When I was first hired to write a book featuring Robert B. Parker’s savvy, sarcastic Sunny Randall, I couldn’t wait to start. As much as I’ve always loved classic tough-guy PIs like Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe and Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade, as well as their more modern incarnations – Lawrence Block’s unlicensed and often unlawful Max Scudder is a personal favorite – I’ve always been drawn to their female counterparts. Solving crimes outside of law enforcement isn’t easy, even on the page. But as many challenges as the Scudders and Marlowes of the world face, women PIs have even more hoops to jump through.
Sunny is a perfect example. The daughter of a retired police captain and a former cop herself, she’s as brave and capable as they come. But since her introduction, in the 1999 mystery, Family Honor, Parker has always made it clear that, as a woman, Sunny has had to work that much harder to be taken seriously, whether it’s by skeptical clients, smug witnesses or the leering lowlifes she often finds herself stuck in a room with. Unlike Parker’s legendary Spencer, who moves through the world with an effortless cool and seems to take his power and privilege for granted, Sunny is always aware of the way she’s underestimated – and that makes her have to work to prove naysayers wrong.
She’s no lone wolf. Like Spencer, she has an active social life. Hers includes a killer best friend and connections in both the mob and the Boston police force. But what sets her apart is that she always thinks twice before asking for back-up. She may not be as physically strong as the guys she knows, but she pushes herself that much harder, often relying on her quick wit, her keen observational skills and her ever-present .38. She calls on her powerful friends only when it’s absolutely necessary…. and sometimes when it’s nearly too late.
It’s easy to see why I’ve always loved reading Sunny – and now love writing her. But she isn’t the only woman PI on my bookshelf. Here are a few more that are well-worth investigating.
Tess Monaghan (Laura Lippman): First introduced in Baltimore Blues (1997), Tess is a reporter who falls prey to newspaper downsizing and strikes out on her own as a private detective. Tough-minded, athletic and incredibly smart, Tess also has a kind heart and a strong moral compass. Yet despite all of that, she doesn’t take herself too seriously – which makes her everything you’d want in a series character. Throughout her nearly three decades (!) in print, Tess has evolved both personally and professionally, marrying and becoming a mom as she continues to tackle Charm City’s most twisted cases.
Kinsey Millhone (Sue Grafton): Forget female PIs. No list of PIs would be complete without Grafton’s trailblazing heroine. Kinsey’s personal life was pretty much a mess when she made her debut back in 1982 in A is for Alibi. But the twice-divorced gumshoe’s razor-sharp mind and stellar detective skills more than made up for that. Plus – and possibly above all else – she’s so much fun to spend time with. It’s been said that if you turn to any page of any book in the Alphabet Series (the last book of which is Y is for Yesterday) you’ll be able to identify Kinsey’s distinct and vibrant voice. Now that’s great writing.
Dayna Anderson (Kellye Garrett): Like your PI books with a side of humor and a large dollop of pop culture? I definitely do, which I why I devoured the Detective by Day books, which feature this resilient and clever actress-turned-apprentice PI. While there are only two books in this series (the first is 2017’s Hollywood Homicide) Dayna’s a stand-out leading lady, who navigates the glitzy and seedy world of showbiz with aplomb – making readers feel like true Hollywood insiders.
VI Warshawsky (Sara Peretsky): Female detectives were rare on the page when this tough talking Chicago investigator arrived, in 1991’s Indemnity Only – and immediately, she made an impact. In-your-face and often abrasive, VI exhibited qualities that were rare at a time when women writers were encouraged to make their leads soft and “likeable.” A specialist in corporate crimes, VI always stood up for the little guy – which (terrible film version aside) gives her an enduring appeal today.
Claire DeWitt (Sara Gran): Young, brilliant and perfectly imperfect, this fascinating heroine burst onto the scene in 2012 in Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead and has reemerged for further adventures in two more books to date. Fueled by her own inquisitive nature – and more than a few controlled substances – Claire embraces the unknown (and sometimes the surreal) and will stop at nothing to solve a mystery. Like many readers, I’m hoping for more heady doses in the future.
Mma Precious Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith): You don’t have to be a woman to write a compelling female detective. Like Parker, Smith proves this with the warm, determined Precious. A survivor of domestic abuse, she becomes the first female private eye in Botswana, solving crimes with the help of a close-knit circle of friends, one of whom, mechanic Mr. JLB Matekoni, eventually becomes her husband. The first book, Number One Ladies Detective Agency, debuted in the UK in 1998, and made a splash in the US four years later. The wildly popular character has gone on to delight readers all over the world in 24 books and counting.
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