100 best crime books of all time, as chosen by our readers

There’s nothing like a good crime novel – but with brand new thrillers publishing every week, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why we reached out to our readers in a social media post, to gather your recommendations for the best crime books of all time. The result? A comprehensive guide to the 100 best crime novels, spanning Golden Age classics, modern detective novels, chilling psychological thrillers and more. There’s something for every reader on our list below, which you can browse by your favourite subgenre.

Detective fiction

Black and Blue by Ian Rankin

Black and Blue, the eighth of Rankin’s novels featuring John Rebus, sees the DI juggling four cases to try and catch one killer. Rebus’s unconventional methods regularly get him into trouble and here he finds himself both under the scrutiny of an internal enquiry and with TV cameras on him, investigating a miscarriage of justice. One mistake and he’s a goner.

The first of the Rebus books to be adapted for television, this is a must-read from a true master of the genre.

Dead Simple by Peter James

From the mind of one of the great crime writers comes Detective Superintendent Roy Grace, whose first case involves a man who is buried alive on his stag night before four of his best friends are killed. Dealing with the pain of losing his own wife, DS Grace has to dig deep into the life of the groom-to-be to discover the sinister truth.

Selling more than 20 million copies worldwide, and inspiring the popular TV series Grace, it’s not difficult to see why the tense, pacy Roy Grace books regularly top bestseller lists.

Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

The first instalment in Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series introduces DI Jimmy Perez who investigates the brutal murder of a local teenager found strangled on a snowy hillside. Whilst everyone is quick to fixate on suspicious loner Magnus Tait, Perez has his doubts. With the killer still at large and the locals living in fear, Perez unearths long-buried secrets that affect the whole community.

Inspiring the unmissable BBC series Shetland, this atmospheric mystery is a standout in the genre.

Silent Scream by Angela Marsons

Five figures gather round a shallow grave, taking it in turns to dig a child’s grave. Years later, a headmistress is found strangled. DI Kim Stone quickly realizes she’s on the hunt for a gruesome killer whose crimes span decades and, with the body count rising, she needs to stop them before they strike again.

The first book in the DI Stone series is a gripping serial killer thriller that’ll leave you guessing whodunnit until the very end.

The Last Mile by David Baldacci

When a convicted killer is saved in the final moments before his execution by another man’s confession, FBI special task force detective Amos Decker takes on the case, which shares alarming similarities with his own life. But when a member of Decker’s own team disappears, it becomes clear that something sinister is at play.

With plenty of twists and turns, this is a gripping thriller featuring an offbeat sleuth who will soon become one of your favourites.

A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George

Part of the Inspector Lynley series, this page-turner links the suicide of a young man off the cliffs of Dorset to a poisoning in Cambridge. Desperate to prove herself after past misdemeanours, Barbara Havers reunites with DI Lynley in another darkly disturbing and addictive case.

With her intricate plotting and finely-drawn characters, Elizabeth George is a superstar of the mystery genre.

The Blackhouse by Peter May

A remote island in northern Scotland is the atmospheric setting for this first offering in the Lewes trilogy, where DI Fin Macleod is sent to investigate the murder of a man who was the class bully at school. With chapters alternating between past and present events, the story unfolds to reveal Fin’s childhood experience is intricately linked with the murder, as he, the hunter, becomes the hunted.

It’s a dark and complex narrative with an equally wild and sinister backdrop, and one of the best crime books to get completely lost in.

The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter

A notorious serial killer who leaves a brutal calling card was thought to be caught and executed some time ago. But when the body of a young woman is found with the familiar crucifix marking etched into her neck, it doesn’t bode well. Is it a copycat killer? Or is the real crucifix killer still at large?

Detective Robert Hunter is forced into a game of cat-and-mouse with a sadistic murderer in this gruesome, addictive thriller that’s not for the faint-hearted.

The Bones Beneath by Mark Billingham

DI Tom Thorne, one of the great detectives in contemporary British crime fiction, is back in action when dangerous psychopath Stuart Nicklin promises to reveal the location of a body he buried 25 years previously – if Thorne agrees to escort him. Gathering a team, he travels with Nicklin to a remote Welsh island, but it’s not long before the body count rises.

With an excellent premise that pits an accomplished super-sleuth against a superbly sadistic villain, this delivers on everything it promises and will make you want to read the full series.

Perfect Remains by Helen Fields

Missing woman Elaine Buxton’s body has been found, burnt, on a remote mountain in the Highlands. But as Detective Inspector Luc Callanach investigates her murder, the real Elaine Buxton is trapped in a concealed room, screaming for her release. It’s not long before another woman is abducted and Callanach finds himself in a game of cat-and-mouse with the perpetrator.

