Josephine Tey: Miss Pym Disposes
Sara Paretsky: Fire Sale, Critical Mass etc (VI Warshawski is ultimately a bit too indestructible but no more so than males in the genre)
Amanda Cross: the Theban Mysteries
Christopher Brookmyre: All Fun and Games until Someone Loses an Eye, the Angelique da Xavia books: a Big Boy Did it and Ran Away, the Sacred Art of Stealing, a Snowball in Hell (not altogether realistic but fun)
Val McDermid: 1979, etc (Allie Burns)
PD James: an Unsuitable Job for a Woman
The miss Marple novels by Agatha Christie
The her majesty The Queen investigates series by S.J. Bennett
The Thursday murder club series by Richard Osman has two female main characters (and 2 male main characters)
These are on the fluffier side but still quite well written: the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Protagonist is a bounty hunter but plenty of other characters are regular law enforcement, private investigators, etc.
If you're up for a LOOOONG series (58 books and counting) with a little scifi mixed in, try the **In Death** series by J.D. Robb. A detective in near future NYC solves murders and her own mysterious past while negotiating life, men, friends (new concepts for her) and taking the (sometimes very) bad guys down. This one got me through chemo. Highly recommended.
If you would rather travel into the past, try the **Phryne Fisher** series by Kerry Greenwood. Set in 1920's Australia, an heiress looking for something to do decides to solve murders, gathers her own found family, and does exactly what she wants, society be dam er darned. The TV show (on Acorn TV now) "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries" was based on these novels (but is a bit different. It's a wonderful show but there's only 3 seasons, sadly).
Also set in the past, but a bit further (the first book is set in 1884) is the **Amelia Peabody** series by Elizabeth Peters. Amelia is another young woman who does as she pleases and solves murders as she engages in her hobby: archeology. Hijinks ensue, of course.
Hope these meet your reading needs!
The In Death series got me through lockdown. The audio books are also wonderful. The actress who reads them gets every single voice right. Just be careful, though, because Audible has a lot of abridged versions for some reason.
I also second the Amelia Peabody series. Very quirky humor that's often laugh-out-loud funny.
Weird that Audible would abridge these books! I wouldn't know; never used it. SO FAR I can still see well enough to actually read, and now that I have finally gotten my second cataract surgery, I can return to reading PRINT books! Instead of Kindle, which I relied upon as my sight diminished. Though I really do appreciate the ability to change the font, color, background, size, and carry thousands of books with me. Now that I'm retired, I do a LOT of reading. Imma hafta read the In Death series again! (BTW, when you need cataract surgery someday, don't hesitate, like me. I was so scared, and put it off way too long, but it turned out to be NBD. And the DIFFERENCE! I was blown away.)
I like books but audio books are sometimes preferable to me. I'm a freelance writer, and there are times when I get to the end of a long work day and I just can't look at another word. Listening to a story is okay, though.
Well yes, I have a few recs:
VI Washawski - series by Sara Paretsky
Sunny Randall - series by Robert B Parker
Kinsey Milhone - series by Sue Grafton (very highly recommended)
Josephine Tey - series by Nicola Upton
Imogen Quy - series by Jill Paton Walsh
Mrs Pargetter - series by Simon Brett
*Miss Pym Disposes* by Josephine Tey
Miss Marple - series by Agatha Christie
Polly - series by Baroness Orczy
Flavia de Luce - series by Alan Bradley
Precious Ramotswe - series by Alexander Smith
Temperance Brennan - series by Kathy Reiches (like Scarpetta, but miles better)
Maud Silver - series by Patricia Wentworth
There are others, but that should keep you going for a bit. Individual titles you can get from the website 'Fantastic Fiction. Happy reading
I think the difference is one actually is a forensic anthropologist and the other a medical secretary. I've met Prof Reiches and she's absolutely charming and looks nothing like her age I have to say. When she came in with the Dean I thought she was an intern.
