The best books about women who rescue themselves

Through Covid I revisited childhood favourites, and found I still loved this series. Cathy has grown up in a Birmingham orphanage, and the only clues to her identity are a locket with a portrait of a Highland lady and a torn luggage label. She escapes north, where she meets Ian and Sovra. They spend their time messing about in their boat on the loch or camping in a remote bothy. Their determination to help Cathy gets them all into trouble, but it’s Cathy’s own character that gives her the chance of a happy ending.

Kate Brannigan is my go-to heroine when I want to be cheered up. She’s a wise-cracking, kick-boxing, quick-witted Manchester PI and in this novel she investigates the Case of the Missing Conservatories. Other series characters include her music journo boyfriend, Richard (Kate’s more likely to rescue him), her friends Chris and Alexis who’re having problems with a bent builder, and her firm’s scary secretary who’s suddenly become a lovesick teenager. It’s cleverly plotted, fast-moving, and stars a feisty woman who takes no prisoners. I wish there were more books in this series—five isn’t enough!

Back to the Regency for this one. The Ombersley household isn’t prepared for a visitor: grumpy Charles is engaged to a disagreeable girl, Cecilia’s fallen in love with a poet, Hubert has secret worries. Their “little cousin Sophy” turns out to be more than they bargained for: she arrives with a monkey and a parrot for the younger children and it’s soon clear that life following Wellington’s army with her diplomat father has made her used to sorting out other people’s troubles. Very funny, impeccable historical detail, and a wonderfully resourceful heroine who’s never at a loss.

This one’s my go-to fantasy world when I feel middle-aged. Bett runs a mysterious team whose skills include hacking, guns, gadgets, and flying helicopters. When scientist Ross Fleming disappears from his arms research job, Bett calls in the person he knows will do anything to save Ross: his mother, bored housewife Jane Fleming who dreams of adventure. Leaving a trail of broken laws behind her, she gets herself illegally into France to join Bett, where her dreams start coming true: a sports car, a transmitter disguised as an earring, a casino, and a gun she now knows how to fire...  and it’s all narrated with Brookmyre’s trademark humour.

Nicola’s working in Crete, and has arranged to meet her cousin Frances for a holiday at a little taverna in the White Mountains—except that on her way there she becomes involved with Mike. He was on holiday with his younger brother, Colin, until they witnessed a murder; now Mike’s lying injured in a shepherd’s hut, and Colin has disappeared. The plot is fast-moving, the characters and dialogue great, and the description of Crete makes you feel you’re there with Nicola as she takes a hand in bringing the murderers to justice. I’ve loved all Stewart’s books since my teens, but this is my favourite.