December Meme: Lady Detectives

[netgirl_y2k]

Quite a short December talking meme today because while logically I know it's December 17th I can't quite bring myself to accept it because 1) it was only January five minutes ago, and 2) I don't feel at all seasonal. I was never going to have a tree this year, because I can't possibly open up another front with the puppy in the ongoing war over what is or is not a chew toy; I meant to get some tinsel and fairy lights and put some decorations up out of reach, but somehow never got around to it. My parents leave on the 21st, and nobody seems to have decided whether we're having Christmas at the weekend or in January when they get back. And you try getting organised for Christmas when you don't know when Christmas is.

finisterre gave me lady detectives of your choosing.

The ultimate lady detective, and I will brook no argument on this front, is Miss Marple, catching murderers with the power of being a little old lady. I trace my fondness for characters who just get on with being quietly competent and brilliant while everyone around them underestimates them back to Miss Marple.

I read a lot of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency books at one time, and although they're twee and kind of patronising at times, every time Precious Ramotswe described herself as woman of traditional build my inner fat girl did a cartwheel - my outer fat girl can't do cartwheels without hurting herself.

I never watched the final series of Fringe, and I'd been drifting away for a while before that, but I remember the exact moment I fell in love with Olivia Dunham. It was in the pilot where she was chasing a suspect across rooftops and up and down fire escapes, and we saw her wearing sensible flat sturdy looking shoes, exactly the sort of shoes that you would wear if your job involved chasing people across icy rooftops.

I like the supernatural detectives brand of urban fantasy, but I wish there were more lady protagonists. I wish that Lesley were the main character of Rivers of London; the most interested I've been in The Dresden Files in years was when Harry was temporarily dead and Molly had to try to fill in the Harry shaped hole; as much as I love Felix Castor I feel like there is a slightly more interesting series of books about Juliet in there. To this end I was delighted by the Kate Kane books earlier this year; all the usual tropes of the supernatural detective with 400% more lesbians. Okay, I have the odd issue with them; I wish that Kate's signature item of clothing could have been anything other than a fedora, and I think Kate should end up with the witch queen of London rather than her current vampire lady love - but that's when you know you're really into something, when you start having shipping opinions about it.

Comments

[lilacsigil]

You were right not to watch the last throes of Fringe. There was a lot less Olivia. Also, I always liked that Scully would wear these giant heels in promo pictures, but in the actual show she wore low-heeled or flat court shoes and could run in them!

[netgirl_y2k]

I always got the impression that Fringe had gone out with a whimper rather than a bang, yes.

Just one of many things to adore about Dana Scully!

[ravurian]

Don't suppose you've chanced upon Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries? I watched the first two series last weekend when I was deathly ill, and fell utterly in love.

[selenay]

I'm seconding the rec for Miss Fisher. She's amazing :-)

[netgirl_y2k]

I have caught maybe five out of order episodes on that digital channel that shows nothing but detective shows. And I already know that I desperately need to sit and watch the entire run of it from the beginning. Curse my thus far robust immune system.

[alwaystheocean]

Kate Kane as in Batwoman comics, y/y? Have you read Greg Rucka's run? Supposed to be amazing. Called Elegy or something.

Also, you should try Toby Daye, fairy PI. Urban fantasy all about fairies, definitely falls under supernatural detectives, lady protagonist (Toby is a girl), so many other lady main characters. The first two books are a bit shaky as it's Seanan McGuire's first published work, but from 3 on they're amazing. Seriously if you wish The Dresden Files were about a girl, totally the books for you.

PS Sorry Xmas stuff is stressing you out? At least so I surmise from your icon? I hope it all gets sorted! <3 I'm not feeling massively festive either.

[selenay]

I'm also seconding the rec for Toby Daye. They're excellent :-)

Ugh, everyone already recced the things I was going to rec! :-D

[netgirl_y2k]

Alas, I bounced hard off the Mira Grant books, which hasn't really made me keen to try Seanan McGuire's other work.

Although I have every intention of spending much of the Christmas break under an enormous duvet catching up on Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

[selenay]

That's an excellent plan for Christmas. I adore Phryne. And Dot, so adorable! And Doctor Mac is wonderful.

Um, I might love Miss Fisher a wee bit too much :-D

Seanan writes quite differently when she's writing Mira Grant from when she's writing her other work. She's actually one of my oddities: a writer with more than one pseud where I actually like both pseuds. Usually I bounce off one and love the other (Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb comes to mind) but I didn't here, even though they're quite distinct writing styles.

