20 Great Detective Novels Worth Investigating
by Sughnen Yongo · ForbesDetective fiction is a creative sub-genre of crime and mystery fiction that emerged during the mid-nineteenth century, and for over a century, this branch of literature has caught readers’ attention with its mix of suspense, intrigue and mystery problem solving. At its core, detective fiction thematically rotates around the investigation of a crime—often murder—by a detective or investigator, whether they be professional, amateur or retired. This genre differs from true crime, which focuses on true events and is centered around the detective’s use of logic and deduction to solve a case. While suspense may build tension and mystery can focus on unresolved questions, detective fiction is defined by its intellectual rigor.
From the smoky streets of noir to the serene English countryside, detective fiction has taken readers through some of the greatest minds ever created in literature. Its storylines have inspired generations of readers with never-failing plot twists thanks to beloved characters like Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and the plucky adolescent sleuths in The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. Detective fiction’s origin is generally considered to have emerged during the 19th century. Edgar Allan Poe’s The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) was often cited as the first modern detective story, making him one of the genre's founders. During this period, investigative-themed writing took root in Western literature, with authors like Wilkie Collins (The Moonstone) further helping to popularize it. Scholars like R.H. Pfeiffer suggests that certain ancient texts may be similar to the genre; detective fiction has always been a part of historical legacy and storytelling.
Before detective fiction, some ancient stories included investigatory logic and proto-detective elements. For example, in the Old Testament story of Susanna and the Elders, Daniel cross-examined two false witnesses and successfully destroyed their credibility through logic—a tactic that would reappear in later detective stories. Similarly, Sophocles’s Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex features a classic detective-like investigation that has become a foundational archetype in literary and dramatic tradition.
Top Detective Books
Whether you are a reader drawn to the morally complex world of hardboiled crime books or enjoy the mystery of an old-fashioned whodunit, there is something for everyone in this genre. Famous detective fiction authors include Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes), Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot) and Raymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe). These rankings are based on the influence of the book within the genre, the story’s complexity, character development and how popular the work has remained over the years in the literary footprint.
20. Triple Cross by James Patterson (2022)
James Patterson’s Triple Cross brings back Alex Cross, one of the most celebrated detectives in modern fiction. This time, Cross faces a ruthless killer who films his grisly crimes for the world to see and manages to stay one step ahead of Cross. As usual, Patterson uses his fast-paced plots and shocking plot twists to keep readers glued to the page with a nail-biting, high-stakes cat-and-mouse game. Though the story is action-packed, the novel doesn’t necessarily break new ground within the genre, but its appeal to fans of Patterson’s series is undeniable.
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Who should read this? Fans of fast-paced thrillers, especially those who enjoy the Alex Cross series and detective fiction with high-stakes cat-and-mouse game
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Hachette Book Group.
19. Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers (1923)
The debut novel in the Lord Peter Wimsey series, Whose Body? opens with the discovery of an anonymous man’s body in a bathtub. Even more confusing is that the unknown victim is wearing nothing but a pair of pince-nez. With the help of the charming Lord Peter, whose detective work is a hobby, Sayers guides readers towards the victim’s identity. Curiously, the body eerily resembles that of a wealthy financier who went missing from his bedroom the night before. The story is a quintessential British whodunit that established Sayers as a major voice in detective fiction and contributed to her career as one of Britain’s premier crime writers.
Who should read this? Fans of Golden Age detective writers will appreciate the debut of Lord Peter Wimsey.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Harper Collins Publishers.
18. A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (1977)
Ellis Peters’ A Morbid Taste for Bones introduced the historical detective genre with an edge of medieval history and clever plotting. In the novel, Peters introduces readers to an unlikely protagonist, Brother Cadfael, a 12th-century monk with a perfect mind for solving mysteries. When a murder occurs during an expedition to relocate a saint’s corpse, Cadfael’s knowledge of herbs and human anatomy helps him get to the truth. Set in medieval Shrewsbury, Peters uses historical detail to create historical detective fiction. Though Cadfael’s adventures hold more of a niche appeal than other storylines on this list, they nevertheless set the groundwork for historical mysteries.
Who should read this?: Fans of historical mysteries, particularly those with a love for medieval settings.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Barnes & Noble.
17. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (1934)
Most readers can tell that a detective fiction storyline will be worth reading just from the book title itself, and James Cain doesn’t disappoint here. The gritty classic noir follows a young drifter, Frank Chambers, and his older married lover, Cora, who collude to kill her husband and pocket his life insurance money. Their elaborate plans quickly escalate into a tense web of deceit and violence. Cain's storytelling takes the raw blueprint of true crime and adds stripped-down prose and unflinching portrayal of moral decay to help define noir fiction. Its stark realism is still relevant even today.
Who should read this? Readers who enjoy hard-boiled crime fiction and noir will enjoy this book.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
16. In the Woods by Tana French (2007)
Tana French’s In the Woods is a psychological mystery about two Irish detectives, Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox, who are tasked with solving the murder of 12-year-old Katy Devlin near the same woods where Rob’s childhood friends disappeared years earlier. With this story, French blurs the line between past and present, using unreliable memory to create a storyline that feels unsettling with every turn of the page. The psychological complexity in this novel goes beyond the generic detective story to offer a stirring, emotionally rich plot. The novel earned French several awards, including the 2008 Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author and the 2008 Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel.
Who should read this?: Readers who enjoy stories that heavily rely on police procedurals and character development.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
15. The Snowman by Jo Nesbø (2007)
Jo Nesbø’s The Snowman is an important Scandinavian noir story, with icy, atmospheric tension and complex protagonists that make every plot twist memorable. In The Snowman, Nesbø follows detective Harry Hole as he attempts to track down a serial killer who goes on a killing spree after the first snowfall of the year. Even more disturbing is that after each murder and during the investigations, snowmen are found near each scene, which makes Hole’s work even more dreadful. This haunting entry in the Scandinavian noir genre is also highly regarded in modern crime fiction.
Who should read this?: Fans of Scandinavian noir and dark, atmospheric thrillers.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
14. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (2005)
Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a modern classic because of its influence on the mystery genre and cultural impact. The novel features Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced journalist whose reputation is destroyed after a high-profile trial. After the verdict, Blomkvist steps down from his role at Millennium, the magazine he co-runs, but soon receives a strange offer from Henrik Vanger, who wants Blomkvist to investigate the decades-old disappearance of his niece, Harriet, under the guise of writing the Vanger family history. As Blomkvist digs into the mystery, Lisbeth Salander, a brilliant but troubled hacker, assists him. Together, they uncover dark family secrets, including the involvement of Harriet’s brother, Martin, in a series of violent crimes.
Who should read this? Fans of modern thrillers, especially those involving journalism, hacking and dark family secrets.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
13. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris (1988)
In The Silence of the Lambs (also a top 90s movie), FBI trainee Clarice Starling looks for help from an unlikely candidate: the imprisoned cannibal and brilliant psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who is likely to know how to track down the elusive serial killer, Buffalo Bill. In the plot, Harris melds psychological horror with detective fiction to create one of the most iconic villain-hero pairings in modern literature, and the interplay between Starling and Lecter forms the heart of this dark thriller. At the same time, Lecter’s character has become one of the most iconic villains in modern fiction thanks to Harris’s tight plotting and psychological approach.
Who should read this? Readers who are curious about the interplay between a detective and a villain.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Macmillan Publishers.
12. The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy (1987)
James Ellroy’s The Black Dahlia is a hard-hitting crash course into the obsession and the human cost that comes with chasing justice, making it a key entry in noir detective fiction. The intense modern crime writing in this novel brings back to the forefront the real-life unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short, who was brutally murdered, mutilated and discarded in an empty lot. Set against the seedy underworld of 1940s Los Angeles, Ellroy focuses on the obsessive search for truth, touching on themes of corruption, violence and moral depravity. The novel’s relentless pace and noir sensibility make it a masterpiece of modern detective fiction and have earned Ellroy a reputation as a master of the genre’s most brutal corners. While Short’s murderer was never found, Ellroy’s depiction mixes fact with fiction to create a fictional closure to the murder.
Who should read this? Readers who are curious about the darker side of Los Angeles and the obsession that drives detectives.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
11. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (1980)
In Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and his novice, Adso of Melk, arrive at a Benedictine abbey in Northern Italy to attend a theological debate. Shortly after they arrive, the abbey is thrown into chaos when a monk, Adelmo of Otranto, suddenly dies. The abbot enlists William, a former inquisitor, to investigate the murder. As more deaths occur, including Venantius of Salvemec, William realizes the secrets surrounding the abbey’s labyrinthine library and a forbidden book. As William digs deeper, he discovers a web of deceit, forbidden relationships, and a deadly struggle for knowledge inside the abbey. Eco’s use of historical detective fiction, intellectual curiosity, philosophy, theology and mystery make this a standout novel.
