by Caitlin Davies
SYNOPSIS
The female private detective has been a staple of popular culture for over 150 years, from Victorian lady sleuths to ‘busy-body spinsters’ and gun-toting modern PIs. But what about the real-life women behind these fictional tales?
Dismissed as ‘Mrs Sherlock Holmes’ or amateurish Miss Marples, mocked as private dicks or honey trappers, they have been investigating crime since the mid-nineteenth century – everything from theft and fraud to romance scams and murder.
In Private Inquiries, Caitlin Davies traces the history of the UK’s female investigators, uncovering the truth about their lives and careers from the 1850s to the present day. Women like Victorian private inquiry agent Antonia Moser, the first woman to open her own agency; Annette Kerner, who ran the Mayfair Detective Agency on Baker Street in the 1940s; and Liverpool sleuth Zena Scott-Archer, who became the first woman president of the World Association of Detectives. Caitlin also follows in the footsteps of her subjects, undertaking a professional qualification to become a Private Investigator, and meeting modern PIs to find out the reality behind the fictional image.
Female investigators are on the rise in the UK – and despite the industry’s sleazy reputation, nearly a third of new trainees are women. After a century of undercover work, it’s time to reveal the secrets of their trailblazing forebears.
REVIEW
I've been obsessed with detective stories since a very young age - when my friends were reading Sweet Valley High, I was reading Poirot and Miss Marple and as a result I've always thought I'd make a good sleuth myself, so to find a book which looks at the history of real-life female detectives is just a dream come true.
I think it's fantastic that the research for this book didn't just mean a few trips to the library archives. The author actually enrolled on a BTEC Level 3 Course for Professional Investigators. This meant that she could literally put herself in the shoes of the other women she was researching and really get into the mindset of an investigator which I'm sure is what gave this book that little bit extra.
I particularly enjoyed the closing chapter 'The Best Disguise is a Woman' which touched upon the idea that the success of female detectives partly comes from the fact that they can blend in and complete parts of their investigations completely undetected. I have recently been reading the backlist of Jane Tennison novels by Lynda La Plante which begin in the 1970's in London and Private Inquiries is the perfect companion to this type of crime series. The Tennison series really focusses on the struggles Tennison faces as a female working for the Met Police at this time - the sexism a woman would encounter if choosing this career path, the hypocrisy of male officers and the fact that many times her very valid opinions would be overlooked. What Private Inquiries does so well is shine a light on some of the real women who were in this situation and gives them the voice they deserve.
Incredibly detailed, fascinating stories and a book which brings something new to the table. I loved learning about these pioneering women and their determination to make progress in a male dominated field. With Christmas fast approaching, Private Inquiries would be the perfect gift for any other crime fiction fanatics or anyone interested in the history of criminology.
Thanks to Random Things Tours - @RandomTTours, Caitlin Davies - @CaitlinDavies2 and The History Press - @TheHistoryPress for the opportunity to read and review.
Publisher: The History Press Genre: Criminology / Criminal Investigation / Women's Studies
ISBN: 978-0750998888
Pages: 320pp
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