Secondhand Lesbian Fiction Bargain Book Box SP2242

Secondhand Lesbian Fiction Bargain Book Box

Dive into a rich and diverse landscape of identity, love, and suspense with this meticulously curated collection of eighteen groundbreaking novels from the world of lesbian literature. This box features pioneering voices like Jane Rule and Valerie Taylor alongside compelling mystery series from Amanda Kyle Williams and J.M. Redmann. From classic literary fiction and intense romantic drama to thrilling espionage and cozy mysteries, these books offer a powerful and intimate look at community, politics, and desire. Each book is secondhand and may show signs of wear.

1. SOUTH OF THE LINE by Catherine Ennis
   This work of historical lesbian fiction explores a period of intense emotion and constraint in the past. It delves into the hidden lives and forbidden loves of women navigating a society that denies their existence. The narrative captures the quiet desperation and profound beauty found in building a life together against the currents of cultural disapproval. A compelling story of enduring love tested by history and social boundaries.

2. A SINGULAR SPY by Amanda Kyle Williams
   Retired CIA agent Madison McGuire is called back into the field when an insignificant murder in Geneva uncovers a major conspiracy. She must urgently hunt down a lethal mole operating at the highest levels of the United States government. Risking her quiet civilian life and her relationship with her lover, Madison puts together a crack team to neutralize the threat. This is a thrilling espionage adventure filled with high-stakes intrigue and deadly secrets.

3. THE PROVIDENCE FILE by Amanda Kyle Williams
   Madison McGuire is lured from her hard-won retirement to take on a challenge that threatens to unravel the fabric of the nation. She is tasked by the CIA to infiltrate the shadowy Providence Liberation Army, a group ready to carry out acts of violence on U.S. soil. Madison must locate their hidden training camp to set up a lightning strike, battling internal doubts and external danger in her most difficult operation yet.

4. BENEDICTION by Diane Salvatore
   Grace, a junior at a Catholic girls' academy, navigates the strictures of her upbringing while struggling with an awakening sense of self and desire. Her world is thrown into a chaotic mix of emotion after meeting the rebellious Meg and discovering a secret about the confident Linda Amato. This Lambda Literary Award finalist chronicles Grace's poignant coming-of-age journey toward accepting her true nature and claiming the life she deserves.

5. The Other Side of Venus by Shirley Verel
   Judith Allart, newly separated from her husband, dedicates herself to her work, fully aware of the difficulties facing lesbian women in mid-20th century England. Her carefully constructed emotional wall crumbles when she meets Diana Quendon, a radiant and intelligent young author. As their powerful bond deepens, Judith's fears are realized when Diana's formidable mother and Judith's implacable former husband conspire to destroy their relationship.

6. SLOW DANCING AT MISS POLLY'S by Sheila Ortiz Taylor
   This is a lyrical and witty exploration of community, family, and the enduring nature of female relationships in the American South. The narrative weaves together the lives of eccentric characters and their deeply felt emotions, anchored by the wisdom and unique perspective of the title character. It is a warm, evocative work of literary fiction that celebrates life's small, profound moments and the love found in unexpected places.

7. CONTRACT WITH THE WORLD by Jane Rule
   Set in the creative and rapidly changing landscape of 1970s Vancouver, this novel follows a circle of sexually and artistically adventurous friends and lovers. Told through the shifting perspectives of six main characters, Rule explores the delicate intersection of creative motivation, personal fulfillment, and burgeoning sexual politics. The book offers a profound look at the choices made by artists navigating love, ambition, and the search for authentic self-expression.

8. THIS IS NOT FOR YOU by Jane Rule
   Jane Rule's compelling epistolary novel is presented as an unsent, decades-long lament from a young woman to the lover who could never quite be hers. The protagonist navigates her nascent lesbian sexuality against the backdrop of 1950s and 60s New York and London's rigid societal constraints. It is a philosophical and highly literary work that vividly captures a painful search for a sustaining love in a time of strict emotional limitations.

