Today I’m posting about 5 of my favourite female characters. Characters I’ve discovered over the last 4-5 years. Characters who, one way or another, got me through lockdown and then some.

#1. BRIGID QUINN by Becky Masterman — A no-nonsense ex-FBI agent turned PI who hasn’t quite retired from rubbing everyone up the wrong way, getting into peoples faces, and generally getting herself into trouble while solving the crime. Brigid, who is 60, is gritty, determined, and will not rest till justice is served.

Check out: Rage Against The Dying, Fear The Darkness, and A Twist of the Knife

#2. LORI ANDERSON by Steph Broadribb — Lori Anderson is as tough as they come, managing to keep her career as a fearless Florida bounty hunter separate from her role as single mother to nine-year-old Dakota, who suffers from leukaemia. Don’t expect Lori to hang around waiting for help or a hand-out, instead, look for her in the thick of trouble ready to catch the ‘Jumper’ dead to rights.

Check out: Deep Down Dead, Deep Blue Trouble, and Deep Dirty Truth

#3. BETTY RHYZYK by Kathleen Kent — Brooklyn’s toughest female detective takes on Dallas—and neither is ready for the fight. Dallas, Texas, is not for the faint of heart. Good thing for Betty Rhyzyk she’s from a family of take-no-prisoners Brooklyn police detectives. But her Big Apple wisdom will only get her so far when she relocates to The Big D, where Mexican drug cartels and cult leaders, deadbeats, and society wives all battle for sunbaked turf.

Check out: The Dime, The Burn, and The Pledge

#4. V. I. WARSHAWSKI by Sara Paretsky — Still one of my favourite, this tough as nails PI lives and breathes Chicago, and knows everything there is to know about the deep, dark, underbelly of crime in the city. And after 20+ novels, Victoria Iphigenia or, Vic to her friends, shows no signs of slowing down, or letting up, in battling the bad guys.

#5. NAHRI by S. A. Chakraborty — Yes, you just knew I had to add Nahri to my list of kick-ass females. This character is so well written, never mind the world she finds herself in is so immersive, you can’t fail to be caught up in her struggle, and cheer her on.

Check out: The City of Brass, The Kingdom of Copper, and The Empire of Gold

And there you have it, my top 5 kick-ass female characters. I can tell you, I would far rather these women were on my side, than go up against any of them down a dark alley!