Solving the Mystery of the Mystery Books Genre
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Mystery books can be… well, a mystery. If you’ve ever tried to recommend one and been told “I don’t read those,” chances are they just haven’t found the right kind of mystery, thriller, or suspense book yet.
Because this genre isn’t one-size-fits-all, not even close. From cozy village whodunits to dark psychological thrillers, globe-trotting espionage to slow-burning historical suspense, there’s something here for everyone. This post breaks it all down, explores the subgenres, and helps you discover the books that match your brand of page-turning.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or just trying to figure out where to begin, we’re here to help you solve that mystery.
Key Takeaways: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Books
Mystery Books Genre – What Exactly Is This?
By definition, a mystery is simply an unsolved question and an attempt to answer that question.
In general, mystery books follow a formula that readers expect to have in any mystery they read.
To start, something usually happens. It could be a crime, it could be a disappearance, or it could simply be something unusual that happens. Once this “something” happens, an investigation is most likely started, and the rest of the book will be filled with clues and witnesses, and suspects will begin to emerge. Sometimes, more crimes occur along with twists and tangles to make you, the reader, confused about who the culprit is.
And finally, all is revealed at the end of the book. Hopefully!
Different Types of Mystery Books
The mystery book genre is huge.
There are many, many different types of mystery books. Here is a list of the main types of mystery books, along with some examples.
One thing I’d like to note is that not only are there many sub-genres and sub-sub-genres of mystery books,but not all publishers and booksellers necessarily categorize them the same way.
For example, some consider thrillers to be a separate category. For this post, I’m including thrillers, crime fiction, suspense, and every sub-sub-genre I can think of as being part of the overall mystery books genre.
Traditional Mysteries
In their simplest form, traditional mysteries generally follow a specific format where a crime (often a murder) is committed in a small or closed social setting, like a small village, a house, a club, or something like that.
The murder can be solved by either an amateur detective or a professional one who asks questions, gathers clues and suspects, and finally solves the murder by the end of the book.
These are examples of Traditional Mysteries:
- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
- The Hound Of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Crime Novels
Crime novels come in so many different literary flavors and formats that we have to separate out the main sub-genres here because they are each a bit different.
One consistent element is that these books will focus on either the planning or the committing of a crime.
True Crime
True crime mysteries tell stories of crimes that happened at some point.
Here are some examples of True Crime books.
- The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer
- My Dark Places by James Ellroy
Detective/Police Procedural
These are crime novels that focus on the detectives involved in the investigation of whatever crime was committed, or more specifically on the procedures of the police and detectives that are investigating the crime. These will often be a series of books that feature the same detective in each book.
Here are some author and book suggestions for a few great Detective Fiction book series along with the first book in each series. Just click the book cover for descriptions of the books.
- Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly.
- Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny
- Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
- Alex Cross series by James Patterson
Private Detective
Private Detective mysteries have all the elements that other detective mysteries have but feature a private detective rather than a police force or police staff detective.
Author and book suggestions for some Private Detective mystery series and the first book in each series.
- Jack Taylor series by Ken Bruen
- Harry Starke series by Blain Howard
Noir
Noir mysteries are still technically crime fiction, but they typically take place in a gritty, urban setting and have a protagonist with a bleak outlook on life in general and possibly compromised morals.
Author and book suggestions for Noir:
- Kurt Wallander series by Henning Mankell
- Philip Marlowe series by Raymond Chandler
- Bedelia by Vera Caspary
Cozy Mysteries
A cozy mystery still has all the essential elements of a traditional mystery but lacks the hardcore nature of other types of murder mysteries. Therefore, the name “cozy.” So, while it’s understood that these things undoubtedly happened in the story at some point, they will have happened “off the page,” so you won’t typically find any graphic descriptions of violence, blood, or gore in a cozy mystery. This one featuring Lady Georgianna is one of my all-time favorites!
Author and book suggestions for Cozy Mysteries:
- Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen
- Coffeehouse Mysteries by Cleo Coyle
- Mrs. Murphy Mysteries by Rita Mae Brown
Capers/Heists
Caper/Heist mysteries are ones that are usually told from the criminal’s point of view. They’re fun, humorous books.
Author and book suggestions for Capers/Heists:
- Heist Ladies series by Connie Shelton
- Dortmunder series by Donald E. Westlake
Romantic Suspense
Romantic suspense books are mysteries that have a romance developing along with the mystery. Or, another way to describe it would be – a romance novel with a plot that focuses on a mystery or suspenseful situation.
Author and book suggestions for Romantic Suspense:
- Sharpe & Donovan series by Carla Neggers
- Buchanan/Renard/Mackenna series by Julie Garwood
- Don’t Tell by Karen Rose
Thrillers
Thrillers are certainly mysteries, but they are a bit different than traditional mysteries. Thrillers have a lot more tension and action than a traditional mystery and are completely action-packed and plot-driven.
Spy/Covert Operative Thrillers
Spy/covert operative thrillers usually include some type of international intrigue with spies or covert operatives from one or more countries pitted against each other.
Author and book suggestions for Spy/Covert Operative Thrillers:
- Jason Trapp series by Jack Slater
Legal Thrillers
Legal thrillers have a story that somehow takes place either in or around the legal system or court system.
Author and book suggestions for Legal Thrillers:
- Kindle County series by Scott Turow
- Nate Shepherd series by Michael Stagg
- Jake Brigance series by John Grisham
Political Thrillers
A political thriller is somehow set against the backdrop of some sort of political struggle or struggle between powerful world leaders or governments.
Author and book suggestions for Political Thrillers:
- The Whistleblower by Robert Peston
Historical Thrillers
Historical thrillers contain all the action-packed plot-driven elements, but take place in the past.
