Best Female Detective Series Books (2024 Updated)

The Medical Examiner is a short story in the Women’s Murder Club series by prolific American author, James Patterson. It is published under the BookShots: stories at the speed of life banner and is co-written by Maxine Paetro.

It starts out with Claire Washburn being surprised by a body in the morgue that is not actually dead. Lindsay Boxer is on vacation with Joe Molinari, so Richie Conklin investigates. But reporter Cindy Thomas, always after a good story, sniffs out some details of her own and gets into hot water.

At 125 pages, it’s a quick read, with an intriguing (and somewhat convoluted) plot, but some of the execution is a little clumsy, as if bits of it are still in draft form, and the wooden dialogue in the prologue does the story no favours.

There also seems to be quite a bit of padding with mundane detail that has no bearing on the story. Yuki Castellano and Lindsay are conspicuous by their absence, appearing for only fleeting glimpses, so it’s really the Claire, Cindy and Richie show for this one.

Perhaps essential reading for die-hard WMC fans, other readers can get it from the library.

When i first read women’s murder club i couldn’t stop. i like reading them over and over and i find it very interesting. when i read this book it was like i was lost in i find it very amazing to read and i will keep reading every time.

i am very glad i read these books because they are very impressive to buy and read. the second i get home i read the book and i don’t stop until i finish the whole book because i can’t stop reading it.

every time a new book i get excited and can’t wait to read no matter how long it takes me to get or to read because i just find it very amazing. if i can get other people to read it i think it. i think they would find it very good to read and never stop.

i am very glad to read the series and it is one of my favorite book series.

I LOVE the Women Murder Club stories and this story was good but I miss the involvement of Det. Lindsay Boxer. and the story could have went on a little longer. I think the BOOKSHOTS “shoves” everything together and the story is soon over.

It draws you in a won’t let go. You won’t be able to put it down. Very interesting and compelling. Plus, it’s fun to learn about ways in a different country.

These books are written in a manner that gives the feel of Africa both now and in the past. Both the problems and blessings, without going into great detail on the problems. Very well written. I love them.

I LOVE that series! I discovered it recently and I am at the 3rd volume already.

James Patterson is a brilliant writer. I have now read books 1 – 10 of this series and they are all excellent and impossible to put down.

Love James Patterson, he is the only author I read because I am not a huge book reader but he can always grab my attention. The 10th book of the womens murder mystery series does not let you down. It has just as many twists and turns (if not more) than all the others.

I bought this book because it was about 75% off the retail price. Shipped here FAST too. If I couldn’t find this book at this price I would of waited for the local library to get it. But I love owning it.

I would recommend all James Patterson books especially the women’s murder mystery series.

I’m reading this book right now, but the condition was good for a used book. This whole series is excellent and am enjoying this one too.

Anyone who is a fan of Nancy Drew needs to read this book! It’s a fascinating history of how the books came to be (and almost didn’t make it), who wrote them, and the inner workings of the Stratemeyer Syndicate (which also produced Hardy Boys).

Melanie Rehak really did her research and includes lots of personal letters and memos that circulated while the books were being “ghost written”. I kept checking this book out at the library because I could not find it at the bookstore.

I’m thrilled I found a perfect paperback on eBay for an excellent price. Now I can re-read it when I want to with no late fees!.

Great background on the Stratemeyer Syndicate, Edward Stratemeyer and his daughters (who managed the syndicate after Edward passed), and numerous ghost writers who authored the Nancy Drew, Dana Girls, Bobbsey Twins, Hardy Boys, Rover Boys, and numerous other juvenile fiction series.

Bought this to replace a copy I used to have. Interesting to read as an adult, a series that I loved when I was younger.

“She had already had a cup of tea at home before she left for the office, but that was no reason not to have one now. A cup of tea usually restored perspective on things, and that was what she needed now, rather than to sit and think about the ways in which the modern world was ordered.

And she was right: a steaming cup of redbush tea was sufficient to banish thoughts of change and decay and to restore the spirits. This was going to be a good day – she was determined to make that so – and she was going to work steadily and efficiently through the list of tasks she had written out for herself.