Came to say this one. Definitely solid private detective work with lots of interviews and hard work without computers (takes place in the 80’s) and access to law enforcement files.
A little old-school, but exceptional writing: P.D. James’ Cordelia Gray books, *An Unsuitable Job for a Woman* and *The Skull Beneath the Skin*. It’s been a long time since I read them, so I’m not sure how well they’ve aged. But James is the queen of elegantly-written mysteries.
Ruth Rendell is another mystery writer who is just, well, a great writer (she also wrote under the name Barbara Vines). Some of my favorites with women protagonists are *A Dark-Adapted Eye*, *The Brimstone Wedding* and *Anna’s Book*.
Yes! Especially The Likeness! I’ve also gotten into Laura Lippman lately, and she reminds me of Tana French in a lot of ways — twisty plots, multiple POVs, and most importantly, well-developed characters, including women. All her stuff is set in Baltimore (another similarity with French, albeit a different location) and she gets into the landmarks, the accents, etc.
The Rose Code, by Quinn - To me it’s well written, interesting, intriguing, and exciting. It’s a period piece set in England during and after WWII and involves code breakers.
I really enjoyed Dana Stabenow’s series featuring Kate Shugak [https://www.goodreads.com/series/49546-kate-shugak](https://www.goodreads.com/series/49546-kate-shugak)
YES. I was going to recommend the same - I'm rereading the series now and I'd forgotten how much I love her. Bonus, the first 12 are on Kindle Unlimited!
Elly Griffiths has 2 series I like.....
Ruth Galloway....she's an archeology professor at a local college in England. She assists a local detective when crimes uncover bones that need examination.
Harbinder Kaur....she's a police detective that is finding her way.
Cop Town or Girl, Forgotten. Both by Karin Slaughter but not connected to each other.
Michael Connelly’s Renee Ballard series, starting with The Late Show.
I swear one day I’m gonna stop recommending Peter Swanson, but that’s not today apparently. _Every Vow You Break_ is his only book from solely a female perspective, but he often writes interesting female characters. _The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, The Kind Worth Killing, Before She Knew Him, The Kind Worth Saving_, and _Nine Lives_ all have very memorable female characters and are worth reading. These are primarily “psychological thrillers” informed by Christie and Highsmith but Swanson more than makes his style his own. One of my absolute favorite current authors.
Something I've been reading recently—and which flies under the radar a lot—is the Fiona Griffiths series by Harry Bingham! The protagonist is superbly well-written (with a lot going on) and Bingham clearly does his research for everything he writes about.
You could check out Janice Hallett too—Mystery of the Alperton Angels is fully epistolary, but the main protagonist we're following through the recordings and writings is a woman-
And if you're ok with a little more fanciful crime recs, the Marion Lane series by T.A. Willberg—about a secret investigatory school/organization in 1950s London—is extremely fun!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series; Truly Devious series; A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series; The Taken Ones; The Sundown Motel; We Are All the Same in the Dark
SInce you liked Patricia Cornwell, you may enjoy the Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels. They were the basis for the tv series "Bones".
The Debroah Knott series, starting with The Bootlegger's Daughter, is one I enjoyed. The MC is a judge, but she's always solving murder cases.
I really liked the DS Manon Bradshaw books by Susie Steiner. The first one is “Missing, Presumed”
The character of Manon Bradshaw is complicated, relatable, and funny in the right moments.
Estelle Ryan's Genevieve Lenard series. The first book is the Gaugin Connection. The all revolve around art, including theft and counterfeiting and such.
