List of female detective/mystery writers

Last updated July 16, 2025

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 (1930–2024)
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 (1946–2024)
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 (1937–2024)
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 (1943–2023)
Carol Higgins Clark (1956–2023)
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 (1950–2020)
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 (1954–2025)
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) (1940–2024)
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)
Sherri Leigh James (born 1947)
P. D. James (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 (1934–2019)
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 (1940–2022)
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 (1931–2022)
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 (1933–2020)
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 (1942–2023)
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)

List of female detective/mystery writers

Contents

A-C

D-G

H-L

M-Q

R-Z

See also