And speaking of gloriously bloodthirsty talents. . .
Over on Twitter, @crimeHQ was running the hashtag #crimewritingwomen in honor of International Women’s Day, and asking for suggestions of authors to celebrate. We also asked on Facebook and around the office, and approximately alphabetically, here’s our partial roster of great female crime authors:
Megan Abbott, Tasha Alexander, Margery Allingham, Cathy Alstolfo, Lori G. Armstrong, Kate Atkinson, Nevada Barr, Juliet Blackwell, Sara Blaedel, Peggy Blair, S.J. Bolton, Gail Bowen, Allison Brennan, Carla Buckley, Alafair Burke, Jan Burke, Chelsea Cain, Pamela Callow, Melodie Campbell, Rebecca Cantrell, Donna Carrick, Linda Castillo, Joy Castro, Joelle Charbonneau, Agatha Christie, Ann Cleeves, Liza Cody, Manda Collins, Jodi Compton, Deborah Crombie
Hilary Davidson, Vicki Delany, Lena Diaz, Jill Edmondson, J.T. Ellison, Linda Fairstein, Christa Faust, Gloria Ferris, Sharmini Flint, Gillian Flynn, Jaye Ford, Tana French, Jamie Freveletti, Frances Fyfield, Meg Gardiner, Lisa Gardner, Alison Gaylin, Elizabeth George, Tess Gerritsen, Sue Grafton, Sara Gran, Sylvie Granotier, Kerry Greenwood, Laura Griffin, Elly Griffiths, Elizabeth Hand, Sophie Hannah, C. S. Harris, Rosemary Harris, April Henry, Sara J. Henry, Susan Hill, Naomi Hirahara, Tami Hoag, Katharine Howell, Eva Hudson
P.D. James, J.A. Jance, Laurie R. King, Debra Purdy Kong, K.J. Larsen, Laura Lippman, Sophie Littlefield, Gabrielle Lord, Gayle Lynds, Janice MacDonald, Jassy Mackenzie, Margaret Maron, Ngaio Marsh, Francine Mathews, Rosemary McCracken, Val McDermid, Jill McGown, D.J. McIntosh, Denise Mina, P.M. Newton, Suzanne North, Malla Nunn, Carol O’Connell, Maggie Orford, Sara Paretsky, Bronwyn Parry, Louise Penny, Ellis Peters, Nancy Pickard
Leigh Redhead, Kathy Reichs, Ruth Rendell, J.D. Robb, Karen Rose, S.J. Rozan, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Dorothy L. Sayers, Barbara Seranella, Lisa Scottoline, Lynn Shepherd, Yrsa Sigurdadottir, Karin Slaughter, Joan Smith, Julia Spencer-Fleming, Erica Spindler, Dana Stabenow, Kelli Stanley, Taylor Stevens, Leslie Tentler, Jospehine Tey, P.J. Tracy, Lisa Unger, Nicola Upton, Fred Vargas, Elaine Viets, Minette Walters, Betty Webb, Phyllis A. Whitney, Kate Wilhelm, Jacqueline Winspear, Helene Young
We’re not out of pixels or hours in this day yet, so tell us which of your favorites we’re missing, and we’ll update!
Wow! Thank you so much for including me on this outstanding criminous list!
Donna Carrick
You’re in wonderful company, and if anyone’s looking for an author to try, here are 106 great places to start!
PM Newton, Kerry Greenwood, Sharmini Flint, Malla Nunn, Gabrielle Lord, Katherine Howell, Margie Orford, Bronwyn Parry, Helene Young, Jaye Ford, Leigh Redhead.
Chelsea Cain and Lisa Gardner
I don’t see Jassy Mackenzie or SJ Bolton on the list. Both wonderful.
This list is completely wonderful, and I’m thrilled to see so many Canadian crime writers making it to the list as well. Well done!
J.D. Robb and Kathy Reichs come to mind for me.
Updated! Especially since they didn’t stop being women writers just because midnight struck of Int’l Women’s Day : )
What a great list! I’d add Laurie R. King and Elaine Viets.
Laurie King’s there. Consider Elaine added!
Oh there’s Laurie! I guess I have Friday brain.
Two Japanese ladies: Miyuki Miyabe and Natsuo Kirino and an American living in Italy, Donna Leon
Camilla Lackberg, Linda Barnes
I can’t believe i forgot to mention Asa Larsson
Wow. What an astonishing and amazing list of female crime writers. Just…wow.
Honoured to be one of these – thank you! A humbling list.