List Of Lesbian Fiction
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This is a List of lesbian-themed fiction. It includes books from the 18th century through the 21st century. It also includes lists of works by genre, a list of characters that make recurring appearances in fiction series, and a list of lesbian and feminist publishing houses.


Fiction and drama (2nd century)

*''
Dialogues of the Courtesans Dialogue (sometimes spelled dialog in American English) is a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people, and a literary and theatrical form that depicts such an exchange. As a philosophical or didactic device, it is ch ...
'',
Lucian of Samosata Lucian of Samosata, '; la, Lucianus Samosatensis ( 125 – after 180) was a Hellenized Syrian satirist, rhetorician and pamphleteer who is best known for his characteristic tongue-in-cheek style, with which he frequently ridiculed superstiti ...


Fiction and drama (18th century)

*''
Fanny Hill ''Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure''—popularly known as ''Fanny Hill''—is an erotic novel by English novelist John Cleland first published in London in 1748. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London,Wagner, "Introduction", ...
'',
John Cleland John Cleland (c. 1709, baptised – 23 January 1789) was an English novelist best known for his fictional '' Fanny Hill: or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'', whose eroticism led to his arrest. James Boswell called him "a sly, old malcont ...
(1748) – Fanny has an encounter with Phoebe, a prostitute *'' La Religieuse'',
Denis Diderot Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the ''Encyclopédie'' along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a promine ...
(1796) – a Reverend Mother wants to seduce a nun


Fiction and drama (19th century)

*''Mademoiselle Maupin'',
Théophile Gautier Pierre Jules Théophile Gautier ( , ; 30 August 1811 – 23 October 1872) was a French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic. While an ardent defender of Romanticism, Gautier's work is difficult to classify and rem ...
(1835) *''
Carmilla ''Carmilla'' is an 1872 Gothic fiction, Gothic novella by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu and one of the early works of vampire fiction, predating Bram Stoker's ''Dracula'' (1897) by 26 years. First published as a Serial (literature), serial in ' ...
'', Sheridan Le Fanu (1872) *'' Der Liebe Lust und Leid der Frau zur Frau'' (1895) – the only known exemplar is in the
Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the larg ...
( RVKO number Yx 27911). *''
Nana Nana, Nanna, Na Na or NANA may refer to: People and fictional characters * Nana (given name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Nana (surname), including a list of people and characters with the surname * Nana ( ...
'',
Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, also , ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of ...
(1880), – an extended description of Chez Laure, a Parisian restaurant that caters to a lesbian clientele; the relationship of Nana and the unfaithful Satin, "with her blue eyes and schoolgirlish look", "bitten and beaten and torn this way and that by the two women". *''Mademoiselle Giraud, My Wife'', Adolphe Belot (1891) *'' 鳳雙飛'' (Feng shuangfei) (''A Pair of Male Phoenixes Flying Together''), Cheng Huiying (程蕙英) (1899)


Fiction and drama (20th century)

