Is it wrong to be reading two books simulataneously? 
I like the authors you listed plus a fair amount of Sci fi, There are some women mystery writers with good characters, Kate Wilhelm, Sue Grafton, Martha Grimes, Charlaine Harris, Dana Stabenow....

Kumquat is reading real literature (Nabokov and Faulkner) which I'm usually too brain dead to do. I tend to like mysteries and SF, as long as i like the characters...the ones i listed above all have strong women main characters.