The 30 best mystery books of all time

What do you expect when you flip open a mystery novel? Probably an exciting story that keeps you wondering who was to blame. The best mystery books are those with ingenious talks of clues that bring out the inner detective in you. Undoubtedly, the best feeling when reading a crime novel is that you are faced with a sufficiently difficult puzzle and yet are able to jump up and shout "I knew!" when the final revelation comes.

A good murder case will always rank high on a list of mystery novels, but other stories also have their merits. From true crime books books to spy odysseys (of course, including whodunnit riddles), here are the 30 best mystery you shouldn't miss if you're looking for twisted stories to keep you on the edge of your seat.

If you feel overwhelmed by the number of great mystery books you can read, you can also take our 1 minute quiz below to quickly narrow it down and get a personal recommendation for a mystery book 😉

1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

It's impossible to talk about mystery novels without immediately thinking about the legendary Agatha Christie. Of all her works, none has a story as impeccably crafted as And Then There Were None, which explains why it is the best-selling mystery book of all time.

The story follows ten people who are brought together for different reasons in an empty mansion on an island. The mysterious hosts of this strange company are not present, but have left instructions for two out of ten to take care of the house as housekeepers and cooks. As the days unfold in accordance with the lyrics of a nursery rhyme, each invitee is forced to face the music (literally) and bear the consequences of their troubling past, as death will come to them one by one.

2. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

Raymond Chandler's idea of mystery deviates from convention - for him it's less about the complicated plot and more about the atmosphere and characters. As such, The Big Sleep is not a run-of-the-mill story: private eye Philip Marlowe is hired to investigate the blackmail of Carmen Sternwood, the second daughter of a wealthy general. The more he delves into this messy affair, the more complicated the story gets, as Carmen is blackmailed by others into a web of unexpected relationships between the characters.

Chandler's work is complex: his characters are versatile and his language is rich with premonitions of the tragedy about to fall upon this family. While the signs he drops aren't exactly there to help you figure out "who did it," it will certainly give you an ominous awareness that will make it difficult to put the book down.

3. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Perhaps better known for its major movie adaptation, Gone Girl is the ultimate mystery puzzle for the modern media age. The sudden disappearance of devoted wife Amy puts Nick Dunne in a hailstorm of suspicion - from her parents to his neighbors to the investigators, everyone tends to believe he is responsible in some way. Nick himself becomes aware of how his wife saw him, and how little he knows about her, when stories about her come up from friends he has never heard of.

Even if you haven't managed to keep the media buzz about the movie adaptation from spoiling you, the experience of reading the minds of these unreliable storytellers is well worth the effort.

4. The Postman Always Calls Twice by James M. Cain

The Postman Always Calls Twice is often hailed as the most important crime book of the 20th century, and it's not hard to see why. Short, spicy and full of surprises, it won't give you time to catch your breath. In fact, the language Cain used was so unprecedentedly explicit that the book was banned in Boston for a while.

The story follows Frank Chambers and his roadside meeting with restaurant owner Cora Papadakis. Frank eventually works for Cora and her husband and falls in love with her despite her marriage. Frank's spontaneity takes over when he and Cora decide to plot a sinister plot to break up her marriage. Once the plan succeeds, they can stay happily ever after in each other's arms… or so they think.

5. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Since it is based on a real-life case that has already been solved, you might think that all the mystery was pulled from Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. Luckily, that couldn't be more wrong, as this non-fiction novel is one of the best-selling crime stories of all time.

Capote had been closely following the investigation into a quadruple murder in Kansas and was doing a little research on himself before the killers were caught. As a result, his book is filled with twists and turns you wouldn't expect - such nasty behavior must be fiction, right?

6. Woman in White by Wilkie Collins by Wilkie Collins

This late Victorian novel is one of the earliest psychological thrillers ever written. It follows what at first appears to be a simple story of two star-crossed lovers - Walter Hartright and Laura Fairlie - who weren't meant to be together. Laura was engaged to Sir Percival Glyde and yet she was mysteriously warned not to go ahead with the marriage. Meanwhile, the city is gripped by the story of a strange woman dressed in white who wanders the dark street.

As the title suggests, this last character is key to the mystery that will envelop these characters. In dimly lit streets and The Woman in White is set in both gothic horror and mystery book, which is exactly why the clarity you get when it comes riddle is solved so incredibly satisfying.

7. Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver

Before there was a way to get away with murder and lawsuits, entertainment for lawyers came in the form of criminal cases. Anatomy of a MurderWritten by a Supreme Court Justice under the pseudonym Robert Traver,is one such classic. It follows lawyer Paul Biegler and his defense of Frederick Manion, who is accused of murdering an innkeeper. While the case is predominantly against Manion, his untrustworthy behavior leaves room for challenges against conviction, which is where Biegler and his seemingly laid-back demeanor come in handy. This thrilling courtroom drama will keep you on the edge of your seat and wonder how this attorney can argue such an impossible case.

8. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré

chock-full of interesting code names and stressful covert actions and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is about an ex-spy, George Smiley (codename Beggarman), who is relieved to be released from retirement, Soviet mole to eradicate from British intelligence. You've probably never seen the motto "Keep your friends close and your enemies close" in better action than this, as Smiley tries to distinguish the double agent between old partners. There are plenty of clever hints and details about these cryptically named characters that you can pick up so that you can join Smiley in the race to protect his land.

From cheats to intricate tricks, Le Carré's espionage masterpiece will not only keep you on your toes due to its constant suspicion, it will also shed some light on the incredible social tension that existed in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War.

9. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Dan Brown knows how to write a riddle - just read The Da Vinci Code and you will see. In this book, Professor Robert Langdon is taken to Paris in a whirl to shed some light on a bizarre murder at the Louvre. While he and his sidekick cryptologist Neveu try to decipher the artistic riddles left on the spot, all of which are related to Leonardo da Vinci's work, Dan Brown takes readers scrambling through the City of Love, speechless (due to the clever puzzles and not The Beauty of Paris, of course).

You can imagine Dan Brown strolling for hours among paintings and statues in Paris before coming up with this comprehensive quest that Langdon embarks on. The story thus produced is shockingly satisfying to read, and it will no doubt leave you to travel to the capital of France to retrace Langdon's footsteps.

10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

It seems like a hallmark of a good mystery book that it has been made into a movie. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is no exception. The first book by the Stieg Larsson Millennium series introduces us to journalist Mikael Blomkvist and freelance hacker Lisbeth Salander. After two different events, the characters both end up trying to find the person who supposedly murdered Harriet Vanger 40 years ago - niece of one of the richest men in Sweden. Mikael is invited to stay overnight on the island of the wealthy family, where he comes into contact with other relatives who were there years ago, and he begins to wonder if one of them was involved.

As Mikael deciphers the plentiful supply of decades-old notes and newspaper clippings, he slowly fills in the missing pieces of the puzzle about this dysfunctional family. Larsson's story takes classic mystery tropes - family feud, blackmail sequences - and spice them up with additional developments in the protagonists' personal lives.

11. The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

Dive back into the past as we explore the story of King Richard III in The Daughter of Time. Scotland Yard inspector Alan Grant is taking time off from modern business to recover from an injury, but he is still looking for puzzles to keep himself busy. He then stumbles upon the mystery of King Richard III, a monarch accused of being a murderer, but whom Grant can consider only kind and wise. Grant follows his strange physiognomic intuition and sifts through historical data to solve a complex case that happened decades ago.

In this novel, Josephine Tey brings to life the intricacies of the past, and the way history is interpreted to reopen a case that was once done and dusted off. The political intrigue and peculiar accounts make for a good dramatic story that is incredibly informative and intriguing, making The Daughter of Time a lot of love from readers and praise from critics.

12. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Gothic Mystery Rebecca is a classic when it comes to telling blood-curdling stories in an old, grand mansion. The unnamed protagonist of the story becomes the wife of a wealthy widow, Mr. Winter, and moves into the Manderly, his stately home. Rather than promising a peaceful and happy marriage, the big house holds the first Mrs. de Winter's shadow over the new lady and threatens not only her happiness but her life as well.

Elegantly crafted and movingly told, Rebecca's beauty will remind you of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, only more sinister and more enigmatic.

13. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

Coming back to detective stories, we have The Maltese Falcon, who follows Sam Spade's journey to find his client's sister and her unwanted partner. Spade and his business partner, Miles Archer, are on their heels when things go off track and Archer is found dead. Spade continues to unravel the mystery surrounding the sisters as he becomes a suspect in his partner's death.

Spade's sleuthing opens his eyes, and yours too, to a global system he never thought he would run into. Told without a single paragraph devoted to the thoughts of any of the characters, this really is a riddle that will keep you guessing.