Who should read this? Readers who enjoy stories with multiple plot tangents including theology, history and mystery.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
10. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938)
This book is often classified as Gothic fiction, but Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca has all the hallmarks of a can’t-put-down-able detective story. When the second Mrs. de Winter, who is initially self-conscious and insecure, discovers the truth about her secretive predecessor, she is drawn into a web of lies, jealousy and danger. Du Maurier’s proficient use of atmosphere and suspense builds a psychological mystery that keeps readers at the edge of their seats with each plot twist, making Rebecca a timeless classic of both Gothic and detective fiction.
Who should read this? Readers who are fans of timeless classics with a strong sense of place and haunting plots
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
9. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (1887)
In A Study in Scarlet, Arthur Conan Doyle introduced the world to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson and set the stage for one of literature’s greatest partnerships. The novel’s dual storytelling—beginning with a murder in London and shifting to the American West—was groundbreaking in its structure, specifically in the way that it coordinated thrilling deduction with a rich backstory, which was an unusual approach for that time period. Conan Doyle’s intelligence, suspenseful pacing and introduction of Holmes’ eccentric detective methods make this an important work of detective fiction.
Who should read this? Fans of classic detective fiction and those who want to experience the origins of Sherlock Holmes.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
8. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (1939)
The Big Sleep introduced readers to Philip Marlowe, a private eye hired by the wealthy General Sternwood to investigate a scheme by Arthur Geiger to blackmail Sternwood’s wild daughter, Carmen. What started out as a simple investigation of a crime would later erupt into the seedy underbelly of the corrupt Los Angeles crowd. Chandler’s sharp dialogue and the novel’s morally conflicted characters set the standard for American noir detective fiction, and Marlowe’s gritty, cynical outlook makes him one of the most iconic figures in the genre.
Who should read this? Readers who enjoy stories centered around wealth, shark dialogue and blackmail.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
7. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926)
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is arguably Agatha Christie at her most daring and inventive. Featuring the legendary Hercule Poirot, the novel's plot develops in a quaint English village where Poirot discovers a shocking twist that forever changed the rules of detective fiction. In this novel, Agatha Christie shattered the expectation that narrators could be solely viewed as credible sources of a story each and every time, and by doing so, she forced readers to question everything they had learned from the perspective of a narrator, in this instance, Dr. James Sheppard.
Who should read this? Readers who enjoy storylines that challenge traditional writing conventions and depend on bold and unexpected characters and plots.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
6. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (1930)
The Maltese Falcon follows detective Sam Spade, who works in San Francisco with his partner, Miles Archer. When the seductive "Miss Wonderley" hires them to track Floyd Thursby, a man she claims ran off with her sister, the case turns deadly. Archer is found shot dead, followed by Thursby, leaving Spade as a prime suspect. As Spade scrambles to get to the bottom of the confusing crime, he is caught in a web of double-crosses, lies and murder, which seem to all be tied to a priceless artifact—the Maltese Falcon. Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon is the gold standard of hardboiled detective fiction, with terse prose and gritty realism that impacted the future of crime fiction.
Who should read this? Readers who enjoy mystery books that investigate greed and deception.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
5. Havana Red by Leonardo Padura (1997)
In Havana Red, the first book of Leonardo Padura’s Havana Quartet, Padura takes readers to the sultry, decaying streets of 1990s Havana, where Cuban Inspector Mario Conde is responsible for solving a murder that shocks the entire city after a young man is found strangled and dressed in an elaborate red dress. The story becomes even more mysterious when Conde peels back layers of Cuban society's underworld and begins to get to the bottom of the matter. Haunted by his own unfulfilled dreams of becoming a writer and disillusioned by the corrupt and crumbling world around him, Conde brings a cynical yet soulful perspective to the investigation, and each eccentric character and every confrontation of the realities of life in post-Soviet Cuba, shows his sharp intellect and melancholic introspection, which makes for a detective story that is deeply human at its core.
Who should read this? Fans of literary crime fiction and those who are intrigued by the atmosphere of post-Soviet Cuba.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Barnes & Noble.
4. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (1934)
Christie makes another appearance on this list with the iconic Hercule Poirot, tasked with solving a murder aboard the luxurious Orient Express. After taking the Taurus Express from Aleppo to Istanbul, Poirot receives a telegram at the Tokatlian Hotel, prompting him to return to London. As Poirot heads back, he comes across a diverse group of passengers, including American widow Caroline Hubbard, Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson, Russian Princess Natalia Dragomiroff and American businessman Samuel Ratchett. When Ratchett is murdered during the trip, Poirot must investigate the clues and alibis surrounding the passengers, but each clue leaves an even bigger mystery. With its intricate puzzle and famous ending, Murder on the Orient Express is considered one of the most iconic detective novels of all time.
Who should read this? Readers who are interested in stories with international settings and shocking conclusions.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Harper Collins Publishers.
3. The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe (1841)
This is the novel that started it all, as it is widely considered the first modern detective story. In the plot of The Murders in the Rue Morgue, Poe introduces C. Auguste Dupin, a brilliant amateur sleuth who uses "ratiocination," or logical reasoning, which is established in the narrator’s introductory commentary on the nature and practice of analytical reasoning. In the plot, Dupin attempts to solve the confusing and gruesome double murder of Madame L'Espanaye and her daughter Camille, who have been found dead at their home in the Rue Morgue in Paris. The novel laid the groundwork for detective fiction and influenced everything from Sherlock Holmes to modern crime thrillers.
Who should read this? Anyone who is curious about the origins of detective fiction and enjoys stories about logical deduction and complex mysteries.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Penguin Random House.
2. The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (1887-1927)
Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories have defined detective fiction for generations, and his Sherlock Holmes stories have an irreplaceable impact on the genre. With over four novels and 56 short stories under this umbrella, this collection is a compilation of the legendary detective’s brilliance and the continuing appeal of Doyle’s writing. From A Study in Scarlet to The Hound of the Baskervilles, the complete works of Sherlock Holmes remain iconic in their appeal and are arguably a heirloom for what this genre represents as a whole.
Who should read this? Readers who want to explore the full scope of Sherlock Holmes’ adventures.
Where can you read/rent/buy this book? Barnes & Noble.
1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939)
Objectively, Christie has earned a reputation as the “Queen of Crime,” so it isn’t surprising that she has made it to this list several times. And Then There Were None is a tour de force of psychological suspense and innovative plotting that follows 10 strangers who are lured to an isolated island under mysterious fronts, only to be killed off one by one, according to a nursery rhyme. The novel builds on an unbearable tension, because, unlike other Christie books, there are no detectives, and all we have is the fear and suspicion that mounts among the guests. Christie’s shocking resolution in this book redefined the mystery genre, making And Then There Were None not only a classic but the ultimate blueprint for suspenseful, mind-bending whodunits.
Who should read this? Readers who enjoy suspenseful mysteries and plots that build tension as the story progresses.
Bottom Line
From edge-of-your-seat detective drama to true crime stories and whodunit rat races, each of these books has a considerable amount of suspense that makes them essential reads. Whether you’re a dedicated mystery fiction enthusiast or a seasoned crime fiction connoisseur, these books and their characters have an uncanny ability to draw readers into a world of murder, mystery, deception and suspense—turning readers into detectives in their own right.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are Good Mystery Novels?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is one of the best mystery novels. The mystery novel, which was released in 2012 is also a psychological thriller centered on the sudden disappearance of Amy Dunne and the media frenzy surrounding her husband, Nick, who becomes the prime suspect.
Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (1939), where 10 strangers are invited to a isolated island, only to be killed off one by one in a puzzling "whodunit." Christie’s top-notch storytelling leaves readers guessing the identity of the murderer until the very end.
What Are Good Detective Book Series?
For detective series lovers, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith is a standout. First published in 1998, the series introduces readers to Precious Ramotswe, Botswana’s first female private detective. Combining lighthearted humor and thoughtful mysteries, the series is beloved for its charming protagonist and African setting.
Another notable book series is Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series, which started with The Black Echo in 1992 and followed Harry Bosch, a tough LAPD homicide detective tasked with solving the murder of Billy Meadows, a fellow Vietnam War veteran.
What Are Good True Crime Novels?
For true crime enthusiasts, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is a classic, released in 1966. Capote combined meticulous research with narrative storytelling in a technique sometimes referred to as literary journalism to recount the 1959 murders of the Clutter family in rural Kansas.
Another true-crime fan favorite is The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, published in 2003, which followed the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair (also called the Columbian Exposition) and the rise of H.H. Holmes, who operated a murder “castle” near the fairgrounds.