The Enduring Appeal of the Female Amateur Sleuth ‹ CrimeReads

First of all, she consistently upends society's traditional view of women and girls as essentially harmless, biddable creatures. Even when the FAS appears to be conventional, like Agatha Christie's Miss Jane Marple, that appearance is almost always deceptive. As a character in The Murder at the Vicarage points out: "Miss Marple is a white-haired old lady with a gentle appealing manner-Miss Wetherby is a mixture of vinegar and gush. Of the two, Miss Marple is the more dangerous." Hah. Do not EVER underestimate the female amateur sleuth.

She is also unapologetically smart and will not be condescended to. Just listen to Elizabeth Peters' archaeologist Amelia Peabody, who says bluntly, "I have been accused of being somewhat abrupt in my actions and decisions, but I never act without thought; it is simply that I think more quickly and more intelligently than most people." Or Alan Brady's eleven-year-old chemistry prodigy Flavia de Luce, muttering between clenched teeth, "If there is a thing I truly despise, it is being addressed as "dearie."