, 2012 [2 favorites]
Tana French has written three mysteries. The second one has a female protagonist (she is a major character in the first), the other two have male protagonists (the next one is also due to have a male protagonist). The books are all excellent. (Susan Hill's mysteries are also excellent, but have a male detective.) Susan Hill and Tana French are two of my favourite authors. Their books do not play by the standard rulebook, though they do not cheat.
Val McDermid's books mostly have female protagonists -- in particular, the early Carol Jordan/Tony Hill books are good (as are her standalones, though they are less detective). Carol O'Connell, as someone mentioned earlier, has her Kathy Mallory books which are much fun. Minette Walters has female protagonists in mysteries, but not detectives exactly. Elizabeth George has a (major, important) female detective in her Lynley series, but it's not about her.
Laurie King's Kate Martinelli books, as mentioned, are quite good (the first two especially, the last one where half the book is taken up with some idiotic Sherlock short story is terrible). Her standalones are also good, but again, not detective exactly.
Cora Harrison does interesting historical mysteries.
posted by jeather at 7:34 PM on April 28, 2012
Val McDermid's books mostly have female protagonists -- in particular, the early Carol Jordan/Tony Hill books are good (as are her standalones, though they are less detective). Carol O'Connell, as someone mentioned earlier, has her Kathy Mallory books which are much fun. Minette Walters has female protagonists in mysteries, but not detectives exactly. Elizabeth George has a (major, important) female detective in her Lynley series, but it's not about her.
Laurie King's Kate Martinelli books, as mentioned, are quite good (the first two especially, the last one where half the book is taken up with some idiotic Sherlock short story is terrible). Her standalones are also good, but again, not detective exactly.
Cora Harrison does interesting historical mysteries.
posted by jeather at 7:34 PM on April 28, 2012
Karen Kijewski's Kat Colorado series is a good one from the late 80s-early 90s. She and Sue Grafton started writing around the same time and I always liked Kat better than Kinsey Millhone (Grafton's detective).
Warning: Kijewski does something terrible to a beloved character offstage between books 8 and 9, as if to say "ha ha reader, time to shake things up, take that!" This is perhaps why book 9 was the last one.
posted by Flannery Culp at 7:38 PM on April 28, 2012
Warning: Kijewski does something terrible to a beloved character offstage between books 8 and 9, as if to say "ha ha reader, time to shake things up, take that!" This is perhaps why book 9 was the last one.
posted by Flannery Culp at 7:38 PM on April 28, 2012
So glad the Amelia Peabody novels, by Elizabeth Peters, have already been mentioned twice. Heartily thirded. I spent a huge part of my adolescence/early adult life reading those books - they're fantastic.
posted by AthenaPolias at 7:42 PM on April 28, 2012
posted by AthenaPolias at 7:42 PM on April 28, 2012
Really, strongly seconding Lisa Lutz's Spellman novels.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:27 PM on April 28, 2012
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:27 PM on April 28, 2012
I don't think I've seen Marcia Muller's series featuring her detective Sharon McCone mentioned yet.
posted by PussKillian at 9:06 PM on April 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by PussKillian at 9:06 PM on April 28, 2012 [1 favorite]
Seconding the Stephanie Plum books...that's what came to mind immediately for me.
Others I like that haven't been mentioned: Laura Caldwell's Izzy McNeil series, J.D. Robb's (pen name of Nora Roberts) Eve Dallas series (the In Death books), Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren books.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:54 PM on April 28, 2012
Others I like that haven't been mentioned: Laura Caldwell's Izzy McNeil series, J.D. Robb's (pen name of Nora Roberts) Eve Dallas series (the In Death books), Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren books.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:54 PM on April 28, 2012
Alifair Burke (disclosure: we're acquainted) is three books into her series about NYPD Detective Ellie Hatcher: Dead Connection, Angel's Tip, and 212.
posted by nicwolff at 10:16 PM on April 28, 2012
posted by nicwolff at 10:16 PM on April 28, 2012
The Phryne Fisher Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood are quite light, but also very fun in a Lord Peter Wimsey-esque way. Though set in the 1920s, they are written by a contemporary author.
posted by unsub at 10:16 PM on April 28, 2012
posted by unsub at 10:16 PM on April 28, 2012
Heard really good things about Smilla's Sense of Snow...
posted by kettleoffish at 10:30 PM on April 28, 2012
posted by kettleoffish at 10:30 PM on April 28, 2012
Yrsa Sigurðardóttir's novels feature Thóra Gudmundsdôttir as a feisty lawyer/investigator. I loved them.
posted by t0astie at 3:23 AM on April 29, 2012
posted by t0astie at 3:23 AM on April 29, 2012
Marcia Muller's Sharon McCone, already mentioned, is the best in my book. Carol O'Connell's Malory is also very good. Linda Barnes' Carlotta Carlye series is also good, as is J.A Jance's woman sheriff series about Joanna Brady. For some lighter weight fun and a little fantasy, Rita Mae Brown's mysteries which feature a female protagonist and her animals as characters are nice, somewhat along the lines of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels but with critters.