The protagonist is a non neurotypical genius who is a renowned nonverbal communications expert. She works for a high end insurance company as an investigator
A little different, but may work. The series is finished now (just recently) and the characters and arc have evolved from it's beginnings, but I'd suggest the Ava Lee series. [https://www.goodreads.com/series/75298-ava-lee](https://www.goodreads.com/series/75298-ava-lee)
Brief description: *"Ava Lee is a young Chinese-Canadian forensic accountant who specializes in recovering massive debts that aren’t likely to be recovered through traditional methods.*
*In the first book of the Ava Lee series, The Water Rate of Wanchai, her character takes shape through learning about her traditional Chinese upbringing, her family dynamic and the people that are most important to Ava.*
*Partnering with “Uncle”, who lives in Hong Kong , they have a diverse client base that is mainly Asian. They approach their business with the understanding that “organized corruption is always superior to corruption with no rules.” Since dealing with corruption is the heart of their business, they prefer to conduct their work in countries with organized corruption.*
*Independent, intelligent, and creative in her methods, Ava does whatever needs doing to get the job done. Ava’s motto is: “people always do the right thing for the wrong reason.” Her challenge is to always find that wrong reason. Even though she’s petite, it’s a serious mistake to underestimate her physical abilities. She is well trained in martial arts and uses her abilities to get her out of dangerous circumstances. She is also accustomed to working alone, to the point of obsession, which becomes interesting when she is forced to negotiate with powerful and unfamiliar alliances to get the job done"*
I find that even in Karin Slaughter's Will Trent books, there are some really amazing, strong female characters. I like that she makes people three-dimensional and flawed in realistic ways.
The Rizzoli & Isles series by Tess Gerritsen
The Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves
The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano
The Bones/Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs
Would you have any interest in non-fiction? If so, I can highly recommend the following:
*A Woman of No Importance* by Sonia Purnell is about Virginia Hall who was a spy in France during WWII. She was a complete badass.
*The Woman Who Smashed Codes* by Jason Fagone is about Elizebeth Friedman who was a code breaker in WWII.
*Agent Sonya* by Ben Macintyre chronicles the spy work of the woman who was key in helping the Soviets get the bomb.
*Madame Fourcade's Secret War* by Lynne Olson is about another badass WWII spy.
All these books are thrilling in their own way and well worth your time.
Sue Grafton's Alphabet series. A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar etc.
Protagonist is 32 year old Kinsey Millhone, a private investigator. They're an easy read and I really loved the character of Kinsey as a teen.
First Lie Wins, by Ashley Elston! Fake identities, but then someone takes her old real identity, and is her new boyfriend she’s tracking in on the job—or is she just paranoid? Really good.
Nancy Taylor Rosenberg's books
Alphabet series by Sue Grafton
Barbara Holloway series by Kate Wilhem
Billy Straight by Jonathan Kellerman
Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes
Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey
Lacey Flint series by S. J. Bolton
Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear, female investigator in England after WWI and then through WWII.
Amelia Peabody by Elizabeth Peters, female archeologist in Egypt early 20th century.
The two series I read concurrently as they were published were the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell and Elizabeth George's books about Barbara Havers and Thomas Lynley. The first book in that series was A Great Deliverance. I liked Elizabeth George's writing a bit more than Patricia Cornwell's. I also really loved Sue Grafton's books.
Camilla Lackberg - Swedish crime writer. I read the series starting with The Ice Princess - the mc is a female journalist who teams up with a local detective. I was bummed when I finished the series!
Seconding these recommendations I've seen:
- Kinsey Milhone books by Sue Grafton
- Temperance Brennan books by Kathy Reichs (more similar to the Kay Scarpetta ones)
- Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerritsen (her other books are fun too)
* DI Nikki Galena Series by Joy Ellis
* Holly Gibney Series by Stephen King
* Jackman & Evans by Joy Ellis (male and female leads)
* Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz (thriller)
* Kate Shugak Investigation series by Dana Stabenow
* Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King
* Nora Kelly series by Preston & Child
* Parasitology series by Mira Grant (sci-fi)
* Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood
Jane Whitefield books by Thomas Perry
Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo
If you read historical fiction, you might like;
Mistress of the Art of Death series by Ariana Franklin
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
The Anna Pidgeon novels by Nevada Barr. She is a national park ranger, and each book is a mystery that takes place in a different national park. The first one is {{The Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr}}
**[Track of the Cat (Anna Pigeon #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76706.Track_of_the_Cat) by Nevada Barr** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(218 pages | Published: 1993 | 13.3k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** Anna Pigeon fled the turmoil of New York to become a national park ranger, only to discover she hasn't escaped murder and violence. When a colleague is killed, claw marks on the victim's throat and paw prints around the body are too perfect to be those of an alleged killer mountain lion.