*'' Sind es Frauen? Roman über das dritte Geschlecht.'',
Minna Wettstein-Adelt Minna Wettstein-Adelt (1869-died around 1908, precise date unknown) was a German-French journalist and writer, who also wrote under the names Aimée Duc and Helvetia. Life Born on 1 May 1869 in Strassburg, Minna Adelt-Duc grew up in France. She ...
(1901) *''Thirty-Three Abominations'',
Lydia Zinovieva-Annibal Lydia Dmitrievna Zinovieva-Annibal (russian: Ли́дия Дми́триевна Зино́вьева-Анниба́л) (1866–1907) was a Russian prose writer and dramatist.Chris Tomei, 'Lidia Dmitrievna Zinov`eva-Annibal', in Katherine Wilson, ...
(1907) *''
The Rainbow ''The Rainbow'' is a novel by British author D. H. Lawrence, first published by Methuen & Co. in 1915. It follows three generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire, focusing particularly on the individual's struggle to growth ...
'',
D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...
(1915) *''花物語'' (''Hana Monogatari'', "Flower Tales") (short stories),
Nobuko Yoshiya was a Japanese novelist active in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. She was one of modern Japan's most commercially successful and prolific writers, specializing in serialized romance novels and adolescent girls' fiction, as well as a pioneer in ...
(1916-1925) *''
Regiment of Women ''Regiment of Women'' is the debut novel of Winifred Ashton writing as Clemence Dane. First published in 1917, the novel has gained some notoriety due to its more or less veiled treatment of lesbian relationships inside and outside a school se ...
'', Winifred Ashton (under the pseudonym
Clemence Dane Clemence Dane CBE is the pseudonym of Winifred Ashton (21 February 1888 – 28 March 1965), an English novelist and playwright. Life and career After completing her education, Dane went to Switzerland to work as a French tutor, but returned ...
) (1917) *''The Scorpion'', Anna Elisabet Weirauch (1919) (1930) (1931) *''屋根裏の二處女'' (''Yaneura no Nishojo'', "Two Virgins in the Attic"),
Nobuko Yoshiya was a Japanese novelist active in Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. She was one of modern Japan's most commercially successful and prolific writers, specializing in serialized romance novels and adolescent girls' fiction, as well as a pioneer in ...
(1920) *'' The Bachelor Girl'',
Victor Margueritte Victor Margueritte (1 December 186623 March 1942) was a French novelist. He was the younger brother of Paul Margueritte (1860–1918). Life He and his brother were born in Algeria. They were the sons of General Jean Auguste Margueritte (1 ...
(1922) *''God of Vengeance'' (play),
Sholem Asch Sholem Asch ( yi, שלום אַש, pl, Szalom Asz; 1 November 1880 – 10 July 1957), also written Shalom Ash, was a Polish-Jewish novelist, dramatist, and essayist in the Yiddish language who settled in the United States. Life and work Asch ...
(1923) – a girl has a lesbian relationship with a prostitute *''Freundinnen'', Maximiliane Ackers (1923) *''
Anja und Esther Aanya, Anya or Anja is a given name. The names are feminine in most cultures especially Indian, and unisex in several African and European countries. Origins and variant forms * Aanya or Anya is an Indian name that means inexhaustible, limitless ...
'' (play),
Klaus Mann Klaus Heinrich Thomas Mann (18 November 1906 – 21 May 1949) was a German writer and dissident. He was the son of Thomas Mann, a nephew of Heinrich Mann and brother of Erika Mann, with whom he maintained a lifelong close relationship, and Golo ...
(1925) *'' The Captive'' (play), Edouard Bourdet (1926) – tragedy of a young woman who falls into a twisted relationship with another woman *''
The Well of Loneliness ''The Well of Loneliness'' is a lesbian novel by British author Radclyffe Hall that was first published in 1928 by Jonathan Cape. It follows the life of Stephen Gordon, an Englishwoman from an upper-class family whose " sexual inversion" (hom ...
'',
Radclyffe Hall Marguerite Antonia Radclyffe Hall (12 August 1880 – 7 October 1943) was an English poet and author, best known for the novel ''The Well of Loneliness'', a groundbreaking work in lesbian literature. In adulthood, Hall often went by the name Jo ...
(1928) – subject of an obscenity trial that banned the book in the United Kingdom until 1949, though "there are no descriptions of sex in it, no rude words, and the lesbian lovers do not live happily ever after" *'' Ladies Almanack'',
Djuna Barnes Djuna Barnes (, June 12, 1892 – June 18, 1982) was an American artist, illustrator, journalist, and writer who is perhaps best known for her novel ''Nightwood'' (1936), a cult classic of lesbian fiction and an important work of modernist litera ...
(1928) *'' Orlando: A Biography'',
Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer, considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Woolf was born i ...
(1928) *'' Extraordinary Women'',
Compton Mackenzie Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie, (17 January 1883 – 30 November 1972) was a Scottish writer of fiction, biography, histories and a memoir, as well as a cultural commentator, raconteur and lifelong Scottish independence, Scottish nation ...
(1928) *'' Kariera Nikodema Dyzmy'' by
Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz (; 10 August 1898 – 20 September 1939) was a Polish writer, journalist and author of over a dozen popular novels. One of his best known works, which in Poland became a byword for fortuitous careerism, was ''The Career ...
has a lesbian character having an affair with her father's wife. The wife eventually marries the main character, but there is no question of the lesbian feeling any sentiments towards a man. *''
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas ''The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas'' is a book by Gertrude Stein, written in October and November 1932 and published in 1933. It employs the form of an autobiography authored by Alice B. Toklas, her life partner. In 1998, Modern Library r ...
'',
Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein (February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946) was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the Allegheny West neighborhood and raised in Oakland, California, Stein moved to Paris ...
(1933) – one of Stein's more accessible works. Others, whose lesbian content may not be apparent to the uninformed reader, include '' As a Wife Has a Cow: A Love Story'', '' Lifting Belly'', and ''
Miss Furr and Miss Skeene Miss (pronounced ) is an English language honorific typically used for a girl, for an unmarried woman (when not using another title such as "Doctor" or "Dame"), or for a married woman retaining her maiden name. Originating in the 17th century, it ...
''. *'' The Child Manuela'',
Christa Winsloe Christa Winsloe (23 December 1888 – 10 June 1944), formerly Baroness Christa von Hatvany-Deutsch, was a German-Hungarian novelist, playwright and sculptor, best known for her play ''Gestern und heute'' (known under several titles, see below), ...
(1933) *'' The Children's Hour'' (play),
Lillian Hellman Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, prose writer, memoirist and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway, as well as her communist sympathies and political activism. She was blacklisted aft ...
(1934) *''
Nightwood ''Nightwood'' is a 1936 novel by American author Djuna Barnes that was first published by publishing house Faber and Faber. It is one of the early prominent novels to portray explicit homosexuality between women, and as such can be considered ...
'',
Djuna Barnes Djuna Barnes (, June 12, 1892 – June 18, 1982) was an American artist, illustrator, journalist, and writer who is perhaps best known for her novel ''Nightwood'' (1936), a cult classic of lesbian fiction and an important work of modernist litera ...
(1936) *''
Lulu Lulu may refer to: Companies * LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer * Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer * Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia * Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, a C ...
'',
Alban Berg Alban Maria Johannes Berg ( , ; 9 February 1885 – 24 December 1935) was an Austrian composer of the Second Viennese School. His compositional style combined Romantic lyricism with the twelve-tone technique. Although he left a relatively sma ...
(1937) *'' Young Man with a Horn'', Dorothy Baker (1938) – Amy has a relationship with the singer Josephine Jordan *''
Torchlight to Valhalla ''Torchlight to Valhalla'' is a lesbian-themed novel published by Random House in 1938, written by Gale Wilhelm. The novel is considered a classic in lesbian fiction, being one of the few hardbound novels with lesbian content to be published in th ...
'', Gale Wilhelm (1938) *''The Friendly Young Ladies'',
Mary Renault Eileen Mary Challans (4 September 1905 – 13 December 1983), known by her pen name Mary Renault ("She always pronounced it 'Ren-olt', though almost everyone would come to speak of her as if she were a French car." ), was an English writer best ...
(1943) *''
Two Serious Ladies ''Two Serious Ladies'' is a 1943 modernist novel by the American writer Jane Bowles. It follows two upper-class women, Christina Goering and Frieda Copperfield, as they descend into debauchery. Bowles' style is often described as singular. In Fe ...
