The Best Classic Murder Mysteries of All Time You Need to Read

There is no better feeling than reading a great mystery novel. With so many good classic mystery novels, we decided to travel back in time and list the best classic murder mysteries of all time. Keep reading to find out which books made our list!

The mystery genre is crowded with many old and recent classics. We decided to focus on the classic murder mysteries and even that was difficult. There are so many great novels and narrowing it down was a challenge.

Many of you can guess that this list is going to contain a bunch of Agatha Christie novels. If you haven’t read her novels, then you are missing out. But that’s not all. We made sure to include some of the best classic murder mysteries that we could find. You can see the full list below!

The Best Classic Murder Mysteries of All Time

• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
• A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle  
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
• The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
• The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle 
• The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie  
• The Big Sleep (Philip Marlowe, #1) by Raymond Chandler
• Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
• The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
• The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo
• Death and the Dancing Footman by Ngaio Marsh
• The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne
• The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey  

The Murder on the Orient Express

No mystery list ever feels complete without an Agatha Christie novel. 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. Few authors can brag about having as many great novels but for Christie, that is a piece of cake!

When a wealthy American passenger is found murdered aboard the luxurious Orient Express, detective Hercule Poirot must solve the case while the train is stranded by a snowstorm. With every passenger a suspect and alibis that don’t quite add up, Poirot uncovers a complex web of connections that leads to one of the most famous and unconventional endings in mystery fiction.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

If you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes, then reading A Study of Scarlet is a must. It introduced Sherlock Holmes to the world and birthed the greatest detective ever. Holmes slowly took over London and was a fan favorite. His death later on made everyone mourn his death and force Doyle to bring him back.

This is the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, who team up to solve a mysterious murder in London involving a corpse with no visible wounds. Holmes uses his groundbreaking methods of deduction to unravel a case that stretches back to a tale of revenge rooted in the American West.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Agatha’s Christie’s novel And Then There Were None is her most popular work and for good reason. It is a thrilling mystery novel with a mystery that will drive you crazy trying to solve it.

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. This novel is the sixth best selling of all time and has helped make Christie a household name as well as the best selling author of all time.

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

A novel that captures all of my favorite things about noir fiction is The Maltese Falcon. It is a detective novel written by Dashiell Hammett. The plot is fun and interesting and with so many plot twists, you won’t ever be bored. You will be transported back to the 1930’s trying to figure out who is lying and who can you trust?

Private detective Sam Spade is drawn into a dangerous hunt for a priceless jeweled statue known as the Maltese Falcon. As partners are killed and loyalties shift, Spade navigates a world of deception, greed, and betrayal, ultimately relying on his instincts to uncover the truth in this defining hardboiled detective novel.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

When talking about the best detective novels of all time, Sherlock Holmes can’t be forgotten. And with a bunch of books and short stories to his name, many could have made this list. But the best book in the Sherlock Holmes series has to be The Hounds of the Baskervilles. Even if Doyle hated writing Sherlock Holmes novels, their impact on the crime genre cannot be ignored.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate the legend of a supernatural hound said to haunt the Baskerville family. Set on the eerie English moors, the case blends gothic horror with detective work as Holmes seeks a rational explanation behind the mysterious death and looming danger.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is considered one of Agatha Christie’s best works and after reading it, you can’t really argue against it. This novel has all of the best tropes that Christie has become known for and is a change from her usual whodunit format.

When the news of Mrs. Ferrars’ suicide reaches Roger Ackroyd, he knew that someone killed her. A mail that Ackroyd receives leads to his death as he killed before he could finish reading it.

Who killed Roger Ackroyd and what did he know that made him a target? Did Mrs. Ferrars commit suicide or was she also murdered. It is up to Hercule Poirot to solve this mysterious case and find a motive and the murderer.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

The Hardboiled fiction genre thrived from the 1930s to the 1950s and Raymond Chandler was one of its most influential writers. The Big Sleep captures the magic that swept the nation and made hardboiled fiction the go-to for many readers. Now, the genre is mostly forgotten but its impact can still be felt in many detective novels and movies that is has influenced over the decades.

Private investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by a wealthy family to handle a blackmail case, but the investigation quickly spirals into a tangled web of crime, corruption, and murder. Known for its sharp dialogue and complex plot, this noir classic showcases Marlowe’s gritty determination in a morally ambiguous world.

The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

Reading a Japanese mystery novel was a new experience to me and I didn’t know what to expect with The Decagon House Murders. But I ended up really enjoying it and reading a novel that I normally wouldn’t have. Japan’s mystery novels are different than your usual; mystery books but their love of the genre is just as strong!

Seven students who are part of a mystery club decide to spend a week vacation on an island off the coast of Japan. A murder took place on the island six months ago which is part of the reason why it was selected and the case was never solved. And when the students start getting killed one by one, they all realize that unless they capture the murderer, they will all die except for the murderer.

Conclusion

Just as you expected, Christie’s novels dominate the list. Her whodunit novels are some of the best mystery novels ever written. Even to this day, her format is still used when writing a whodunit novel. You can’t go wrong with any of the novels on the list and a few more could have made it!

These are the best classic murder mysteries of all time. Many of them belong to Agatha Christie but she is just one of the many authors that contributed to this genre and shaped the mystery genre to what it is today.

How many of these mysteries have you read or plan to read? What other classic murder mystery novel would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

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