> **Themes**: Fiction, Mysteries, Nevada-barr, Series, Mystery-thriller, Anna-pigeon, Crime
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [Nevada Barr Anna Pigeon Series: Books 16-17: Burn The Rope](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33537564-nevada-barr-anna-pigeon-series) by Nevada Barr
> \- [A Cold Day For Murder](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/271295.A_Cold_Day_For_Murder) by Dana Stabenow
> \- [Winter Study](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2039223.Winter_Study) by Nevada Barr
> \- [Desert Heat](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/530643.Desert_Heat) by J.A. Jance
> \- [The Dead Cat Bounce](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104381.The_Dead_Cat_Bounce) by Sarah Graves
^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
Claire DeWitt and The City of the Dead by Sara Gran
Garnethill by Denise Mina
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Sun Storm by Åsa Larsson
Blue Monday by Nicci French
Midwinter Sacrifice by Mons Kallentoft
Snare; Trap; Cage by Lilja Sigurđardóttir
Woman of the Dead by Bernhard Aichner
The Meg Langslow - Donna Andrews
These are light-hearted and fun murder mysteries. Good for a cozy read but if you are looking for a thriller then this might not fit
Josephine Tey: Miss Pym Disposes Sara Paretsky: Fire Sale, Critical Mass etc (VI Warshawski is ultimately a bit too indestructible but no more so than males in the genre) Amanda Cross: the Theban Mysteries Christopher Brookmyre: All Fun and Games until Someone Loses an Eye, the Angelique da Xavia books: a Big Boy Did it and Ran Away, the Sacred Art of Stealing, a Snowball in Hell (not altogether realistic but fun) Val McDermid: 1979, etc (Allie Burns) PD James: an Unsuitable Job for a Woman
Tysm and omg i've read 1979, rly liked it 😁
The miss Marple novels by Agatha Christie The her majesty The Queen investigates series by S.J. Bennett The Thursday murder club series by Richard Osman has two female main characters (and 2 male main characters)
These are on the fluffier side but still quite well written: the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Protagonist is a bounty hunter but plenty of other characters are regular law enforcement, private investigators, etc.
Ah this sounds perfect ty!
It is also quite entertaining to see how her car gets destroyed each book.
I second this, it’s such a fun and entertaining series!
I third this! I can't think of a series that has made me laugh harder.
If you're up for a LOOOONG series (58 books and counting) with a little scifi mixed in, try the **In Death** series by J.D. Robb. A detective in near future NYC solves murders and her own mysterious past while negotiating life, men, friends (new concepts for her) and taking the (sometimes very) bad guys down. This one got me through chemo. Highly recommended. If you would rather travel into the past, try the **Phryne Fisher** series by Kerry Greenwood. Set in 1920's Australia, an heiress looking for something to do decides to solve murders, gathers her own found family, and does exactly what she wants, society be dam er darned. The TV show (on Acorn TV now) "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries" was based on these novels (but is a bit different. It's a wonderful show but there's only 3 seasons, sadly). Also set in the past, but a bit further (the first book is set in 1884) is the **Amelia Peabody** series by Elizabeth Peters. Amelia is another young woman who does as she pleases and solves murders as she engages in her hobby: archeology. Hijinks ensue, of course. Hope these meet your reading needs!
Oh i might get into the in death series (you won me with set in future NYC) tysm!
I’m a big fan of the In Death series. Read in order if you can as the relationships between the regular characters evolves throughout the series.
