No matter what season it is, nothing beats a good whodunit novel. And with so many amazing options to choose from, we decided to list the 20 best whodunit novels that everyone should read. So, keep reading to find out the 20 best whodunit novels of all time!
Even among mystery novels, the whodunit subgenre has its own category. That is because the format of these novels is easy to spot and they let you solve the mystery at hand. Just like the protagonist, you are given information regarding a murder and a slew of suspects and have to correctly guess who done it.
Throughout the decades, various authors have made a name for themselves writing these books. Famous writers such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie became household names because of this subgenre. Even though this genre is always changing, these are some of the titles that will always be favorites and ones that many readers will revisit. You can see the full list below!
The 20 Best Whodunit Novels of All Time
- The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
- The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
- Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
- The Guest List by Lucy Foley
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
- The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
- The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
- Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
- The Thursday Murder by Richard Osman
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- In the Woods by Tana French
- A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie.
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
- The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
- A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
Sherlock Holmes
When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes, people in London mourned his death. They were angry at Doyle for killing such a beloved character which is why Doyle was forced to bring him back. While Doyle wrote other novels, fans only wanted Sherlock Holmes. His most popular novel is The Hound of the Baskervilles but they are all great reads.
And Then There Were None
Agatha’s Christie’s And Then There Were None is her most popular work and for good reason. The simple plot of having 10 people on an island that die one after the other and the murderer is one of them. They have to figure out who is the murderer before everyone else is killed.
Few mystery novels can compare to this classic whodunit novel. This format has been copied by many authors over the decades but nothing will ever top the original. Find out for yourself why this is the best selling crime novel of all time.
Murder on the Orient Express
No mystery list is complete without Agatha Christie. She has helped push the genre forward and you can see her influence on many modern novels. And Murder on the Orient Express is one of her best novels. The mystery at hand is clever and while it may not be as popular as And Then There Were None, it is just as good if not better!
Others Authors That Have Contributed to the Genre
These are two of many authors in the subgenre and many have pushed the genre to new heights. Ruth Ware is also someone that has made a name for herself. And while she may not be as popular as Christie or Doyle, her novels are enjoyable.
An author that makes multiple appearances on the list is Anthony Horowitz. His novels are easy to get lost in and his style of writing makes it obvious that he wrote it. If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes, then you will also love Horowitz!
Conclusion
That is all for our list of the 20 best whodunit novels of all time that you should read. How many of these novels have you read or plan to read? What other novels should have made our list? Let us know in the comments below!
What about The Name of the Rose?
Brat Farrar by Josephine Tay. Excellent mystery / whydunnit.
The Word is Murder is listen twice. Dan Brown does not deserve to be on this list.The Name of the Rose and Bret Farrar deserve to be ahead of Dan Brown.