Professional Eyes: Feminist Crime Fiction by Former Criminal Justice Professionals

Abstract

This dissertation studies novels written by and about professional women investigators, or “professional eyes,” who have worked in occupations involving police investigation and criminal trials. It poses the questions: How has the inclusion of novels by professional eyes changed the direction of feminist crime fiction? Is there a difference between the novels of crime fiction authors with professional experience to those without? How does it reflect real feminist gains in the criminal justice system? Dorothy Uhnak was the first of these authors to emerge with her autobiography and fictional Christie Opara trilogy. Following this, Linda Fairstein began publishing her Alexandra Cooper series of legal thrillers, based upon her own experience as head of the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. Kathy Reichs also began publishing her Temperance Brennan forensic crime series, which was based upon her experiences as a forensic anthropologist. The final authors examined are former Australian police officers P.M. Newton, Karen M. Davis, and Y.A. Erskine. Through a study of discourse, genre, and the author, my suggestion is that the promise of ‘reality’ and ‘truth’ by these authors resonates with a readership of contemporary women who are faced with ‘plausible’ feminist investigators. Furthermore, there are significant differences in the narratives of professionals compared to non-professionals, in their use of expertise and jargon, links between their fiction and nonfiction, use of fiction as a kind of scriptotherapy, and depiction of unequal justice systems. Although the authors reveal the challenges that still exist in the integration of women into the criminal justice system, they have ushered in a new era in the real world of criminal justice, just as they have in fiction.