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96 Mystery and Thriller Recommendations by Mood and Setting
One of the fun things we’ve discovered over the years, here at Goodreads World Headquarters, is that there are many, many, many ways to shuffle and categorize books. The traditional genre tags and topic lists are useful. But if you get a little wacky with it, interesting connections present themselves.
To wit: our inaugural Mystery Week Choose-Your-Own-Adventure recommendation list. We’ve sorted the stacks in the mystery aisle to accommodate themed pairs of opposites. Are you in the mood for a Locked Room mystery or something with Wide-Open Spaces? In the Air or at Sea? Hot or Cold? Small Town or Big City?
The categories and connections below should mostly explain themselves, though some might require a little sleuthing. (In Church Versus State, for example, we’ve bunched religious investigators and themes in one pile, and espionage thrillers and matter of state in another.)
The books included here are a mix of new releases and old favorites, with an eye toward representative classics. You’ll find a wide range of mystery subgenres (Noir! Cozy! Horroresque!) from a lineup of usual-suspect authors (Christie! Grisham! Highsmith!). You’ll also find some of the best new talent in the genre, with books by Jesse Q. Sutanto, T.J. Newman, and Deepti Kapoor.
Rummage around the book cover images below, and tap or click through to get more information about each title. Feel free to add what you like to your Want to Read shelf.
Locked Rooms...
...or Wide-Open Spaces
Small Town...
...or Big City
In the Air...
...or at Sea
Work...
...or Play
Hot...
...or Cold
Historical...
...or Far Future
Amateur Detective...
...or Professional Sleuth
Church...
...or State
Which this-or-that situation are you choosing for your next mystery read? What other titles would you suggest for the categories above? Let's talk books in the comments below!
Find more mystery recommendations:
Comments Showing 1-50 of 60 (60 new)
message 1:
by
Milena
(new)
Apr 03, 2023 06:09AM
not one book by karin slaughter what is that
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I didn't find these categories useful at all. Breaking down just mysteries into usable categories would have just as many offers. NO thrillers, they are not the same. Even procedurals would need a breakdown of its own.
I really like the way this was broken down; something a bit different!
How about one by regions or countries? I'm partial to UK writers.
Was there a category for cozies? I didn't see it. The breakdown didn't really make sense to me.
Milena wrote: "not one book by karin slaughter what is that"gonna look her up
Totalement inintéressant. Aucun roman en français.
While I appreciate the effort, I don't think this is the way we think of books. I've never said to myself "Gee, I'm in the mood for a mystery, but it better be set in a cold climate or I'll be disappointed." There's a reason the traditional sub-genres have emerged. People think of mysteries in terms of cozy, or hard-boiled, or police procedural, or suspense-thriller, etc. etc. If I like Agatha Christie, I like Agatha Christie, where it's set in London or a small town or Egypt or a church ...
I love how you've grouped these books! Fun and different way to think about it.
Shelley wrote: "How about one by regions or countries? I'm partial to UK writers."Me too!
I find a difference in American authors vs. UK (there are even breakdowns there, but nevermind). What about a translations category? French, Swedish -- these come to mind immediately (Georges Simenon, that author with the detective in Malmo, Sweden). Also, a breakdown by time period: published before _____ or after.
Breakdown by time period of the setting.
I recommend A Nearly Normal Family: A Novel by M. T. Edvardsson
In the Electric Mist With Confederate Dead by James Lee Burke is my favorite of his Dave Robicheaux series. I don't understand why you thought "hot" was the best category for it. Yeah, New Orleans hot, but it's not the heat that makes that book so special. I think you missed the opportunity of creating another category—mystical. Several of the Longmire series books could have fit in that category. Many good cozy mystery series could also fit, but Goodreads seems to place cozies in the bargain bin remainder pile instead of the highly recommended pile.
To be less US-Centric you could have added in the …State Category or in an international Category the BookMiss Merkel: Mord in der Uckermark
Just saying...
Ashley wrote: "While I appreciate the effort, I don't think this is the way we think of books. I've never said to myself "Gee, I'm in the mood for a mystery, but it better be set in a cold climate or I'll be disappointed"In winter I like to read books set in winter. In summer I like to read books set in summer. I would be disappointed if I read a winter book in summer.
Hi fellow thriller fans! Seeking mystery recommendations for the next book to read with my dad, who was diagnosed with dementia but is lucid, just has trouble locating words sometimes, and is admirably committed to reading to keep his mental muscles moving. He likes Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers so we might pick one of those. Just wondering if anyone could recommend a contemporary-ish writer/book with that classic mystery vibe, it would be cool for him to discover a new writer in that niche. Feel free to message me. Thanks!(BTW, we are just finishing up Erik Larson's Churchill biog "The Splendid and the Vile"—not a mystery, but a great book that is oddly suspenseful even though you know how it's gonna end!)
