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Best Mystery Books

Immerse yourself in suspense and intrigue with the critically acclaimed mystery books that have captivated readers and critics alike.

Recommendations from 53 articles, Barack Obama, Emma Watson, Anderson Cooper and 49 others.
100 books on the list
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Gone Girl book cover
Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn - 2014-04-22 (first published in 2012)
Goodreads Rating
A thrilling exploration of a marriage gone wrong from one of the most acclaimed suspense writers of our time. When the clever and beautiful wife of a small-town golden boy disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary, the pressure mounts as rumors fly and suspicions rise. With razor-sharp writing and intricate plot twists, this dark psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
Murder on the Orient Express book cover
Murder on the Orient Express
A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mysteries)
Agatha Christie - 2007-06-04 (first published in 1934)
Goodreads Rating
This classic mystery novel follows detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates a murder on the luxurious and snowbound Orient Express. With a locked compartment and a dozen stab wounds, Poirot must solve the case before the killer strikes again.
Rebecca book cover
Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier - 2013-12-17 (first published in 1938)
Goodreads Rating
An orphaned lady's maid is swept off her feet by a dashing widower's proposal of marriage. But upon arrival to his country estate, she realizes his late wife's shadow looms large, threatening to destroy their relationship from beyond the grave.
Recommended by
Glen Mazzara
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo book cover
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Stieg Larsson - 2008-09-23 (first published in 2005)
Goodreads Rating
Discover a thrilling murder mystery that combines family saga, love story, and financial intrigue in one complex yet atmospheric novel. Follow journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the enigmatic hacker Lisbeth Salander as they delve deep into a dark world of corruption to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of a wealthy family scion over 40 years ago. Don't miss out on this satisfyingly entertaining read.
Recommended by
Imani Gandy
The Big Sleep book cover
The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler - 1988-07-12 (first published in 1939)
Goodreads Rating
A master of the 'hard-boiled' detective novel, Raymond Chandler introduced readers to Philip Marlowe, a streetwise and heroic private eye, in his first novel, The Big Sleep. With his articulate and literary writing style, Chandler won over a wide audience, from the everyday person to the intellectual elite. Selected as one of Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels, this book will keep you on your toes from the very first sentence.
Recommended by
Adam Sessler
Silent Patient book cover
Silent Patient
Alex Michaelides - 2019-02-05
Goodreads Rating
Unravel the mystery behind a chilling crime that left a woman silent for six years. Alicia Berenson had a charmed life until she shot her husband in the head, never speaking another word since. Discover the truth behind her tragic story in this gripping novel.
And Then There Were None book cover
And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie - 2004-05-03 (first published in 1939)
Goodreads Rating
An island mansion off the Devon coast is the setting for a thrilling mystery. Ten strangers, lured by a mysterious host, soon find themselves accused of having guilty secrets. As they are stranded by a violent storm, they begin to die off one by one. Who is the killer, and will anyone survive?
In Cold Blood book cover
In Cold Blood
Truman Capote - 1994-02-01 (first published in 1959)
Goodreads Rating
This gripping nonfiction book explores the brutal murder of a Kansas family and the subsequent investigation, trial, and execution of the killers. With meticulous detail and astounding empathy, Truman Capote reconstructs the events and personalities surrounding the crime, including the truly chilling young killers. In Cold Blood is a masterful example of literary journalism that will leave readers breathless.
The Hound of the Baskervilles book cover
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Arthur Conan Doyle - 2001-07-01 (first published in 1901)
Goodreads Rating
Enter the eerie moors of Devon where a supernatural creature haunts the Baskerville family. When Sir Charles Baskerville dies suddenly, Dr. Mortimer believes it to be the work of a vicious hound with blazing eyes and jaws. To protect Charles' heir, Sir Henry, from the same fate, Sherlock Holmes is called upon to investigate the Baskerville curse, a legacy of death and mayhem that has plagued the family for centuries. Will Holmes be able to uncover the truth before it's too late?
The Maltese Falcon book cover
The Maltese Falcon
Dashiell Hammett - 2005-03-01 (first published in 1930)
Goodreads Rating
Private investigator Sam Spade takes on a case to find a missing woman, but soon discovers that his client is not who she seems. When Spade's partner is murdered, he becomes both the hunter and the hunted in the search for a valuable and deadly treasure. Will he be able to outsmart those who want him dead?
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
In the Woods by Tana French
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Dry by Jane Harper
Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
Verity by Colleen Hoover
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
Still Life by Louise Penny
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Killing Floor by Lee Child
Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Daughter of Time, Book Cover May Vary by Josephine Tey
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane
Dorothy Leigh Sayers - Whose Body? by Dorothy Leigh Sayers
The Woman in the Window by A. J Finn
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald
The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers
Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D Jackson
The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson
Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett
The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
The Little Death by Michael Nava
The Secret Place by Tana French
Blanche on the Lam by Barbara Neely
True Confessions by John Gregory Dunne
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala
Sneaky People by Thomas Berger
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré
In a Lonely Place by Dorothy B. Hughes
Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
Walk the Wire by David Baldacci
Naked in Death by J. D. Robb
The Moonstone by Robert Kauzlaric, Wilkie Collins
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
The Push by Ashley Audrain
Billy Summers by Stephen King
The Lost Man by Jane Harper
Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Firekeeper's Daughter by Boulley Angeline
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
1st to Die by James Patterson