Crime novels are some of the best books to read. But the genre is saturated and finding a good crime novel can be difficult. That is why we decided to list the 20 best crime books of all time. Keep reading to see which novels made the list.
Choosing only 20 books for this list feels like a crime! All jokes aside, it was difficult to cut off some books and keep only 20. The genre is filled with many amazing authors and novels. You can see the full list below!
The 20 Best Crime Books of All Time
- The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1902
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, 2019
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, 1965
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, 2005
- Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, 1934
- The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, 1955
- In the Woods by Tana French, 2007
- Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon, 1992
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, 2015
- Mystic River by Dennis Lehane, 2001
- Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, 2000
- The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, 1929
- Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi, 1974
- Dare Me by Megan Abbott, 2012
- Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead, 2021
- The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, 1988
- The Godfather by Mario Puzo, 1969
- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, 1939
- The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886
- The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, 2003
Classics Crime Novels
No list about crime novels is complete without including Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. They have shaped the genre and have inspired thousands of authors and even more books. But they aren’t the only ones to make a name for themselves.
Other classics and must reads include novels such as The Silence of the Lambs, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Death at Le Fenice. These novels aren’t read as often as the more popular books on the list but they are amazing reads that you will think about often.
Conclusion
That is all for our list of the 20 best crime books of all time. What books should we have included on the list? Let us know in the comments below!
10 best Crime novels I agree with most, but why no Ngaio Marsh – Artists in Crime one of my top books. No Marjorie Allingham – I realise Campion is dated but such superb writing. No Dorothy L Sayers. Am I treading on toes? Are they all too Elitist for this day and age? Georgette Heyer Crime novels superb.
What happened to Edgar Allen Poe? “Murders in the Rue Morgue” _invented_ the Thinking Detective.
Short story v novel