The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective is an absolute triumph of historical investigation and literary analysis. In this illuminating and deeply engaging work, Sara Lodge masterfully recovers the long-buried stories of real-life women detectives who operated in the shadows of Victorian Britain—and brings them to vivid, unforgettable light. Far from the drawing rooms of Sherlock Holmes or the brooding intellect of Wilkie Collins' male sleuths, Lodge reveals a world where women not only investigated crime but often managed entire detective agencies, navigated morally gray territory, and defied nearly every expectation of their era.

In *The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective*, Sara Lodge uncovers the forgotten figures and cultural tensions surrounding the emergence of female detectives in nineteenth-century literature and society. Both a work of literary excavation and cultural critique, this volume restores the hidden heroines of early crime fiction to their rightful place in the intellectual and imaginative history of the Victorian age.

Far from being a mere catalog of characters, Lodge’s study interrogates how the female detective operated within—and against—the dominant ideologies of gender, power, and public authority in the period. She traces the evolution of this figure through obscure serials, penny dreadfuls, and early sensation novels, while placing them in conversation with better-known literary detectives such as Sherlock Holmes. In doing so, Lodge reveals how women were not merely sidekicks, victims, or anomalies in crime fiction, but often central agents of surveillance, intuition, and subversion.

The prose is elegant and academically precise, yet never inaccessible. Lodge brings a rare clarity to theoretical discussions of gender performance, visibility, and the male gaze, enriching her literary analysis with historical context—particularly the policing systems, legal reforms, and social anxieties that made the figure of the female investigator both possible and problematic.

One of the book’s great achievements is its archival breadth. Drawing from a wide range of neglected texts and forgotten authors, Lodge offers a compelling revision of the Victorian canon, arguing that the female detective was not a curious deviation but a key site where social change, genre innovation, and feminist resistance were quietly taking root.

**Final Verdict**:
*The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective* is a masterful blend of literary scholarship, historical investigation, and gender analysis. Dr. Sara Lodge has written a work of deep originality and insight—one that will appeal to readers of detective fiction, scholars of Victorian literature, and those interested in the cultural history of women and crime. It is, without doubt, a landmark study.

**Rating**: ★★★★★

I really enjoyed this study of the figure of the female detective in the Victorian period. Sara Lodge provides a comprehensive study of the different manifestations of this character in history, literature, and theatre. I found her writing very easy to follow and accessible as someone outside of the academic sphere. She has clearly done her research and provides a lot of concrete examples. I found her thesis on the allure that female detectives had for the Victorian world to be very convincing. I also appreciated her discussion of how the female detective character crossed the Atlantic and was present in 19th century American society as well. I would recommend this to anyone interested in women's history and bringing marginalized voices from the past.

Thank you to NetGalley and Yale University Press for providing an eARC in return for my honest thoughts.

Really enjoyed it. I loved the characters and was really entertaining to read. I couldn’t put it down.

I am a HUGE fan of historical fiction mysteries featuring female detectives. One of the main reasons I read historical fiction is to learn about the era and its society. I had always assumed that my fictional nineteenth-century lady sleuths were a departure from reality, so this academic collection fascinated me! Evidently, although I am intrigued by the idea of legitimate Victorian-era female detectives, I am not committed enough to fully explore this book. I will stick with the fictional works. That said, I have immense respect for Sara Lodge's work and will happily recommend this book to anyone I know who is searching for the truth behind this beloved genre.

Special thanks to the publisher, Yale University Press, and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Who knew that so many women were functioning as detectives during the Victorian era? I'd assumed that it would be rare, but they worked for police departments as well as independently throughout that time. (Including one named Charlotte Pitt, who apparently solved a big diamond theft! Readers of historical mysteries will recognize that name.)

There seem to be three categories of nonfiction history books these days. The first has a few facts and lots of the author's opinion, with few if any references; not my favorite type, though they can make a decent overview of a topic. Second are well-researched books with copious endnotes supporting the author's assertions. I tend to love these the most. Third are the books with lots of facts behind them - all of which is on the page. Detail after detail can sometimes overwhelm, causing one to lose sight of the point being made if the author isn't careful. It can also bore the casual reader.

This book is in the third category. Especially in the first chapter I sometimes found myself skimming to get past so many details. Personally I would have appreciated an opening chapter that set the stage more than threw so many minor facts at me. But I have always been fascinated by the lives of middle and lower class women in history, so I didn't mind too much. However, the reader should be warned this book does not read like a popular overview of the topic, but is stuffed with details of names, places and events. That's not bad, just a little overwhelming at times.