” To The Land Of Long Lost Friends is the twentieth book in the popular No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Scottish author, Alexander McCall Smith. Attending a traditional Botswana wedding, Precious Ramotswe sees a ghost.

Mr JLB Matekoni worries about heat stroke, but the explanation is far simpler, and Precious decides to help her long lost friend with a family problem. An intriguing case results, with theories and advice offered by Mr JLB Matekoni and Charlie as well as Mma Makutsi.

A case of possible adultery which Mma Ramotswe believes to be concluded is taken up by Mma Makutsi, who feels there is more to learn. A puzzling letter is subsequently received and Charlie gives a male perspective.

And a charismatic preacher who is very skilled at divesting wealthy ladies of their money is shown the error of his ways. In a jaw-dropping development, given his meagre resources, Charlie becomes engaged.

Mma Makutsi dares to entertain critical thoughts about Mma Ramotswe’s reverence of Seretse Khama. Both Mr JLB Matekoni and Charlie are upbraided for sexist attitudes, although Mma Makutsi does admit her expectations of Charlie might be unreasonably high.

It seems that Mma Makutsi’s pronouncements about excessive meat consumption have had an insidious effect on Mma Ramotswe’s cooking: Mr JLB Matekoni subtly voices mild criticism of the dearth of meat in his meal.

Mma Ramotswe muses on obligation to love your brothers and sisters, even if they “were difficult people, dirty in some cases, selfish and calculating in others, even smelly” and the real difficulty of loving your enemies (Violet Sepotho?).

Mma Potokwani enlightens Mr JLB Matekoni on the existence of “deserved calories”. The story includes a shady scheme, a guilty daughter, a religious charlatan and a certain silver Mercedes Benz. And there is an unexpected addition to the household of Mma Ramotswe and Mr JLB Matekoni, Motholeli and Puso.

As always, McCall Smith gives the reader a novel that has humour and wisdom, insightful observations and heartfelt emotion. Delightfully entertaining. Adjoa Andoh’s narration of the audio version is a joy to listen to.

Every year I wait for the next novel about the Number 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY. Alexander Mcall Smith has a way of making you feel like you have come home. Gentle, humorous and clever, these books are amazing.

His newsletters are equally enthralling. Now I have to waiting another 12 months for the next one.

The book arrived in great condition and makes a wonderful addition to my collection. Mma Makutsi and her assistant provide me with hours of enjoyment through their stories. A great read during lockdown.

All of James Patterson books are great. This particular book, 1st to Die from the Womens Murder Club is especially suspenseful. Patterson has the ability to tell a story with a lot of twists and turns and the endings are never predictable.

James Patterson also has a line of teen and preteen books that are great. The kids love his books and stories and what a great way to get them interested in a lifelong habit of reading.

Is anyone else OBSESSED with these books! I remember I was given this book many many years ago and I was hooked right away! The characters and the story line had me reading so quick I was getting dizzy.

I’ve been following this series for years i cannot believe there are now 20 of these books! May the women’s murder club continue for many more years to come.

Such a incredible series! I’ve read all but one. After reading this one you will be hooked and definitely want to read the rest of them. James Patterson knows how to make characters that you end up really liking and can relate to.

He knows how to keep you hanging on his every word and how to keep you coming back every book.

Book #18 of The Women’s Murder Club had no mention of the lead character’s young daughter. It was as if she was never born. Book #17 had a great deal of detail about her. The story line was unlike the others, too.

I was so disappointed in this, that I doubt if I’ll move on to #19, when it is available.

this book barely mentioned the Women’s Murder club characters, It was almost entirely about Lindsay boxer and her husband Joe Mollineri. It was a good story , but should not be considered a “Women’s Murder Club” Book.

Pleased with ordering and timely receiving. Always enjoy the Women’s Murder Club series. A little different story line this time. keeps you on your toes! Target was the only place I could timely order this book.

Can’t wait until 19th!.

