List of female detective/mystery writers

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

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

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)
• Alison Bruce (born 1962)
• 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 (1878–1867)
• 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)

See also

• Lists of authors
• List of mystery writers
• List of thriller authors
• List of female detective characters
• Detective fiction
• Crime fiction
• Mystery fiction
• Whodunit