These iconic works by master female storytellers captivate the imagination and never let go:

Stella Dallas, Olive Higgins Prouty, United States, 1922.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Agatha Christie, England, 1926.*
Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie, England, 1934.*
Black Narcissus, Rumer Godden, England, 1939.*
Laura, Vera Caspary, United States, 1943
The Daughter of Time, Josephine Tey, England, 1951.
Katherine, Anya Seton, United States, 1954.
The Talented Mr. Ripley, Patricia Highsmith, United Kingdom, 1955.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson, United States, 1962**
The Moon-Spinners, Mary Stewart, England, 1962.
Valley of the Dolls, Jacqueline Susann, United States, 1966.
Picnic at Hanging Rock, Joan Lindsay, Australia, 1967.
Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey, United States, 1968.**
Fire from Heaven, Mary Renault, United States, 1969.
In This House of Brede, Rumer Godden , England, 1969.*
The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin, United States, 1969.
The Lathe of Heaven, Ursula K. Le Guin, United States, 1971.***
The Female Man, Joanna Russ, United States, 1975.***
Woman on the Edge of Time, Marge Piercy, United States, 1976.
Kindred, Octavia E. Butler, United States, 1979.
The Clan of the Cave Bear, Jean M. Auel, United States, 1980.
The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley, United States, 1983.*
The Gate to Women’s Country, Sheri S. Tepper, United States, 1988.
The Joy Luck Club , Amy Tan, United States, 1989.***
Her Smoke Rose Up Forever , James Tiptree, Jr. (Alice B. Sheldon),United States,1990.*
He, She and It, Marge Piercy, United States, 1991.*
Outlander, Diana Gabaldon, United States, 1991.*
The Memoirs of Cleopatra , Margaret George, United States, 1997.
Unlocking the Air and Other Stories, Ursula K. LeGuin, United States, 1997.***
The Red Tent, Anita Diamant, United States,1997.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling, United Kingdom, 1997.
In the Woods, Tana French, Ireland, 2007.***
The Red Queen ,Philippa Gregory, England, 2010.

What have we missed?  What would you add?  Let us know!
*The author and/or work has won or has been a finalist for at least one major literary award.
** The author and/or work has won or has been a finalist for at least two major literary awards.
*** The author and/or work has won or has been a finalist for three or more major literary awards.