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Top 100 Mysteries & Thrillers on Goodreads
Culprits, spies, bad guys, and women with vendettas: There's something so very satisfying about spending your time with the criminal element. And by that, we mean following the clues and solving the capers when you sit down with a great mystery or thriller. Always in search of a great book, Goodreads recently set out to uncover your 100 most-loved thrillers and mysteries.
There are, of course, rules to this game. Namely, every one of these books has at least a 4.0 rating from the Goodreads community. That means it's a bit of a popularity contest, for example Gone Girl is represented with a 4.02 rating, but another girl—Girl on a Train—just misses the list at 3.88. Then there are the usual suspects you won't find on this list: The Maltese Falcon (3.92), Angels & Demons (3.85), and Strangers on a Train (3.84) among others. It may seem brutal, but the readers have spoken.
Of course, many of your favorite writers have stayed with a character for a while, so in the cases of serialized mysteries and thrillers, we picked the books that, again, are over 4.0 and have the largest number of ratings.
It's time to unveil the top 100 Mysteries & Thrillers on Goodreads, arranged in alphabetical order. How many have you read? Tell us in the comments.
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Tell us how many you've read in the comments! And be sure to check out more of our Mystery & Thriller Week coverage here.
Comments Showing 251-300 of 473 (473 new)
message 251:
by
Courtney
(new)
May 01, 2017 07:23PM
17/100 and quite a few were also on my TBR list. Some of these were my favorites! A few I wouldn't really classify as either mystery or thriller (Burial Rites).
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I've read 9 and seen 4 as movies. Oh, I am reading one now, also.
Only 48. Thanks for this list. I'll have to start reading faster.
I've read 18 of these great books. Read many of these authors, but not the particular books listed i.e. I've read many James Lee Burke, but not the one listed; Louise Penny; and am surprised there are no Donna Leon or Ruth Rendel books included.
Read: 15 but many more are ony TBR. I see several to add to my TBR.
I've read only 5 of these, but happen to be currently reading another on the list-- Stephen King's Finders Keepers. So I will have read 6 of them soon.
I've read 4 of the mentioned 100. But! I did read all 13 of the Sookie Stackhouse series :)
Marie wrote: "It seems to me you've mixed up detective stories and thrillers, which are two different genres (although they often overlap)...."I totally agree. A lot of these books I have, and never will, read because they are 'thrillers' which I don't care for. Generally their plots are thin as paper whereas the mystery writers tend to have much more complex plots. Also I found there is a lot of violence in the thrillers which really puts me off books If you can't write a book without gouts of blood or sexual abuse I don't think much of you or your writing.
40! And watch tv adaptation of a couple more!
15 . Amazed there are no Graham Hurley and Peter May books on this list. Peter May's Island Trilogy are some of the best books I've read :)
What a great idea this was! Am loving reading the responses.How about a retro reads week? That would bring some great stuff back to the surface.
Or books translated from their original language
13 books. It would be 15 if I could remember if I had read Agatha Christies works. But thats nearly 30 years ago. It's sad that no books of Ian Rankin are under the top 100. In my opinion he is one of the best thiller authors of the las decade.
30/100, with a few more on the 'To Read' pile.
I've read 12 from the list. Really looking forwards to diving into some of the others listed.
18, but most of them when I was younger. It is a genre I don't read much in any more.
17 out of 100. I have read a couple of sequels to other books mentioned as well.Great list.
I think it was about 30. Not too bad. Some of these I disagree with (I'm sure many do). Uh that Janet Evanovich novel is chick lit IMO with a mystery thrown in. I HATED that book.
Robin wrote: "Cheryl A wrote: "37/100. Remember, it's based on GR popularity. Great classic titles and authors are sorely missing and whoever thought Agatha Christi and Janet Evanovich would be on the same list?..."Yes!!! I wish the cozy mystery and chick lit mysteries were omitted but I like my mysteries down and dirty lol!!
22/100. Surprised so few, better get reading.
9/100 several more on my TBR list
9/1007 are on my want to read list. I'm sure I'll be adding more though!
I've read 12.Camilla Lackberg is a favorite of mine, surprised she's not in the top 100, her books are great.
12 and many others not on the list but equally as good.
38 read, and many more on my Want to Read list.
8 out of 100. Most of the other are on my "want to read" list!
54; love he Elizabeth George series ; notably missing are Jussi Adler-Olson and his Dept. Q series which are wonderful and Martha Grimes and her series with Melrose Plante and so many others, including James Abel and Steven James
Robin wrote: "I'm a big mystery fan, but not really a thriller fan. I was surprised to find that I had only read 27 of these. I've read some in the same series as the book listed - like Ludlum's Bourne Identity ..."Yes, I'm also a big fan of Ellen Raskin and Laurie R King :)
I really enjoy Qiu Xialong's Inspector Chen series as well as the Inspector O series by James Church.
4 of 100, and my currently reading is Watchers - Dean Koontz
It makes me so content to see all the Holmes stories on the list.
I've read 18. I'm surprised it's not more actually. At least 60 were on my 'to read' list though!
I have read 24/100, and 6 more were already on my to read list.
Read 14. Another 7 are on my "want to read" list. And saw others as movies or TV shows. I don't really care for character series in which most of the titles wind up as mass market paperbacks at the drug store...
16/100... Disappointed to see one of my favorites, Stuart Woods' "Palindrome," did not make the list!
I've read 61/100 if I counted correctly...I love the genre!
