Best Crime Mystery & Dark Thriller Books of All Time
Discover the best crime thriller books of all time. From dark mysteries to detective series, these top novels are perfect for young adults & beginners
Crime thriller books offer a unique blend of suspense, mystery, and excitement. These novels keep readers on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover dark secrets.
They are some of the best in fiction, making them a top choice for those who enjoy a good detective story.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced reader, crime thrillers offer a wide range of options. From gripping series to standalone books, there's something for everyone.
For young adults, these books are highly recommended as they dive deep into thrilling plots and complex characters.
If you're looking for a great crime thriller to start, many good books from Indian authors are perfect for beginners.
Some of the top crime thriller books of all time have stood out as the greatest, with their mystery and suspense always keeping readers hooked.
1. Into the Water: A Novel
Into the Water: A Novel by Paula Hawkins
- The book is about figuring out how one sister died, and the answer is surprising until the very end.
- It tells a story about two sisters who didn't get along, making the story more interesting and emotional.
- The story is told from different characters' points of view, which makes it more interesting but a bit confusing.
- Even if you usually don't read fiction, the exciting and suspenseful story will keep you hooked.
- Besides the mystery, it is a touching and well-written story that you will enjoy reading.
2. Behind Her Eyes: A Suspenseful Psychological Thriller
Behind Her Eyes: A Suspenseful Psychological Thriller by Sarah Pinborough
- The book tells the story of a woman who is suspicious of her husband.
- It's a dark and thrilling story where you won't know the answer until the end.
- The language in the book is easy to understand and the story is enjoyable.
- If you like mysteries and surprises, this book will keep you hooked.
- The ending might not be realistic, so if you prefer realistic stories, you might not like it as much.
3. The Heist Artist
- "The Heist Artist" is about a con artist named Val who wants to quit his dishonest job and start a new, honest life.
- Val gets offered a big project that could give him enough money to start fresh, but it's dangerous.
- Even though it seems simple, the book has a lot of exciting stuff happening.
- It's a crime fiction story, but it's easy to understand, even for beginners.
- If you like thrilling stories but don't want to get confused, this book is a good choice.
4. My Sister, the Serial Killer: A Novel
- It's about two sisters where one is a serial killer and the other cleans up after her. When the younger sister starts dating the older sister's crush, things get wild!
- This book is super short, so if you're short on time or like fast-paced stories, it's perfect for you.
- The words are easy to understand, even if you're new to reading. You might get a bit confused at first, but it won't be too hard to follow along.
- There's lots of drama between the sisters, which makes it really interesting.
- It's not like any other book you've read before, with its mix of crime, family, and romance.
5. Murder on the Orient Express
Murder on the Orient Express: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie
- "Murder on the Orient Express" is a thrilling book by Agatha Christie about a murder on a train with 14 passengers.
- A detective on the train has to find out who the killer is because the train gets stuck in the snow.
- Even though the story seems simple, the twist at the end will leave you shocked. You won't guess who the killer is until the very end.
- Agatha Christie's writing style is amazing, and she keeps you hooked with her clever storytelling.
- The story doesn't seem like it's leading to anything big, but the ending will make you go "whoa" and wonder how Christie came up with such a brilliant plot.
6. Sadie: A Novel
- It's about Sadie, who's deeply affected because her sister, Maddie, was killed. She's very sad and wants to find out who did it.
- Sadie is doing things to figure out who the murderer is. She's like a detective trying to solve a big puzzle.
- A lot is happening in the book, but I can't say too much or it will spoil the surprise. It keeps you guessing and curious about what will happen next.
- I really think you should read this book because the ending is amazing. It will shock you and make you think a lot.
- The way the story ends will blow your mind. It's a big reason why I'm telling you about this book.
7. I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death
- The book tells true stories about the author's 17 near-death experiences.
- Each story is thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
- The author describes each experience with a lot of detail, making you feel like you are there.
- Even though some words might be hard, the stories are fun and interesting.
- It's a real-life adventure that shows how the author survived these dangerous moments.
8. Gone Girl
- The book is very dark and tells a mysterious story about a woman who disappears.
- The husband tries to find out if his wife was kidnapped or if something worse happened to her.
- There is also a movie based on the book, but the book has more details and is even darker.
- It is one of the darkest books, full of thrilling and sometimes disgusting moments that keep you on edge.
- If you like dark and intense stories and can handle scary and disgusting parts, this book is a great read.