'',
Jane Bowles Jane Bowles (; born Jane Sydney Auer; February 22, 1917 – May 4, 1973) was an American writer and playwright. Early life Born into a Jewish family in New York City on February 22, 1917, to Sydney Auer (father) and Claire Stajer (mother), Jane ...
(1943) *''
No Exit ''No Exit'' (french: Huis clos, links=no, ) is a 1944 existentialist French play by Jean-Paul Sartre. The play was first performed at the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in May 1944. The play begins with three characters who find themselves waiting ...
'',
Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology), a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and litera ...
(1944) – Inès Serrano, a lesbian, is sent to
Hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
for murder *''
Women's Barracks ''Women's Barracks: The Frank Autobiography of a French Girl Soldier'' is a classic work of lesbian pulp fiction by French writer Tereska Torrès published in 1950. Historians credit it as the first US paperback-original bestseller, as the firs ...
'', Tereska Torres (1950) – credited as the first US paperback-original bestseller *''
Spring Fire ''Spring Fire'', is a 1952 paperback novel written by Marijane Meaker, under the pseudonym "Vin Packer". It is the first lesbian paperback novel, and the beginning of the lesbian pulp fiction genre; it also addresses issues of conformity in 195 ...
'', Marijane Meaker (as
Vin Packer Marijane Agnes Meaker (May 27, 1927 – November 21, 2022) was an American writer who, along with Tereska Torres, was credited with launching the lesbian pulp fiction genre, the only accessible novels on that theme in the 1950s. Under the name ...
) (1952) *'' Le Rempart des Béguines'',
Françoise Mallet-Joris Françoise Mallet-Joris (6 July 1930 – 13 August 2016), pen name of Françoise Lilar, was a Belgian author who was a member of the Prix Femina committee from 1969 to 1971 and appointed to the ''Académie Goncourt'' from November 1971 to 2011. ...
(1952) – Helene, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, is seduced by her father's mistress, Tamara *''
The Price of Salt ''The Price of Salt'' (later republished under the title ''Carol'') is a 1952 romance novel by Patricia Highsmith, first published under the pseudonym "Claire Morgan." Highsmith—known as a suspense writer based on her psychological thriller ...
'',
Patricia Highsmith Patricia Highsmith (January 19, 1921 – February 4, 1995) was an American novelist and short story writer widely known for her psychological thrillers, including her series of five novels featuring the character Tom Ripley. She wrote 22 novel ...
(under the pseudonym "Claire Morgan" before 1990) (1952) – considered the first lesbian novel with a 'happy ending'; basis for the 2015 film '' Carol''. *''
Chocolates for Breakfast ''Chocolates for Breakfast'' is a 1956 American novel written by Pamela Moore (author), Pamela Moore. Originally published in 1956 when Moore was eighteen years old, the novel gained notoriety from readers and critics for its frank depiction of te ...
'',
Pamela Moore Pamela Moore is an American singer-songwriter, mixing hard rock, heavy metal, melodic rock and industrial music while her earlier years delved into pop and electronica. She currently resides in Seattle, Washington. History Born and rais ...
(1956) – portrays the bond between the protagonist Courtney Farrell and her boarding school teacher Miss Rosen, and the backlash against them from other teachers and students *''
Odd Girl Out ''Odd Girl Out'' is a 2005 drama telefilm starring Alexa Vega, Lisa Vidal, Elizabeth Rice, Alicia Morton, Leah Pipes, Shari Dyon Perry, Joey Nappo, and Chad Biagini. First aired April 4, 2005 on Lifetime, the film is based on the book ''Odd Gir ...
'', ''
I Am a Woman ''I Am a Woman'' is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1959 by Ann Bannon (pseudonym of Ann Weldy). It is the second in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as ''The Beebo Brinker Chronicles''. It was originally pu ...
'', ''
Women in the Shadows ''Women in the Shadows'' is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1959 by Ann Bannon (pseudonym of Ann Weldy). It is the third in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as ''The Beebo Brinker Chronicles''. It was origi ...
'', ''
Journey to a Woman ''Journey to a Woman'' is a lesbian pulp fiction novel written in 1960 by Ann Bannon (pseudonym of Ann Weldy). It is the fifth in a series of pulp fiction novels that eventually came to be known as ''The Beebo Brinker Chronicles''. It was origi ...
'', and '' Beebo Brinker'' (a.k.a. ''The Beebo Brinker Chronicles''),
Ann Bannon Ann Weldy (born September 15, 1932), better known by her pen name Ann Bannon, is an American author who, from 1957 to 1962, wrote six lesbian pulp fiction novels known as ''The Beebo Brinker Chronicles''. The books' enduring popularity and impac ...
(1957–1962) *'' The Girls in 3-B'', Valerie Taylor (1959) *''Cassandra at the Wedding'', Dorothy Baker (1962) *''
The Group The Group may refer to: Film and television * ''The Group'' (Australian TV series), 1971 situation comedy produced by Cash Harmon Television for ATN7 * ''The Group'' (Canadian TV series), 1968–70 music variety on CBC Television * ''The Group ...
'', Mary McCarthy (1962) *''Winter Love'',
Han Suyin Rosalie Matilda Kuanghu Chou (; 12 September 1917 or 1916 – 2 November 2012) was a Chinese-born Eurasian physician and author better known by her pen name Han Suyin (). She wrote in English and French on modern China, set her novels in East an ...
(1962) *''
The Killing of Sister George ''The Killing of Sister George'' is a 1964 play by Frank Marcus that was later adapted into a The Killing of Sister George (film), 1968 film directed by Robert Aldrich. Stage version Sister George is a beloved character in the popular radio ser ...
'',
Frank Marcus Frank Ulrich Marcus (30 June 1928 – 5 August 1996) was a British playwright, best known for ''The Killing of Sister George''. Life and career Marcus was born 30 June 1928 into a Jewish family in Breslau (then in Germany). They came to Eng ...
(1963) – basis for the 1968 film ''
The Killing of Sister George ''The Killing of Sister George'' is a 1964 play by Frank Marcus that was later adapted into a The Killing of Sister George (film), 1968 film directed by Robert Aldrich. Stage version Sister George is a beloved character in the popular radio ser ...
'' (1968) *'' Desert of the Heart'',
Jane Rule Jane Vance Rule (28 March 1931 – 27 November 2007) was a Canadian writer of lesbian-themed works. Her first novel, ''Desert of the Heart'', appeared in 1964, when gay activity was still a criminal offence. It turned Rule into a reluctant m ...
(1964) – basis for the 1985 film ''
Desert Hearts ''Desert Hearts'' is a 1985 American romantic drama film directed by Donna Deitch. The screenplay, written by Natalie Cooper, is an adaptation of the 1964 lesbian novel '' Desert of the Heart'' by Jane Rule. Set in Reno, Nevada in 1959, it te ...
'' *''
From Doon with Death ''From Doon with Death'' was the debut novel of British writer Ruth Rendell, first published in 1964. The story was later made into a movie in 1988. The novel introduced her popular recurring character Inspector Wexford Chief Inspector Regin ...
'',
Ruth Rendell Ruth Barbara Rendell, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, (; 17 February 1930 – 2 May 2015) was an English author of thrillers and psychological murder mysteries. Rendell is best known for creating Chief Inspector Wexford.The Oxford Companion ...
(1964) *''The Microcosm'',
Maureen Duffy Maureen Patricia Duffy (born 21 October 1933) is an English poet, playwright, novelist and non-fiction author. Long an activist covering such issues as gay rights and animal rights, she campaigns especially on behalf of authors. She has receive ...
(1966) *'' A Compass Error'',
Sybille Bedford Sybille Bedford, OBE (16 March 1911 – 17 February 2006) was a German-born English writer of non-fiction and semi-autobiographical fiction books. She was a recipient of the Golden PEN Award. Early life She was born as Sybille Aleid Elsa von ...
(1968) *''
Patience and Sarah ''Patience and Sarah'' is a 1969 historical fiction novel with strong lesbian themes by Alma Routsong, using the pen name Isabel Miller. It was originally self-published under the title ''A Place for Us'' and eventually found a publisher as ...
'',
Isabel Miller Alma Routsong (November 26, 1924 – October 4, 1996) was an American novelist best known for her lesbian fiction, published under the pen name Isabel Miller. Early life Alma Routsong was born Elma Louise Routsong in Traverse City, Michigan, on ...
(1969) *''
Rubyfruit Jungle ''Rubyfruit Jungle'' is the first novel by Rita Mae Brown. Published in 1973, it was remarkable in its day for its explicit portrayal of lesbianism. The novel is a coming-of-age autobiographical account of Brown's youth and emergence as a lesbia ...
'', (1973),
Rita Mae Brown Rita Mae Brown (born November 28, 1944) is an American feminist writer, best known for her coming-of-age autobiographical novel, ''Rubyfruit Jungle''. Brown was active in a number of civil rights campaigns and criticized the marginalization of le ...
*'' Lover'' (1976), Bertha Harris *''
