Sign in with Facebook
The 100 Most Popular Mysteries and Thrillers on Goodreads
With clever detectives, missing jewels, murderous women, daring spies, and more, mysteries and thrillers deliver page-turning delight with every twist and turn. To celebrate our favorite sleuths (and favorite villains), we followed the footsteps to find the top 100 most popular mysteries and thrillers on Goodreads.
As all good mystery readers know, uncovering the howdunit is sometimes just as important as unveiling the culprit. To create our list, we first started with the most reviewed books on our site. Additionally, each title needed at least a 3.5 star rating to make it onto our rap sheet. And because some of your favorite authors are repeat offenders, when it came to books in a series, we kept the title with the most reviews and buried the rest. (Otherwise, the top of this list would be very full of Dan Brown, Janet Evanovich, and Stieg Larsson.)
We suspect you'll find a book or two you'll want to read in this lineup. Here are the top mysteries and thrillers on Goodreads, listed from 1 to 100.
How many have you read? Tell us in the comments below, and don't forget to add titles that catch your eye to your Want to Read shelf!
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
#12
#13
#14
#15
#16
#17
#18
#19
#20
#21
#22
#23
#24
#25
#26
#27
#28
#29
#30
#31
#32
#33
#34
#35
#36
#37
#38
#39
#40
#41
#42
#43
#44
#45
#46
#47
#48
#49
#50
#51
#52
#53
#54
#55
#56
#57
#58
#59
#60
#61
#62
#63
#64
#65
#66
#67
#68
#69
#70
#71
#72
#73
#74
#75
#76
#77
#78
#79
#80
#81
#82
#83
#84
#85
#86
#87
#88
#89
#90
#91
#92
#93
#94
#95
#96
#97
#98
#99
#100
How many of these books have you read? What's your favorite mystery of all time? Let's talk books in the comments!
Comments Showing 301-350 of 350 (350 new)
date
newest »
newest »
Melliott wrote: "With the exception of about a dozen from all the lists (Connelly, French, Penny), these are so generic and cookie cutter. You are missing so many good authors and series! What about...Kate Atkins..."
Kate Atkinson is #83?
Alfred wrote: "Or Jame Lee Burke?" You make a good point.
Cheryl wrote: "Definitely have to agree about Elizabeth George!"The Poet" by Michael Connelly is underappreciated in my opinion.
This one is an older book, harder to find in physical print as it was written in ..."
I agree -- "The Poet" by Michael Connelly is great! I've read most of his books.
Riju wrote: "This list seems to be entirely based upon ratings bestowed by American teenagers. Nothing wrong with that. But such a list completely disregards British classics, short-story collections, entire ge..."I couldn't agree more!
The Richard Jury series by Martha Grimes is one of my favorites. Try one if you're looking for a good British mystery!
I've read 49 and 5 I plan to read eventually. But, man, peeps on GR have some baaaaaad taste. There are a few stinkers on that list and some good authors whose best books are not on the list while some of their weaker ones are.
I have read 21, but many more are on my TO Be Read list.
Sean wrote: "John Grisham: "Hey, look, I've got a book in the top 5 that's over 30 years old...."Agatha Christie: "Hold my beer...""
Yes, I've read most of your books and they're all good.
I'm sorry, but this is a boring list. I understand the parameters but surely someone from Good Reads could do better.
Another thought: The fact that this list is based on the mandatory-inclusion criteria of a.) most-reviewed and b.) at least 3.5 star rating, the list gets skewed in one important direction: Time.The minimum 3.5-star rating makes sense, but the review-count is naturally going to fall off as you go backward in time, for the simple reason that people are generally going to be more interested in reviewing a newer book than something that's been around for decades.
The assumption on older titles is: "'No point in writing a review, everybody already knows about that one."
It would therefore be interesting to see this list re-released with the "most-reviewed" criterion removed.
There are some certifiable gems on here of course, but also titles that make me want to demand compensation for wasted time (like that dismal "Cuckoo" thing by Galbraith a.k.a. Rowling); others you could not pay me enough money to read. And again, a whole lot of worthy titles missing because they've been in print for decades, along with others missing despite being brilliant because they're still relative unknowns.
The list does have some utility as suggestions for future reads. Yes, like most my "to-read" list is stacked a mile high, but there's no such thing as too many books.
