This is a list of fictional female investigators from novels, short stories, radio, television, films and video games.
A Laura Ackroyd is an investigative reporter who solves crimes in West Yorkshire with her boyfriend DCI Michael Thackery in a book series begun by Patricia Hall (Maureen O’Connor) in 1994. Abigail Adams, future first lady, detects in 1770s Massachusetts in a series by Barbara Hambly (as Barbara Hamilton) began in 2009. Hilda Adams is a nurse who takes jobs to investigate, in series by Mary Roberts Rinehart, begun in 1914 with The Buckled Bag; played by Joan Blondell in a Warner Bros. film, Miss Pinkerton (1932). Rinehart then adopted this movie nickname for use in her Adams stories. Portia Constance Adams is a Canadian amateur detective who mysteriously inherits the 221B Baker Street townhouse in 1930 in a book series by Canadian Angela Misri launched 2014. Riley Adams CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Irene Adler is an opera singer in the short story "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Arthur Conan Doyle begun in 1891; later appeared as a Pinkerton detective in a series of books by Carole Nelson Douglas begun in 1990, played by Charlotte Rampling in Sherlock Holmes in New York (1976 film); by Anne Baxter in The Masks of Death (1984 TV movie); by Gayle Hunnicutt in Sherlock Holmes (1984 TV series pilot); by Morgan Fairchild in Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1992 TV movie); by Rachel McAdams in Sherlock Holmes (2009 film); by Lara Pulver in Sherlock (TV series, 2010–); by Natalie Dormer in Elementary Adelia Aguilar is a medieval forensic specialist in a series by Diana Norman (writing as Ariana Franklin) (2006–2010). Bilqees "Bobby" Ahmed is a fictional Indian female detective from Hyderabad, as portrayed by Vidya Balan in the 2014 Indian comedy film Bobby Jasoos. Flavia Albia spin-off book series of Lindsey Davis' successful series featuring private investigator Marcus Didius Falco. Flavia Albia, his adopted daughter, has grown from a troubled teenager to a feisty widow and who is an investigator in her own right. The series begins in 89AD, shifting the background from the reign of jovial Vespasian to the darker time of his paranoid son Domitian. Louisa May Alcott, not yet a famous writer, takes to sleuthing in a series by Jeanne Mackin (writing as 'Anna Maclean') begun in 2004. Claire Aldington is an Episcopalian priest and psychologist in New York City in a five-book series by Isabelle Holland (1984–1990). Finny Aletter is a stockbroker in two books by Yvonne Montgomery (1987–1990). Nikki Alexander is a forensic anthropologist/ pathologist played by Emilia Fox (2004–) in the BBC thriller series Silent Witness by Nigel McCrery (1996–). Jaime Allen is a patrolwoman/undercover cop in Dark Blue (2009–10). Becky Altringer is a private investigator in California and New Mexico who exposed the Motion Picture Association of America in This Film Is Not Yet Rated, and technical consultant for Stumptown. Angela Amalfi is a food critic in a culinary mystery series by Joanne Pence begun in 1993. Cherry Ames is a nurse in 27 mysteries (1943–1968), some by Helen Wells and others by Julie Campbell Tatham. The nurse theme was inspired by World War II. Anaya is an Asari detective in Nos Astra on the planet Illium in the video game Mass Effect 2. Leanne "Pepper" Anderson (played by Angie Dickinson) is a police detective on the NBC Police Woman (1974–1978). Angela Anderson (played by Abigail Spencer) is an FBI agent on Lifetime TV series Angela's Eyes (2006). Karen Andersen is a London PI who goes undercover to investigate Jihadi brides in a series by Louise Burfitt-Dons starting with The Missing Activist in 2018 Mici Anhalt is an investigator for the NYC Crime Victims Compensation Board in three novels by Lillian O'Donnell beginning with Aftershock in 1977. Anne is the youngest and most likely to be frightened member of the group of kids in Enid Blyton's Famous Five series. Callie Anson