There are all sorts of women here - some realized a crime was taking place and wanted to stop it, others found a cause to crusade for and began investigating. Many were married to police officers and helped their husbands by going places and talking to people the men couldn't. There were even women employed directly by the police. There's so much fascinating information here, I can only wish the book felt less packed and more arranged for the casual reader.

NB -Thank you to NetGalley and Yale University Press for allowing me a copy of this book for review.

I don't usually go for non-fiction, but this topic was one I was very interested in since I love historical mysteries set in this era and featuring female characters doing detective work.

This book explores female detectives in Victorian contemporary fiction (in literature and on the stage - the action movie heroines of their time), as well as in reality. The book is full of interesting facts, but the writing is very academic and dense, and at a certain point it got a little repetitive - giving new examples and reiterating the same points as a conclusion over and over again.

If you're really interested in a deep dive into this topic, craving more and more examples illustrating the author's point, this book certainly delivers. But if you go in with a broader interest - like I did, at a certain point in the book you might grow bored at being given yet another example that really only says essentially the same thing again.

I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley. This review reflects my honest opinion.

It would be easy to assume that being a detective in the Victorian era was a purely male preserve. But as this revelatory book tells us, this was not at all the case. The traditional image of the Victorian detective is indeed a man, (think Sherlock Holmes et al) but in fact women detectives were hard at work too, in a variety of roles, working for both the police and private agencies. Sara Lodge delves deep into Victorian fiction, and in particular into theatre, where female detectives are often portrayed in sensational ways and compares these representations with real life detectives and their roles. Well researched and well written in a lively and accessible style, the book nevertheless is perhaps more for the serious or academic reader rather than the general reader, but the author successfully brings the lives of these early detective pioneers to life and uncovers a previously hidden (to me at least) aspect of Victorian life. Illuminating, informative and entertaining, I found this a compelling read.

“The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective,” by Sara Lodge (ASIN: B0DGXB2Q4X), ISBN: 9780300277883), Publication Date: 24 September 2024, earns five stars.

I have long been a fan of English detective mysteries…the characters, the language, the plots, and the general sensibilities. I confess, in all of that, the principal character, the detective, was invariably male. When I came across this book, it was as though I entered another room, well-let, and totally pleasing.

The book differs from those other detectives in that the characters are real people, well-described and researched, and totally up to even the most challenging of tasks and conundrums. Because the characters are real people, the authors meticulous research and deftly wielded pen brought them to life once again…and I was better for it.

Sincere thanks to the author and Yale University Press for granting the reader the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.

I won't be reading this. I've tried multiple times and haven't gotten into it. Thank you though for the opportunity. If I read it in the future I will come back and change this review.

In The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective, author Sara Lodge presents a compelling exploration of the often-overlooked women who served as detectives in 19th-century Britain. Challenging the traditional male-centric narrative epitomized by figures like Sherlock Holmes, Lodge delves into historical records to uncover the real-life contributions of female detectives who operated both within official police forces and private agencies.

Lodge's research brings to light figures such as Clara Layt, an undercover private detective involved in investigating harassment cases, and Emily Oxley, who conducted inquiries into adultery for divorce proceedings. These women navigated a society that was often hostile to their involvement in law enforcement, yet they played crucial roles in addressing crimes, particularly those affecting other women.

The book also examines the portrayal of female detectives in Victorian literature and theater, highlighting how these characters both reflected and influenced societal attitudes toward women in investigative roles. Lodge's analysis reveals that, contrary to popular belief, women were actively engaged in detective work during this era, often bringing unique skills and perspectives to their cases.

The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective is a significant contribution to the understanding of gender dynamics in law enforcement history. Lodge's meticulous research and engaging narrative shed light on the pioneering women who defied societal norms to pursue careers in detection, offering readers a nuanced perspective on the evolution of detective work in Victorian Britain.

A fascinating read that shows the history of the women detective. What seems like an occasional story or one off was a thriving genre in Victorian England. I really enjoyed the background, cultural history and general breadth of research. A must read for anyone who thinks Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie were the start of detective fiction

I really should’ve known better. This book has been published by an academic publisher, but the topic and the title lured me, and here we are.

If you’re a historical fiction writer or an academic interested in the subject, you will probably love this book. There are plenty of facts about both real and fictional female detectives from the era, and it’s a great source of information. I learned a lot, and I’m proud of myself. I will be a terrible show-off now because I earned that right.

It’s actually well written too, and I was enjoying it initially. It’s just that the amount of facts was overwhelming, and it all felt repetitive at some point, so three stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A fascinating look into an often ignored part of our history. Gender roles, cross dressing and the like are not a modern trend, but as the author proves, a very real part of our history, even in the Victorian age, a time people normally consider to be very formal and strict. Instead, the roles dissolve and shift, moving in tune to the beat of everyday people.

