My Favorite Mystery Novels of All Time

by Desiree Villena

As both a reader and a writer, one of my favorite genres to dip into is the mystery novel. Reading a tightly spun, suspenseful thriller or a real brain-teaser of a crime story will always keep me on the edge of my seat, and I even find myself writing at a faster pace when I turn my own hand to the subject!

So today I wanted to share a little bit of that hair-raising magic with you. I’m bringing you my picks for the best of the best in this category, and sharing my four favorite mystery novels of all time, from vintage classics to technothrillers to contemporary international releases. And fear not — I won’t spoil any you haven’t read yet!

My first pick is one you’ll no doubt have heard of (if you haven’t already read it): Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Larsson’s electrifying espionage novel is so complex, intricately plotted, and perfectly paced that it could serve as a masterclass on how to plan a novel. (Sidenote: it’s also a masterclass on how to title a novel – when in doubt, keep it simple yet intriguing). It was one of the first mystery novels I ever read, and I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the genre.

The story — which recounts a young woman’s sudden disappearance from her wealthy family’s estate, and the aftereffects which ripple on for forty years — is as gripping as it is ambitious. The perilous task of uncovering what really happened is taken on by disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his computer hacker partner, Lisbeth Slander. As the plot unfolds, Larsson brings the reader into a murky underworld, where nobody can be trusted — not even family.

My overwhelming experience of reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for the first time was one of shock. Try as I might, I simply couldn’t predict the secrets that lay at the heart of the story, and that’s what made me love it so much.

Next on my mystery round-up has to be Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale, a gothic novel full of suspense, haunting happenings, and a healthy serving of literature. The novel follows the story of Margaret, a bookish young woman who hopes to become a writer. It seems she’s finally gotten her lucky break when she receives a cryptic summons from the reclusive novelist Vida Winter.

Winter wants Margaret to write her biography. Margaret wants Winter to reveal what happens in the missing final part of Winter’s famous collection of short stories, Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation. The ensuing battle of wills in the eerie setting of Winter’s home is captivating.

Margaret’s growing suspicion, set against Winter’s desperation for her to stay, leads to exasperating tension, and when it’s revealed that Winter has placed nuggets of truth in her fiction, her disturbing tale begins to unravel. I will say that this is perhaps an especially fascinating read for writers, but The Thirteenth Tale is a novel that will keep any mystery fan gripped.

My next pick is a translation of award-winning Argentine writer Claudia Piñeiro’s novel, Las grietas de Jara (A Crack in the Wall in the English edition). The protagonist Pablo is a jaded architect, struggling to handle his dissatisfaction in both his marriage and his work. The numbing monotony of his life is broken suddenly by the arrival of a young woman called Leonor, who is an uncomfortable but exciting intrusion into his rigid routine.

Leonor’s arrival brings trouble for everyone around her, including Pablo. She seeks answers about the death of a man named Jara: the same man who had walked into Pablo’s architectural practice complaining that their latest construction project had caused a crack in his apartment wall — only to be found dead on the building site a few days later.

A Crack in the Wall is a tale of half-hidden affairs, intrigue, and a desperate (and literal) attempt to bury the past. It’s criminally underread, and I’d highly recommend it to those who like their protagonists morally gray, and their murder mysteries puzzling — even long after they read the final page.

Last, but most certainly not least, let’s take a detour away from the contemporary and circle back to the classic, with the timeless Rebecca. Daphne du Maurier’s masterful prose is so steeped in atmosphere and subtext that it’s almost impossible to convey the full sense of the book with a synopsis: for this one, it has to be read to be believed. Nevertheless, in case you aren’t familiar with the basic premise, here’s the lowdown.

Our nameless protagonist, having met and fallen in love with the widower Mr de Winter while vacationing in Europe, is swept off to her new husband’s stately home, Manderley. Wedded bliss is short-lived, however, as our narrator quickly realizes that all is not as it seems. (Sidenote: between this and The Thirteenth Tale, what is it with suspicious characters called Winter?)

A complex series of mind games and misapprehensions serves to slowly but surely unnerve both the young bride and the reader, as the simmering tension between our narrator and Manderley’s mysterious occupants threatens to boil over. It’s a deft and subtle psychological thriller, and there’s a reason why people are still telling you to read Rebecca more than 80 years on!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this romp through the mystery genre with me, and that you’ve come away with a new spine-chilling, pulse-racing, and head-scratching item on your to-read list! I look forward to hearing about your own favorite mystery stories in the comments.


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