9 Historical Mysteries with Tough Lady Leads

Veronica Speedwell is a sexually liberated Victorian butterfly hunter with a lethal hatpin. Stoker is brooding, mysterious, and sometimes wears an eye patch. Together they solve crimes with plenty of witty banter. Also they have exceedingly frustrating sexual tension. Second in the series, A Perilous Undertaking, is out in January!

Not many people in minor British royalty have life-changing experiences on the toilet, but Georgie is not like most of her peers. This series is hilarious and charming and way too much fun. Think Bridget Jones meets Downton Abbey. With, like, more dead bodies and stuff.

Miss Emmeline Rose Truelove is extremely practical (even if she does see the occasional ghost) and totally not interested in the charming, rakish Lord Silverton. Even though they’re thrown together on an international hunt for a missing heir, and those steamships can get awfully cozy…. If you like your mysteries with a heaping dose of adventure, wry wit, and a side of romance—this one’s for you.

It’s 19th century New York and Sarah Brandt is a no-nonsense midwife who happens to stumble across a dead body (like ya do). When the victim turns out to be a prominent and wealthy society darling, Sarah must uncover the killer before scandal takes hold of the case. Thankfully, the charming Sergeant Frank Malloy is at her side… Adventure and light romance ensues.

Lady Darby is done dealing with her unfortunate/kind of gross past of unwillingly painting dead people for her late husband, and instead is just ready to chill in a drafty Scottish castle with her sister’s family. But alas, murder happens (because of course). Luckily her knowledge of anatomy and general cleverness come in handy—and perhaps more luckily, she gets to hang out with the attractive rogue Mr. Gage while tracking down the killer.

Deanna Randolph may be a debutante, but she’s not a delicate flower. When murder comes to Rhode Island and totally messes up the frivolous summer fun of the social elite, Miss Randolph is on the case—and she’s not about to give up.

Rosalind Thorne was once the toast of the ton—until her father lost all his money and totally abandoned her. Five years later, she’s a practically penniless social secretary with no prospects and crazy good organizational skills. Which totally comes in handy when a handsome police officer asks for her help in solving a high society murder…

After a deadly accident, Ruby Proulx is ready to leave her past as a fraudulent fortune teller behind. But bad luck trails after her as she travels to the coast of Maine to her estranged aunt’s hotel. Now it’s up to Ruby to use her street smarts and secret skills to solve a ring of crimes—with the help of a good-looking and noble policeman, of course.