The author expertly weaves the fictional in with the fact, comparing and contrasting, showcasing how each fed upon the other, and in turn, inspired the other. From the 'Lady Detective' of the stage to the grim reality of a female 'searcher' - a man could not possibly search a female suspect, the author gives each their due and brings them more into the spotlight.

In the 1860's theatre goers enjoyed a woman fighting off men, shooting, speaking out of turn, wearing trousers and everything that the 'modern' female fictional detective does.

A highly enjoyable read.

~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~

Sara Lodge, The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective, Yale University Press, November 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

The combination of a history of the female detective as a working part of the police force during the Victorian era, and her depiction in fictional accounts of the time makes for a fascinating read. Questions that immediately come to mind, and are answered include – how active were the real women detectives? What were their roles? Did they capture criminals or leave that to the male detectives? Were they courageous and killed on duty? What was the attitude in the police force and wider society towards these women active on behalf of law enforcement? And then, moving on to consider how these women detectives and the cases they worked on in the real world were depicted in fiction, there are more questions. Did fiction portray women’s contributions in an exaggerated form or were they always seen as secondary to those of men? Were any fictional characters based on real women and their activities? What did fiction say about women detectives and how did this impact the audience for these novels?

Sara Lodge answers these questions in this stimulating read which blends so much information about the police force and women’s role in it, the depiction of women detectives in fiction and the social conditions which were so vividly described in print – fictional and factual. At the same time as being an academic work, with copious citations, an amazing bibliography and index, Lodge has produced a great read.

What a wonderful contribution this work would have been to my studies about women detectives in literature many years ago. I can only envy those for whom this is a text for such studies. In Lodge’s book such readers are given a wealth of information, great insights, and with fact and fiction woven together so invitingly it is also a tremendous read. For those, like me, who read the book only for pleasure and interest, the challenges it provides in so graphically describing the conditions under which the women detectives worked, their cases and the social conditions associated with their work enhance the reading. The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective remains an engaging read, but the solid grounding in the reality around the fiction, painful and enlightening though it is, completes the narrative.

A deep dive into the fiction and real life intricacies of the Victorian female detective? Sign me up! This book was a fascinating and well researched examination of how the Victorian female detective has been pushed under the rug due to misogyny and in favor of men. A fantastic read for anyone who is remotely interested in this topic.

Shining a brand new light on Victorian women detectives
—
Revealing yet another sphere of women’s invisible work, Lodge sleuths through contemporary newspapers, court records and books to reveal real life women detectives during the origins of police work. Lodge leans on the work of other scholars in a cross-disciplinary approach that looks at female detectives in fiction and in real life, exploring the social standing of women in detecting and prosecuting crimes, and expanding our knowledge of women’s roles in Victorian society.

With a fine turn of phrase, Lodge’s book gives a rounded look at women, particularly working class women, bringing the era to thrilling life, and giving us whole new heroines to refer to.

A brilliant five stars, with plenty of gore and adventure.

This is a fascinating deep dive into the history of the Victorian female detective - in real-life and in fiction. Sara Lodge has researched extensively and it shows - while very accessible, this is thoroughly researched and verging on the academic. I really enjoyed learning about how women entered the detective spaces and how they were portrayed.

Thank you to Yale University Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An in depth look at the figure of the female detective in history and its impact on literature. This book is filled with information about the female detectives in the Victorian period, detailing true historical figures and how they were then portrayed in writing and on the stage.
It is a fascinating read for crime and history fans.

Book received free via NetGalley

The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective by Sara Lodge offers a fascinating and richly researched glimpse into the life of Isabella Montagu, the first female detective in the UK. Set against the backdrop of Victorian society, this book uncovers the trailblazing work of Montagu, a woman who defied the gender norms of her time to make her mark in a profession dominated by men.

Lodge’s writing blends historical research with engaging storytelling, bringing Montagu’s journey to life through a combination of personal writings, case files, and newspaper reports. The book delves into Montagu’s career and how she navigated the challenges of being a female detective in the late 1800s, providing a window into the broader cultural shifts of the era, especially regarding women’s roles in public life.

One of the book’s strengths is Lodge’s ability to contextualize Montagu’s work within the evolution of detective fiction during the Victorian era, highlighting how women like Montagu helped shape the genre. While the book can be slow in parts—particularly when it dives into detailed case studies or the social dynamics of the time—the thorough research makes it a rewarding read for anyone interested in history, crime, and gender studies.

Ultimately, The Mysterious Case of the Victorian Female Detective is an eye-opening exploration of a forgotten historical figure. It’s an essential read for anyone intrigued by the intersection of history, crime, and the contributions of women in the detective world. Sara Lodge’s insightful writing style and dedication to uncovering a lost piece of history make this book an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience.