Until relatively recently, women in crime fiction were often portrayed as either the murder victim or the helpless female who needs a big, strong man to save her. When Agatha Christie got hold of the genre things began to shift slightly—Miss Marple was savvy, shrewd and well-loved. But the genre still needed more kick-ass females. After all, where were the role models for younger women?
Decades later, we’re finally seeing a rise in feisty female heroes. No longer a novelty, they’re becoming the norm. From dark psychological thrillers—where you’re never sure if the main character is under attack from a form of psychosis or from a serious case of gaslighting—to tough female detectives with challenging backgrounds who take no shit. These are no shrinking violets. No pretty damsels in distress unable to help themselves. There’s never been a more interesting time for women in crime novels.
The Detective Kim Stone Series, by Angela Marsons
Book 1 in the series, Silent Scream, is a crime mystery that draws you in straight away. This is in part due to the unconventional and abrasive main character, DI Kim Stone, whose own story is emotionally tangled up with her latest case. With an abrupt manner that often borders on downright rude, I really shouldn’t have liked Stone, but I found that I absolutely loved her, rooting for her every step of the way, my heart in my mouth as the body count rose. The plot is intricate, and fast-moving, the writing deft and smooth. I also laughed out loud on more than one occasion which balanced out the darker and more grisly aspects.
Stone is a complex woman, who has virtually no filter and isn’t afraid to says it like it is. She’s suffered trauma in her past, but instead of holding her back, it spurs her on. Stone’s character arc deepens through the series and far from sliding into predictability, author Angela Marsons builds on the foundation of book 1 to create a character—along with an outstanding supporting cast—that readers will truly care about.
I See You, by Clare Mackintosh
On her daily commute, Zoe Walker spots an advert in the paper with her face on it. Obviously this shakes her up, but then she dismisses the photo as belonging to someone who looks like her. Until she begins to spot more people she recognises in adverts in the same newspaper. After struggling to get anyone to believe her, Zoe connects with PC Kelly Swift, an officer who takes her claim seriously.
Both women are strong characters—Zoe is a regular mum who’s had her fair share of ups and downs, while Kelly is a rule-breaker with an intriguing background. This perfect blend of police-procedural and psych thriller has themes of stalking, and modern technology, and will have you puzzling out whodunit, along with both female leads, right up until the final page.
The Detective Lottie Parker Series, by Patricia Gibney
Having lost her beloved husband to cancer, Detective Inspector Lottie Parker is now a single mother with three teenage children. She also has to contend with a domineering mother and a not-so-nice boss. Lottie is a flawed and unconventional character, but she’s also smart and tough with a fragility that endears her to the reader. Set in Ireland, this dark and gruesome first-in-the-series deals with murder, child abuse, the church, and family. The series is now six-installments strong and is still as popular as ever, due mainly, I suspect, to the supremely relatable main character.
Into the Darkest Corner, by Elizabeth Haynes
To me, strength doesn’t always mean being tough and powering through with calm capability. Extreme situations can render even the strongest people vulnerable, leading to mental health issues, isolation and fear. But these are the times when a person’s true strength is really tested. This is when we can give up and hide away, or we can decide to gradually come out of the shadows and seek help so that we can ultimately help ourselves. And this is the situation facing Catherine Bailey.
In this terrifying thriller, former party-girl Cathy has been rendered almost helpless with PTSD after escaping an abusive relationship. But now it looks as though it might be happening all over again. Author Elizabeth Haynes does an incredible job of creating claustrophobic tension throughout this novel. There was no way I was putting this book down until I knew if and how Cathy would win her freedom from her demons—real and imagined.
Kill Me Again, by Rachel Abbott
Part crime fiction, part psychological thriller, this was my first Rachel Abbott book. While the series is centered around DCI Tom Douglas, the star of this particular novel for me is criminal defense lawyer Maggie Taylor. She’s just relocated to Manchester with her husband and two children until one evening she returns home to find her children home alone and her husband disappeared.
And so begins a tale of nail-biting suspense where we journey with Maggie to discover what on earth is going on. Where is her husband? Are she and the children in danger? What was the picture on her husband’s phone? How am I going to get any sleep when I can’t put this book down? I enjoyed the contrast between Maggie’s competent career persona and her terror and confusion at the growing threat to her family. She isn’t a wishy-washy heroine, but neither is she an unrealistic superwoman which is what makes her character so believable, and what makes this addictive reading. The whole time I was thinking, what would I do?
