It spawned a movie and propelled Gillian Flynn into one of the most sought out and popular mystery/thriller writers in recent memory. Gone Girl was a huge hit when it came out in 2012. Her expertise is clear as she tells this politically driven story while introducing us to two determined Detectives who specialize in minority cases. The author is a Doctor with a PhD in International Human Rights Law, who spent years studying the Bosnian War and this particular event.
This story is a complex one, exploring the ramifications of the Srebenica massacre of 1995 that took place during the Bosnian War. But remember to apply sunscreen as you get lost in this thriller. If you haven’t delved into this story yet then find a cozy spot outdoors and knock it out. From there, the tale spirals and unfolds into a familial drama and murder mystery.
Set in Sweden, the first of the series introduces us to Lisbeth Salander, a tattooed punk prodigy with an intriguing past who is tapped to help a journalist look into a family disappearance that occurred 40 years ago. This story was so successful that it inspired two movie franchises. Top Mystery Books: The Thriller Mystery The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: The Millennium Series, Book 1 By Stieg Larsson Dayna Anderson is our female lead (former actress turned amateur sleuth), and she finds herself in over her head just trying to get some $$$, isn’t that how it goes? It’s also just refreshing to see a woman of color as a female detective. I’ve talked about this series in another roundup, but I just can’t help myself. You’ll have to give it a read to see how this paranormal mystery plays out. She takes a job teaching music at an all-boys school and is surprised to learn that her cliffside cottage is home to its original very dead owner. What makes this novel stand out amongst others in its genre is protagonist Gethsemane Brown, an African American classical musician who finds herself in over her head when she’s stranded with no job, no luggage, and no money. This paranormal cozy mystery checks all the boxes. If you’ve made your way through the aforementioned novel then this story featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is the perfect one to add to your queue. A picturesque village, an unexpected crime, the suspicious detective is on the case! There’s a reason this formula works so well and why cozy mysteries are so popular. Okay, so at this point, you can probably guess what the plot summary is here. If you’re looking for a bit of history mixed with a plucky female protagonist then this series may be right up your alley. While I would probably back away from the bizarre turn of events, young Flavia de Luce is appalled and delighted. This time set in 1950, our heroine is an aspiring chemist with an inquisitive mind who is intrigued by a series of seemingly unconnected events (a dead bird, a postage stamp, and a dead man in a cucumber patch). The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley It’s a classic whodunit where everyone is a suspect and everyone has a motive. The first in a series of mysteries starring beloved female detective, Miss Jane Marple, takes place in a small town where the town’s hated magistrate is shot through the head. Is there a cozier mystery writer than Agatha Christie? She’s a prolific mystery writer whose work spanned decades and has stood the test of time. Take a look at the top mystery books below and let us know what you think! Top Mystery Books: The Cozy Mystery Book Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie Some might have more ratings than others, but I searched for a minimum of 3.5 across the board.
My method isn’t scientific I searched by sub-genre and set out to compile the top mystery books by looking at the average rating and the number of ratings. If you, like me, love an engaging story-I’ve rounded up the top mystery books across several sub-genres by scouring Goodreads. I’ve even attended a murder mystery party or two in my day and enthusiastically played CLUE until I was the last one standing. From Encyclopedia Brown to Nancy Drew to Agatha Christie, over the years I’ve read quite a few.
I’ve always been fascinated by the “whodunit” style story.