(and yes Karin Slaughter is amazing)
In the 'Cold' category I'd recommend Gunnar Staalesen's 'At Night All Wolves Are Grey'. With its Bergen world of cheap bars and whale steaks, Bingo Halls and low-life, this Staalesen novel takes the hero private detective Varg Veum back deep into the Bergen past, via a long-forgotten and unexplained explosion in a paint factory all the way to the Nazi occupation of Norway in World War Two. The ending is breath-taking and proves, as the title says, that "At Night All Wolves Are Grey".
Emily Sorrells wrote: "Need this for horror~!"Yes!! I Agree. I'd loooooove a list for horror.
I really like this set up by mood and setting, really useful but also, fun ^^ Well done!
I like the way they mixed things up here. Best "Locked Room Mystery" is "Tarot of the Archons." It's part of a great series.
Moon on the Crusted Snow is not a mystery is any way, shape, or form. Nor is it in the far future. Did the list compiler even read it? It is a fantastic book though!
James wrote: "Or, literally "choose your own" with this interactive mystery:Murdered: Can You Solve the Mystery?"
Thank you so much! Will check it out.
Good list. I have some of the books marked that I want to read.
I love this idea! I do like to choose from a particular setting from time to time; this is perfect :)
Katherine wrote: "Hi fellow thriller fans! Seeking mystery recommendations for the next book to read with my dad, who was diagnosed with dementia but is lucid, just has trouble locating words sometimes, and is admir..."Hi,
Try Still Life by Louise Penny and if your dad likes it the next three books in the series.
Magpie murders by Anthony Horowitz.
Good Reading!
Ashley wrote: "While I appreciate the effort, I don't think this is the way we think of books. I've never said to myself "Gee, I'm in the mood for a mystery, but it better be set in a cold climate or I'll be disa..."The article title specifically states that the recommendations are based on MOOD AND SETTING. As a mood reader, so I appreciate how they organized this list and I think it's a fun idea. You might stick with one author or one subgenre all the time, but other people like to pick up whatever sounds appealing to them at that moment. There are plenty of other lists on goodreads specific to your tastes you can browse instead.
Katherine wrote: "Hi fellow thriller fans! Seeking mystery recommendations for the next book to read with my dad, who was diagnosed with dementia but is lucid, just has trouble locating words sometimes, and is admir..."I find Hawthorne and Horiwitz series by Anthony Horowitz to be similar to AC’s style. Think he would like them.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/2384...
I would like to see more British books and Swedish books. They are sometimes better than the American mysteries.
Wow that's amazing. I'm not into the genre but would definitely try something out.
Also which mysteries/thrillers are best for those new to this genre? I appreciate any guidance 😂
Shelley wrote: "How about one by regions or countries? I'm partial to UK writers."Good idea!
Tamara wrote: "I find a difference in American authors vs. UK (there are even breakdowns there, but nevermind). What about a translations category? French, Swedish -- these come to mind immediately (Georges Simen..."I agree
love the idea !! please do it more often
Ashley wrote: "While I appreciate the effort, I don't think this is the way we think of books. I've never said to myself "Gee, I'm in the mood for a mystery, but it better be set in a cold climate or I'll be disa..."Disagree!!! This is 100% how I choose books.
Petulka wrote: "Great idea! Thanks :)"I cannot get into books of this genre if the authors aren't American.
Milena wrote: "not one book by karin slaughter what is that"I noticed that, too. Boo!
I'm pretty new to this genre, what would be a good book to start with? Preferably something that doesn't have too much sexual content.
Ashley wrote: "While I appreciate the effort, I don't think this is the way we think of books. I've never said to myself "Gee, I'm in the mood for a mystery, but it better be set in a cold climate or I'll be disa..."On the other hand, I do like to read books set in Europe, especially in warm weather. There is a possibility that someone in Florida loves reading about the short winter days in Alaska.
Madeeha wrote: "Also which mysteries/thrillers are best for those new to this genre? I appreciate any guidance 😂"That's sort of asking which pizza topping someone should try first. It's so much a matter of personal taste. Some series have a lot of humor, some are serious. Some are sexy, some are chaste. There are authors who will terrify you into nightmares and others who will lull you to a peaceful sleep.
If you belong to Kindle Unlimited or register with Libby you can read samples of most books. The selections are usually long enough that you can get a good sense of the style and plot. I do this all the time.
