Listopia


Best Crime & Mystery Books
Tags: crime and mystery

1
And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie 216 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
2
Murder on the Orient Express
Murder on the Orient Express
by Agatha Christie 155 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
3
The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles
by Arthur Conan Doyle 137 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
4
Angels & Demons
Angels & Demons
by Dan Brown 125 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
5
The Alienist
The Alienist
by Caleb Carr 103 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
6
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
by Agatha Christie 86 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
7
The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs
by Thomas Harris 82 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
8
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson 79 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
9
The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon
by Dashiell Hammett 75 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
10
The Godfather
The Godfather
by Mario Puzo 74 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
11
The Big Sleep
The Big Sleep
by Raymond Chandler 71 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
12
Mystic River
Mystic River
by Dennis Lehane 65 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
13
The Name of the Rose: Including Postscript
The Name of the Rose: Including Postscript
by Umberto Eco 58 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
14
The Daughter of Time
The Daughter of Time
by Josephine Tey 57 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
16
The Woman in White
The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins 53 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
17
Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
by Edgar Allan Poe 52 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
18
Rebecca
Rebecca
by Daphne du Maurier 53 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
19
Gaudy Night
Gaudy Night
by Dorothy L. Sayers 50 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
20
The Body Farm
The Body Farm
by Patricia Cornwell 49 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
21
Presumed Innocent
Presumed Innocent
by Scott Turow 48 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
22
The Moonstone
The Moonstone
by Wilkie Collins 48 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
23
The Shadow of the Wind
The Shadow of the Wind
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 47 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
24
The Thirteenth Tale
The Thirteenth Tale
by Diane Setterfield 46 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
25
The Long Goodbye
The Long Goodbye
by Raymond Chandler 45 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
26
Gone, Baby, Gone
Gone, Baby, Gone
by Dennis Lehane 44 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
27
Death on the Nile
Death on the Nile
by Agatha Christie 45 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
28
In Cold Blood
In Cold Blood
by Truman Capote 43 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
29
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
by Robert Louis Stevenson 42 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
30
Red Dragon
Red Dragon
by Thomas Harris 40 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
31
The Lovely Bones
The Lovely Bones
by Alice Sebold 39 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
32
The Beekeeper's Apprentice
The Beekeeper's Apprentice
by Laurie R. King (Goodreads Author) 35 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
33
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Talented Mr. Ripley
by Patricia Highsmith 36 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
34
A is for Alibi
A is for Alibi
by Sue Grafton 34 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
35
Curtain
Curtain
by Agatha Christie 31 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
36
A Great Deliverance
A Great Deliverance
by Elizabeth George 31 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
37
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code
by Dan Brown 32 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
38
L.A. Confidential
L.A. Confidential
by James Ellroy 30 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
39
An Unsuitable Job For A Woman
An Unsuitable Job For A Woman
by P.D. James 33 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
40
Shutter Island
Shutter Island
by Dennis Lehane 29 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
41
Farewell, My Lovely
Farewell, My Lovely
by Raymond Chandler 28 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
42
In the Woods
In the Woods
by Tana French 26 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
43
The Killer Inside Me
The Killer Inside Me
by Jim Thompson 26 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
44
Strong Poison
Strong Poison
by Dorothy L. Sayers 27 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
45
Get Shorty
Get Shorty
by Elmore Leonard 25 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
46
Postmortem
Postmortem
by Patricia Cornwell 25 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
47
Case Histories: A Novel
Case Histories: A Novel
by Kate Atkinson 24 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
48
The Ritual Bath
The Ritual Bath
by Faye Kellerman 24 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
49
4:50 From Paddington
4:50 From Paddington
by Agatha Christie 25 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
50
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
by John le Carré 25 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
51
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
by Agatha Christie 25 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
52
Smilla's Sense of Snow
Smilla's Sense of Snow
by Peter Høeg 25 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
53
Witness for the Prosecution and Selected Plays
Witness for the Prosecution and Selected Plays
by Agatha Christie 24 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
54
The Concrete Blonde
The Concrete Blonde
by Michael Connelly 23 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
55
The Black Dahlia
The Black Dahlia
by James Ellroy 23 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
56
Crocodile on the Sandbank
Crocodile on the Sandbank
by Elizabeth Peters 21 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
57
The Nine Tailors
The Nine Tailors
by Dorothy L. Sayers 21 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
58
One for the Money
One for the Money
by Janet Evanovich 20 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
59
Death In Holy Orders
Death In Holy Orders
by P.D. James 21 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
60
1st to Die
1st to Die
by James Patterson 19 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
61
Foucault's Pendulum
Foucault's Pendulum
by Umberto Eco 20 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
62
For the Sake of Elena
For the Sake of Elena
by Elizabeth George 19 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
63
Double Indemnity
Double Indemnity
by James M. Cain 19 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
64
An Instance of the Fingerpost: A Novel
An Instance of the Fingerpost: A Novel
by Iain Pears 19 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
65
Murder Must Advertise
Murder Must Advertise
by Dorothy L. Sayers 19 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
67
Naked in Death
Naked in Death
by J.D. Robb 18 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
68
The Ice House
The Ice House
by Minette Walters 20 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
69
Gorky Park
Gorky Park
by Martin Cruz Smith 19 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
70
A Dark-Adapted Eye
A Dark-Adapted Eye
by Barbara Vine 19 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
71
The Club Dumas
The Club Dumas
by Arturo Pérez-Reverte 17 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
72
No Country for Old Men
No Country for Old Men
by Cormac McCarthy 18 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
73
The Black Ice
The Black Ice
by Michael Connelly 18 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
74
Playing for the Ashes
Playing for the Ashes
by Elizabeth George 18 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
75
The Thin Man
The Thin Man
by Dashiell Hammett 18 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
76
Devil in a Blue Dress
Devil in a Blue Dress
by Walter Mosley 17 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
77
Death du Jour
Death du Jour
by Kathy Reichs 16 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
78
Confidential Communications
Confidential Communications
by J.R. Reardon (Goodreads Author) 15 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
79
The Valley of Fear
The Valley of Fear
by Arthur Conan Doyle 15 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
80
Whose Body?
Whose Body?
by Dorothy L. Sayers 16 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
81
Heartsick
Heartsick
by Chelsea Cain 14 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
82
L.A. Requiem
L.A. Requiem
by Robert Crais 14 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
83
Well-Schooled in Murder
Well-Schooled in Murder
by Elizabeth George 15 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
84
Body Of Evidence
Body Of Evidence
by Patricia Cornwell 15 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
85
Murder by the Book
Murder by the Book
by Rex Stout 14 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
86
B is for Burglar
B is for Burglar
by Sue Grafton 14 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
87
A Certain Justice
A Certain Justice
by P.D. James 15 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
88
Resurrection Men
Resurrection Men
by Ian Rankin 14 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
89
The Postman Always Rings Twice
The Postman Always Rings Twice
by James M. Cain 14 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
90
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse
by P.D. James 13 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
91
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
by Sharyn McCrumb 12 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
92
A Place of Execution
A Place of Execution
by Val McDermid 12 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
93
The Sculptress
The Sculptress
by Minette Walters 13 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
94
The Wench Is Dead
The Wench Is Dead
by Colin Dexter 12 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
94
Clutch of Constables
Clutch of Constables
by Ngaio Marsh 12 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
96
A Murder Is Announced
A Murder Is Announced
by Agatha Christie 12 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
97
Mistress of the Art of Death
Mistress of the Art of Death
by Ariana Franklin 12 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
98
Judas Child
Judas Child
by Carol O'Connell 10 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
99
Black and Blue
Black and Blue
by Ian Rankin 11 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
100
Fletch
Fletch
by Gregory Mcdonald 11 people voted »
didn't like itit was okliked itreally liked itit was amazing
List started by: Seth (votes)
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2242 books
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449 books
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1029 books
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1723 books
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comments (showing 1-12 of 12) (12 new)