The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker which won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.
'' (1982),
Alice Walker Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (born February 9, 1944) is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, and social activist. In 1982, she became the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, which she was aw ...
*'' Toothpick House'' (1983), Lee Lynch *''
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit ''Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'' is a novel by Jeanette Winterson published in 1985 by Pandora Press. It is a coming-of-age story about a lesbian girl who grows up in an English Pentecostal community. Key themes of the book include transition ...
'' (1985),
Jeanette Winterson Jeanette Winterson (born 27 August 1959) is an English writer. Her first book, '' Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'', was a semi-autobiographical novel about a sensitive teenage girl rebelling against convention. Other novels explore gender pola ...
*''
Mousson de femmes Mousson () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France. The village lies on a hilltop, adjacent to the east of Pont-à-Mousson. See also * Communes of the Meurthe-et-Moselle department The following is a list of ...
(Monsoon of Women)'' (1985),
Elula Perrin Elula Perrin (1929, Hanoi – 22 May 2003, Paris) was a French-Vietnamese writer. In 1969, she and Aimée Mori founded the Katmandou, the first nightclub for women in Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in Fra ...
*''
The Swashbuckler ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
'' (1985), Lee Lynch *'' Lesbian Body'' (1986),
Monique Wittig Monique Wittig (; July 13, 1935 – January 3, 2003) was a French author, philosopher and feminist theorist who wrote about abolition of the sex-class system and coined the phrase "heterosexual contract". Her seminal work is titled ''The Straigh ...
*'' Say Jesus and Come to Me'' (1986),
Ann Allen Shockley Ann Allen Shockley (born June 21, 1927) is an American journalist and author, specialising in themes of interracial lesbian love, especially the plight of black lesbians living under what she views as the ‘triple oppression’ of racism, sexism ...
*''
Memory Board Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...
'' (1987),
Jane Rule Jane Vance Rule (28 March 1931 – 27 November 2007) was a Canadian writer of lesbian-themed works. Her first novel, ''Desert of the Heart'', appeared in 1964, when gay activity was still a criminal offence. It turned Rule into a reluctant m ...
*'' July Nights and Other Stories'', (1991),
Jane Eaton Hamilton Eaton Hamilton (born July 19, 1954) is a Canadian short story writer, novelist, essayist and poet, who goes by "Hamilton", 2021 legal name “Eaton Hamilton" and uses they/their pronouns. Hamilton has published the novel ''Weekend'' (Arsenal P ...
*'' Send My Roots Rain'' (1991), Ibis Gómez-Vega *'' Six of One'' (1991),
Rita Mae Brown Rita Mae Brown (born November 28, 1944) is an American feminist writer, best known for her coming-of-age autobiographical novel, ''Rubyfruit Jungle''. Brown was active in a number of civil rights campaigns and criticized the marginalization of le ...
*'' Aquamarine'' (1993), Carol Anshaw *'' Bastard Out of Carolina'' (1993),
Dorothy Allison Dorothy Allison (born April 11, 1949) is an American writer from South Carolina whose writing focuses on class struggle, sexual abuse, child abuse, feminism and lesbianism. She is a self-identified lesbian femme. Allison has won a number of a ...
*''
Stone Butch Blues ''Stone Butch Blues'' is a historical fiction novel written by Leslie Feinberg about life as a butch lesbian in 1970s America. While fictional, the work also takes inspiration from Feinberg's own life, and she described it as her "call to action." ...
'' (1993),
Leslie Feinberg Leslie Feinberg (September 1, 1949 – November 15, 2014) was an American butch lesbian, transgender activist, communist, and author. Feinberg authored '' Stone Butch Blues'' in 1993.
*''
Chelsea Girls ''Chelsea Girls'' is a 1966 American experimental underground film directed by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey. The film was Warhol's first major commercial success after a long line of avant-garde art films (both feature-length and short). It w ...
'' (1994),
Eileen Myles Eileen Myles (born December 9, 1949) is a LAMBDA Literary Award-winning American poet and writer who has produced more than twenty volumes of poetry, fiction, non-fiction, libretti, plays, and performance pieces over the last three decades. No ...
*''
Empire of Dreams ''Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy'' is a 2004 documentary film directed by Kevin Burns and narrated by Robert Clotworthy. It documents the making of the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy: ''Star Wars'' (1977), ''The Empire Stri ...
'' (1994),
Giannina Braschi Giannina Braschi (born February 5, 1953) is a Puerto Rican poet, novelist, dramatist, and scholar. Her notable works include ''Empire of Dreams'' (1988), ''Yo-Yo Boing!'' (1998) ''and United States of Banana'' (2011). Braschi writes cross-genr ...
*''
Written on the Body Jeanette Winterson (born 27 August 1959) is an English writer. Her first book, ''Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'', was a semi-autobiographical novel about a sensitive teenage girl rebelling against convention. Other novels explore gender polar ...
'' (1994),
Jeanette Winterson Jeanette Winterson (born 27 August 1959) is an English writer. Her first book, '' Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'', was a semi-autobiographical novel about a sensitive teenage girl rebelling against convention. Other novels explore gender pola ...
*'' Flashpoint'' (1995), Katherine V. Forrest *'' Along the Journey River'' (1996),
Carole LaFavor Carole S. LaFavor (1942–2011) was an Ojibwe novelist, Native American civil rights, Native American rights activist and nurse. Known for her HIV/AIDS activism, she was featured in Mona Smith (artist), Mona Smith's 1988 film ''Her Giveway'' about ...
*''
Fall on Your Knees ''Fall on Your Knees'' is a 1996 novel by Canadian playwright, actor and novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald. The novel takes place in late 19th and early 20th centuries and chronicles four generations of the complex Piper Family. It is a story of ...
'' (1996),
Ann-Marie MacDonald Ann-Marie MacDonald (born October 29, 1958) is a Canadian playwright, author, actress, and broadcast host who lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. MacDonald is the daughter of a member of Canada's military; she was born at an air force base near ...
*'' Memory Mambo'' (1996),
Achy Obejas Achy Obejas (born June 28, 1956) is a Cuban-American writer and translator focused on personal and national identity issues, living in Benicia, California. She frequently writes on her sexuality and nationality, and has received numerous awards fo ...
*''
Living at Night Living or The Living may refer to: Common meanings *Life, a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms ** Living species, one that is not extinct *Personal life, the course of an individual human's life * H ...
'' (1997), Mariana Romo-Carmona *'' Sweet Bitter Love'' (1997),
Rita Schiano Rita may refer to: People * Rita (given name) * Rita (Indian singer) (born 1984) * Rita (Israeli singer) (born 1962) * Rita (Japanese singer) * Eliza Humphreys (1850–1938), wrote under the pseudonym Rita Places * Djarrit, also known as Rita, a ...
*'' Loving Her'' (1997),
Ann Allen Shockley Ann Allen Shockley (born June 21, 1927) is an American journalist and author, specialising in themes of interracial lesbian love, especially the plight of black lesbians living under what she views as the ‘triple oppression’ of racism, sexism ...
*'' The Passion'' (1997),
Jeanette Winterson Jeanette Winterson (born 27 August 1959) is an English writer. Her first book, '' Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'', was a semi-autobiographical novel about a sensitive teenage girl rebelling against convention. Other novels explore gender pola ...
*'' Working Parts'' (1997),
Lucy Jane Bledsoe Lucy Jane Bledsoe (born February 1, 1957 in Portland, Oregon, United States) is a novelist who has received many awards for her fiction, including two National Science Foundation Artists & Writers Fellowships, a California Arts Council Fellowship ...
*''
Hood Hood may refer to: Covering Apparel * Hood (headgear), type of head covering ** Article of Academic dress#Hood, academic dress ** Bondage hood, sex toy * Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt Anatomy * Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitori ...
'' (1998),
Emma Donoghue Emma Donoghue (born 24 October 1969) is an Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist, and screenwriter. Her 2010 novel ''Room'' was a finalist for the Booker Prize and an international best-seller. Donoghue's 1995 novel ''Hood'' w ...
*''
Coachella Coachella may refer to: * Coachella, California * Coachella Canal, in California * Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California * "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind", a 2017 song by Lana del Rey See also

