The Mysterious Case Of The Female Detective

THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF THE VICTORIAN FEMALE DETECTIVE 
by Sara Lodge.


Even before the days of fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, women played an important role in both the capture of criminals and gathering evidence to bring them to justice.
In the 1840's, women were employed as 'searchers' at police stations to search both a female suspect and their clothes for potential evidence and concealment of items. 
The author reveals many stories of how policeman's wives would play a role in what we would now call a 'sting operation'. Also taking part in early intelligence gathering to capture criminals, such as thieves and illegal abortionists.
Other women would join an agency and enter the world of the private detective, often on the hunt to catch an adulterous partner.

Female detectives are extremely popular on today's television screens, back then it was a theatre stage that entertained the audience with their stories.
Books are often the first introduction to characters for most of us, this is something we today have in common with those victorian readers.

There are so many names & stories that the author's incredible research has revealed and it is this excellent book and not my review, from which you should learn of them.
I have really enjoyed learning about the many female detectives and I certainly recommend it to all.

The hardback book is available now, published by Yale University Press. 
I thank Yale UK for this review copy. 


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