# List of female detective/mystery writers

The following is a list of female writers in the detective and mystery genres.

## A-C

* Megan Abbott (born 1971)
* Christine Adamo (born 1965)
* Deborah Adams
* Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (pseudonyms: Carolyn Keene, Franklin W. Dixon) (1892–1982)
* Jane Adams (born 1960)
* Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (born 1949)
* Joan Aiken (1924–2004)
* Catherine Aird (born 1930)
* Susan Wittig Albert (born 1940)
* Goldie Alexander (1936–2020)
* Shana Alexander (1925–2005)
* Tasha Alexander (born 1969)
* Margery Allingham (1904–1966)
* Karin Alvtegen (born 1965)
* Carmen Amato
* Lin Anderson
* Donna Andrews
* Sarah Andrews (died 2019)
* Charlotte Armstrong (1905–1969)
* Kate Atkinson (born 1951)
* Rosemary Aubert (born 1946)
* Bunty Avieson (born 1962)
* Marian Babson (pseudonym for Ruth Marian Stenstreem) (1929–2017)
* Deb Baker (born 1953)
* Jo Bannister (born 1951)
* Linda Barnes (born 1949)
* Nevada Barr (born 1952)
* Lynne Barrett
* Belinda Bauer (born 1962)
* Jean Bedford (born 1946)
* Josephine Bell (1897–1987)
* Margot Bennett (1912–1980)
* Mildred Benson (1905–2002)
* Laurien Berenson
* Carole Berry
* Lauren Beukes (born 1976)
* Claudia Bishop (pseudonym for Mary Stanton) (born 1947)
* Cara Black (born 1951)
* Suzanne Blanc (1915–1999)
* Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944–2010)
* Enid Blyton (1897–1968)
* Geraldine Bonner (1870–1930)
* Miriam Borgenicht (1915–1992)
* Roxanne Bouchard (born 1972)
* Gail Bowen (born 1942)
* Rhys Bowen (pseudonym for Janet Quin-Harkin) (born 1941)
* Leigh Brackett (1915–1978)
* P. J. Brackston (pseudonym for Paula Brackston)
* Christianna Brand (1907–1988)
* Lilian Jackson Braun (1913–2011)
* Rita Mae Brown (born 1944)
* Sandra Brown (born 1948)
* Edna Buchanan (born 1939)
* Marie Buchanan (1922–2010)
* Fiona Buckley (born 1937)
* Jan Burke (born 1953)
* Gwendoline Butler (1922–2013)
* Janet Caird (1913–1992)
* Susanna Calkins (born 1971)
* Dana Cameron (born 1965)
* Karen Campbell (born 1967)
* Dorothy Cannell (born 1943)
* Bernice Carey (1911–February 22, 1990)
* Patricia Carlon (1927–2002)
* Margaret Carr (born 1935) (pseudonyms: Martin Carroll, Carole Kerr, Belle Jackson)
* Felicity Winifred Carter (1906–1995)
* Vera Caspary (1899–1987)
* Sarah Caudwell (1939–2000)
* Jessie Chandler (born 1968)
* Kate Charles (born 1950)
* Marion Chesney (pseudonym: M. C. Beaton) (1936–2019)
* Agatha Christie (1890–1976)
* Jill Churchill (born 1943)
* Carol Higgins Clark (born 1956)
* Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020)
* Anna Clarke (1919–2004)
* Ann Cleeves (born 1954)
* Jane Cleland
* Judy Clemens
* Blaize Clement (1932–2011)
* Barbara Cleverly (born 1940)
* Liza Cody (born 1944)
* Margaret Coel (born 1937)
* Kate Collins
* Sheila Connolly (born 1950)
* Patricia Cornwell (born 1956)
* Frances Cowen (pseudonym: Eleanor Hyde) (1915–1992)
* Katherine Cowley
* Cleo Coyle
* Frances Crane (1896–1981)
* Deborah Crombie (born 1952)
* Amanda Cross (pseudonym for Carolyn Heilbrun) (1926–2003)
* Ursula Curtiss (1923–1984)

