Preloading
Reading Room
Reading Room
Browse the library of books we recommend

Mysteries Every Thinking Woman Should Read

The age of the hardboiled sleuth and his bimbo sidekick is over! With a little help from Partners & Crime, we've found nine brilliant, believable female detectives.
1.
Bloodman

Bloodman

By Robert Pobi
2.
Elegy for Eddie (The Maisie Dobbs Novels)

Elegy for Eddie (The Maisie Dobbs Novels)

By Jacqueline Winspear
3.
A Field of Darkness (The Madeleine Dare Novels)

A Field of Darkness (The Madeleine Dare Novels)

By Cornelia Read
4.
The Eyre Affair (The Thursday Next Novels)

The Eyre Affair (The Thursday Next Novels)

By Jasper Fforde
5.
The Shanghai Moon (The Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Novels)

The Shanghai Moon (The Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Novels)

By S. J. Rozan
6.
Jane and the Canterbury Tale: Being A Jane Austen Mystery (The Jane Austen Mysteries)

Jane and the Canterbury Tale: Being A Jane Austen Mystery (The Jane Austen Mysteries)

By Stephanie Barron
7.
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag (The Flavia de Luce Mysteries)

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag (The Flavia de Luce Mysteries)

By Alan Bradley
8.
The Library Paradox (The Vanessa Duncan/Weatherburn Mysteries)

The Library Paradox (The Vanessa Duncan/Weatherburn Mysteries)

By Catherine Shaw
9.
Sun Storm (The Rebecca Martinsson Novels)

Sun Storm (The Rebecca Martinsson Novels)

By Asa Larsson
10.
A Monstrous Regiment of Women (The Novels of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes)

A Monstrous Regiment of Women (The Novels of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes)

By Laurie R. King
11.
The Most Dangerous Thing

The Most Dangerous Thing

By Laura Lippman
12.
The American Girl

The American Girl

By Monika Fagerholm
13.
The Wrong Mother

The Wrong Mother

By Sophie Hannah
14.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By Stieg Larsson
15.
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
16.
Self's Deception

Self's Deception

By Bernhard Schlink
17.
Started Early, Took My Dog: A Novel

Started Early, Took My Dog: A Novel

By Kate Atkinson
18.
Red on Red: A Novel

Red on Red: A Novel

By Edward Conlon
19.
The Complete Ripley Novels

The Complete Ripley Novels

By Patricia Highsmith
20.
The Long Fall

The Long Fall

By Walter Mosley
21.
Nobody Move

Nobody Move

By Denis Johnson
22.
The Grift

The Grift

By Debra Ginsberg
23.
Not in the Flesh

Not in the Flesh

By Ruth Rendell
24.
What Was Lost

What Was Lost

By Catherine O'Flynn
25.
Trauma

Trauma

By Patrick McGrath
26.
Go With Me

Go With Me

By Castle Freeman Jr.
27.
Turn of Mind

Turn of Mind

By Alice LaPlante
28.
Talk Talk

Talk Talk

By T.C. Boyle
29.
Lulu in Marrakech

Lulu in Marrakech

By Diane Johnson
30.
Yes My Darling Daughter

Yes My Darling Daughter

By Margaret Leroy

Get Oprah’s latest book picks and other Book Club news in your inbox
By entering your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the Privacy Policy. OWN and its affiliates may use your email address to provide updates/news, ads, and offers.
To withdraw your consent or learn more about your rights, see the Privacy Policy.