Ngaio Marsh is an oldie but goodie featuring Detective Roderick Alleyn, a male, but often aided by his wife painter Troy Alleyn in solving cases. These hold up very well for having been written from the 30s to the 70s.
posted by mermayd at 5:01 AM on April 29, 2012
Ngaio Marsh is an oldie but goodie featuring Detective Roderick Alleyn, a male, but often aided by his wife painter Troy Alleyn in solving cases. These hold up very well for having been written from the 30s to the 70s.
posted by mermayd at 5:01 AM on April 29, 2012
Response by poster: Some great suggestions here! I'm making a list of things to add to my library queue once school's out. :)
The series people are suggesting are definitely really interesting. I had attempted to read one of Janet Evanovich's books over winter break, and found that I didn't care about Stephanie enough to keep reading. My mom was into mass-market detective fiction when I was a kid and read most of the Sue Grafton novels, but I couldn't remember how good they are or if they'd be worth my while. I may have to dig out her old books and read some of those soon, as well.
posted by pxe2000 at 5:16 AM on April 29, 2012
The series people are suggesting are definitely really interesting. I had attempted to read one of Janet Evanovich's books over winter break, and found that I didn't care about Stephanie enough to keep reading. My mom was into mass-market detective fiction when I was a kid and read most of the Sue Grafton novels, but I couldn't remember how good they are or if they'd be worth my while. I may have to dig out her old books and read some of those soon, as well.
posted by pxe2000 at 5:16 AM on April 29, 2012
Like loads of these but for something completely different, The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is hard to beat. Fascinating female character in a city you may not even have heard of! Mme Ramotswe is enchanting.
posted by Wilder at 8:14 AM on April 29, 2012
posted by Wilder at 8:14 AM on April 29, 2012
Lots of good suggestions already, but I'll add Lori Armstrong's two Mercy Gunderson novels.
posted by box at 8:41 AM on April 29, 2012
posted by box at 8:41 AM on April 29, 2012
I'd say Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver books meet your criteria of well-written genre.
posted by paduasoy at 2:03 PM on April 29, 2012
posted by paduasoy at 2:03 PM on April 29, 2012
I'm not sure if Jassie Mackenzie's* Jade de Jong character is sufficiently detective-y, but that series somehow ended up on my reading queue (haven't gotten to it yet).
*book excerpt from Random Violence
posted by porpoise at 5:19 PM on April 29, 2012
*book excerpt from Random Violence
posted by porpoise at 5:19 PM on April 29, 2012
I get a big kick out of Susan Isaacs' novels. Funny, but also good detective stories starring smart heroines who aren't detectives by profession.
posted by bumpcat at 8:19 PM on April 29, 2012
posted by bumpcat at 8:19 PM on April 29, 2012
I've really enjoyed Meg Cabot's Heather Wells series - they are as fluffy as a warehouse full of marshmallows, but they never feel dumb. I expected it to be one of those themed mystery series (you know, detectives who are part-time quilters or knitters or florists etc.) which put me off initially.
posted by mippy at 5:09 AM on April 30, 2012
posted by mippy at 5:09 AM on April 30, 2012
This may not be your thing, but if you don't mind a little modern fantasy in your detective stories, the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire is fantastic.
posted by ashirys at 11:15 AM on April 30, 2012
posted by ashirys at 11:15 AM on April 30, 2012
Kerry Greenwood writes two entertaining lady detective series:
1. The Phryne Fisher books, about a wealthy, titled, disreputable, promiscuous, feminist lady detective in 1920's Melbourne, and
2. The Corrina Chapman books, about a (present day) accountant-turned-baker with kooky neighbours that keeps grumpily getting drawn into mysteries in between baking sessions and tasty sounding meals.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:06 AM on May 1, 2012
1. The Phryne Fisher books, about a wealthy, titled, disreputable, promiscuous, feminist lady detective in 1920's Melbourne, and
2. The Corrina Chapman books, about a (present day) accountant-turned-baker with kooky neighbours that keeps grumpily getting drawn into mysteries in between baking sessions and tasty sounding meals.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:06 AM on May 1, 2012
Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series is such a delight. Four books have been published so far, and I think a few more are planned.
Written for an adult audience, the books focus on 11-year-old amateur sleuth and chemistry whiz Flavia, who solves murders around her quaint English hamlet in the 1950s. The books are witty, well-written, and somehow very comforting!
posted by rubyshoes at 6:27 AM on May 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
Written for an adult audience, the books focus on 11-year-old amateur sleuth and chemistry whiz Flavia, who solves murders around her quaint English hamlet in the 1950s. The books are witty, well-written, and somehow very comforting!
posted by rubyshoes at 6:27 AM on May 2, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by thelonius at 5:20 PM on April 28, 2012 [3 favorites]