14. The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth

"The Jackal" is the code name of the hit man hired to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle in this compelling story. What's even more exciting is the fact that this murder warrant came from within the government and so should be properly covered. So the Jackal's challenge is twofold: bypassing the heavy protections reserved for one of the most important men on Earth and protecting his own identity, even from his employers.

Inspired by a truly failed attempt on the French President and political developments in Europe at the end of the Cold War, The Day of the Jackal is intriguing on many fronts. Prepare for serious espionage, meticulous planning and political infighting.

15. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Single mom Jane sends her son to kindergarten and befriends two mothers - Madeleine and Celeste. Along with their friendships, there is a range of family dramas from ex or abusive husbands to a dark past. Jane doesn't know, but there is a piece of her past that makes her fit perfectly into this wild puzzle. No one ever shows their domestic problems in their entirety to others, not even friends, which is what makes Big Little Lies so much more fascinating.

16. In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods takes readers to the wooded outskirts of Ireland, where a 12-year-old girl is found dead. Two detectives, Rob and Cassie, are assigned the case, and the case forcibly reminds the former of the mystery that haunted his childhood - a mystery set in the same woods. As they make their way through the crime scene and interrogate dysfunctional parents and friends, Rob's past keeps coming back to him, wondering if it has to do with this sad event.

As haunting as it is seductive, In the Woods is more than just a mystery book. It's also a poignant story of family ties and childhood trauma - a reminder of the importance of growing up in a safe and loving environment.

17. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

In this iconic thrilling novel, FBI agent Clarice Stirling investigates a serial killer, "Buffalo Bill," who is hunting young women and who may be associated with psychiatrist and cannibalistic murderer Hannibal Lecter. To uncover a clue from Lecter to Bill's whereabouts, Stirling visits the psychiatric ward where Lecter is incarcerated. However, her chilling exchanges seem to reveal less about the released killer, and more about Lecter's amazing ability to get into the heads of his victims. Follow Clarice Stirling on her chilling mission of juggling two sociopathic criminals in The Silence of the Lambs.

18. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of the best mystery books ever written; it is certainly one of the most widely read books of all time. Conan Doyle's legendary detective Sherlock HolmesSuspected dead,returns to the land of the living to shed light on the petrified death of his friend, Charles Baskerville. The Baskerville family's estate is set on the Devon moors, where legend has it that a demonic beast roams. Sinister supernatural powers seem to explain this mystery, but the highly rational Sherlock Holmes will not give up on his quest for the only real truth.

19. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

Aristocrat Rachel Verinder receives a beautiful gemstone, the Moonstone, from her uncle, a soldier returning from India, for her eighteenth birthday. She decides to wear it to the big party in honor of her adulthood, after which the jewel disappears from her room. Distraught, Rachel and her family seek Sergeant Cuff's help to find the thief and retrieve the treasure. The case is more complicated than it seems, especially since the Moonstone has a mysterious history that Rachel doesn't know yet.

The Moonstone is widely regarded as the first mystery novel ever published, and Wilkie Collins paved the way for subsequent books in the genre by introducing signature elements such as the high number of suspects, an incompetent police force and an exceptionally brilliant detective.

20. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Rachel Watson takes a train every day from her home to the city center, and to pass the time she often spends a good deal of it looking at the same houses that pass her. She makes up stories for the lives she observes, stories that are better than hers, free from divorce and alcoholism. One day she witnesses something that changes Rachel from a mere spectator of the life of this particular street into an active participant in it.

The Girl on the Train is yet another thrilling lecture that makes full use of unreliable storytellers. Its intertwined perspectives will take turns changing their minds about who is the real threat in this domestic drama.

21. Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett

Critical success historical novelist Ken Follett is set at the turning point of World War II, when D-Day plans were executed. German spy Henry Faber, codenamed 'The Needle', stationed himself in London and sent information back to Berlin. He is the cream of the crop when it comes to this business: only he and a few other German agents are still at large in Britain. Faber soon begins a pivotal operation that the British are about to begin - one that, if successful, will turn the table against Germany. The problem is, the British are getting closer to discovering him ...

If you've read any of Ken Follett's books, you know he has a knack for vividly reviving the past on his pages. Eye of the Needle is no exception - the tension and secrecy that ravaged this tumultuous time are expertly captured in this book.