## D-G

* Mary Daheim (1937–2022)
* Elizabeth Daly (1878–1967)
* Barbara D'Amato (born 1938)
* Jordan Dane (born 1953)
* Denise Danks
* Diane Mott Davidson (born 1949)
* Carol Anne Davis (born 1961)
* Dorothy Salisbury Davis (1916–2014)
* Lindsey Davis (born 1949)
* Mildred B. Davis
* Janet Dawson (born 1949)
* Marele Day (born 1947)
* Miriam Allen deFord (1888–1975)
* Vicki Delany (born 1951)
* Eileen Dewhurst (born 1929)
* Doris Miles Disney (1907–1976)
* Joanne Dobson (born 1942)
* Thea Dorn (born 1970)
* Carole Nelson Douglas (1944–2021)
* Eileen Dreyer
* June Drummond (1923–2011)
* Stella Duffy (born 1963)
* Sarah Dunant (born 1950)
* Sandy Frances Duncan (born 1942)
* Susan Dunlap (born 1943)
* Carola Dunn (born 1946)
* Mignon G. Eberhart (1899-1996)
* Kerstin Ekman (born 1933)
* Amelia Ellis (born 1977)
* Kathy Lynn Emerson
* Maggie Estep (1963–2014)
* Janet Evanovich (born 1943)
* Elizabeth Eyre (pseudonym for Jill Staynes and Margaret Storey)
* Linda Fairstein (born 1947)
* Diane Fanning (born 1950)
* Jerrilyn Farmer
* Elizabeth Fenwick and E. P. Fenwick (pseudonyms for Elizabeth Fenwick Way)
* Mary Fitt (pseudonym for Kathleen Freeman) (1897–1959)
* Joanne Fluke (born 1943)
* Gillian Flynn (born 1971)
* Elena Forbes
* Karin Fossum (born 1954)
* Earlene Fowler (born 1954)
* Barbara Fradkin
* Ariana Franklin (pseudonym for Diana Norman) (1933–2011)
* Miles Franklin (1879–1954)
* Anthea Fraser (born 1930)
* Antonia Fraser (born 1932)
* Margaret Frazer (pseudonym for Gail Frazer and Mary Monica Pulver Kuhfeld) (1946–2013)
* Celia Fremlin (1914–2009)
* Tana French (born 1973)
* Inger Frimansson (born 1944)
* Gayleen Froese (born 1972)
* Frances Fyfield (born 1948)
* Gillian Galbraith
* Menna Gallie (1920–1990)
* Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (born 1949)
* Lisa Gardner (born 1972)
* Anne George (1927–2001)
* Elizabeth George (born 1949)
* Tess Gerritsen (born 1953)
* Alison Gordon (1943–2015)
* Dolores Gordon-Smith (born 1958)
* Nancy Grace (born 1959)
* Sue Grafton (1940–2017)
* Caroline Graham (born 1931)
* Sara Gran (born 1971)
* Ann Granger (born 1939)
* Alex Gray (born 1950)
* Anna Katharine Green (1846–1935)
* Kerry Greenwood (born 1954)
* Martha Grimes (born 1931)
* Beth Groundwater
* Elizabeth Gunn
(1927–2022)

