Report for Murder by Val Mc Dermid

Lindsay Gordon journalist, feminist and leftist lesbian, unhappily spends the weekend at a posh boarding school. When a former pupil is murdered with her own cello string, Lindsay and her partner seek to find out, from the many suspects, who it was.  This is a classic who dunnit the very first in this genre in the UK and is still as relevant today as it was in 1987.  A great read from an award winning Golden Dagger Author.

Citation: McDermid, Val, Report for Murder , Duuth, MN.: Spinsters Ink, 1998

Death by the Riverside by J.M. Redmann

Mickey Knight is out taking a few snaps for a client when she discovers something is not quite right down by the river. Indeed she finds a dead body and some nasty thugs. Mickey is chased through seedy swamp lands and slugs it out with her pursuers. To get to the truth, Mickey meets the beautiful Dr Cordelia, the transvestite Eddie, and uncovers some uncomfortable home truths. Redmann’s prose is hard hitting and this offering is action packed with twists and turns around ever bend. If you are a fan of hard boiled classics like Sam Spade and Mike Hammer you will love this award winning gem.

Citation: Redmann, J.M. Death by the Riverside, Chicago IL. :New Victoria Publishers, 1990

Amateur City

Kate Delafield is a LAPD officer, lesbian and respected investigator. She is smart, strong, and more than a little complicated. Kate and her partner Ed are sent to solve the mystery of the murdered executive, what can his secretary offer, and will it help the case? With rich detail and clever clues this book is a high speed ride through the mean streets of L.A. This is the first of nine books, in the Kate Delafield series. It’s a must read lesbian sleuth mystery, as it marks the very first offering in the modern lesbian mystery genre. 

Citation: Forrest, Katherine V., Amateur City, Tallahassee Fla.: Naiad Press, 1984