is an Anglican cleric in novels by US-born and UK-based Kate Charles begun in 2005, after having debuted in a 2002 short story. Susanna, Lady Appleton is a 16th-century gentlewoman and herbalist in a series by Kathy Lynn Emerson begun in 1997. Katherine Ardleigh is a sleuth in Victorian England in a series by Susan Wittig Albert and Bill Albert (writing as 'Robin Paige') begun in 1994. Sarah Armstrong is a criminal profiler and Texas Ranger in a series by Kathryn Casey begun in 2008. Jessie Arnold is a champion Alaskan dog sled racer who solves crimes with boyfriend Alex Jensen, a state trooper, in a series by Sue Henry begun in 1991. Carol Ashton is an Australian Detective Inspector in a series by Claire McNab begun in 1988. Lady Emily Ashton (later Lady Emily Hargreaves) is a Victorian aristocrat in a series by Tasha Alexander begun in 2005. Kate "Ash" Ashurst (played by Caroline Catz) is a Detective Inspector on ITV series Murder in Suburbia (2004–05). Beth Austen is an Illinois English professor appearing in Mark Twain, George Eliot and Charles Dickens novels by Edith Skom (1989–1998). Jane Austen, the novelist, is a sleuth in a series by Stephanie Barron (a.k.a. Francine Mathews), begun in 1996. 'Cat' Fortunati Austen is a Sicilian-American Jersey Shore entertainment reporter, a cop's widow and baby sister to six brothers – five cops and one priest – in a series by Jane Rubino begun in 1995.
B Molly Morganthau Babbits is an amateur detective who picks up clues in her job as switchboard operator (The Girl at Central, 1915) and subsequently occasionally works as an undercover private eye for a team of lawyers in books by Geraldine Bonner. Kate Baeier is a journalist and private investigator in London in a series by Gillian Slovo begun in 1984. Renée Ballard is an LAPD detective who works "the late show" out of the Hollywood Station in a series by novelist Michael Connelly. The series includes The Late Show (2017), Dark Sacred Night (2018), and The Night Fire (2019). Lily Bard is a cleaning woman and karate expert in Shakespeare, Arkansas, in a series by Charlaine Harris begun in 1996. Natalie Barnes is the owner manager of a Bed and Breakfast on an island off the coast of Maine in a cozy series by Karen MacInerney begun in 2006. Carolyn Barek portrayed by (Annabella Sciorra) is a New York City detective in the Major Case Squad on the NBC series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, 2005–06. Temple Barr is a public-relations consultant and amateur detective in the Midnight Louie series by Carole Nelson Douglas begun in 1992. Vicki Barr, flight stewardess, is the heroine in a series of 16 mystery books for girls, published 1947–1964, by Helen Wells and Julie Campbell Tatham. Hercule Barton (エルキュール・バートン Erukyūru Bāton?), named after Hercule Poirot, is one of four girl detectives at the Milky Holmes Detective Agency. Her special gift ("Toy") is superhuman strength. They work to combat people who use their gifts for evil in various products by the Tantei Opera Milky Holmes media franchise. Friday Barnes. Alma Bashears is an attorney called home to Appalachia after her brother is arrested for murder, at the outset of the Appalachian Trilogy (published 1997–2003) by Tess Collins. Bast is a graphic artist by day, and an active urban Witch in her private life, who solves murders within the Pagan community in a series of three books by Rosemary Edghill, beginning in 1994. Lucille "Lucy" Bates is an Eastern city police officer (later sergeant) played by Betty Thomas on the NBC series Hill Street Blues from 1981 to 1987. China Bayles is an herbalist and ex-lawyer in a series by Susan Wittig Albert begun in 1992. Madeline Bean is a Hollywood caterer who solves murders in a series by Jerrilyn Farmer begun in 1998. Amanda and Lutie Beagle are spinster sisters who inherit a detective agency in two books (1940 and 1941) by Torrey Chansler (writing as Marjorie Torrey) better known as a children's author and illustrator. Olivia Beaumann is an