* Coachell ...
(1998),
Sheila Ortiz Taylor Sheila Ortiz Taylor (born September 25, 1939) is a lesbian Chicano, Chicana writer, poet, novelist, literacy critic, and former professor who was born in Los Angeles, California. She is Mexican Americans, Mexican-American and has produced multiple n ...
'' *''
Like In English, the word ''like'' has a very flexible range of uses, ranging from conventional to non-standard. It can be used as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, particle, conjunction, hedge, filler, and quotative. Uses Comparisons ' ...
'' (1998),
Ali Smith Ali Smith CBE FRSL (born 24 August 1962) is a Scottish author, playwright, academic and journalist. Sebastian Barry described her in 2016 as "Scotland's Nobel laureate-in-waiting". Early life and education Smith was born in Inverness on 24 Au ...
*'' Kissing the Witch'' (1999),
Emma Donoghue Emma Donoghue (born 24 October 1969) is an Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist, and screenwriter. Her 2010 novel ''Room'' was a finalist for the Booker Prize and an international best-seller. Donoghue's 1995 novel ''Hood'' w ...


Fiction and drama (21st century)

*''
High Art High culture is a subculture that emphasizes and encompasses the cultural objects of aesthetic value, which a society collectively esteem as exemplary art, and the intellectual works of philosophy, history, art, and literature that a society con ...
'' (2000) Tanya Dolan *'' Stirfry'' (2000),
Emma Donoghue Emma Donoghue (born 24 October 1969) is an Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist, and screenwriter. Her 2010 novel ''Room'' was a finalist for the Booker Prize and an international best-seller. Donoghue's 1995 novel ''Hood'' w ...
*''
Tipping the Velvet ''Tipping the Velvet'' (1998) is a historical novel by Sarah Waters; it is her debut novel. Set in England during the 1890s, it tells a coming of age story about a young woman named Nan who falls in love with a male impersonator, follows her ...
'' (2000),
Sarah Waters Sarah Ann Waters (born 21 July 1966) is a Welsh novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society and featuring lesbian protagonists, such as ''Tipping the Velvet'' and '' Fingersmith''. Life and education Early life Sara ...
*'' Gun Shy'' (2001), Lori L. Lake *'' Fingersmith'' (2002),
Sarah Waters Sarah Ann Waters (born 21 July 1966) is a Welsh novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society and featuring lesbian protagonists, such as ''Tipping the Velvet'' and '' Fingersmith''. Life and education Early life Sara ...
*''
Affinity Affinity may refer to: Commerce, finance and law * Affinity (law), kinship by marriage * Affinity analysis, a market research and business management technique * Affinity Credit Union, a Saskatchewan-based credit union * Affinity Equity Par ...
'' (2002),
Sarah Waters Sarah Ann Waters (born 21 July 1966) is a Welsh novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society and featuring lesbian protagonists, such as ''Tipping the Velvet'' and '' Fingersmith''. Life and education Early life Sara ...
*''
Hotel World ''Hotel World'' is a postmodern novel, influenced by modernist novels, written by Ali Smith. The novel portrays the stages of grief in relation to the passage of time. It won both the Scottish Arts Council Book Award (2001) and the Encore A ...
'' (2002),
Ali Smith Ali Smith CBE FRSL (born 24 August 1962) is a Scottish author, playwright, academic and journalist. Sebastian Barry described her in 2016 as "Scotland's Nobel laureate-in-waiting". Early life and education Smith was born in Inverness on 24 Au ...
*''
Love Ruins Everything Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the lov ...
'' (2002), Aren X. Tulchinsky *''
The Wanderground ''The Wanderground'' is a speculative fiction novel by Sally Miller Gearhart, published in 1978 by Persephone Press. It is Gearhart's first and most famous novel, and continues to be used in women's studies classes as a characteristic example o ...
'' (2002),
Sally Miller Gearhart Sally Miller Gearhart (April 15, 1931 – July 14, 2021) was an American teacher, feminist, science-fiction writer, and political activist. In 1973, she became the first open lesbian to obtain a tenure-track faculty position when she was hire ...
*''
Hunger In politics, humanitarian aid, and the social sciences, hunger is defined as a condition in which a person does not have the physical or financial capability to eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. In the ...
'' (2002),
Jane Eaton Hamilton Eaton Hamilton (born July 19, 1954) is a Canadian short story writer, novelist, essayist and poet, who goes by "Hamilton", 2021 legal name “Eaton Hamilton" and uses they/their pronouns. Hamilton has published the novel ''Weekend'' (Arsenal P ...
*'' Garis Tepi Seorang Lesbian'' (2003),
Herlinatiens Herlinatiens (born ''Herlina Tien Suhesti''; Ngawi, Indonesia April 26, 1982) is an author from Indonesia. Biography Herlinatiens' first novel, ''Garis Tepi Seorang Lesbian'', is about a lesbian who is discriminated against by her culture and fa ...
*'' Love and Other Ruins'' (2003), Aren X. Tulchinsky *'' Maybe Next Time'' (2003),
Karin Kallmaker Karin Kallmaker (born 1960) is an American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy. Dubbed th ...
*''
Southland Southland may refer to: Places Canada * Dunbar–Southlands, Vancouver, British Columbia New Zealand * Southland Region, a region of New Zealand * Southland County, a former New Zealand county * Southland District, part of the wider Southland Re ...
'' (2003), Nina Revoyr *'' Crybaby Butch'' (2004),
Judith Frank Judith Frank is an American writer and professor. She has been a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee, winning in the Lesbian Debut Fiction category at the 17th Lambda Literary Awards in 2005 for her novel ''Crybaby Butch'', and being a shortli ...
*''Love's Masquerade'' (2004),
Radclyffe Radclyffe (real name Dr. Lenora Ruth Barot, born 1950) is an American author of lesbian romance, paranormal romance, erotica, and mystery. She has authored multiple short stories, written fan fiction, and edited numerous anthologies. Radclyffe i ...
*'' Under the Witness Tree'' (2004), Marianne K. Martin *''
Desert Blood ''Desert Blood: The Juarez Murders'' is a 2005 mystery thriller by author Alicia Gaspar de Alba based on the violence, kidnapping and femicides that occurred in Ciudad Juarez in 1998. Plot Ivon Villa, a lesbian professor living in Los Angeles ...
'' (2005),
Alicia Gaspar de Alba Alicia Gaspar de Alba is an American scholar, cultural critic, novelist, and poet whose works include historical novels and scholarly studies on Chicana/o art, culture and sexuality. Biography Gaspar de Alba was born on July 29, 1958 in El Paso ...
*''
Bliss BLISS is a system programming language developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) by W. A. Wulf, D. B. Russell, and A. N. Habermann around 1970. It was perhaps the best known system language until C debuted a few years later. Since then, C b ...
'' (2005),
Fiona Zedde Fiona Zedde (born January 24, 1976) is the pen name of Jamaican-born American fiction writer Fiona Lewis . Her 2005 novel, ''Bliss'', was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for début Lesbian Fiction.The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky'' (2005), Aren X. Tulchinsky *''
Life Mask A death mask is a likeness (typically in wax or plaster cast) of a person's face after their death, usually made by taking a cast or impression from the corpse. Death masks may be mementos of the dead, or be used for creation of portraits. It ...
'' (2005),
Emma Donoghue Emma Donoghue (born 24 October 1969) is an Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist, and screenwriter. Her 2010 novel ''Room'' was a finalist for the Booker Prize and an international best-seller. Donoghue's 1995 novel ''Hood'' w ...
*'' Back Talk'' (2006), Saxon Bennett'' *''
French Postcards French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
'' (2006),
Jane Merchant Jane may refer to: * Jane (given name), a feminine given name * Jane (surname), related to the given name Film and television * Jane (1915 film), ''Jane'' (1915 film), a silent comedy film directed by Frank Lloyd * Jane (2016 film), ''Jane'' (20 ...
*'' Fresh Tracks'' (2006),
Georgia Beers Georgia Beers is an American writer of lesbian romance. Her novel ''Fresh Tracks'' won the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Romance. Her novels have won 13 of the Golden Crown Literary Society's Goldie Awards, including six awards for romance, ...
*''
Idaho Code Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...
'' (2006), Joan Opyr *''
Of Drag Kings and the Wheel of Fate ''Of Drag Kings and the Wheel of Fate'' is a published book of fiction in the genre of Lesbian literature set in Buffalo, New York. It was written by Susan Smith, who often goes by Smitty. It was originally published in June 2002 through Justice ...
'' (2006), Susan "Smitty" Smith *''
Punk Like Me Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture su ...
'' (2006),
JD Glass JD or jd may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''JD'' (film), a 2016 Bollywood film * J.D. (''Scrubs''), nickname of Dr. John Dorian, fictional protagonist of the comedy-drama ''Scrubs'' * JD Fenix, a character from the ''Gears of War'' vi ...
*''
Snow Moon Rising Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
'' (2006), Lori L. Lake *''
The Night Watch ''Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq'', also known as ''The Shooting Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch'', but commonly referred to as ''The Night Watch'' ( nl, De Nachtwacht), i ...
'' (2006),
Sarah Waters Sarah Ann Waters (born 21 July 1966) is a Welsh novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society and featuring lesbian protagonists, such as ''Tipping the Velvet'' and '' Fingersmith''. Life and education Early life Sara ...
*'' A Taste of Sin'' (2006),
Fiona Zedde Fiona Zedde (born January 24, 1976) is the pen name of Jamaican-born American fiction writer Fiona Lewis . Her 2005 novel, ''Bliss'', was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for début Lesbian Fiction.Every Dark Desire Every may refer to: People * Every (surname), including a list of people surnamed Every or Van Every * Every Maclean, New Zealand politician in sunda 19th century * Every baronets, a title in the Baronetage of England Other * Suzuki Every, a ...
'' (2007),
Fiona Zedde Fiona Zedde (born January 24, 1976) is the pen name of Jamaican-born American fiction writer Fiona Lewis . Her 2005 novel, ''Bliss'', was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for début Lesbian Fiction.Fiona Zedde Fiona Zedde (born January 24, 1976) is the pen name of Jamaican-born American fiction writer Fiona Lewis . Her 2005 novel, ''Bliss'', was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for début Lesbian Fiction.Emma Donoghue Emma Donoghue (born 24 October 1969) is an Irish-Canadian playwright, literary historian, novelist, and screenwriter. Her 2010 novel ''Room'' was a finalist for the Booker Prize and an international best-seller. Donoghue's 1995 novel ''Hood'' w ...
*''Relief (novel), Relief'' (2008), L.E. Butler *''Your Sad Eyes and Unforgettable Mouth'' (2008), Edeet Ravel *''Cat Rising'' (2009), Cynn Chadwick *''Girl Meets Boy'' (2009),
Ali Smith Ali Smith CBE FRSL (born 24 August 1962) is a Scottish author, playwright, academic and journalist. Sebastian Barry described her in 2016 as "Scotland's Nobel laureate-in-waiting". Early life and education Smith was born in Inverness on 24 Au ...
*''Lesbians Roaring Like A Tsunami'' (2010), by Mikhail Volokhov *''Un Soir du Paris'' (2010), short story collection *''Broken Ladder", (2010), J. Monique Gambles *''Buyer's Remorse'' (2011), Lori L. Lake *''Cinnamon'' (2012), Samar Yazbek *''Like Dark Minds'' (2013), Christy Summerland *''Ghostwriter'' (2012), Terry Birchwood *''Tipping Over'' (2013), Terry Birchwood *''Bury Me When I'm Dead: A Charlie Mack Motown Mystery'' (2016), Cheryl A Head *''Weekend (novel by Jane Eaton Hamilton), Weekend'' (2016),
Jane Eaton Hamilton Eaton Hamilton (born July 19, 1954) is a Canadian short story writer, novelist, essayist and poet, who goes by "Hamilton", 2021 legal name “Eaton Hamilton" and uses they/their pronouns. Hamilton has published the novel ''Weekend'' (Arsenal P ...
*''Y Not, She Meowed'' (2017), Robby S. Witt *''Death's Echoies'' (2018), Penny Mickelbury *''Paper is White'' (2018), Hilary Zaid *''Great America'' (2020), Clayton Overstreet *''Between A Rock and A Soft Place: Selected Works'' (2021), S. Renee Bess