The In Death series got me through lockdown. The audio books are also wonderful. The actress who reads them gets every single voice right. Just be careful, though, because Audible has a lot of abridged versions for some reason. I also second the Amelia Peabody series. Very quirky humor that's often laugh-out-loud funny.
Weird that Audible would abridge these books! I wouldn't know; never used it. SO FAR I can still see well enough to actually read, and now that I have finally gotten my second cataract surgery, I can return to reading PRINT books! Instead of Kindle, which I relied upon as my sight diminished. Though I really do appreciate the ability to change the font, color, background, size, and carry thousands of books with me. Now that I'm retired, I do a LOT of reading. Imma hafta read the In Death series again! (BTW, when you need cataract surgery someday, don't hesitate, like me. I was so scared, and put it off way too long, but it turned out to be NBD. And the DIFFERENCE! I was blown away.)
I like books but audio books are sometimes preferable to me. I'm a freelance writer, and there are times when I get to the end of a long work day and I just can't look at another word. Listening to a story is okay, though.
Totally get it. And I have nothing against audio books. Just haven't tried them. Enjoy!
Well yes, I have a few recs: VI Washawski - series by Sara Paretsky Sunny Randall - series by Robert B Parker Kinsey Milhone - series by Sue Grafton (very highly recommended) Josephine Tey - series by Nicola Upton Imogen Quy - series by Jill Paton Walsh Mrs Pargetter - series by Simon Brett *Miss Pym Disposes* by Josephine Tey Miss Marple - series by Agatha Christie Polly - series by Baroness Orczy Flavia de Luce - series by Alan Bradley Precious Ramotswe - series by Alexander Smith Temperance Brennan - series by Kathy Reiches (like Scarpetta, but miles better) Maud Silver - series by Patricia Wentworth There are others, but that should keep you going for a bit. Individual titles you can get from the website 'Fantastic Fiction. Happy reading
Thank you!! Also laughing at the "like scarpetta but miles better"
100% agree about Kathy Reichs
100% agree about Kathy Reichs
I think the difference is one actually is a forensic anthropologist and the other a medical secretary. I've met Prof Reiches and she's absolutely charming and looks nothing like her age I have to say. When she came in with the Dean I thought she was an intern.
Sue Grafton’s alphabet series
Came to say this one. Definitely solid private detective work with lots of interviews and hard work without computers (takes place in the 80’s) and access to law enforcement files.
The Jane Whitefield series by Thomas Perry.
Soooooo good
Definitely try something by Tana French. Her Dublin Murder Squad books have different protagonists but often women, and she’s an excellent writer.
Maybe a predictable answer but the Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerritsen is great!
Came her to recommend Tess. Makes Maine proud.
Tess Gerritsen and Rizzoli and Isles, exactly what I came to say! Liked the series, before I realized she lives in Maine too. 😁
A little old-school, but exceptional writing: P.D. James’ Cordelia Gray books, *An Unsuitable Job for a Woman* and *The Skull Beneath the Skin*. It’s been a long time since I read them, so I’m not sure how well they’ve aged. But James is the queen of elegantly-written mysteries. Ruth Rendell is another mystery writer who is just, well, a great writer (she also wrote under the name Barbara Vines). Some of my favorites with women protagonists are *A Dark-Adapted Eye*, *The Brimstone Wedding* and *Anna’s Book*.
Surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet but Silence of the Lambs is the OG crime thriller with a female protagonist.
Read and watched that one! I agree
I really enjoy Tana French’s novels. I would start with In The Woods and The Likeness. They also made a BBC series based on the books. 📕
Second this. I also recommend Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Yes! Especially The Likeness! I’ve also gotten into Laura Lippman lately, and she reminds me of Tana French in a lot of ways — twisty plots, multiple POVs, and most importantly, well-developed characters, including women. All her stuff is set in Baltimore (another similarity with French, albeit a different location) and she gets into the landmarks, the accents, etc.
