Want to read some exciting murder mystery books? If so, then these are ones you won’t want to miss! This list includes some of the best murder mystery books of all time, so you are sure to enjoy reading and trying to solve the mystery too!
1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
When looking for the best murder mystery novels, And Then There Were None should definitely be at the top of your list! Agatha Christie is the Queen of Mystery for a reason, and this book is one of her most famous and most beloved.
Ten strangers find themselves summoned as weekend guests to an island, but when they arrive their host (an eccentric millionaire that none of them know) is nowhere to be found. And it isn’t long before the guests begin dying one by one, in the exact same way described in a famous nursery rhyme. Who is the killer? Why are they being killed? And will any of them survive? You’re sure to be hooked from start to finish!
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2. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Another of the top murder mystery books of all time is The Hound of the Baskervilles, which features one of the most iconic detectives ever—Sherlock Holmes! If you’re a fan of detective fiction, this is one book you don’t want to miss.
When Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead, his face distorted with terror, Sherlock Holmes and Watson are called in to investigate. Was this a killing by the legendary, supernatural Hound of the Baskervilles—a beast with blazing eyes and dripping jaws? And more importantly, with the blood-curdling howl from the moors, is the hound poised for yet another murderous attack?
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3. The Yellow Room by Mary Roberts Rinehart
If you’re looking for the best mystery novels, you can’t go wrong with reading some Mary Roberts Rinehart—including The Yellow Room. Rinehart is frequently called the “American Agatha Christie,” so that should give you a clue you’re about to read some good mystery books!
In The Yellow Room, Carol Spencer and her mother go the the family’s summer home in Maine…only to find it completely locked up! The servants are all gone, the lights are out…and there’s a body in the closet. When the police suspect Carol as the killer, she must fight a battle to prove her own innocence (and save her mother’s life) before it’s too late!
4. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers
Another of the best classic murder mystery books to read is Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers, which is part of her Lord Peter Wimsey detective series.
When ad man Victor Dean falls down the stairs at Pym’s Publicity and dies, it appears to be an accident. But someone at Pym’s isn’t quite convinced that it was an accident…and amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey is called in to investigate! Did someone actually murder Dean, or was it the simple accident everyone supposes it to be? With mystery, mayhem, and a whole lot of charm, this story is sure to capture your heart and mind!
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5. The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton
If you’re looking for good murder mystery books that are actually short stories, then The Innocence of Father Brown is a book you’ll want to pick up!
The short stories in this book all contain mystery, crime, or murder, and who is it that can solve these mysteries and crimes? None other than the priest Father Brown! You’ll love to see how this holy detective solves the mysteries he encounters, so be sure to pick this up next time you want a great mystery to enjoy!
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6. Trent’s Last Case by E.C. Bentley
When looking for great murder mystery books that feature amateur detectives, Trent’s Last Case is the perfect book for you!
Millionaire American financier Sigsbee Manderson is found dead in the garden of his English country house, and amateur detective Philip Trent is sent by a London newspaper to investigate. So he elbows his way into the investigation, but unlike most detectives who are always right (such as Poirot and Sherlock Holmes), Trent is instead most notable for all the things he gets wrong. While his reasoning isn’t always sound or logical, he’s passionate about searching for clues…and in the end, it just might take an amateur sleuth to accidentally lead the police to the truth!
7. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
While any list of the best murder mystery books could just include all of Agatha Christie’s novels, we won’t go that far here. However, there is one more Christie novel that definitely deserves to be mentioned—Murder on the Orient Express!
The famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift just after midnight, and by morning time the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett is dead in his compartment. He’s been stabbed a dozen times, his door is locked from the inside, and because they’re isolated by the storm the murderer must be one of his fellow passengers. Luckily, Hercule Poirot is on the train and on the case! Can he find the murderer from among a dozen of the dead man’s enemies? And can he find the killer before the murderer decides to strike again?
This is one of the most popular murder mystery books of all time, so if you haven’t read it yet then now’s the time to pick it up!
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8. The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne
Looking for the best whodunit books? The Red House Mystery is the book for you! If you’ve only thought of A.A. Milne as the creator of Winnie the Pooh, then you’re in for a treat with his droll rendition of a murder mystery.
Amateur detective Anthony Gillingham and his chum, Bill Beverley, are attending a house party…when their host disappears and the house party turns into a crime scene! Does the host’s disappearance have anything to do with a mysterious shooting? And was the victim of the shooting shot in self-defense or was it murder?
Between drinking tea and playing billiards, Gillingham and Beverley do their best to explore all the possibilities in a series of light-hearted capers that will have you in stitches! So you’re sure to enjoy this charming mystery, particularly if you’re a fan of English murder mysteries!
Buy The Red House Mystery now!
9. The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey
Another option of good mystery novels to read is The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey.
London’s favorite musical comedy from the past two years was finishing its run at the end of the week, so a long line had formed for the standing-room-only section of the Woffington Theatre. But when the line began to move, one many slowly sank to his knees and then keeled over on his face. A spectator goes to help, only to discover a small silver dagger neatly plunged into the man’s back! Now, Inspector Alan Grant is on the case…how did a murder occur among so many witnesses, none of whom saw a thing?
10. A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
And last but not least, when you want to read the best detective murder mysteries, you can’t go wrong with A Study in Scarlet.
In this first Sherlock Holmes novel, Watson hears of a place to rent where the current occupant is looking for a roommate. This flat is 221B Baker Street, and launches Watson straight into the world of Sherlock Holmes! Together, the two investigate an abandoned house off Brixton Road where a body is found with the word “rache” (German for “revenge”) scrawled on the wall in blood. Can Sherlock and Watson solve the case?
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