amateur sleuth in an Australian culinary series by Goldie Alexander begun in 2002. Danielle "Dani" Beck portrayed by (Connie Nielsen) is a New York City detective in the Manhattan Special Victims unit on the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, 2006. Jo Beckett is a ‘deadshrinker’ or forensic psychiatrist brought in to examine the lives of murder victims to look for reasons for their deaths, in a series of books by Meg Gardiner begun in 2008. Kate Beckett portrayed by (Stana Katic) is a New York City homicide detective on the ABC series Castle, 2009–2016. Jane Bee is a housemaid in the Royal Household in three books by Douglas Whiteway (writing as C.C. Benison) begun in 1996. Trixie Belden is a girl-detective starring in a multi-author series created by Julie Campbell Tatham (debuted 1948; last book 1986). Fran Belding is a detective (played by Elizabeth Baur) on Ironside (1971–75). Annika Bengtzon is a crime reporter in a series by Swedish writer Liza Marklund begun in 1998. Mary Bennet from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice acts as a spy for the British government in The Secret Life of Mary Bennet series by Katherine Cowley. Olivia Benson portrayed by (Mariska Hargitay) is a New York City police detective & later promoted to Sergeant, Lieutenant & Captain for the Manhattan Special Victims Unit of the NYPD on the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 1999–. Tuppence Beresford solves crimes with husband Tommy in a series of novels and short-stories by Agatha Christie debuting in 1922. The Secret Adversary, the book which introduced the detectives, became a silent film in 1929, filmed in German and with character names changed – Tuppence became Lucienne Fereoni, played by Eve Gray. Tuppence was subsequently played by Francesca Annis in Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (1983–1984); by Greta Scacchi in a 2006 episode of Agatha Christie's Marple where the detectives join forces; and by Catherine Frot in French film adaptations 2005 and 2008. Fredrika Bergman is a civilian working with a police unit in Sweden in this series by Kristina Ohlsson. Books in the series are: Unwanted, Silenced, The Disappeared and Hostage. Siri Bergman is a psychologist with problems of her own in this series by sisters Camilla Grebe and Asa Traff. Set in Sweden, books in the series are: Some Kind of Peace and More Bitter Than Death. Myka Ophelia Bering is a Secret Service agent (played by Joanne Kelly) on the Syfy series Warehouse 13 (2009–). Jill Bernhardt is a Deputy DA and one of the four women crime solvers in 'The Women's Murder Club' books by James Patterson; played by Laura Harris on the 2007–2008 ABC series Women's Murder Club. Mirabelle Bevan is an ex-Secret Service agent turned debt collector who solves mysteries in a series set in 1950s Brighton by Scottish author Sara Sheridan begun in 2012. Verity Birdwood is a TV researcher who solves murders in six books by Australian Jennifer Rowe (1987–1995). Eleanor Raye "Ellie" Bishop a former analyst for the NSA and who is now a Probationary Agent with NCIS played by Emily Wickersham on NCIS (2013–21) Modesty Blaise retires from the underworld and puts her unusual skills to work assisting British Intelligence and others in a comic series (1963–2001), three films (1966, 1982, 2003), and a series of novels and short stories beginning in 1965. Anita Blake is a vampire hunter in a fantasy series by Laurell K. Hamilton begun in 1993. Clare Blake is the Commander of a detective murder squad (played by Amanda Burton) in the British TV series The Commander on ITV (2003–2008). Eliza Blake is a TV anchor and sleuth is a series by Mary Jane Clark begun in 1998. Naomi Blake is a blind ex-policewoman who solves crimes with her policeman husband, Alex, in a British series by Jane Adams begun in 2005. Ursula Blanchard is a young widow and lady-in-waiting at the court of Queen Elizabeth I in a book series by Valerie Anand (writing as Fiona Buckley) begun in 1998.