9. SURPLUS by Sylvia Stevenson
   A poignant story of the "surplus" women of Britain, who found purpose and independence doing meaningful work during World War I, only to be cast aside after the war's end. The protagonist, Sally Wraith, finds a way forward by starting a motorcycle transport service with her ex-motor pool driver friend, Averil. This early work of lesbian literature beautifully chronicles the transition from patriotic purpose to personal passion and the blossoming of a new, unexpected relationship.

10. THE SOPHIE HOROWITZ STORY by Sarah Schulman
    Intrepid lesbian reporter Sophie Horowitz is hot on the trail of a story involving radical feminist bank robbers in the vibrant, gritty landscape of New York City's Lower East Side. Her scoop quickly morphs into a complex web of murder, intrigue, and political commentary. Schulman’s groundbreaking first novel is a funny, satirical, and thrilling dive into queer politics and the eccentric characters of the 1980s activist scene.

11. PRISM by Valerie Taylor
    This deeply felt novel offers a powerful counter-narrative to traditional coming-of-age stories, proving that life and love can begin at any age. Eldora, 60, finds a new lease on life and unexpected romance when she meets Ann, a closeted lesbian who had retreated to a small, quiet town. Taylor's work is a warm, moving portrait of finding fulfillment, self-acceptance, and passionate connection late in life, seen through the clear light of experience.

12. Rice and Beans by Valerie Taylor
    A charming and realistic romance begins for two women facing difficult economic circumstances in the late 1980s. Marty and Thea meet at the welfare office, instantly connecting over their shared struggles and the necessity of rebuilding their lives from the ground up. They pool their meager resources to share a cramped barrio apartment, transforming a partnership of necessity into a tender and profound love story.

13. SOUTHBOUND by Sheila Ortiz Taylor
    A lively continuation of the narrative begun in Faultline, this novel follows the next phase in the lives of the beloved and eccentric protagonists. The story is a rich blend of the author's signature humor, genuine heartbreak, and insightful commentary on the complexities of modern relationships and unconventional families. It offers a warm, affectionate look at finding your chosen family and continuing the journey south toward self-discovery.

14. Murder is Germane by Karen Saum
    Lesbian private investigator Brigid Donovan, a 52-year-old former nun and recovering alcoholic, is plunged into a high-stakes investigation spanning two continents. When a missing INS employee leads to a connection with drug smuggling, Brigid follows the trail from Maine to the perilous heat of Panama. She must navigate gruesome murders and a complicated love life to expose the truth and bring the killer to justice.

15. Deaths of Jocasta by J.M. Redmann
    New Orleans PI Micky Knight is hired to provide security for a swanky lesbian and gay party, but the night ends in murder when a dead body is found in the woods. When the police focus their attention on the victim’s clinic's owner, Dr. Cordelia James—the woman who broke Micky's heart—Micky is forced to clear her ex's name. Battling her raw feelings for Cordelia, Micky must unmask the killer before she becomes the next target.

16. Death by the Riverside by J.M. Redmann
    The first thrilling installment in the Micky Knight series introduces the hard-boiled New Orleans private investigator, Michele "Micky" Knight. A seemingly straightforward missing person case rapidly spirals into a dangerous underworld of police corruption and organized crime. Micky's pursuit of the truth takes her deep into the bayous and forces her to confront painful, long-suppressed memories from her troubled youth.

17. Murder is Relative by Karen Saum
    Brigid Donovan, a recovering alcoholic and amateur detective in her fifties, is hired by a wealthy, elderly Quebec matriarch to investigate the cold-case murder of her son-in-law in Maine. What begins as an ostensibly simple task quickly unravels a complex and sinister tangle of family secrets, religious community intrigue, and hidden motives. Brigid must expose the true motives of her enigmatic client before the family web ensnares her friends.

18. CHRIS by Randy Salem
    A classic piece of lesbian pulp fiction, this novel explores the turbulent love life of Chris Hamilton in a post-war world defined by secrecy and social boundaries. Chris's four-year relationship with Shelia Dizendorf is dangerously destabilized after a fateful meeting with Carol Martin in a Greenwich Village bar. This raw, emotionally charged story vividly captures the passionate complexities and painful choices faced by women loving women in the 1950s.