Mystery series by lead character

*Alison Kaine, a lesbian police officer in Denver, Colorado, in mysteries by Kate Allan *Allison O'Neill, a lesbian in mysteries by Lauren Wright Douglas *Amanda Valentine, a lesbian detective inspector in Wellington, New Zealand, in mysteries by Rose Beecham *Wilhelmina "Bil" Hardy, an amateur lesbian detective in ''
Idaho Code Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...
'' and ''From Hell to Breakfast'' by Joan Opyr *Brenda Strange, a private investigator of the weird in Tampa, Florida, in mysteries by Patty Henderson *Brett Higgins, a gangster/private investigator in Detroit, Michigan, in mysteries by Therese Szymanski *Caitlin Reece, a lesbian in mysteries by Lauren Wright Douglas *Carmen Ramirez, a 24-year-old Irish-Puerto Rican lesbian copy editor at her hometown newspaper in Frontier City, Oklahoma in mysteries by Lisa Haddock *Carol Ashton, a lesbian detective inspector in Sydney, Australia in mysteries by Claire McNab *Cassandra Reilly, a widely traveled lesbian translator in mysteries by Barbara Wilson (American writer), Barbara Wilson *Cassidy James, a lesbian private investigator based in Portland, Oregon, in mysteries by Kate Calloway *Colleen Fitzgerald, a lesbian insurance investigator in mysteries by Barbara Johnson (mystery and science fiction writer), Barbara Johnson *Danielle Renaud, a lesbian French-Canadian RCMP officer in mysteries by Nadine LaPierre *Dez Reilly, Desiree "Dez" Reilly, a lesbian policewoman in St. Paul, Minnesota, in mysteries by Lori L. Lake *Emma Victor, a lesbian private investigator in San Francisco, California, in mysteries by Mary Wings *Fleur de Roller, an undercover security agent who falls for her subject in ''The Woman Who Pretended To Love Men'' (''Those Strange Women'' #2) by Anna Ferrara *Gianna Maglione, lesbian police lieutenant in Washington, D.C., in mysteries by Penny Mickelbury *Hilary Tamar (?), an androgynous lawyer in mysteries by Sarah Caudwell; in fact, Caudwell never specifies Tamar's sex *Hyacinth Dickinson a lesbian gynecologist and diamond smuggler in Newcastle upon Tyne by Ellen Dean *Jane Lawless, a lesbian restaurant owner and private investigator in Minneapolis in mysteries by Ellen Hart *Jet Butler, a lesbian college professor in mysteries by B. Reese Johnson *Jo Jacuzzo, a charismatic lesbian in Buffalo, New York, in mysteries by Anne Seale *Jude Devine, a lesbian sheriff's detective in Montezuma County, Colorado, in mysteries by Rose Beecham *Kate Delafield, a lesbian LAPD homicide detective and former Marine in mysteries by Katherine V. Forrest *Kate Martinelli, a lesbian homicide detective in San Francisco in mysteries by Laurie R. King *Kristin Ashe, a lesbian private investigator in mysteries by Jennifer L. Jordan *Kellen Stewart, a therapist and a lesbian in Great Britain by Manda Scott *Kylie Kendall, the lesbian manager of a pub in tiny Wollegudgerie, Australia who inherits 51% of her father's private detective agency in Los Angeles, California, in mysteries by Claire McNab *Lane Thompson, a charming lesbian patient at the Wonderdrug Psychiatric Center in ''The Woman Who Made Me Feel Strange'' (''Those Strange Women'' #1) by Anna Ferrara *Lauren Laurano, a lesbian private investigator in Manhattan in mysteries by Sandra Scoppettone *Leona 'Leo' Reese, a lesbian police officer/fraud investigator in Portland, Oregon by Lori L. Lake *Lexy Hyatt, a lesbian crime reporter in Florida in mysteries by Carlene Miller *Lindsay Gordon, a lesbian journalist and socialist in Glasgow, Scotland, in mysteries by Val McDermid *Maggie Garrett, a young, lesbian private investigator in San Francisco in mysteries by Jean Taylor *Maris Middleton, a lesbian chemist with a specialization in forensics in mysteries by Kaye Davis *Meg Lacey, a lesbian private investigator based in Canada in mysteries by Elizabeth Bowers *Rainey Blue Bell, an FBI agent on medical leave and a bail bonds business owner; meets her first lesbian lover in ''Rainey Days'', the first novel in the Rainey Bell mystery series by R.E. Bradshaw *Micky Knight, a lesbian private investigator in New Orleans in mysteries by J.M. Redmann *Monette O'Reilley, a towering lesbian, the star player of the Leaping Lesbians of the Park Slope soccer team, and a graphic artist in New York City in mysteries by David Stukas *Nea Fox, a lesbian private investigator in London, England in mysteries by Amelia Ellis *Nickel Smith, Nickel (Nicole) Smith, a lesbian small-town newspaper editor in Runnymeade by
Rita Mae Brown Rita Mae Brown (born November 28, 1944) is an American feminist writer, best known for her coming-of-age autobiographical novel, ''Rubyfruit Jungle''. Brown was active in a number of civil rights campaigns and criticized the marginalization of le ...
*Pam Nilsen, lesbian printing company owner in Seattle, Washington, by Barbara Wilson (American writer), Barbara Wilson *Saz Martin, a lesbian private investigator in London by Stella Duffy *Shay O'Hanlon, a lesbian coffee store owner in the humorous caper/mysteries by Jessie Chandler *Stoner McTavish, a lesbian travel agent in Boston, Massachusetts, by Sarah Dreher *Sydney Sloan, a lesbian private investigator in New York, New York, in the Stonewall Inn mysteries by Randye Lordon *Toni Mendez, a lesbian private investigator in London by Sam Skyborne *Toni Barston, a lesbian district attorney specializing in borderline personalities in mysteries by Terri Breneman *Tru North, a lesbian police detective in Kansas City, Missouri, in mysteries by Janet McClellan *Virginia Kelly, a lesbian investment adviser in mysteries by Nikki Baker


