"The detective fiction of British female authors differs interestingly from that of their American sister scribes. The British women detective characters who have become familiar to American audiences offer only a glimpse into what riches the genre truly holds.". "This work looks at British detective fiction with female protagonists written by women. Major figures P.D. James, Jennie Melville, Liza Cody, Val McDermid, Joan Smith, and Susan Moody are covered, along with five promising new writers. Special attention is paid to how the British female sleuth evolved from the 1960s to the present, and how that evolution shaped all detective fiction.". "Other topics include the effect of the British judicial system and gun laws on fiction and real life; the types of crimes women detectives usually investigate; the directions detective fiction has followed in the past and is likely to take in the future; and the societal issues the authors raise in their fiction."--BOOK JACKET.