Catherine Louisa Pirkis

The Experiences of Loveday Brooke, Lady Detective (Illustrated) Catherine Louisa Pirkis

The female detective Loveday Brooke is written as highly competent and professional at her job. She solves cases that have baffled the male police force using her intellect and her understanding of human nature and criminal ways. Not only that, but she also either directs the police in how to capture the criminals or devises schemes to trick the criminals into custody. She is valued for her "keen wits". She does not have a male companion other than the head of the detective agency she works for who merely dispatches her to the scene of her latest case. The only downside is that the cases are not "fair play" mysteries. The reader does not learn of many clues until the end of the case when Brooke reveals her deductions. Brooke also depends on specialized knowledge, such as that of London taxi driver slang or the history of watchmaking families in Switzerland, to solve the case. Knowledge that she only dispenses after the mystery is solved.