Romance novels

*''La Fille aux yeux d'or'' – Honoré de Balzac *''The Interpretation of Love and the Truth'' – Barbara Winkes *''It's Complicated:Misconceptions'' – Erika Renee Land *''Owning Regina'' – Lorelei Elstrom *''Curious Wine, Emergence of Green'' – Katherine V. Forrest *''All True Lovers, Cytherea's Breath, Amantha'' – Sarah Aldridge *''Legacy of Love, Love in the Balance, Dawn of the Dance, Never Ending, Mirrors, Under the Witness Tree, Dance in the Key of Love'' – Marianne K. Martin *''Mulligan, House on Sandstone, Just this Once, Secrets So Deep, Out of Love'' – KG MacGregor *''Sunset Island, Awaiting My Assignment, The Interim, Anything Your Heart Desires'' – AJ Adaire *''Beyond Midnight, Beautiful Strangers'' (Hyacinth Dickinson Series) – Ellen Dean *Honor Series, Justice Series, Provincetown Series –
Radclyffe Radclyffe (real name Dr. Lenora Ruth Barot, born 1950) is an American author of lesbian romance, paranormal romance, erotica, and mystery. She has authored multiple short stories, written fan fiction, and edited numerous anthologies. Radclyffe i ...
*''All the Wrong Places, Car Pool, Embrace in Motion, Finders Keepers, In Every Port, Just LIke That, The Kiss that Counted, One Degree of Separation, Painted Moon, Sugar, Unforgettable, Making Up For Lost Time, Substitute for Love, Touchwood, Wild Things, Watermark'' (the last the sequel to ''Touchwood'') –
Karin Kallmaker Karin Kallmaker (born 1960) is an American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy. Dubbed th ...
*''Course of Action, Coffee Sonata, Sheridan's Fate, September canvass'' – Gun Brooke *''Define Destiny'' JM Dragon *''First Instinct, Forever Found, Rising Storm, Hotel Liaison'' – J. Lee Meyer *''More Than Paradise'', the Moon Island Series: ''Passion Bay, Saving Grace, The Sacred Shore, A Guarded Heart'', and the Dark Vista series: ''Dark Dreamer, Dark Valentine'' – Jennifer Fulton *''I Found My Heart In San Francisco Series, Arbor Vitae'' – SX Meagher *''Sweet Bitter Love'' –
Rita Schiano Rita may refer to: People * Rita (given name) * Rita (Indian singer) (born 1984) * Rita (Israeli singer) (born 1962) * Rita (Japanese singer) * Eliza Humphreys (1850–1938), wrote under the pseudonym Rita Places * Djarrit, also known as Rita, a ...
*''Sierra City, Gulf Breeze, Hunter's Way, Behind the Pine Curtain, Coyote Sky, Dawn of Change, The Rainbow Cedar, One Summer Night'' – Gerri Hill *''The Light Fantastic'' – L A Tucker *''Never Say Never, Class Reunion'' – Linda Hill *''None So Blind, Prairie Fire, Tumbleweed Fever'' – LJ Maas *''Galveston 1900: Swept Away, The Bluest Eyes in Texas, and Borderline'' – Linda Crist *''The Price of Fame, The Cost of Commitment, The Value of Valor'' – Lynn Ames *''
The Price of Salt ''The Price of Salt'' (later republished under the title ''Carol'') is a 1952 romance novel by Patricia Highsmith, first published under the pseudonym "Claire Morgan." Highsmith—known as a suspense writer based on her psychological thriller ...
'' –
Patricia Highsmith Patricia Highsmith (January 19, 1921 – February 4, 1995) was an American novelist and short story writer widely known for her psychological thrillers, including her series of five novels featuring the character Tom Ripley. She wrote 22 novel ...
(originally under the pseudonym "Claire Morgan") *''Infinite Loop'' – Meghan O'Brien *''Innocent Hearts, Love's Melody Lost, Love's Tender Warriors, Tomorrow's Promise, Passion's Bright Fury, Love's Masquerade'' –
Radclyffe Radclyffe (real name Dr. Lenora Ruth Barot, born 1950) is an American author of lesbian romance, paranormal romance, erotica, and mystery. She has authored multiple short stories, written fan fiction, and edited numerous anthologies. Radclyffe i ...
*''Hunter's Pursuit, Force of Nature, Whitewater Rendezvous, Focus of Desire'' – Kim Baldwin *''A Gift of Time, Gloria's Inn'' – Robin Alexander *''Private Dancer'' – TJ Vertigo *''96 Hours, Turning the Page, Thy Neighbor's Wife, Too Close to Touch, Fresh Tracks, Mine, Starting from Scratch'' – Georgia Beers *''Turning Point'' – Lara Zielinsky *''Such A Pretty Face'' – Gabrielle Goldsby *''Trails Merge, Learning Curve'' – Rachel Spangler *''On the Air'' – Geonn Cannon *''Gemini'' – Geonn Cannon *''Out on the Sound, The Girl Back Home, Sweet Carolina Girls'' – R.E. Bradshaw *''Zen and Tonic'' – Kris Howard (2011) *''Like Lovers Do, Different Dress, Ricochet in Time'' – Lori L. Lake *''As You Were'' – Kelli Jae Baeli *''Broken Star'' – Joann Lee *''Aspen's Stunt'' – Melissa Grace *''Double Shot, Mile High Club, Switching Teams, Girlfriends With Benefits, Sugar in the Morning, Velvet Canyon, Care by Kera, Broken Wing, Commando Jane'' – Ella Wrylee *''Heart of the Hurricane –'' Woodworth, May, May Woodworth 1920's female bisexual couple Eliza and Joanna survive the August gales of Nova Scotia and find love


Historical novels

*''Vulture's Kiss, Sistine Heresy, Mephisto Aria'' – Justine Saracen * ''Miss McGhee'' – Bett Norris * ''The Seahawk'' – Brenda Adcock * ''Snow Moon Rising'' – Lori L. Lake * ''What's Best for Jane'' – Bett Norris * ''When Women Were Warriors'' – Catherine M. Wilson *''Branded Ann'' – Merry Shannon *''Heart of the Hurricane –'' May Woodworth *''In The Blood of The Greeks'' – Mary D. Brooks *''Where Shadows Linger'' – Mary D. Brooks *''Hidden Truths'' – Mary D. Brooks * ''Snow White and Her Queen'' – Anna Ferrara