Perfect Remains is a gripping introduction to a page-turning series that will appeal to fans of M J Arlidge and Mark Billingham's works.

Gallows View by Peter Robinson

Having recently relocated from London for a quieter life in Yorkshire, DI Alan Banks quickly realises that life in the countryside isn’t as peaceful and carefree as he’d like. Three cases emerge – a 'peeping Tom' frightening the women of the town, two glue-sniffing youngsters breaking into homes and an old woman who may have been murdered.

After you’ve read this first instalment of the Banks series, you’ll be keen to dive into more of Robinson’s expertly plotted page-turners.

Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride

Three-year old David Reid’s body is discovered in a ditch, brutally killed. It’s a horrific crime, but sadly, he’s not the only one. Soon, more children are going missing, bodies are piling up in the morgue, and more are going to die if DS Logan ‘Lazarus’ McRae doesn’t do something about it – and fast.

Peppered with black humour, the first Logan McRae novel in the acclaimed Aberdeen-set Tartan Noir series establishes MacBride as a must-read author.

Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt

In Tick Tock, there are two murders in the space of two days. The first, a schoolgirl discarded in the field behind a school. The second, a young mother strangled and dumped in a local park. Can DS Grace Allendale and her team catch the killer before another young woman dies?

Readers who are intrigued by the everyday horrors that could happen to anyone will find themselves gripped by the second book in the bestselling DS Grace Allendale series.

Police procedural

The Poet by Michael Connelly

The ultimate in serial killer novels, The Poet follows crime reporter Jack McEvoy as he investigates a series of similar killings that have happened across the country, revealing a disturbing link between the murders of police officers with those of children.

This expertly crafted first in the series bursts with rich characters and eerie chills. If this isn’t on your bookshelf already, you’re in for a real treat.

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

Two murders take place in a small town in East Texas in a matter of days. The first, a black lawyer from Chicago, and the second, a local white woman. Darren Matthews, a Black Texas Ranger, must solve the crimes, and in doing so confront the burning resentment of the locals and the bubbling undercurrent of racism.

This beautifully crafted whodunnit explores love, race and justice in a corrupt world.

The Killer In Me by Olivia Kiernan

The second outing for DS Frankie Sheehan sees her up against the historic case of Seán Hennessey, who was convicted of the brutal murder of his parents and attempted murder of his sister, yet always maintained his innocence. But when two further bodies are discovered, allegedly connected to the original case, Sheehan has her work cut out. Could the killer still be out there?

Set in Dublin and with a complex and compelling central protagonist, Kiernan’s take on the police procedural is fresh and exciting, making this well worth adding to your reading list.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The first in Larsson’s iconic trilogy, this international bestseller tells the story of Harriet Vanger, who disappeared from a family gathering on an isolated island 40 years ago and whose body was never found. Her uncle, part of the powerful Vanger clan, is convinced it was murder – and that someone in the family is responsible.

Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist and tattooed computer hacker Lisbeth Salander are hired to investigate and unearth the dark secrets of a tight-knit family. This is Scandi crime at its very best.

On Beulah Height by Reginald Hill

Fifteen years ago, three little girls disappeared from a farming village and neither their bodies, nor the prime suspect in their disappearance, were ever found. Years later, when a child goes missing from the next valley, it seems the culprit is back. Superintendent Dalziel and DCI Pascoe must delve into the past as they investigate the present to catch the culprit and lay old ghosts to rest.

Inspiring the hugely popular television series Dalziel and Pascoe, this brilliantly crafted police procedural is Hill at his very best.

A Place of Execution by Val McDermid

When Alison Carter vanishes, everyone in the Peak District village of Scardale knows it’s murder. For DI George Bennett, it’s the start of his toughest and most intense case to date. Decades later, he tells his story to journalist Catherine Heathcote, but just as she’s about to publish it, he stops her, forcing Catherine to delve into the past to find the truth once and for all.

Part police procedural, part psychological thriller, this standalone is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve turned the final page and will change the way you think about crime fiction.

Predator by Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell is a powerhouse of crime writing, deftly combining traditional police procedure with forensic detail to create an addictive and hugely popular series. In this fourteenth instalment in the series, Dr Kay Scarpetta has to tackle one of the most intense and complex cases she’s ever faced.

Everything you’d want from a psychological thriller, it’s no wonder Cornwell’s writing has been lauded with every major crime award going.

Psychological thrillers

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

From the outside, Alicia’s life is seemingly idyllic. But one day she shoots her husband Gabriel in the head five times and then never speaks another word. Alicia becomes a patient for forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber, who is determined to get her to talk and unearth the truth behind her tragedy. But the investigation consumes Faber more than he ever expected.