Here are some of my favorite mystery writers (in no particular order):Jussi Adler-Olsen (Dept of Q)
Sara Paretsky
Ellen Hart (Lesbian sleuth)
Stephen White
Barbara Wilson
Karen Kijewski
Spencer Quinn (told by Chet the dog)
David Rosenfelt (dog lover's series)
M.J. Arlidge
Robert Galbraith (pen name of J.K. Rawling)
Sara Blaedel (becoming one of my favorites)
John Farrow's River City, a personal favourite plus any of his others.
Like most of the people who have posted here a lot of my favourite authors and/or books aren't here. If the truth be told, I don't care. I simply read what interests me and ignore what doesn't. Looking ay the list there is one book one book onmy read shelf and three onmy want to read shelf. However I have to own ,usedto own or borrowed a book from the library forit to be on those shelves. There are a few I might read in the future, but there are a lot I have no interest in reading. For me yhe lists are an interesting snapshot of something, nothing more.
I’ve read 47. If this list is intended to stir controversy, it’s doing the job. The comments are a great way to find new authors to read.
Linda wrote: "I’ve read 47. If this list is intended to stir controversy, it’s doing the job. The comments are a great way to find new authors to read."These lists always stir controversy. 'Tis the nature of the beast. Most people cannot understand how the aurhor or book they love so much isn't as loved by the general populace. In my case I am so much of an eccentric in my reading tastes that it doesn't really bother me.
P D James should be on the list. Start with Innocent Blood. The Son.by Jo Nesbos. By Blood by Ellen Ullman The Red Dragon by Thomas Harris ( better Than Silence of the Lambs) Parfum ( oh my its scary)
Lookedup D. D. James and five of her books have an average rating of 4.00 or better. Number of ratings seems high but maybe not high enough. Innocent Blood by the way has a 3.68 ating. I have read some James and recall enjoying them but my problem is that I also watched the Adam Dalglish series and can't recall which books I read and which I watched.
I've read so many on that list but I do agree with the absence of some great mystery writers. Elizabeth George, Martha Grimes, Patricia Cornwell, Sara Paretsky, John LeCarre. Vince Flynn, Clive Cussler, Daniel Silva. Love the list. It gave me some good choices. Thank you all for your comments also.
Books-fly-to-me wrote: "Alfred wrote: "No John Sandford?"Hear, hear,"
Oops I forgot him also. I' ve read every one. Love that ******** Flowers.
Read 25 of these but Evelyn Hardcastle is by far the best (although ir would never have happened without Agatha Christie)
This list was generated by using Goodreads. If anyone knows of another platform like Goodreads, an alternate list can be done.
Denise wrote: "Did I miss Mary Higgins Clark?"You didn't. Like a lot of authors you expect to see here but aren't. I am still amazed no Arthur Conan Doyle but two by Wilkie Collins.
Hmme would separate thrillers ( Occult, fantasy,sci fi, etc ) from a mystery whodunit set in a plausible real world. Nothing weirder than Poe.So two lists?
Ben wrote: "Hmme would separate thrillers ( Occult, fantasy,sci fi, etc ) from a mystery whodunit set in a plausible real world. Nothing weirder than Poe.So two lists?"
Problem is that nothing by Poe is on this list, and he is sometimes referred to as the father of the modern detective story.
Lugbe wrote: "Hello Everyone.I know my comment has nothing to do with the above topic or views. But i know how hurt it is to loose someone through breakups,divorced. I nesrly lost my life through bad breakup wi..."
You are right nothing to do with this topic. Please go away unless you can post on topic. Thank you.
It seems the list is biased towards English authors. There are hidden gems in other languages.
ROHITH wrote: "It seems the list is biased towards English authors. There are hidden gems in other languages."In effect the list is a product of the membership of Goodreads. I cannot be sure of this but I suspect the vast majority of the membership have English as their native tongue. As a result English language books garner the lion's share of the reviews.
I have read 13. Mostly the Agatha Christie.
Riju wrote: "This list seems to be entirely based upon ratings bestowed by American teenagers. Nothing wrong with that. But such a list completely disregards British classics, short-story collections, entire ge..."I so agree. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Goodreads put together a list of thrillers and mysteries that are also considered literary fiction? Kate Atkinson and Tana French are the firstauthors comewho to mind. But I AM I'm happy to see Wilkie Collins on the list. I first read The Moonstone and The Woman in White in high school and thus began my love of mysteries. But I digress...