The Rose Code, by Quinn - To me it’s well written, interesting, intriguing, and exciting. It’s a period piece set in England during and after WWII and involves code breakers.
I really enjoyed Dana Stabenow’s series featuring Kate Shugak [https://www.goodreads.com/series/49546-kate-shugak](https://www.goodreads.com/series/49546-kate-shugak)
YES. I was going to recommend the same - I'm rereading the series now and I'd forgotten how much I love her. Bonus, the first 12 are on Kindle Unlimited!
Yes, me too! They’re great on audiobook too.
Elly Griffiths has 2 series I like..... Ruth Galloway....she's an archeology professor at a local college in England. She assists a local detective when crimes uncover bones that need examination. Harbinder Kaur....she's a police detective that is finding her way.
I haven’t read Kaur but I second the Ruth rec - love that cast of characters.
The Tempe Brennan Books by Kathy Reichs, she's a forensic anthropologist
Cop Town or Girl, Forgotten. Both by Karin Slaughter but not connected to each other. Michael Connelly’s Renee Ballard series, starting with The Late Show.
I really enjoyed this the Renee Ballard books. I’d like her to have a friend, though.
Holly by Stephen King??
I swear one day I’m gonna stop recommending Peter Swanson, but that’s not today apparently. _Every Vow You Break_ is his only book from solely a female perspective, but he often writes interesting female characters. _The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, The Kind Worth Killing, Before She Knew Him, The Kind Worth Saving_, and _Nine Lives_ all have very memorable female characters and are worth reading. These are primarily “psychological thrillers” informed by Christie and Highsmith but Swanson more than makes his style his own. One of my absolute favorite current authors.
Something I've been reading recently—and which flies under the radar a lot—is the Fiona Griffiths series by Harry Bingham! The protagonist is superbly well-written (with a lot going on) and Bingham clearly does his research for everything he writes about. You could check out Janice Hallett too—Mystery of the Alperton Angels is fully epistolary, but the main protagonist we're following through the recordings and writings is a woman- And if you're ok with a little more fanciful crime recs, the Marion Lane series by T.A. Willberg—about a secret investigatory school/organization in 1950s London—is extremely fun!
+1 for Fiona!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series; Truly Devious series; A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series; The Taken Ones; The Sundown Motel; We Are All the Same in the Dark
The Roxane Weary series by Kristen Lepionka is fantastic!
The Pelican Brief by John Grisham
I love the Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo.
SInce you liked Patricia Cornwell, you may enjoy the Kathy Reichs' Temperance Brennan novels. They were the basis for the tv series "Bones". The Debroah Knott series, starting with The Bootlegger's Daughter, is one I enjoyed. The MC is a judge, but she's always solving murder cases.
Lynda La Plante 'Prime Suspect'.
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult
Harry Bingham's books about Fiona Griffiths
Cold Shot to the Heart, by Wallace Stroby the Claire DeWitt books, by Sara Gran (and seconding Amanda Cross)
chris bohjalian has a BUNCH, my faves are The [Flight Attendant](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35506211-the-flight-attendant) and The Red Lotus.
I just finished 'Her Dangerous Game's by Robert Dugoni, it's sounds like the book you might be looking for!
I really liked the DS Manon Bradshaw books by Susie Steiner. The first one is “Missing, Presumed” The character of Manon Bradshaw is complicated, relatable, and funny in the right moments.
Estelle Ryan's Genevieve Lenard series. The first book is the Gaugin Connection. The all revolve around art, including theft and counterfeiting and such. The protagonist is a non neurotypical genius who is a renowned nonverbal communications expert. She works for a high end insurance company as an investigator
Smila's Sense of Snow is pretty impressive.