A fast-paced, complex psychological mystery with startling twists, The Silent Patient continues to find new readers every year.

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

It happened on one November night and changed the life of a mother forever: a tragic accident, a hit and run that she could have perhaps prevented. This emotional, twisty psychological thriller follows Jenna as she moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast to process her grief and start afresh, while two detectives hunt for the boy’s killer.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Seven-year-old Libby Day hid in a cupboard as her older brother massacred her family. At the trial, her evidence helped convict him. But 20 years later, when a group of true-crime obsessives approach Libby with their theory that her brother is innocent, she’s forced back to her hometown to delve into her family’s past.

From the author of the bestselling phenomenon Gone Girl, this is the book many Flynn fans would argue is actually her best novel. It’s creepy, unsettling and – as the title suggests – very, very dark.

Spare Room by Dreda Say Mitchell

The last thing Lisa expects to find when she rents a beautiful double room in a lovely house with a welcoming live-in couple is a suicide note of the man who claims to have lived in her room before her. The owners swear this man never existed, but when disturbing incidents begin to occur, Lisa’s happy new home becomes a sinister nightmare…

Dreda Say Mitchell’s creepy psychological thriller is guaranteed to have you checking under your bed before you switch off the lights.

You by Caroline Kepnes

Guinevere Beck is an aspiring writer, and Joe Goldberg is smitten. Luckily for Joe, she shares her life via social media, enabling Joe to obsess over her and transform himself into her perfect man. Manipulating his way from stalker to boyfriend, Joe is prepared to do anything for Guinevere’s love, even murder.

Now a major Netflix series, You provides a terrifying insight into the nature of obsession in the digital age.

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

Thirteen-year-old Duchess Radley’s family is thrown into chaos when killer Vincent King is released from prison after 30 years and comes knocking. Trying to protect her mother from the man who killed her sister, Duchess becomes embroiled in a series of events that threaten not just her family, but the whole town.

Set under the blistering Californian sun, this psychological thriller explores family ties through a compelling young protagonist.

The Woman in the Window by A J Finn

Recently estranged from her husband and daughter, chronic agoraphobic Anna lives alone in her Manhattan apartment, winding away the hours people-watching from her window. But one night a scream rips through the neighbourhood and Anna witnesses something she wasn’t supposed to see. But will anyone believe her?

This domestic thriller is a mix of Hitchockian suspense and contemporary noir that delights in misdirection, with the villain hiding in plain sight.

Domestic thrillers

Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris

Grace and Jack are married and everything seems perfect. But you never truly know what happens behind closed doors.

Written from the perspective of Grace and interweaving their past and present lives, this relentless thriller is, at points, as suffocating as it is tense, chilling and addictive. It’s no wonder it’s sold over 3.5 million copies and is an international bestseller.

The Dry by Jane Harper

Three members of the same family are brutally murdered. Everyone thinks the husband is guilty and committed suicide after killing his wife and six-year-old son. But when policeman Aaron Falk returns to attend the funeral of his childhood best friend and is drawn into the investigation, he is quickly forced to question the truth behind the killings.

Set against a dramatic Australian backdrop in the midst of a two-year drought, this is a suffocating and engrossing debut novel about a small town with big secrets.

The Family by Martina Cole

The juggernaut of crime explores the darkest corners of family life in this classic Martina Cole page-turner. Phillip Murphy is a business-minded family man and his wife, Christine, is his perfect match. But Phillip has rules – things he expects from his nearest and dearest – and a side to him he never wants his wife to see…

Dubbed the queen of crime writing, Martina Cole is at the top of her game and never fails to deliver hard-hitting crowd-pleasers.

Our House by Louise Candlish

Imagine coming home to find a family of strangers has moved into your house… a house you had no intention of selling. This is the nightmare that unfolds for Fiona, whose estranged husband Bram disappears, leaving a trail of lies in his wake.

Longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2019, this is an addictive roller-coaster of a domestic thriller from a big fan favourite.

No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay

Fourteen-year-old Cynthia Bigge wakes up one morning to discover her family have disappeared – no note left, never to return. Twenty-five years later, a letter arrives which starts to unravel the events of that fateful night. But is it better to leave the past in the past? And is Cynthia ready to find out the devastating truth?

This million-copy bestseller is a fast-moving, one-sit thriller that will keep you in suspense right to the very end.

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

A stranger kidnaps your child and, to free them, you have to kidnap someone else’s child. Your child will only be released when your victim’s parents kidnap another child. And if any of these things don’t happen… your child will be killed.

This edge-of-your-seat thriller has a stomach-wrenching, utterly terrifying premise and it's one of the best crime books of recent years. Once you’re part of the chain, you’ll never forget it.

Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

When Louise meets David one night in a bar and they kiss, she doesn’t expect to walk into her new job and for him to be her boss. Or to meet a new friend, Adele, and for her to be his wife. But the more Louise gets to know the couple, the more she realizes no one is who they seem.

This unique, mind-bending, electrifying domestic thriller was adapted into a major Netflix series. Whatever you do, don’t give away the ending…

Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins

When eight-year-old Felicity, a child with selective mutism, goes missing in the middle of the night, the police quickly turn to her nanny Dee for answers. As Dee looks back over her months spent with Felicity and her high-achieving but dysfunctional parents, a frightening truth begins to emerge.

Set in the Master’s lodging of an Oxford College, this is a suspenseful exploration of family, privilege, love and parental responsibility.

Golden Age classics

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Ten strangers are invited to an isolated island where the hosts are mysteriously absent. When one of the party suddenly dies, the remaining nine realise there’s a murderer amongst them. As the group form suspicions and allegiances, one by one they fall. But who is the killer, and will anyone survive?

Topping an international poll from Agatha Christie's estate as the world’s favourite Christie novel, to celebrate her 125^th birthday in 2015, this is the author at her very best.

The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin

A classic 1940s crime caper, The Moving Toyshop follows poet Richard Cadogan, who finds a dead body in a toyshop and is immediately hit round the head. Coming to, he finds the toyshop is nowhere to be seen, instead replaced by a grocery store. What’s going on?

It’s down to Richard and his old schoolmate, eccentric Oxford professor and amateur detective Gervase Fen, to join forces and get to the bottom of these bizarre events, in this quirky and inventive crime novel that is utterly delightful.

Cover Her Face by P D James

This is where it all began for P D James and her thoughtful detective Adam Dalgliesh. Her 1962 debut crime novel centres on the death of a young maid in a fictional Essex village where DCI Dalgliesh looks for a killer among a manor house of suspects.

This classic British crime caper is littered with dastardly characters and hidden secrets that bubble under the surface of village life. It's a traditional whodunnit that has echoes of Agatha Christie.

Mystery books

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Your wedding day is meant to be the happiest day of your life… except when there’s a murder. A picture-perfect wedding on a remote Irish island turns to horror when a body is discovered, and with a severe storm trapping the wedding party at the spoilt nuptials, it looks like no one is leaving until the killer is uncovered.

With multiple narrators, all of whom harbour dark secrets, and an entertaining mix of characters, this has all the ingredients for a hugely enjoyable thriller.

Scrublands by Chris Hammer

Bubbling with ferocious heat of a scorched Australian landscape, Scrublands tells the story of an isolated town where a priest opens fire on his congregation before turning the gun on himself. A year on, a journalist arrives to write a feature about the tragedy just as two bodies are discovered, and he's determined to uncover the secrets that the town is trying to keep buried.

Full of intricate descriptions, this is an atmospheric, slow-burning mystery that evolves into a gutsy thriller.

A Time of Torment by John Connolly

Charlie Parker is a private investigator whose cases push him into the realm of the supernatural. In this sinister instalment, a former hero who was sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit turns to Parker in his final days to find the people who ruined his life, as well as the young woman whose life he saved and an isolated community known as the Cut.

Whether you read it as a standalone, or enjoyed as part of the wider series, A Time of Torment is Connolly at his best, featuring top-drawer characterisation, excellent writing and a multi-layered plot.

Dark Pines by Will Dean

Mutilated bodies are found in a forest near a remote Swedish town, in the first novel in Will Dean’s Scandi noir series. Tuva Moodyson, a young deaf reporter working for a small local paper, is the compelling heroine investigating the gruesome murders in the woods, hoping it’ll make her career. It’s either that, or she’ll wind up dead.

Atmospheric, with its fair share of shock and nastiness, this will appeal to fans of chilling, gritty fiction.

Action and legal thrillers

IT by Stephen King

Seven children are terrorized by an evil entity that has no name. IT lurks in the storm drains, in the sewers; IT takes on the shape of every nightmare, every child’s deepest dread… Now adults, the friendship group can’t escape the force drawing them back to their hometown, re-appearing to make their childhood nightmares haunt them once more.

A Stephen King classic that’s not for the faint-hearted, IT will capture your imagination and leave you hoping you never come across Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

One father is dead. Two sisters are on trial for murder. Both accuse each other but only one is a liar and killer. Who do you believe?

The follow-up to the award-winning bestsellerThirteen, featuring lawyer Eddie Flynn, Fifty-Five has a slick, compelling concept and an addictive, pacy plot that’s full of twists. Cavanagh is a master of the genre who will have you hooked from the first page.

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