## H-L

* Jane Haddam (1951–2019)
* Jean Hager (born 1932)
* Patricia Hall (pseudonym for Maureen O'Connor) (born 1940)
* Lyn Hamilton (1944–2009)
* Petra Hammesfahr (born 1951)
* Sophie Hannah (born 1971)
* Karen Harper (1945–2020)
* Charlaine Harris (born 1951)
* Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (born 1948)
* Ellen Hart (born 1949)
* Carolyn Hart (born 1936)
* Frances Noyes Hart (1890–1943)
* L. C. Hayden (born 1949)
* Mo Hayder (1962–2021)
* Sylvia Haymon (1918−1995)
* Sparkle Hayter (born 1958)
* Libby Fischer Hellmann
* Sue Henry (1940–2020)
* Joan Hess (1949–2017)
* Georgette Heyer (1902–1974)
* Patricia Highsmith (1921–1995)
* Susan Hill (born 1942)
* Elisabeth Sanxay Holding (1889–1955)
* Isabelle Holland (1920–2002)
* Liz Holliday
* Hazel Holt (1928–2015)
* Wendy Hornsby (born 1947)
* Linda Howard (born 1950)
* Dorothy B. Hughes (1904–1993)
* Julie Hyzy
* Shirley Jackson (1916–1965)
* P. D. James (born 1920–2014)
* J. A. Jance (born 1944)
* Charlotte Jay (1919–1996)
* Maureen Jennings (born 1939)
* Linda O. Johnston
* Alison Joseph (born 1958)
* Morag Joss (born 1955)
* Mari Jungstedt (born 1962)
* Susan Kandel
* Faye Kellerman (born 1952)
* Karen Kijewski (born 1943)
* Laurie R. King (born 1952)
* Natsuo Kirino (born 1951)
* Elsa Klensch (1933–2022)
* Harley Jane Kozak (born 1957)
* Rochelle Majer Krich (born 1947)
* Lynda La Plante (born 1946)
* Camilla Läckberg (born 1974)
* Lori L. Lake (born 1960)
* Maria Lang (1914–1991)
* Virginia Lanier (1930–2003)
* Åsa Larsson (born 1966)
* Emma Lathen (pseudonym for Mary Jane Latsis and Martha Henissart) (1927–1997)
* Donna Leon (born 1942)
* Constance Lindsay Taylor (1907–2000)
* Elizabeth Linington (1921–1988)
* Gillian Linscott (born 1949)
* Laura Lippman (born 1959)
* Frances Lockridge (with husband Richard Lockridge)(1896–1963)
* Gabrielle Lord (born 1946)
* Lisa Lutz (born 1970)

## M-Q

* Marianne Macdonald (born 1934)
* Jeanne Mackin
* Charlotte MacLeod (1992–2005)
* Mary Jane Maffini
* Jessica Mann (1937–2018)
* Alexandra Marinina (born 1957)
* Liza Marklund (born 1962)
* Margaret Maron (1938–2021)
* Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982)
* Bodil Mårtensson (born 1952)
* Sujata Massey (born 1964)
* Francine Mathews (born 1963)
* Helen McCloy (1904–1994)
* Sharyn McCrumb (born 1948)
* Val McDermid (born 1955)
* Patricia (Pat) McGerr (1919–1985)
* Jill McGown (1947–2007)
* Fiona McIntosh (pseudonym: Lauren Crow) (born 1960)
* Mary McMullen (1920–1986) (pseudonym for Mary Reilly)
* Claire McNab (born 1940)
* Penny Mickelbury (born 1948)
* Margaret Millar (1915–1994)
* Denise Mina (born 1966)
* Dreda Say Mitchell (born 1965)
* Gladys Mitchell (1901–1983)
* Miyuki Miyabe (born 1960)
* Gwen Moffat (born 1924)
* Susan Moody (born 1940)
* Tara Moss (born 1973)
* Patricia Moyes (1923–2000)
* Marcia Muller (born 1944)
* Margaret Murphy (born 1959)
* Beverle Graves Myers (born 1951)
* Magdalen Nabb (1947–2007)
* Barbara Nadel
* Janet Neel (born 1940)
* Barbara Neely (1941–2020)
* Katherine Neville (born 1945)
* Sharan Newman (born 1949)
* Helen Nielsen (1918–2002)
* Joan Lowery Nixon (1927–2003)
* Asa Nonami (born 1960)
* Maureen O'Brien (born 1943)
* Carol O'Connell (born 1947)
* Lillian O'Donnell (1926–2005)
* Kelly Oliver (born 1958)
* Baroness Orczy (1865–1947)
* Perri O'Shaughnessy (pseudonym for sisters Pamela and Mary O'Shaughnessy)
* Abigail Padgett (born 1942)
* Sara Paretsky (born 1947)
* P. J. Parrish (pseudonym for sisters Kelly Nichols and Kristy Montee)
* Barbara Paul (born 1931)
* Phyllis Paul (1903-1973)
* Rebecca Pawel (born 1977)
* Joanne Pence
* Stef Penney (born 1969)
* Louise Penny (born 1958)
* Anne Perry (1938–2023)
* Elizabeth Peters (pseudonym for Barbara Mertz (1927–2013)
* Ellis Peters (pseudonym for Edith Pargeter) (1913–1995)
* Nancy Pickard (born 1945)
* Catherine Louisa Pirkis (1841–1910)
* Genevieve Pou (wrote under pseudonym Genevieve Holden, 1919–2007)
* Janet Quin-Harkin (born 1941)

