Crime, thrillers and mystery

Crime fiction focuses, unsurprisingly, on the crime that has taken place – think police procedurals or a detective tracking down a serial killer. Mystery novels focus on working out who committed a crime – the joy is in piecing together the clues and solving the puzzle, as in cosy crime novels or the works of Agatha Christie. In a thriller, the stakes are higher because the protagonist’s investigation puts their own life in danger. While the three sub-categories are distinct, a book can easily contain elements of all three.

A good murder mystery has a captivating, seemingly impossible premise, like a murder taking place inside a locked room. You can also expect: clues dotted throughout the story, a cast of plausible suspects, a dogged detective you can’t help but root for, and numerous plot twists, red herrings and reveals. But the sign of a truly great murder mystery is one where you think you’ve solved the crime before the detective – until you're proven wrong.

Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbo is a gripping, high-stakes police procedural where a serial killer is on the loose and there's a disturbing pattern amongst the victims. Meanwhile, both The Pinnacle by Abir Mukherjee and The Exes by Leodora Darlington are impossible to put down because of their psychological suspense, high-stakes concepts, and unreliable narrators. If you’re more in the mood for a domestic thriller featuring plot twists, short chapters and cliffhangers that will keep you reading into the early hours, we recommend None of This is True by Lisa Jewell and The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas.

While there are numerous types of crime fiction, the main subgenres are: psychological thrillers, domestic thrillers, police procedurals, detective fiction, Golden Age classics, historical mysteries, cosy crime, and legal thrillers.

If you’re looking for a classic murder mystery, we recommend starting with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie, for its puzzling clues, closed-circle cast of suspects and ingenious plot twist. However, if you’re looking for a classic psychological suspense novel, we’d recommend The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith for its charismatic but callous protagonist and a plot that spirals out of control.

For more inspiration, take a look at our guide to classic crime fiction.

It depends on what you’re looking for. If you want an action-packed plot and unputdownable premise, we recommend starting with Lee Child, Jo Nesbo or Tess Gerritsen. For more of a slow-burn psychological suspense or domestic thriller, we recommend the works of Dorothy Koomson, Lisa Jewell, or Claire Douglas. If you’re more into police procedurals, we suggest starting with Ajay Chowdhury, James Ellroy or James Patterson.