And Then There Were None

Author: Agatha Christie

Master of the mystery genre, Agatha Christie herself described And Then There Were None as the most difficult to write among her works. Crafted and named after a nursery rhyme, it tells the story of ten people who all end up on an island for various reasons. They have never seen their hosts, but every day one of the guests dies a mysterious death described in the rhyme. The fewer people are left, the more difficult it gets to understand who stands behind those horrendous murders and what their motive is.

The Big Sleep

Author: Raymond Chandler

The Big Sleep marked the debut of Phillip Marlowe, a private investigator that would become Chandler’s recurring character. Marlowe is hired by a high-ranking military man to investigate and eliminate blackmailing attempts on his younger daughter who had also been blackmailed in the past. As he works his way through this messy affair, Marlowe discovers multiple layers, unexpected connections, and more dirt than he initially thought he would have to deal with.

Gone Girl

Author: Gillian Flynn

Even if you have seen the film adaptation, definitely give Gone Girl a try. One of the best modern thriller books, it deals with issues of domestic violence, media hype, and manipulation, all through the prism of the unhappy marriage of Nick and Amy. When Amy goes missing, all clues point toward Nick. Trying to prove himself innocent, he also finds out a great deal of things about his wife he never knew before, which make him question whether he actually knew the person he was married to.

Woman in White

Author: Wilkie Collins

Set in the late Victorian era, Woman in White is one of the best examples of Gothic horror meeting mystery. What starts as a doomed love story between Walter Hartright and Laura Fairlie soon turns into an investigation into the nature of an eerie figure clad in white that roams the streets when dark falls. Narrated by several characters, storylines and perspectives on the events intertwine, uncovering the truth bit by bit. 

In Cold Blood

Author: Truman Capote

You would think that reading a nonfiction novel takes all the mystery out of it because you already know what happened in real life, but In Cold Blood will prove you wrong. For one, Capote started writing it before the Clutter family murderers were found and did a lot of interviewing himself. And secondly, the way he structures the book, describing the lives of the murderers, their victims, and the community they lived in, filling it with twists, makes it an absolute delight to read.

The Postman Always Rings Twice

Author: James M. Cain

When The Postman Always Rings Twice was published in 1934, its explicit language and vivid sexuality and violence were so shocking for the era, it was banned in Boston. When Frank meets young and beautiful Cora, they fall for each other and start a relationship despite Cora being married to Nick. Cora doesn’t want to run away with Frank because she wants to get her hands on the diner her husband owns. Together with Frank, they plan to stage an accident and get rid of Nick. But fate had other plans…

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson

Mikael Blomkvist is a brilliant investigative journalist who is not afraid to take up uncomfortable subjects for his articles. Lisbeth Salander is a genius hacker with a disturbed past. They seem to be moving in different circles until one day the mysterious case of the disappearance of Harriet Vanger brings them together, as they are both hired to find out what happened to her decades ago. This investigation leads them to uncover many atrocities that have been going on in the Vanger family for generations. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opened the trilogy based around Lisbeth’s past and her revenge on people who wronged her.

Anatomy of a Murder

Author: Robert Traver

If you think courtroom dramas are all about formalities and boring details, you are about to change your mind. Former district attorney Paul Biegler takes up a case as a defense lawyer to clear Frederick Manion of murder accusations. Written by a Supreme Court Justice under the pen name of Robert Traver, Anatomy of a Murder gives a very accurate but also exciting-to-read account of the process and of how a brilliant attorney can use the smallest things to win a hopeless case.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Author: John le Carré

The Cold War era was all about espionage, double agents, and government secrets. Of course, it found a reflection in fiction too. A retired British intelligence service agent has to return to active duty when suspicions arise that there is a Soviet mole among the officers. It is now up to George Smiley to expose the traitor. Cleverly written, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy will drop hints here and there to make you pick them up and follow the narrative until it’s time to make the big reveal.   

The Da Vinci Code

Author: Dan Brown

For The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown brings back his character professor Robert Langdon to solve yet another history and art-related sinister plan. When the Louvre’s curator is found dead in the museum in a very bizarre position, Langdon’s name comes up during the investigation. It will take Langdon’s exceptional knowledge and great attention to detail to solve not only the curator’s death but also an even bigger mystery behind it. You probably don’t want to take art or theology lessons from this suspense book, but it will keep you occupied, as Brown definitely knows how to put a good riddle together.