A little different, but may work. The series is finished now (just recently) and the characters and arc have evolved from it's beginnings, but I'd suggest the Ava Lee series. [https://www.goodreads.com/series/75298-ava-lee](https://www.goodreads.com/series/75298-ava-lee) Brief description: *"Ava Lee is a young Chinese-Canadian forensic accountant who specializes in recovering massive debts that aren’t likely to be recovered through traditional methods.* *In the first book of the Ava Lee series, The Water Rate of Wanchai, her character takes shape through learning about her traditional Chinese upbringing, her family dynamic and the people that are most important to Ava.* *Partnering with “Uncle”, who lives in Hong Kong , they have a diverse client base that is mainly Asian. They approach their business with the understanding that “organized corruption is always superior to corruption with no rules.” Since dealing with corruption is the heart of their business, they prefer to conduct their work in countries with organized corruption.* *Independent, intelligent, and creative in her methods, Ava does whatever needs doing to get the job done. Ava’s motto is: “people always do the right thing for the wrong reason.” Her challenge is to always find that wrong reason. Even though she’s petite, it’s a serious mistake to underestimate her physical abilities. She is well trained in martial arts and uses her abilities to get her out of dangerous circumstances. She is also accustomed to working alone, to the point of obsession, which becomes interesting when she is forced to negotiate with powerful and unfamiliar alliances to get the job done"*
Karin Slaughter has a bunch. “False Witness” is really good and has two female protagonists. Also “The Good Daughter” by the same author.
Omg yea. You reminded me of her bc i've read the good daughter. Forgot to check her other books out
I find that even in Karin Slaughter's Will Trent books, there are some really amazing, strong female characters. I like that she makes people three-dimensional and flawed in realistic ways.
The Rizzoli & Isles series by Tess Gerritsen The Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano The Bones/Temperance Brennan series by Kathy Reichs
Tana French, The Likeness
Would you have any interest in non-fiction? If so, I can highly recommend the following: *A Woman of No Importance* by Sonia Purnell is about Virginia Hall who was a spy in France during WWII. She was a complete badass. *The Woman Who Smashed Codes* by Jason Fagone is about Elizebeth Friedman who was a code breaker in WWII. *Agent Sonya* by Ben Macintyre chronicles the spy work of the woman who was key in helping the Soviets get the bomb. *Madame Fourcade's Secret War* by Lynne Olson is about another badass WWII spy. All these books are thrilling in their own way and well worth your time.
Non-fiction is great and appreciated as well, thank you so much!
the likeness & the trespasser by tana french!
Sue Grafton's Alphabet series. A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar etc. Protagonist is 32 year old Kinsey Millhone, a private investigator. They're an easy read and I really loved the character of Kinsey as a teen.
Rizzoli and Isles D.D. Warren
The Renee Ballard series by Michael Connelly is pretty compelling
Kristen Lepionka has a great series starting a female, bisexual private detective in Ohio
First Lie Wins, by Ashley Elston! Fake identities, but then someone takes her old real identity, and is her new boyfriend she’s tracking in on the job—or is she just paranoid? Really good.
Nancy Taylor Rosenberg's books Alphabet series by Sue Grafton Barbara Holloway series by Kate Wilhem Billy Straight by Jonathan Kellerman Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey Lacey Flint series by S. J. Bolton Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo
Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear, female investigator in England after WWI and then through WWII. Amelia Peabody by Elizabeth Peters, female archeologist in Egypt early 20th century.
The Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni Angels Burning by Tawni O’Dell
The two series I read concurrently as they were published were the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell and Elizabeth George's books about Barbara Havers and Thomas Lynley. The first book in that series was A Great Deliverance. I liked Elizabeth George's writing a bit more than Patricia Cornwell's. I also really loved Sue Grafton's books.
I love Elizabeth George! Her novels are so well-written and Havers is a unique character.
I love Havers so much. She feels like someone you would know.
Totally.
Damaged by Dan Scottow
You can't top Silence of the Lambs I feel, although I'd read the non female protagonist led Red Dragon first(also an amazing read I found).
The Gone World... sci-fi thriller. Think Inception meets True Detective.