9. Bird Box: A Novel
- The story is about people staying at home to avoid dangerous creatures, similar to how we stayed home during the lockdown.
- There is a creature that makes people hurt themselves if they see it, so they can't go outside.
- A woman must protect her children and find a safe place for them.
- The book is very thrilling and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
- People say the book is much more detailed and exciting than the movie.
10. Sniper's Eye
- A regular man's life changes when he witnesses a shooting at a theater, revealing a hidden past.
- The story uncovers surprising things about the man's past that no one knew.
- It explores how his past affects his future and the mystery of who the sniper is.
- The book is simple but full of mystery, making it a great choice for an interesting read.
- Written by Mainak Dhar, an Indian author, adding a unique perspective to the story.
11. Death and Dishonor: Revenge is Everything
- Alchun is a man who had a happy life until something bad happened, making him feel lonely and sad.
- Even though Alchun faces tough times, he has to stand up and fight to solve mysteries and challenges.
- The story is full of unexpected twists that keep you guessing what will happen next.
- It's the first part of a series, so if you like waiting for more books and enjoy series, this book is for you.
- The language used in the book is easy to understand, making it a good choice for readers who prefer simple language.
12. Prisoner of Yakutsk - The Subhash Chandra Bose Mystery
Prisoner of Yakutsk - The Subhash Chandra Bose Mystery by Shreyas Bhave
- "The Prisoner of Yakutsk" tells two captivating stories, one about Subash Chandra Bose Netaji's mysterious death and another about a grandfather's life.
- It's not just any story, it's a thrilling political adventure that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
- Although the story is complex, the language used is simple and easy to understand, making it accessible for readers.
- It might take a little time to get fully into the book, but once you're hooked, you won't want to put it down.
- If you're curious and eager to uncover what happens next, this book will keep you turning the pages until the end.
13. I Hid My Voice
- The book tells the story of a mute boy whose mother supports him, but his father and others treat him poorly because he doesn't talk.
- The boy believes that smart children are only from their fathers, not mothers, and struggles to accept his father as his own.
- It's a dark fiction book that explores the boy's journey to find his voice and identity.
- The author delves deep into the boy's mind, making it emotional and insightful.
- It's not just about the boy's journey, but also teaches about children's psychology.
- The language is super easy, perfect for beginners, and it can be considered a psychological thriller.
14. Susanna's Seven Husbands
- The story is about seven husbands who all die in strange and mysterious ways.
- This book has been turned into a movie called "7 Khoon Maaf," so you might enjoy comparing the book to the movie.
- The story is dark, with many secrets, but it’s also very fun and exciting to read.
- Written by Ruskin Bond, the language is simple and easy to understand.
- You'll be curious to find out how each husband dies and what happens next.
15. Dan Brown Books
- Lastly, I want to recommend an author that is Dan Brown is very famous for his thriller books.
- I have only read one book and that was too long ago so I don't want to basically recommend a book without reading it but you can need any book by Dan Brown.
- I'm pretty sure you will not be disappointed with 'Origen' and for now 'Angels & Demons, 'Da Vinci Code.
16. The Maltese Falcon
There are many genres of mystery fiction, The side branch is diagonal, But the puzzle-solving book has always occupied the position of the orthodox mainstream.
The only one who can stand up against each other is the tough guy supported by Dahir Hammett and Raymond Chandler.
Hammett was not the first to write a writer of tough-guy novels, But he was the first writer to inject literary quality and psychological depth into tough-guy novels. Opened up to mystery on another battlefield.
Hammett wrote five novels in his life, Four works were selected into the top 100 list ("The Disaster of the Dane House" except)."The Maltese Eagle" is known as "Better than any novel by Hemingway" The first masterpiece of hardcore, in Random House 20 Century 100 also, ranked No. 1 in English novels 56 Position;
The other three are "The Thin Man", "Red Harvest" and "The Glass Key". The movie version of this book by Humphrey. Starring Bogart, ranked number one in the 100 best films of the 20th century in the United States twenty-three Bit.
17. Presumed Innocent
A classic work of lawyer suspense novels. The protagonist Randie is a senior and extremely excellent chief prosecutor, Because of work, I often come into contact with some heart-wrenching social maladies and various crimes, To expose justice's dark side of the system, he secretly manipulated, he did not hesitate to try the law...