Author and book suggestions for Historical Thrillers:
- The Poison Bed by Elizabeth Fremantle
- The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
Psychological Thrillers
Dark, mind-bending plots that blur reality and motive. The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl kicked off this trend, but recent entries like The Art Forger or Fake Like Me mix artistry with psychological suspense.
Author and book suggestions for Psychological Thrillers:
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- The It Girl by Ruth Ware
- The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Epic Thrillers
Epic Thrillers most often involve the very highest of stakes. Something like the earth or the human race itself is in peril. You know, the really bad stuff!
There will be nothing cozy about these 🙂
Author and book suggestions for Epic Thrillers:
- Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
- Earth by David Brin
Historical Mysteries
Historical mysteries are simply novels that have all the elements of a mystery, yet take place sometime in the past. In keeping with the general rule of thumb that historical fiction should take place at least 50 years in the past, historical mysteries could also be expected to take place at least 50 years in the past.
Author and book suggestions for Historical Mysteries:
- Lady Darby series by Anna Lee Huber
- Chronicles of Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters
- Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander
Some of these categories can certainly overlap with each other, but I’ve done my best to give you examples of the different types of mystery books that are out there to help you decide which category of mystery you might enjoy reading the most.
As you can see, mystery books are not a one-size-fits-all all situation!
Who Is the Best Mystery Writer?
There are so many great mystery writers out there, so this is a hard one to answer.
If you’re a fan of gripping, page-turning mystery books that will keep you guessing, you’ll want to check out some of the books from this list of mystery book authors that we think top the list of Best Mystery Writers.
Agatha Christie – When we’re talking about authors of mystery books, it’s hard not to start the list with Agatha Christie. What’s not to love about her well-known characters like Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot? Some of her most well-known mystery books are:
- Murder On the Orient Express
- And Then There Were None
Daphne du Maurier – Another mystery book author, great, as far as I’m concerned! I’m quite sure that you’ll recognize some of her most well-known mystery books, as they’re not only in book form but also up on the big screen, and relatively recently too, with a new film version of Rebecca.
- Rebecca
- Jamaica Inn
- My Cousin Rachel
Dorothy Sayers – Mystery book author Dorothy Sayers was an English crime writer whose books were published in the early 1900s. She is perhaps best known for her Lord Peter Wimsey novels. Here are some of her most famous books.
- Whose Body?
- Strong Poison
Ruth Rendell – Perhaps most well-known for her character Chief Inspector Wexford, Ruth Rendell was a British author of thrillers and murder mystery books. She also wrote under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. Some of Ruth Rendell’s most famous books include the following.
- From Doon With Death
- The Girl Next Door
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – No list of mystery books would be complete without at least a few by the creator of Sherlock Holmes! As to his most well-known mystery books?
- The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes
- The Hound Of the Baskervilles
Patricia Cornwell – This mystery book author is worth mentioning, as she created the character Kay Scarpetta and went on to write a whole series featuring Kay. But the interesting this is that she went in somewhat of a new direction with this genre at the time, by introducing science and forensics into her mystery books. Try the first few Kay Scarpetta books in the series.
- Postmortem
- Body Of Evidence
Ann Cleeves – Ann is the bestselling author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are now TV shows. Try the first few books in the Very Stanhope series.
- The Crow Trap
- Telling Tales
This list of Who Is the Best Mystery Writer could go on forever! But I’ll stop here and let you have a chance to read this list first 🙂
If you’re not too familiar with mystery reading at this point and don’t know where to start, start with this list!
Frequently Asked Questions About Mystery Books
Who is the queen of mystery writing?
That title can only go to Agatha Christie, one of the most widely celebrated and published authors of all time.
What is the world’s best-selling mystery book?
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Who were the Golden Age female mystery writers?
Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh have been collectively called the Queens of Crime.
What was the first mystery book?
The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe is generally considered to be the first detective story. The story first appeared in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s magazine and describes the extraordinary analytical power used by the character Monsieur C. Auguste Dupin to solve a series of murders that take place in Paris. Although mysteries were not necessarily a new literary form at this time, Edgar Allan Poe was the first to introduce a character who solved a mystery by analyzing the facts of the case. Poe referred to this as “logical reasoning.” After the publication of Poe’s story, similar detective stories began to appear in the form of novels, with one of the first being The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins in 1868. What is perhaps the greatest fictional detective of all time, Sherlock Holmes, first appeared in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s book A Study in Scarlet in 1887.
Are mystery and thriller the same thing?
Not quite. While both genres involve suspense and often a central crime or puzzle, mysteries usually focus on solving a whodunit, often after the fact. Thrillers tend to be faster-paced, with more danger and action happening in real time as the stakes escalate.
Which mystery subgenre is best for slow-burn readers?
If you enjoy a gradual build-up of tension and character development, try psychological thrillers or literary mysteries. These often trade explosive action for deeper emotional complexity, layered secrets, and a satisfying (but slow) unraveling of the truth.
Conclusion: Why Mystery Books Keep Us Coming Back for More
As you’ve probably noticed by now, mystery and thriller books aren’t all cut from the same blood-spattered cloth. Whether you’re into gritty crime fiction, psychological mind games, or fast-paced international intrigue, there’s a subgenre (and a book or twelve) for you.
And if you’re still hunting for your next favorite nail-biter, check out some of our other mystery and thriller lists below.
We’re constantly adding fresh reads to our themed lists and spotlighting new authors worth watching – so if you haven’t found your next obsession yet… stick around. The plot is just getting good.
And if this is your first visit to Looks Like Books, check out our About page so you can learn a little more about me and my Looks Like Books mission.
More Mysteries & Thrillers
