Television’s Female Spies and Crimefighters

Emma Peel wearing her “kinky boots.” Amanda King and her poppy seed cake. Julie Barnes at her hippie pad. Honey West with her pet ocelot. Television’s female spies and crimefighters make quite an impression, yet there hasn’t been a reference book devoted to them until now. This work covers 350 female spies, private investigators, amateur sleuths, police detectives, federal agents and crime-fighting superheroes who have appeared in more than 250 series since the 1950s, with an emphasis on lead or noteworthy characters. Entries are alphabetical by series, featuring credits and synopses, notable plot points, interesting facts and critical commentary on seminal series and characters. A brief history of female spies and crimefighters on TV places them in chronological perspective and sociological context.

A former professional librarian, Karen A. Romanko began her writing career in the 1980s with a “My Say” piece in Publishers Weekly. She went on to write articles about rock videos and SF movies and television for publications such as American Libraries and Library Journal. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

Karen A. Romanko

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 256
Bibliographic Info: 22 photos, appendix, index
Copyright Date: 2016
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9637-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2415-0
Imprint: McFarland

Preface: What’s in This Book 1
Introduction: A Brief History of Female Spies and Crimefighters on Television 3
Television’s Female Spies and Crimefighters by Character Name and Series Title 15
Appendix: The Most Rewatchable Television Shows on DVD (Female Spies and Crimefighters Edition) 229
A Note on Sources 235
Index 237

• “A unique reference work..well-researched book. Written in accessible language…and with a sense of humor…this book will appeal to pop culture fans and academics alike….recommended”—ARBA
• “The clear and respectful coverage of the 1950s underlines the author’s meticulousness and sense of history”—Mystery Scene
• “This is a book that every reader of this blog ought to know about…a book that’s easy to get caught up in”—Mystery File
• “Spy fans will want to add this one to their collection”—Cinema Retro
• “Buy this book…a lot of fun”—The Thrilling Detective Web Site
• “Romanko skillfully navigates us through the essential must know groundbreaking characters and their series over the decades”—Realweegiemidget Reviews