The Female Detective

The Female Detective was published in 1864 and introduces the first professional female detective in British fiction, Mrs Gladden. Mrs Gladden uses similar methods to her male counterparts—she enters scenes of crime incognito, tracking down killers while trying to conceal her own tracks and her identity from others. She does much physical detective work, examining scenes of crime, looking for clues and employing all manner of skill, subterfuge, observation and charm to achieve her ends. Characteristic of the casebooks of the time, Forrester's book features various cases narrated by Mrs Gladden, including murder, fraud and the sale of a baby.