## R-Z

* Caro Ramsay
* Ellen Raskin (1928–1984)
* Robyn Read
* Leigh Redhead (born 1971)
* Jean M. Redmann (born 1955)
* Kathy Reichs (born 1948)
* Helen Reilly (1891–1962)
* Ruth Rendell (1930–2015)
* Craig Rice (pseudonym for Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig) (1908–1957)
* Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876–1958)
* Nora Roberts (pseudonym: J.D. Robb) (born 1950)
* Lynda Suzanne Robinson (born 1951)
* Audrey Roos (1912–1982)
* M. J. Rose
* Kate Ross (1956–1998)
* Jennifer Rowe (born 1948)
* S. J. Rozan (born 1950)
* Jane Rubino
* Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957)
* Andrea Maria Schenkel (born 1962)
* Manda Scott (born 1962)
* Lisa Scottoline (born 1955)
* Mabel Seeley (1903–1991)
* Barbara Seranella (1956–2007)
* Doris Shannon (pseudonym: E. X. Giroux) (1924–2012)
* Yrsa Sigurðardóttir (born 1963)
* Dorothy Simpson (born 1933)
* Maj Sjöwall (1935–2020) (in collaboration – Sjöwall and Wahlöö)
* Karin Slaughter (born 1971)
* April Smith
* Joan Smith (born 1953)
* Julie Smith (born 1944)
* Sarah Smith (born 1947)
* Caro Soles
* Nancy Spain (1917–1964)
* Julia Spencer-Fleming (born 1961)
* Dana Stabenow (born 1952)
* Susannah Stacey (pseudonym for Jill Staynes and Margaret Storey)
* Kelli Stanley (born 1964)
* Viveca Sten (born 1959)
* Robin Stevens (born 1988)
* Mary Stewart (1916–2014)
* Sarah Strohmeyer (born 1962)
* Denise Swanson
* Phoebe Atwood Taylor (1909–1976)
* Josephine Tey (1896–1952)
* Masako Togawa (1933–2016)
* P. J. Tracy
* Camilla Trinchieri (born 1942)
* Kathy Hogan Trocheck (born 1954)
* Helene Tursten (born 1954)
* Dorothy Uhnak (1930–2006)
* Fred Vargas (pseudonym for Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau) (born 1957)
* Elaine Viets
* Lucy Wadham (born 1964)
* Mary Willis Walker (born 1942)
* Minette Walters (born 1949)
* Penny Warner
* Betty Webb
* Martha G. Webb (pseudonym of Anne Wingate) (1943–2021)
* Patricia Wentworth (1878–1961)
* Valerie Wilson Wesley (born 1947)
* Ethel Lina White (1846–1944)
* Phyllis A. Whitney (1903–2008)
* Kate Wilhelm (1928–2018)
* Margaret Wetherby Williams (writing as Margaret Erskine) (1901–1984)
* Laura Wilson (born 1964)
* Anne Wingate (1943–2021)
* Jacqueline Winspear (born 1955)
* Paula L. Woods (born 1953)
* Sara Woods (1922–1985)
* L. R. Wright (1939–2001)
* Margaret Yorke (1924–2012)
* Eve Zaremba (born 1930)