The ending was unexpected, Absolutely shocking! Author Scott Duro originally earned a master of English and American Literature from Stanford University, After graduation, he stayed in school to teach literary creation,
I like letter and pen doodles after class, Just because I met in the writing process many legal issues, So I chose to enter Harvard Law School for further study, Since then, several sensational legal thrillers have been published in succession. Say.
Great writers who are also lawyers, Scott Douro and John Grisham, and Richard Patterson(Richard Patterson) and called "Sanjie". The movie version of the book by Harrison? Starring Ford.
18. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
John Le Carré 18 Was recruited by the British military intelligence unit when he served as a spy in East Berlin; after retiring, he worked in the British Foreign Office.1963 In 2016,
he used his third work "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" Fame in one fell swoop, the famous novelist Graham? Green praised: "This is the best spy novel I have ever read!" Since then established its literary world.
Le Carré has won numerous awards throughout his life, including the 1965 Ellen of the American Association of Reasoning Writers? Poe Prize,1964 Maugham Award, United Kingdom Somerset Maugham Prize, James Tait Black Commemorative awards, etc.,
1988 Awarded in the year CWA Lifetime Achievement Award, 1963 versus, 1977 Annuity Dagger Award, Italy Malaparte Prize, and many more.
"The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" is super creative. Plot down the ups and downs repeated peaks and turns in unexpected places; in the writer’s realistic, calm, and restrained writing, a touch of sadness is reflected, Worthy of being the vanguard of spy novels. Le?
Carre has four works shortlisted in the Top 100, and the other three are "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy", "Agent Running in the Field" "The Night Manager", and "And Call for the Dead".
19. Rebecca
Du Maurier has written seventeen novels and dozens of literary works in other genres. 1969 Awarded in the year awarded the Order of the Lady of the British Empire. Du Maurier the influence of Gothic novels in the century with mystery and horror as the main features, most of the plots are more tortuous.
The characterization is more delicate While rendering the mysterious atmosphere, Mixed with fatalistic sentiments. Compared to the original work,
the Hitchcock movie version of this book may be more widely known, and the film won the first 13 Best Pictures in the Oscars, Best Photography award.
In this novel, she is the one who has not appeared, but she is also the one who has always existed in everyone's hearts. Outsiders think this stunner is impeccable: beautiful, noble, smart, capable, courageous, and courageous;
but in the eyes of her husband Derwent, he is a complete demon, bitch! She can pretend that everyone can't see her heart, can't see her madness, and can mingle with anyone and confuse sentient beings.
She will do something unethical and is also being cleaned up. This woman is too independent and too courageous. She can ride a horse better than a man, so she can go out to sea alone.
She loves no one, she only loves herself. She didn't want to be someone's accessory, she didn't want to put a man's last name after her name.
Think about how scary, why do you want to ask for your opinion on what clothes to wear? Why do you depend on your color when you speak?
Why do you have to invite guests and friends to a party as you wish? Just because of your surname!
20. Anatomy of a Murder
Forensic reasoning. Lawyer Baker is tracking down a murder case, Lieutenant Mason and his wife who claimed to have been raped by the deceased conceal the truth.
Bonnie the dead and their husband what is the secret of the wife? Baker can find clues and find out the truth of the facts?
A movie based on the novel "Peachy Blood Case" Once nominated 1959 Oscar for Best Picture of the Year, by James? Stewart, George? The two-star Scott co-starring is film history one of the classic suspense films.
America's original #1 bestselling legal thriller and courtroom drama, rereleased with a dynamic new package The basis for the classic Oscar Award-nominated 1959 film starring Jimmy Stewart, Anatomy of a Murder tells the gripping story of the sensational trial of a young soldier accused of murdering his wife's rapist.
Against seemingly insurmountable odds, defense attorney Paul Biegler agrees to defend Lieutenant Frederick Manion, who freely admits to killing the man who violently raped his wife.
Several witnesses saw the event with their own eyes and can testify that Manion committed the ruthless, cold-blooded act.
Biegler's challenge is to find a legal justification for the killing, all the while balancing the intense emotions that come along with murder against the consciences and sympathies of the twelve strangers in the jury box.
The lawyer sees it as a straightforward, albeit gravely difficult, legal challenge. Until he starts to dig beneath the surface of the crime and finds that some startling facts have not yet come to light and that the truth of the situation is far more complex than he could have imagined...
21. The Postman Always Rings Twice
If it helps you, please download and use it! 3 James M. Cain (U.S.). A pair of lovers tried to murder and hinder their husbands, and the result was naturally a cycle of heaven and retribution.
when this book first came out, Once caused great controversy due to the author’s deviant thinking and vulgar and neat writing.