James Patterson is in his best crime/thriller writing phase. These are newer characters but the flavour is the same ; shear brilliance and believably captivating. He has pulled off the difficult writing task; a male writing a great novel from a female point of view.

I want more!.

I liked the first book in the Women’s Murder Club, series. This one is fine, but goes into too much detail about the girls’ group, for me. The friends remind me of reading Nancy Drew books. It is all right, but I just keep it in my car, and catch up on it while I am waiting to pick up my kids.

I started another book to read at home for enjoyment. I like it enough that I will finish it, but not my first choice.

I love this series! I first started on the 15th book, I borrowed from the library unaware that it was part of a series called The Womens Murder Club. So I jumped online and grabbed the first three books and they’re all just as good as one another.

Definitely recommend to people who like long running series.

All of the Women’s Murder Club are wonderful. They are not gruesome as many of James Patterson’s books are. They are full of suspense, and many times you’re sure the story line will come out one way, and in typical James Patterson it comes out another.

This series keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Another great addition to the Women’s Murder Club series. I have not read one yet that didn’t keep me wanting to read more. His short paragraphs can be good for stopping if you don’t like to stop in the middle of one, but bad because you keep thinking, oh, I’ll just read one more paragraph before going to bed.

Great series.

As usual the interplay between the main characters is excellent and their relationships, within the group and with outsiders, takes twists and turns which are surprising. Easy reading and smooth flow of the story line/s even though there are several intriging tales interwoven.

Recommend reading the previous seven books(1st to Die – 7th Heaven) although not necessary to enjoy this book. They just more understanding into the characters. A page turner. Enjoy!.

The Woman in the Library is Australian author Sulari Gentill’s second excursion into crime meta fiction and, like her most recent Rowland Sinclair series release the setting is Boston. However, in this case the time period is contemporary.

The book resembles a literary matryoshka doll: it portrays an Australian writer, Hannah Tigone, writing a mystery story set in Boston, featuring as its main character another (fictional) Australian writer, “Freddie” Kincaid, who is in turn writing a fictionalised murder mystery inspired by her experiences while undertaking a literary fellowship in the city.

One day, while fruitlessly seeking literary inspiration in the Boston Public Library Reading Room, Freddie and other patrons are shocked to hear a woman’s blood-curdling scream. She subsequently forms friendships with three other “readers” and together they seek to uncover the horrific truth behind what they witnessed.

But could the villain be closer than Freddie could possibly imagine? Hannah’s authorial presence is depicted only via her role as the invisible recipient of a series of emails forming one side of an exchange between herself and a Boston-based fan / de facto research assistant named Leo.

Their exchange forms a separate plot line, as Leo gradually morphs from a somewhat gushing Beta-reader into a disturbingly volatile individual who seems to be blurring the line between fiction and reality.

Sulari Gentill skilfully employs a range of literary devices, including foreshadowing, misdirection and the trope, familiar in “golden age” crime fiction, that every character has something to hide. The underlying mystery storyline is enthralling, but just as engrossing are the developing relationships between Freddie and her newfound circle of friends.

Gentill clearly draws upon her own experiences as a writer, via the experiences of both Hannah and Freddie throughout the narrative. I found it a fascinating read – The Woman in the Library is so much more than another murder mystery novel – it’s a window into the process of mystery writing itself.

I’d thoroughly recommend The Woman in the Library to any lover of crime-mystery-thriller fiction who’s keen to read something a little different and perhaps more challenging than the mainstream offerings.

My heartfelt thanks to the author, the brilliant Sulari Gentill, publisher Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this stunning new title.

Oh my gosh, Gemma and Jethro were everything I love in romance!!! Gemma’s story held me captive as it was slowly revealed. She was a strong heroine despite her fears and uncertainties. I loved that her love and determination to protect her daughter took precedence over everything else in her life.

When her choices were between doing the smart thing or that thing that readers scream about, she held fast to her character and remained strong. Jethro was a unique hero with his accent and his special abilities.

I adored him from the beginning. He was everything Gemma and Trudy needed and his interactions with the little girl were ovary exploding scenes that had me wishing for a Jethro of my own. He too had a background that was rising up to threaten him and what he was developing with Gemma and his protection of her and Trudy had me loving him all the more.

