Editing An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (section)

=== The Role of ''An Unsuitable Job for a Woman'' in Detective Fiction ===
''An Unsuitable Job for a Woman'' instated Cordelia Gray as the first female private investigator in detective fiction.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} This is frequently acknowledged in the novel, as other characters repeatedly question whether Cordelia's occupation is "suitable" for her. This question inspires the book's title, acknowledging Cordelia's novelty within the genre.<ref name=":0" />

According to Dennis Porter, the novel also stands out from other detective fiction because of its commentary on ethics.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Porter |first=Dennis |title=The Sleuth and the scholar: origins, evolution, and current trends in detective fiction |date=1988 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=978-0-313-26036-0 |editor-last=Rader |editor-first=Barbara A. |series=Contributions to the study of popular culture |location=New York |chapter=Detection and Ethics: The Case of P. D. James |editor-last2=Zettler |editor-first2=Howard G. |editor-last3=Southern Connecticut Library Council}}</ref> In contrast to the detectives that predate the novel, Cordelia continually questions the morals of the people she encounters, and is also motivated by achieving justice for Mark. Based on her successful detection as an independent, "morally upright" woman, Cordelia was frequently viewed as a "hero" around the time of the novel's release.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Kotker |first=Joan |title=Women times three: writers, detectives, readers |date=1995 |publisher=Bowling Green State University Popular Press |isbn=978-0-87972-681-2 |editor-last=Klein |editor-first=Kathleen Gregory |location=Bowling Green, Ohio |chapter=The Re-Imagining of Cordelia Gray}}</ref>

Cordelia also has a distinct closeness to the victim. During her investigation, she lives in Mark's cottage and wears some of his clothes, even using his belt to pull herself out of the well and save her own life. In addition, Cordelia relates to Mark on account of their shared experiences. Both Cordelia and Mark's mothers died shortly after they were born. Mark attended Cambridge University, which Cordelia sought to attend herself. Finally, they both have fathers more dedicated to working for the greater-good than caring for their children. Joan G. Kotker claims that this explains Cordelia's motivation to attain justice for Mark, as she is also "avenging herself."<ref name=":2" />