Many aspects of British detective fiction are intriguingly different from the American detective fiction. And, confusingly, many of the British women detectives who have made it to American television are far from typical of the latest women detectives. This work is a study of British detective fiction with female protagonists written by women. Authors included are P.D. James, Jennie Melville, Liza Cody, Val McDermid, Joan Smith and Susan Moody. Special attention is paid to the evolution of the British female sleuth from the 1960s to the year 2000, particularly the 1980s, and how this shaped and altered detective fiction. Also discussed is the effect of the British judicial system and gun laws on detective fiction and real life, the types of crimes women detectives usually investigate, why certain directions have been taken and which ones may be taken in the future, issues being raised by the authors, and new women authors of detective fiction with female protagonists. “a pleasantly clear work”― Choice ; “intriguing insights...clear and lucid”― Reviewing the Evidence. Mary Hadley, a former associate professor of writing and linguistics at Georgia Southern University, is retired and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. Crisp and Easy to Read: This work is notably clear and well-written Engaging Perspectives: Offers intriguing insights into the subject matter Lucid and Easy to Understand: The text is straightforward and clear