The scorching chemistry between Gemma and Jethro was enough to singe the pages. This also had several moments of intense danger and drama. I was glued to the pages as one thing after another was revealed to this couple and they were left to deal with it.

Of course, the Deep Ops characters were there to give backup and I gobbled each delicious bite of them as they supported this couple.

“The Woman in the Library” is such an amazing novel. It’s quite original, I’ve never read anything like it. But if you love a good mystery, this is for you. The plot is so engaging and the characters are so enjoyable – I was kind of just reading it for them to be honest.

It’s funny but not so much that it takes away from the plot. I feel that it’s an underrated book, if you’re reading this review I’m just going to go ahead and say, buy it! It’s definitely worth it. A stunning mystery overall, one that I will be reading again.

I haven’t read anything else from Sulari Gentill, but I will be checking out her other works now that I’ve read this masterpiece.

An excellent read as usual! Highly recommend this book! I enjoyed it immensely! I collect as many of the James Patterson books as I can get my hands on. He is an excellent author as well as those who co-write with him.

Women’s Murder Club books are my favorite along with the Alex Cross books. I would read any and all books with James Patterson as the author.

The book smells like it was stored in a damp place Doesnt even have the book cover

Laurie King’s Mary Russell is the perfect compliment to Sherlock Holmes. King manages to create a compelling new character (Russell) without compromising the Sherlock Holmes that was given us by SIr Arthur Conan Doyle.

Wonderful book.

As a lifelong fan of Sherlock Holmes, I enjoyed AMRoW, as well as following the adventures of Mary Russell and looking forward to all her memoirs with Sherlock Holmes-easy to visualize 1920’s London, and , great writing.

highly recommended reading. W. Williams.

I love this series. In the first book (The Beekeeper’s Apprentice) Mary Russell, a 15 year old American who as lost her family in a terrible accident, meets a retired Sherlock Holmes. He takes her on as apprentice, then partner.

In this book, Mary is about to turn 21 and inherit a fortune from her family. She’s investigating a church an Oxford friend of hers is involved in. The church is doing good works, but somethings fishy about it.

Meanwhile, Sherlock and Mary are trying to sort out their relationship now that she’s of age. I really enjoy the love at first sight theme in this book.

Its part of a set of about 20 paperbacks about a Botswana detective agency – theyre gentle and therapeutic. Very popular books. A 2nd hand book in very nice condition.

For readers of the series, this book presents a beautiful study in characterisation. We are familiar with the two ladies: Precious, a lady of “traditional build” and Grace, “97% at the secretarial college”.

Conflict between the two is an element of the story but introduced ever so gently and respectfully that it never dominates. They compliment one another and in the end their challenge is me, leaving the reader very satisfied and convinced that McCall Smith has done it again.

This is another story in the No 1 detective agency set in Africa. It is mainly about Precious and Grace. Grace was the secretary but now is a deputy detective and has recently given birth to a boy. Precious is the main detective and is also married and has 2 adopted children.

The books include something for the women to solve, whilst an ongoing story of their private lives.

The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is a refreshing slice of Africa. It moves along at a leisurely pace and reflects the culture that surrounds the stories. We are invited into the thoughts of Mma Ramotswe, her musings on life as well as her detective talents.

There are twists and turns in the cases all solved with dignity and grace. This series is a delight to read. Im reading a second time while I wait for the next installment.

I know that this is the first book in a series and it is a delight! MMA Ramatswe is a character you will. not soon forget. When her father dies and leaves her a herd of buffalo that she can sell and use the money to start a business; she decides she wants to start a detective agency.

In the little town in Botswana that she lives, it hardly seems like a practical. idea but you’d be surprised! Her cases are interesting, funny and MMA Ramatswe proves she is a good detective and clever woman! Because it is hard for me to me to read small.

print I have to read large print. and this was definitely a bargain!.

Love this author’s Ladies’ Detective Agency series – delightful evocation of the culture of Botswana. WOB good value for money, good delivery time etc.