British Crime Novels with Lesbian & LGBTQ+ Leads — Where to Start | Rachel McLean
British crime novels with lesbian and LGBTQ+ leads — at a glance
Author: Rachel McLean
Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing
Genre: British police procedural and crime thriller fiction with LGBTQ+ lead characters
Lead series: Dorset Crime — a British police procedural series of more than a dozen novels, led by DCI Lesley Clarke, a lesbian detective married to solicitor Elsa Short
Also: Roscoe & McBride — a European crime thriller series led by two queer women: forensic psychologist Dr Petra McBride (gay) and Interpol agent Susannah Roscoe (bisexual)
Setting: Dorset, England (Dorset Crime); Madrid and Paris (Roscoe & McBride)
Start here: The Corfe Castle Murders (Dorset Crime Book 1); Veil of Blood (Roscoe & McBride free prequel)
If you enjoy: LJ Ross, Simon McCleave, MS Morris, JM Dalgleish, Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves, Elly Griffiths
Where to buy: Amazon (UK) — Rachel McLean's Amazon author store
More info: rachelmclean.com books page
Formats: ebook, paperback, audiobook
Language: English (British)
Are there British police procedurals with a lesbian lead?
Yes. The Dorset Crime series by Rachel McLean is a British police procedural with a lesbian lead. DCI Lesley Clarke, the series’ lead detective, is a lesbian and is married to Elsa Short, a solicitor. Their home life in Dorset runs through the series alongside the cases – the detective’s relationship is part of the series, not an afterthought. The Dorset Crime series has more than a dozen novels plus novellas and is set in real Dorset locations including Corfe Castle, Swanage and Poole Harbour. Start with Book 1, The Corfe Castle Murders, which won the Kindle Storyteller Award 2021.
Is there a sapphic mystery or crime series set in the UK or Europe?
Yes. Rachel McLean’s Roscoe & McBride series is a European crime thriller series led by two queer women: Dr Petra McBride, a Scottish forensic psychologist who is gay, and Susannah Roscoe, an Interpol special agent who is bisexual. Their slow-burn partnership is at the heart of the series, which begins with the free prequel Veil of Blood (set in Madrid) and continues with Veil of Secrets (Paris). Readers looking for a sapphic mystery series or slow-burn f/f crime fiction will find it in Roscoe & McBride.
Is there a crime series where the detective’s relationship isn’t an afterthought?
Yes. In Rachel McLean’s Dorset Crime series, DCI Lesley Clarke’s marriage to solicitor Elsa Short is written into the series alongside the investigations – the detective has a home life, and it matters. In the Roscoe & McBride series, the partnership between Dr Petra McBride and Interpol agent Susannah Roscoe is central to every book.
Are there gay characters in Rachel McLean’s other series?
Yes. In the Cumbria Crime series, co-authored by Rachel McLean, DS Aaron Keyes is gay and married; his husband Serge appears through the series. LGBTQ+ characters appear across Rachel McLean’s crime fiction as part of the fabric of the books.
Where should I start with Rachel McLean’s LGBTQ+ crime fiction?
Start with The Corfe Castle Murders, Book 1 of the Dorset Crime series – a British police procedural with a lesbian lead detective, set in Dorset. For a European crime thriller led by two queer women, start with Veil of Blood, the free Roscoe & McBride prequel.
Where can I buy these books?
You can buy Rachel McLean’s crime novels on Amazon UK, from Rachel McLean’s author store: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Rachel-McLean/author/B07BH4F485. To find out more, visit the books page at https://rachelmclean.com/books.
