Smart Women Who Solve Mysteries

Guest Post by author Julie Moffett

I grew up loving Nancy Drew, Meg from a Wrinkle in Time, Trixie Belden, Miss Marple, and Velma from Scooby Doo. Later it was Jessica Fletcher and Kinsey Millhone. So, what do these intrepid heroines all have in common? They use their brains to solve the mystery…and the day!

I enjoy reading about strong heroines, but I love seeing SMART girls and women doing what they do best. Figuring out things logically, sensibly, and with lots of intelligence and passion. Women who are rebels, trailblazers and pioneers. These are the fictional women who stood up and took no prisoners when the odds were stacked against them. That’s the kind of heroine I enjoy in my stories.

That was not the kind of book that was selling hot when I first wrote No One Lives Twice, the first book in my geeky, humorous Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series. That was eight years ago. I wrote it anyway. I created Lexi as an antithesis to James Bond. Female, not trained as a secret agent, not chic nor suave, no social skills, no idea how to seduce or charm anyone, and no sense of fashion whatsoever. She’d never had a martini shaken, not stirred, nor been in any kind of real danger. But she’s smart. REALLY smart. She’s a female coder/hacker in a field that is openly hostile to women. Although she struggled to find her place in the first few books, she persevered and grew into her confidence. I wrote NO ONE LIVES TWICE, and all the books in the series that have followed, because that’s the kind of heroine I wanted to read about. Now, 10.5 books later, and over 150,000 copies of the series sold, I think I can safely say Lexi has resonated with a lot of readers. So, last month, I launched my first young adult spy/mystery with another smart girl, titled White Knights. Go smart women of ALL ages!

I think it’s wonderful to see more and more intelligent and courageous women and girls in fiction. Women who are thinkers, and yet capable and brave. They are leaders, scientists, businesswomen, athletes and yes, even coders. They are totally capable of solving the mystery themselves, but welcome the assistance of friends and family, as needed. From Heromine Granger to Anne of Green Gables to Princess Leia to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, intelligent and strong girls are rocking it in fiction…between the pages and on the screen. I hope this trend continues and expands because my TBR pile is getting larger and larger and I’m thrilled about that!

So, tell me, who is your favorite fictional “smart” heroine?

No Regrets is Book 10 in the humorous Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series, published by Carina Press, and was released January 8, 2018 (yesterday – yay!). Links to all the books in the series (in order) are HERE.

Here is the cover blurb for NO REGRETS:

Geek girl Lexi Carmichael has tackled her share of formidable tasks, but nothing quite as daunting as serving as maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding…

When I agreed to stand by my best friend, Basia, on her big day, I had no idea what I was in for. Bouquets and unflattering evening wear I can handle. But between disgruntled dates, a beach venue and suspicious packages, what else can go wrong? Oh, right—my parents don’t know I’ve moved in with Slash. Oops?

Thankfully, I’ve got everything semi under control, at least as far as Basia and Xavier know. They can leave for their honeymoon happy, knowing Elvis, Slash and I will keep things safe at home.

Meanwhile, Elvis and Xavier’s boss at ComQuest has asked X-Corp—well, me—to take a quick trip to retrieve a sensitive company package from the British Virgin Islands. No hacking involved. Just show up, accept the package and bring it home safely. A cushy assignment, and a safe one. Right? 

Wrong. Things start to unravel the minute I set foot on the boat to the island. Before I know it, I’m up to my neck in thugs, sand and trouble. I’m going to have to work fast to stop the bad guys before the sun sets for good on this unexpected beach vacation…

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Meet the Author

Julie Moffett is a bestselling author and writes in the genres of mystery, historical romance and paranormal romance. She has won numerous awards, including the 2014 Mystery & Mayhem Award for Best YA/New Adult Mystery, the prestigious 2014 HOLT Award for Best Novel with Romantic Elements, a HOLT Merit Award for Best Novel by a Virginia Author (twice!), the 2016 Award of Excellence, a PRISM Award for Best Romantic Time-Travel AND Best of the Best Paranormal Books of 2002, and the 2011 EPIC Award for Best Action/Adventure Novel. She has also garnered additional nominations for the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. Sign up for Julie’s newsletters (about 4-5 a year) for a chance at cool prizes and free books at her website: www.juliemoffett.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

And a Giveaway!

Leave a comment below letting me know who is your favorite fictional smart heroine. My 10-year-old son will select a random winner from the comments to win an e-copy of either NO REGRETS or NO ONE LIVES TWICE (winner’s choice). The giveaway ends January 10 and will be announced in the comments on this blog, so check back to see if you won. Good luck!