Lesbian Eyes
Hand in hand with the success of women sleuths in general in the eighties came the rise of the lesbian eye. Who knew? While Kinsey, Sharon, V.I. et al were assaulting the mainstream bestseller lists, in alternative and women’s bookstores, readers first began snapping up lesbian novels featuring lesbian P.I.s by the armful.
Mostly printed by small, independent presses (Naiad, Seal, Crossing, Womansleuth, etc.), lesbian private eyes were suddenly everywhere. The books weren’t always great, and some seemed rather formulaic (by 1989, The Village Voice was snarking that “If it’s a Naiiad book, you can bet she’ll be in bed with some cute thing by, oh, page 120.”).
Still, there was no doubt that the dyke dick had arrived.
- Kat Guerrera by M.F. Beal
- Helen Keremos by Eve Zaremba
- Lamaar Ransom by John Calder
- Lauren Laurano by Sandra Scoppettone
- Helen Black by Pat Welch
- Nell Fury by Elizabeth Pincus
- Chris Prior by Pat Dobie
- Kylie Kendall by Clair McNab
- Saz Martin by Stella Duffy
- Robin Miller by Jaye Maiman
- Eliza Pirex by Diana McRae
- Caitlin Reece by Lauren Wright Douglas (1987)
- Emma Victor by Mary Wings (1987)
- Micky Knight by J.M. Redmann (1990)
- Jill Fitzgerald by Dorothy Porter (1995)
- Aud Torvingen by Nicola Griffith (1998)
- Dex Parios by Greg Rucka & Matthew Southworth (2009)
- Kalinda Sharma by Michelle King & Richard King (The Good Wife) (2009)
- Butch Fatale by Christa Faust (2012)
- Honey Donohue by Ethan Coen & Tricia Cooke (Honey Don’t)
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- What Were Once Vices…
Some notable Gay and Lesbian eyes - Down These Mean Streets a Gay Man Must Also Go
An essay by Drewey Wayne Gunn. - The Lesbian Private Eye
An essay by Megan Casey.
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