He regards the criminal as the first master Man, Takes the murderer from a first-person narrative perspective, and lets readers gradually converge with the murderer's position in empathy——
This technique can be seen everywhere today, but it was really a pioneering work at the time.
The author James Cain is a master of American literature with a style similar to Hemingway.
His masterpiece is in Random House 20 Ranked No. in the Top 100 English Novels of the Century 98 Position, even affected the later due to the writing of the "Bureau" The Outsider" is famous in the literary world Nobel Prize winner Camus; and by the famous Italian film director Luchino Visconti 1942,
He made his debut in 1999, which opened the prelude to the Italian neo-realist film after the war. James another work of Kain "Double Insurance" also ranked.
22. The Godfather
Mario Puzo is a representative work of modern American popular novels.1969 Come out so far, the global issuance has exceeded 2100 volumes, the unmatched super bestseller in the world today.
Just relying on this description of the Mafia family history of crime fiction, Mario Puzo is enough to make a name in the history of literature; His subsequent works never surpassed this one.
Later horse Rio Puzo personally wrote and adapted the novel into a movie, Directed by Francisco Pola, which Won three awards including an Oscar for Best Picture,
It ranks second among the 100 best films of the 20th century in the United States.
23. And Then There Were None
Universally recognized"Detective Novel Queen" Agatha Christie has a total of four books included in the top 100 list: "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd", "Murder on the Orient Express", "Death on the Nile" and "The Agatha Christie Collection".
This book is her best work, and there is "The First Work of Benguet Inference. "It is said that it is tense and exciting from beginning to end, making readers want to stop.
It can be said that the unseen plot arrangement is really "Whimsical", which fully demonstrates the infinite charm of Benguet school mystery novels.
Agatha ChrisThere are more than a hundred books about Di's life. According to statistics, her novel has been reprinted hundreds of times. The total global print volume is second only to the Bible".
24. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
I finished reading "The Girl in White" in two nights. I thought it was very interesting. I learned about the book and the author online and wrote a few thoughts here and there:
- Is it true that you can't have your cake and eat it too? Must pop and classics not coexist? No, it's just difficult. Collins did it, and "The Lady in White" is indeed both popular and classic.
- Literature is the study of human nature. The success of a novel still depends on the creation of characters. These are my favorite people in "The Lady in White": Miss Hemari, Professor Packard, Mr. Fairlie, and Count Vansk--interesting people.
- Multiple people narrate separately, just like a difficult juggling act. You have to be "highly skilled" to be "bold". People who want to write novels may wish to try and figure it out.
- The American Mystery Writers Association listed "The Lady in White" as one of the 100 best mystery novels. It is obviously a tribute to Collins, who pioneered detective novels because although the mystery part of the book is not much, it does carefully weave a story. A good story, and later writers benefited a lot from it.
- In 2004, 18 years after the completion of "Phantom of the Opera", Weber, the father of musicals, adapted "The Lady in White" into a musical and it was a great success.
Weber once said that he read "The Lady in White" for the first time since he was a boy. , and was immediately attracted by the rebellious characters in the book who were completely different from other works.
After reading "The Lady in White", you will feel that it is really suitable to be adapted into a stage play.
25. The Sign of the Four By Arthur Conan Doyle
This is a classic Sherlock Holmes novel. Follow Sherlock Holmes to solve the case step by step, catch the prisoner, and finally understand the whole story of the case through the prisoner’s confession.
The whole story is exciting and gripping! Only the chase sequence on the Thames River is very high-energy, and the rest is really average.
And Watson met his wife. Why are these murderers seeking revenge? Their huge hatred supports them in chasing their enemies all the way.
26. The Hollow By Agatha Christie
Rather than reading it as a mystery book, it is better to regard it as a novel describing human nature.
After John and Veronica reunited, they finally found that they loved their wives deeply and understood what should be given up and what should be cherished.
Gerda loved her husband but didn't understand him. She thought love meant giving in and being patient. Finally, when the image of the perfect husband in her heart was shattered, she killed him.
But she didn't know that he just wanted to start cherishing her. This It's not a tragedy.
If they had been honest with each other, if Gerda hadn't destroyed her own characteristics because of her extreme love, and hadn't suppressed herself too much, this tragedy might not have happened.
Henrietta loved John but also understood John. It was because he understood so much that they could not truly be together.
