Will I love A Suitable Job for a Woman?

A Suitable Job for a Woman, published in 1995, is an incredibly useful book in terms of the popular depiction of female PIs versus the day-to-day reality of women in the industry.

Val McDermid interviewed 34 PIs in Britain and the States, and while American PIs were open and relaxed, British women were more wary. Thirty years later, I had the same problem, and it took me a long time to earn the trust of my interviewees. 

Val anticipated there would be more women working in private investigation in the future – and while progress has been slow, around… show more.

Fictional lady detectives are sexy and fascinating, we can all agree. But what about real life? That’s the question asked and answered in this non-fiction book by brilliant crime writer Val McDermid, who lavishes her attention and experience over nearly 300 interview-packed pages to explore all the ways in which private investigation is – thank you – a very suitable job for a woman indeed. “Smart, strong and sure of themselves, they walk the mean streets to their own beat,” Val concludes. When I think of my friends who, like me, are real-life women PIs, I have to say Val… show more.