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message 1: by Andrew (new)

1581822 An interesting list, but really notable for it's absences. Henning Mankell doesn't make an appearance until #412 (as of Oct 17th, 2008), but his fellow Scandinavians, Indriadson, Nesser, Fossum, Ericksson, et. al. don't make an appearance at all. It's safe to say that, for one example, every of Nesser's books is superior to John MacDonald, just to name one author. I'd say he's better than Chandler, Christie, Stout, Hammett and many others. Also, the fact that anything by Dan Brown is listed as number 2 is just disturbing to me.


message 2: by Beth (new)

1827974 Can't find alot of Caleb Carr or Kathy Reichs


message 3: by Harlequin (new)

1378457 I read a few Crime and Mystery books but not enough to be a good judge on who writes the best. I would end up voting for Christie, Poe or Koontz just because I recognize their name and have read some of the books, not because I truly knew they were the best.


message 4: by Catherine (last edited Jan 15, 2009 03:19PM) (new)

Nophoto-f-25x33 Chillwater CoveChillwater Cove Lakeman has the pacing of Dan Brown, but with literary chops as well! I believe I have stumbled upon the next James Lee Burke. I look forward to reading Lakeman's next novel in this series, BROKEN WING.


message 5: by Mohammed (new)

1842155 Andrew : Mankell might be good but Chandler is one of the most literary talented american writers of the last century. To compare him is too much imo....

John D. Macdonald is great too.

You must hate Hardboiled fiction....


message 6: by IkraAmesta (new)

2561971 I like Motherless Brooklyn, so funny and entertaining!


message 7: by Marty (last edited Nov 25, 2009 11:54AM) (new)

2930442 This is a great list, but there are some pretty stark omissions, IMO. First, nothing by Ross Thomas? Really? Could he have been forgotten already? He was one of the best satirical/political mystery writers ever. And the list is a bit skimpy on the the Donald Westlake/Richard Stark oeuvre. I would put his relatively recent book The Ax, about a downsized chemist who conspires to kill all of his potential rivals in the job market, in the top 5 best all-time mystery books. Also, many of James Lee Burke's excellent early books did not make the list. Surely anything he has written outshines most of what passes for good mystery writing these days. He's at least as good as, say, Dennis Lehane (who I also love.) Also Michael Dibdin deserves much more of a presence. Finally, where's Robert Wilson? He's written at least three really excellent mystery novels this decade.


message 8: by Susanna (new)

1109068 Why don't you add them? The form is at the right hand side of the page.


message 9: by Thom (new)

Nophoto-m-25x33 In Cold Blood and Fatal Vision are both TRUE CRIME non-fiction works.....IF we put True Crime on this list, then clearly Anne Rule and Doc Olsen should listed.


message 10: by Marty (new)

2930442 Susanna wrote: "Why don't you add them? The form is at the right hand side of the page."

Thanks - I will.


message 11: by Lisa (new)

Nophoto-f-25x33 I cannot find anything by Harlan Coben on this list, maybe I did not look far enough, but he is too good of a suspense writer NOT to be included


message 12: by Susanna (new)

1109068 Why don't you add him?


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