And now I'll shut up :-)

[netgirl_y2k]

Alas I have never managed to get into comics - although hearing things about Ms Marvel and the new female Thor kind of makes me want to try again - but there's a series of urban fantasy books with a protagonist called Kate Kane.

I actually have the first Toby Daye book; it keeps getting bumped down the the reading list because I bounced hard off Seanan McGuire's Mira Grant books. But if The Dresden Files were about a girl sounds pretty damn appealing; and god knows the first few Dresden Files books were wobbly as poorly assembled Ikea furniture.

Christmas, ah, well, it sort of crept up on me this year, and I have become stuck in the role of family referee (why can't we all get along? You're ruining fake Christmas!) Still, it'll be over by Monday, and I can get on with Real Christmas - watching Doctor Who by myself under an enormous duvet. Hurrah!

[alwaystheocean]

Oh! Right! Oooh, that's sort of exciting for me though, do you rec the Kate Kane books then?
(I have a complicated on-off relationship with comics, I easily love books more though. ;))

Oh, interesting. Want some help working out whether you'll have similar issues with Toby Daye? If yes, care to elaborate on why you bounced so hard off the Mira Grant books? (I'm totally going poking through your tags to see if you talked about this and I missed it.) Like no worries obv, not all stuff is all things to all people, but want to try and help predict whether you'll experience similar issues with Toby! Which Mira Grant books did you read? (I hate being that person who gets defensive of the stuff they love, so please please please imagine this comes with a large spoonful of YMMV!)
But yeah, seriously, Toby gets compared to The Dresden Files a lot.

Ahaha, fun times. I hope it all went smoothly and you enjoyed Doctor Who! ;D

[netgirl_y2k]

do you rec the Kate Kane books then?

You know, I really do. There's only two of them, and they'll never be mistaken for great literature, but they're so, so much fun. A chap called Alexis Hall writes them.

At this stage I have been recced the Toby Daye books by so many different people that it seems churlish not to give the first one twenty pages or so to impress me - even if all I read is those twenty pages standing up in Waterstones on my lunch break.

(I hate being that person who gets defensive of the stuff they love, so please please please imagine this comes with a large spoonful of YMMV!)

And I hate being that person raining on something my friends love so, yeah, huge walloping dollops of YMMV.

I read Parasite and just really didn't like it - I found it leaden and clunky; thought it failed as horror (not scary); failed as science fiction (by virtue of the future being indistinguishable from the present). But most damagingly I hated the central romance; the protagonist being either a total amnesiac or a brand new lifeform who is six years old - the fact that her being in a sexual relationship didn't raise any red flags raised big giant red flags in my head.

Before that I'd read the Newsflesh trilogy which I'd liked a lot better. Loved the worldbuilding, liked the general tone and the humour. I thought it verged on the twee at times, but thought that counterpointed nicely with the whole zombie apocalypse thing.

I didn't like that George didn't stay dead, and once again I hated the central relationship, which I'd found creepy and codependent even before the retcon, and how much I didn't like it kind of overwhelmed all the good things for me.

So, yeah, having written that out I feel like the Mira Grant books contain relationship dynamics that I bounce really hard off. So, um, is there much of that in Toby Daye?

[alwaystheocean]

Hey, awesome, thanks, I'll give them a go! :D

I have to say, I think you might need to give it more than the first twenty pages, but you never know, and obv up to you!

And I hate being that person raining on something my friends love so, yeah, huge walloping dollops of YMMV.

Ahaha, OK, we're set. Here we go! ;D

I haven't read Parasite so I can't help you there.

I HAVE read Newsflesh, and it bodes well that you liked it better? Though fair enough re: George and the central relationship. I was furious about George but OK with George 2.0 and liked the central relationship.

However, I'd say if the central relationship dynamics are your issue, you are probably going to be fine with Toby! I can't think of any relationship dynamics from Newsflesh that are similar to anything in Toby. I mean, I can't promise you won't find new and exciting things to bounce hard off but you're safe from the stuff you didn't like in Mira Grant stuff?

Like I do think the different pseud exists for a reason so it's worth trying the stuff she writes under her own name at some point. See how you go, anyway.

[kmo]

You should give the Flavia de Luce books a try. Precocious child protagonist, but written for adults. Like imagine Sherlock Holmes as an 11 year old girl in 1950s Britain. The first person POV is original and hilarious. Flavia is a little girl, but I also think kind of reads as queer--she spends a lot of time crushing on beautiful older women.

You definitely have me wanting to check out Kate Kane. :)