Science fiction, fantasy, and horror

These science fiction works frequently address the issue of feminist/lesbian separatist communities. See Lesbian science fiction for a more detailed review. * Joanna Russ's ''The Female Man'' * Marion Zimmer Bradley's ''Renunciate'' series * Jane Fletcher's ''Celaeno'' series * Katherine V. Forrest's ''Daughters of a Coral Dawn'', ''Daughters of an Amber Noon'', ''Daughters of an Emerald Dusk'', and ''Dreams and Swords'', an anthology with the novella ''O Captain, My Captain'' * Jewelle Gomez's ''The Gilda Stories'', ''Don't Explain'' * Nicola Griffith's ''Ammonite'' and ''Slow River'' * Patrick Califia's ''Doc and Fluff'' * Therese Szymanski's ''Call of the Dark'' anthology *
Karin Kallmaker Karin Kallmaker (born 1960) is an American author of lesbian fiction whose works also include those originally written under the name Laura Adams. Her writings span lesbian romance, lesbian erotica, and lesbian science-fiction/fantasy. Dubbed th ...
, Barbara Johnson (mystery and science fiction writer), Barbara Johnson, Julia Watts and Therese Szymanski's ''New Exploits'' books, including ''Once Upon a Dyke'', ''Bell, Book & Dyke'', ''Stake Through the Heart'', and ''Tall in the Saddle'' * Diana River's ''Hadra'' series * Laurie J. Marks's ''Dancing Jack'', ''Elemental'' series (''Fire Logic, Earth Logic, Water Logic'') * Meghan O'Brien's ''The Three'' and ''Wild'' * Pam Keesey's'' Daughters of Darkness'' and ''Dark Angels'' * Gun Brooke's ''Supreme Constellations'' series * Benjamin Appleby-Dean's ''Lamplight'' * Moondancer Drake's ''Ancestral Magic'' * Justine Saracen's ''The 100th Generation'' and ''Vulture's Kiss' * Libba Bray's characters Felicity Worthington and Pippa Cross (Gemma Doyle Trilogy), Pippa Cross in her Gemma Doyle trilogy (''A Great and Terrible Beauty,'' ''Rebel Angels,'' and ''The Sweet Far Thing'') are at first thought to be very close friends, almost sisters, until it is revealed they are harboring a secret love for one another * Catherine M. Wilson's ''When Women Were Warriors'' series: Book 1: ''The Warrior's Path'', 2: ''A Journey of the Heart'', and 3: ''A Hero's Tale'' * Malinda Lo's ''Ash'' and ''Huntress'' * ''Women on the Edge of Space'', a space-opera anthology published by Circlet Press * Gay male author Geoff Ryman's Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning ''The Child Garden'' features a lesbian protagonist * Sam Skyborne's ''Simulation: The Dawn of a Superhero''. * Sarah Diemer's ''The Dark Wife'' * Raven c.s. McCracken's ''It's Always Spring Break Somewhere in the Galaxy'' * J.A. Pitts's ''Black Blade Blues'', ''Honeyed Words'', and ''Forged in Fire'' * L.J. Baker's ''Broken Wings'', ''Promises, Promises'', and ''Adijan and the Genie'' * Gill McKnight's Garoul series: ''Goldenseal'',''Ambereye'', and ''Indigo Moon'' * Merry Shannon's ''Sword of the Guardian'' * Allison Moon's "Tales of the Pack" series of novels including ''Lunatic Fringe'' and ''Hungry Ghost'' * Melissa Grace's ''Tainted Elite''


Young adult fiction

*''Ruby (novel), Ruby'' (1976), Rosa Guy *''Happy Endings Are All Alike'' (1978), Sandra Scoppettone *''The Last of Eden'' (1980), Stephanie Tolan *''Crush (novel), Crush'' (1981), Jane Futcher *''Annie on My Mind'' (1982), Nancy Garden *''Death Wore a Diadem'' (1989), Iona McGregor *''Good Moon Rising'' (1996), Nancy Garden *''The House You Pass on the Way'' (1997), Jacqueline Woodson *''The Year of Freaking Out'' (1997), Sarah Walker (Australian author), Sarah Walker *''Dare Truth or Promise'' (1997), Paula Boock *''Allison (novel), Allison'' (1998), Tatiana Strelkoff *''Girl Walking Backwards'' (1998), Bett Williams *''Summer Sisters'' (1998), Judy Blume *''Tomorrow Wendy'' (1998), Shelley Stoehr *''Out of the Shadows (novel), Out of the Shadows'' (2000), Sue Hines *''A Year of Full Moons'' (2000), Madelyn Arnold *''Empress of the World'' (2001), Sara Ryan *''Finding H.F.'' (2001), Julia Watts *''Gravel Queen'' (2003), Tea Benduhn *''I've Known Since I Was Eight'' (2003), Sophie Glasser *''Keeping You a Secret'' (2003), Julie Anne Peters *''Kissing Kate'' (2003), Lauren Myracle *''The Bermudez Triangle'' (2004), Maureen Johnson *''Good Girls Don't (novel), Good Girls Don't'' (2004), Claire Hennessy *''Heart (Harris novel), Heart'' (2004), Lexi Harris *''Orphea Proud'' (2004), Sharon Dennis Wyeth *''Rosemary and Juliet'' (2004), Judy MacLean *''Sugar Rush (novel), Sugar Rush'' (2004), Julie Burchill *''Far from Xanadu'' (2005), Julie Anne Peters *''The Will of the Empress'' (2005), Tamora Pierce *''grl2grl'' (2007), Julie Anne Peters *''The Rules for Hearts'' (2007), Sara Ryan *''Split Screen (book), Split Screen'' (2007), Brent Hartinger *''Alix & Valérie'' (2008), Íngrid Díaz *''Down to the Bone (novel), Down to the Bone'' (2008), Mayra Lazara Dole *''M+O 4Ever'' (2008), Tonya Cherie Hegamin *''My Tiki Girl'' (2008), Jennifer McMahon (writer), Jennifer McMahon *''Pretty Little Liars (book series), Pretty Little Liars'' (2008–present), Sara Shepard *''The Girl from Mars (Marsmädchen)'' (2008), Tamara Bach *''The Questions Within'' (2008), Teresa Shaeffer *''Rage: A Love Story'' (2009), Julie Anne Peters *''Ash (novel), Ash'' (2009), Malinda Lo *''I Kiss Girls'' (2007), Gina Harris *''Torn'' (2009), Amber Lehman *''The Dark Wife'' (2011), Sarah Diemer *''The Miseducation of Cameron Post'' (2012), Emily Danforth *''Candlelight (novel), Candlelight'' (2013), Sara C. Roethle *''Afterworlds (novel), Afterworlds'' (2014), Scott Westerfield *''Unspeakable (novel), Unspeakable'' (2015), Abbie Rushton


Fan fiction

Fanfiction writers have produced many works in which female characters from fictional sources (such as television shows, movies, video games, anime, manga or comic books) are paired in romantic, spiritual, or sexual relationships. The genre is known by a variety of terms, including femslash, saffic, Yuri (genre), yuri and f/f slash. Lesbian content in fanfiction dates at least to 1977, but has become more popular during the 1990s and 2000s.


Lesbian and feminist publishing houses

*Alyson Books *Aunt Lute Books *AUSXIP Publishing *Bella Books *Blue Feather Books *Bold Strokes Books *Bywater Books *Colbere Publishing *Crossing Press
Dukebox.life
*Desert Palm Press *Firebrand Books *Intaglio Publications *Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press *Launch Point Press *Onlywomen Press *Press Gang Publishers *Regal Crest Enterprises *Spinsters Ink *Supposed Crimes *Virago Press *Ylva Publishing


Further reading

* ''The Lesbian in Literature'' by Gene Damon (Barbara Grier) – bibliography of any title with lesbian content through 1969 * ''Chloe plus Olivia – An Anthology of Lesbian Literature from the Seventeenth Century to the Present'', ed. Lillian Faderman, Penguin Books 1995


See also

*Lesbian literature *Lesbian pulp fiction *Lesbian literature#Young adult fiction, Lesbian teen fiction *LGBT literature *List of genres *List of nonfiction books about homosexuality *List of poetry portraying sexual relations between women *Yuri (genre)


References

*Potter, Clare. ''The Lesbian Periodical Index'', Naiad Press 1986
Gay detectives listed by Stop, You're Killing Me!, a resource for mysteries
*[https://www.library.northwestern.edu/libraries-collections/mccormick-library/index.html McCormick Library of Special Collections, Northwestern University Library] *''Las Tortilleras: Tortilleras: Hispanic and U.S. Latina Lesbian Expression'', edited by Inmaculada Perpetusa-Seva and Lourdes Torres, Temple University Press 2003 *''These Girls Are Not Sweet'', edited by Marjorie Agosin, White Pine Press 2000


External links


Feminist SFF & Utopia: Dyke Protagonists
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20171229021828/http://www.lesbianmysteries.com/ Lesbian Mysteries] features lesbian mystery novels {{DEFAULTSORT:Lesbian Fiction Lesbian writers, Lesbianism-related lists, Fiction Lesbian fiction, * Bibliographies of subcultures