From Miss Marple to Bones: How Crime Fiction Draws Women to Forensic Science

The field of forensic science has become female-dominated in recent decades. Research regarding the cause of this phenomenon has been scarce, although speculation abounds. In this thesis, I argue that the development of crime fiction opened the door for women who wanted to study and practice real-world forensics. To do so, I trace the evolution of crime fiction from its late-nineteenth century progenitors to current television and film, revealing the influence and inclusion of women at each stage.