Which of the Best Mystery Books Should You Read?
If you asked a group of people what their favorite genre is to read, it is almost guaranteed that several would choose the mystery genre. In fact, ‘mystery’ is one of the top ten bestselling book genres on Amazon. And there’s a good reason why — mystery novels, maybe more than other types of books, can really transport the reader to a new world, one in which they can almost be active participants in unraveling the mystery. However, there are many different types of mystery novels out there, so it can be hard to find where to start if you’re interested in picking up a new mystery book.
You may want a cozy mystery like Cleo Coyle’s Coffeehouse Mysteries series, or you might like a classic Sherlock Holmes crime fiction novel. You may enjoy an older detective novel like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre, or you may be looking for a more contemporary mystery like Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half.
Whether you’re looking for a hidden gem crime novel or a bestselling mystery, this quiz will point you in the direction of your new favorite mystery novel.
Best Mystery Books
'Mystery' is a type of subgenre within the fiction genre of literature. It typically involves a major event like a crime, riddle, or murder that the story revolves around, and the details of the event are often revealed at the end of the story. This leads to an engrossing, suspenseful read in which readers get to feel like they are in the story themselves, solving the mystery.
When we're talking about the mystery genre, it's virtually impossible not to bring up bestselling author Agatha Christie. Some of her most popular books include And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, and Five Little Pigs. If you're a fan of mystery novels but haven't had the opportunity to read any of Agatha Christie's work, you definitely should — many people consider her books some of the best mystery books of all time. Other classic mystery writers include Edgar Allan Poe, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Raymond Chandler, and Elizabeth Daly. If you're more interested in contemporary murder mysteries, be sure to take this quiz for a modern mystery novel recommendation!