Edward loved Henrita, but he sympathized with Mickey. His sympathy for Mickey made him finally decide to marry her.
And Mickey also loved Edward, but They couldn't stand that Edward was always thinking about Henry Rita.
But when Edward felt that he was worthless and wanted to commit suicide, they suddenly discovered that one of them needed the other's warmth so much, and the other wanted to give the other warmth wholeheartedly without hesitation.
There are poignant stories and warm stories in this book.
The characters are vividly displayed on the paper. This is the most immersive mystery book I have ever read. I found it very interesting and interesting.
27. The Big Sleep
Raymond Chandler and Dahir? Hard-line private investigator novel led by Hammett, turning over the dominance of British classical reasoning to American detective fiction, Created a strong style in the United States, Is famous in the history of reasoning" nice national revolution".
Completed seven full-length stories and twenty short stories throughout his life, These four works were shortlisted in the top 100 list: "The Big Sleep", "Farewell, My Lovely", "The Long Goodbye" and "The Lady in the Lake".
In "Eternal Sleep", the private detective Philip Marlowe makes his debut, this appearance is cold and tender at heart. The role of an urban lone ranger, Affected every tough detective later.
All of you are cold hardliners, Chandler’s style is similar to Hammett’sThere are many differences: The latter is thoroughly sophisticated and cold, The detective works hard from the inside out, But the former is always reluctant to give up the beautiful humanity in his heart hope,
The detective in the pen is just a thermos——cold outside and hot inside. So Hammet is called "The black master on the ruthless street", and Chandler is "Poet Laureate in Crime Fiction".
28. The League of Frightened Men By Rex Stout
Sometimes novels may allow us to see the truth of life, and the ending may be important, but this does not weaken our fear.
Just like the fear of murderers in the book, only a few truths are covered up and can be touched. Talent has this honor.
It's easy to imagine yourself being a detective, but obviously that's delusional. Of course, we don’t all need to become secret agents in life.
We can only imagine the boredom of the protagonist in "Insidious", which is a victim of revolution.
Life needs to be relaxed and carefree like the dialogue of the characters in the book.
As printed on the cover - alliances cannot make the strong stronger, they can only make the weak weaker. In life, we seek life-saving alliances but find ourselves becoming weaker.
This is a poor excuse for making things difficult for yourself, but the authorities think the situation will get better because of it.
29. The Snowman By Jo Nesbo
The gloomy atmosphere at the beginning is well created, with a sinful affair, an empty snowman, and terrifying words.
What follows is a lengthy narrative of the case. Among the few detective novels I have read, "The Snowman" is indeed unique in its complexity.
The previous experience that "length is directly proportional to the possibility of becoming a clue" is invalid here.
The mold remover supports the beginning and the end, but has nothing to do with the main plot;
Ida Fried's son's identity as a plastic surgeon and the incident of helping prostitutes treat their illnesses are superfluous;
Katrina Bright's marriage is even more unclear.
The necessity of inclusion in the book.
In addition to the narrative method of hitting a hammer and a stick, the police officer's attitude towards solving crimes in this book also disagrees.
It is too easy to identify others as murderers. Every murderer has a mystery.
The real designated murderer must be designated after sufficient evidence is available and all the mysteries have been investigated.
In this book, as long as there is a slight possibility that he is the murderer, he will immediately tell the world, "He is the snowman!"
Perhaps this is the real case investigation, with a lot of useless clues, everyone may be a suspect.
But for a detective novel, simply going around among various characters to find the murderer will only make people tired and feel that it is just a means of sensationalism.
30. The Name of the Rose By Umberto Eco
The story of this book takes place in the fourteenth century.
In this book, Eco uses the words of such a character "William" to analyze the entire intellectual history of the Middle Ages (this William and the famous "William of Occam" of the same period ” holds similar ideas)
The cases in the book also arise from the opening and concealment of a fictional work by Aristotle.
Eco used them to simply retell the intellectual history of the Middle Ages.
Of course, there are only some fragments in it, but these fragments all point to this period of history.
Those who have studied this period of intellectual history will surely be able to see the depth of his research. This is of course, ignored by ordinary readers.
In short, this book was very difficult to write, and it would not have been possible except for a scholar like Eco.
Of course, this kind of book is indeed worth reading again and again to discover things that the author has not written.
Eco must have had this purpose, so he wrote a sentence in Latin at the end of the novel, which translates to:
"In the past, roses left their fragrance in the name of roses, but now people only bear the name of roses" (Actually, I am).
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