To commemorate the life and work of Agatha Christie, we’re doing a crime fiction spree in September! Being the genius behind Poirot and Miss Marple, Christie is a master of not only writing and plot, but also of making the protagonist more relatable. That’s what makes her books different and so very popular. She didn’t follow the usual stereotype of the hyper-logical and antisocial male detective. Detective Hercule Poirot is funny and clueless. Miss Marple is a little old lady who is good at solving murder mysteries. These were the kind of characters that came out of Christie’s brilliant mind at the time.
What about today?
Today, more than ever, readers need more diversity in books. We need more female detectives (all ages, obviously), more people of color, more queer characters, etc. They say that literature is the reflection of reality, and this is the reality we live in (thank God). Not only do young readers want to relate to their heroes, but they also need to see that it’s okay to be who you are and still be the main character. It’s okay to be queer and solve an incredibly convoluted murder case. Why wouldn’t it be?
Some might say we don’t need to include sexuality in mystery or crime fiction, but I think it’s not about that aspect of the character’s life. It’s about representation. It’s about giving different readers a chance to be able to relate to the main character and feel accepted by the society at large. When I was young, I didn’t see many characters who were like me, and they were definitely not solving crime. They were supporting characters. So it’s important to show the world that you can be gay and be the star of the show. Or be a person of color and be the most fascinating protagonist that ever lived. We need diversity, badly, and the authors are finally giving it to us.
In this article, I’m going to list some amazing queer detectives, investigators, and sleuths, just as examples of the new kinds of characters we see in crime fiction today. I’m happy and proud to be a queer woman, and I am incredibly grateful that people are no longer hiding this aspect from the world. It’s no longer in the shadows. It’s in literature and movies, as it should be.
Let’s be loud and proud, and let’s solve some crime! Happy reading!
For about fifty years now we have had this old-school gay hero solving mysteries and getting in trouble. He’s brash, sardonic, and happy to use his fists if need be. He’s openly gay, which breaks through the stereotype of the ‘typical PI’.
Have you ever followed a tatted up, chain smoking nun, who solves crime? No? Then this would be your first! Sister Holiday teaches music, but when an arson has been committed, she discovers she’s good at solving crime also. Bonus point – Sister Holiday is wonderfully queer. What more can we ask for?
In the 90s, we got Hap and Leonard, two best friends and unique detective duo. Hap is sensitive, hard-working, and brooding. Leonard is black, gay, and aggressive. They perfectly complement each other and create fun situations with sharp dialogue and dark suspense.
Who doesn’t love a dark and broody British police procedural? The detective, Kate Daniels, is haunted by past mistakes, and when she’s called to investigate a brutal murder in Murder Wall, she realizes she knows the corpse.
Another queer character born in the 80’s. LAPD Kate Delafield is not out to her colleagues, so she is forced to live two lives. Tough and demanding, but also quietly vulnerable, this detective is compelling and relatable.
Those of us who are non-binary/gender-fluid would be delighted to read this funny and unique story. A.Z. is a single scrawny androgynous body that houses twin brother and sister, A. and Z. They’re super funny and always interesting.
I’ve always loved unnamed protagonists/narrators. It adds to the mystery and makes you wonder who exactly you’re following. In this case, we’re following this ambisexual detective and their cat Bunnywit as they solve the murder of a sex worker, with a heavy dose of irony and wit.
Fin Donner and Devorah Longstreet
Fin and Devorah are investigators as well as lovers. Two women ahead of their time. It’s a historical fiction, so we follow them back to 1899 and the slums of New York.
Betty Rhyzyk is the toughest female detective in Brooklyn, though she has to relocate to Texas of all places. She’s also queer and more than proven herself in the police force. Expect a gritty crime fiction book the likes of Breaking Bad.
Lindsay is a self-proclaimed cynical socialist lesbian feminist journalist. She is a journalist who finds herself at a gala for a girls’ public school and ends up solving the murder of one of the girls. It’s a fast-paced murder mystery by the acclaimed V. L. McDermid.