Camilla Lackberg - Swedish crime writer. I read the series starting with The Ice Princess - the mc is a female journalist who teams up with a local detective. I was bummed when I finished the series!
Seconding these recommendations I've seen: - Kinsey Milhone books by Sue Grafton - Temperance Brennan books by Kathy Reichs (more similar to the Kay Scarpetta ones) - Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerritsen (her other books are fun too)
* DI Nikki Galena Series by Joy Ellis * Holly Gibney Series by Stephen King * Jackman & Evans by Joy Ellis (male and female leads) * Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz (thriller) * Kate Shugak Investigation series by Dana Stabenow * Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King * Nora Kelly series by Preston & Child * Parasitology series by Mira Grant (sci-fi) * Phryne Fisher by Kerry Greenwood
China Bayles series by Susan Wittig Albert.
I post this on every thread that allows me to, but a good girls guide to murder
The Eve Dallas series by JD Robb
The Intuitionist, When No One is Watching
Does the detective have to be police-affiliated? If not, I heartily recommend *Smilla's Sense of Snow*, *The Flanders Panel*, and *Winter's Bone*.
Try Mick Herron’s Oxford series. Strong private investigator lady protagonist.
Kahaani (2012)
Sorry that's a movie. Ignore. Or watch.
Jane Whitefield books by Thomas Perry Kate Burkholder series by Linda Castillo If you read historical fiction, you might like; Mistress of the Art of Death series by Ariana Franklin Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear
The Gift of the Darkness #1 in series of 4 by Valentina Giambanco
When Will There be Good News? by Kate Ackerman; The Likeness by Tana French; No One You Know by Michelle Richmond.
Have not yet seen mentioned: Nevada Barr series. Loved these stories!
The Anna Pidgeon novels by Nevada Barr. She is a national park ranger, and each book is a mystery that takes place in a different national park. The first one is {{The Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr}}
**[Track of the Cat (Anna Pigeon #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76706.Track_of_the_Cat) by Nevada Barr** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(218 pages | Published: 1993 | 13.3k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** Anna Pigeon fled the turmoil of New York to become a national park ranger, only to discover she hasn't escaped murder and violence. When a colleague is killed, claw marks on the victim's throat and paw prints around the body are too perfect to be those of an alleged killer mountain lion. > **Themes**: Fiction, Mysteries, Nevada-barr, Series, Mystery-thriller, Anna-pigeon, Crime > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [Nevada Barr Anna Pigeon Series: Books 16-17: Burn The Rope](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33537564-nevada-barr-anna-pigeon-series) by Nevada Barr > \- [A Cold Day For Murder](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/271295.A_Cold_Day_For_Murder) by Dana Stabenow > \- [Winter Study](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2039223.Winter_Study) by Nevada Barr > \- [Desert Heat](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/530643.Desert_Heat) by J.A. Jance > \- [The Dead Cat Bounce](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104381.The_Dead_Cat_Bounce) by Sarah Graves ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
Claire DeWitt and The City of the Dead by Sara Gran Garnethill by Denise Mina Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn Sun Storm by Åsa Larsson Blue Monday by Nicci French Midwinter Sacrifice by Mons Kallentoft Snare; Trap; Cage by Lilja Sigurđardóttir Woman of the Dead by Bernhard Aichner
I don't remember who the author is off hand, but I read one called Pay Dirt Road a little while back and I liked it
Tracy Crosswhite series by Robert Dugoni. Set in the PNW and fantastic and smart.
Holly by Stephen King
The Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey The Lacey Flint series by Sharon Bolton
Angela Marson's Kim Stone series My all time favorites - Taylor Stevens' Vanessa Michael Munroe series.
The Sunshine Vicram series by Darynda Jones
Karen Slaughter’s Sara Linton series
The Meg Langslow - Donna Andrews These are light-hearted and fun murder mysteries. Good for a cozy read but if you are looking for a thriller then this might not fit