Tanja wrote: "Melliott wrote: "With the exception of about a dozen from all the lists (Connelly, French, Penny), these are so generic and cookie cutter. You are missing so many good authors and series! What abou..."Alienist is # 47
I have seen the cover of these books, I haven't read them yet.
I love a good suspense/thriller. I've recently read The Woman in the Window, The Couple Next Door, Something in the Water and Before the Fall. I really enjoyed reading the books, but the endings were...just ok. Which suspense books do you think have INCREDIBLE endings?
Melliott wrote: "With the exception of about a dozen from all the lists (Connelly, French, Penny), these are so generic and cookie cutter. You are missing so many good authors and series! What about...Kate Atkins..."
Agree! I've read something by most of these authors, but I think a lot of good ones are missing . Elizabeth George, and where is Robert Galbraith? Both these authors give really good long books, with social commentary,which I like..and where on earth is William Brodrick/aka John Fairfax..I could almost guarantee that anyone who likes EG or RG,would enjoy those...Another wonderful, writer,maybe my all time favourite,is Matthew Hall (also known in some of his books,as MR Hall)..I love his books though I have to say that sometimes I cry when reading them...
Gretchen wrote: "How about Brunetti and Maigret? Martha Grimes doesn't appear. Where are the Scandinavian authors? This isn't the best list in my humble opinion!"
If you check the authors mentioned about you will find that either they have not been rated/reviewed that often, or they don't have a high enough average rating (4+) on any of their books. Goodreads uses those two criteria as they are the only ones that are totally objective. Anything else would in all likelihood have some element of subjectivity to it, and then we really would be annoyed (to put it mildly).
C. John wrote: "If you check the authors mentioned about you will find that either they have not been rated/reviewed that often, or they don't have a high enough average rating (4+) on any of their books. Goodread..."The bar for average rating was set at 3.5 not 4+. But what puzzles me is that, had the bar been set at 4, more than half these would not have made it. Perhaps my interpretation of what 4 stars average means is wrong, but anything less is not very encouraging surely.
I've read 37 of these 100 but like to read everyone's comments because my favorite authors are only publishing one book per year and that leaves me to find new authors.Thanks to everyone who mentions their favorite author, you have helped me find new books to read.
Ellie
C. John wrote: "Denise wrote: "Did I miss Mary Higgins Clark?"You didn't. Like a lot of authors you expect to see here but aren't. I am still amazed no Arthur Conan Doyle but two by Wilkie Collins."
Um ... A Study in Scarlet?
Holly wrote: "C. John wrote: "Denise wrote: "Did I miss Mary Higgins Clark?"You didn't. Like a lot of authors you expect to see here but aren't. I am still amazed no Arthur Conan Doyle but two by Wilkie Collin..."
I did miss that one, but they could have put the title in larger type.
I had to take my glasses off and get up close to the computer screen. At sixty-five my vision just isn't what it used to be.
Demmei wrote: "HIMy name is Jonathan Demme, am from France i will brief you more once i hear from you as soon as possible i will like to discuss with you, but not here in goodreads OK email me to (jonathandemmi..."
Spammer...goodreads is no place for you. Get lost
Melliott wrote: "With the exception of about a dozen from all the lists (Connelly, French, Penny), these are so generic and cookie cutter. You are missing so many good authors and series! What about...Kate Atkins..."
Melliott wrote: "With the exception of about a dozen from all the lists (Connelly, French, Penny), these are so generic and cookie cutter. You are missing so many good authors and series! What about...
Kate Atkins..."
I agree! - Very repetetive! - I would love to see variety!
George wrote: "I'm very happy to share this little awesome testimony about Dr AZIBA a great Herbal Doctor who helped me Enlarge my Penis size from .3.2 inch to 8.3 inch longer with his African Herbal Product mixt..."That’s a strange mystery / thriller.....weirdo ...who signs up to goodreads to write shit like that....how do you even find out about goodreads?!
Melliott wrote: "With the exception of about a dozen from all the lists (Connelly, French, Penny), these are so generic and cookie cutter. You are missing so many good authors and series! What about...Kate Atkins..."
It's literally just a list of the most popular thrillers according to goodreads users. They didn't curate this list.
RaghavendraRao Deshpande