Detective and mystery

If your idea of the perfect novel involves stepping into the role of amateur sleuth, then detective and mystery books are the pick for you. From locked-room murders to elaborate heists, our bestselling titles like Apples Never Fall, No Plan B, Wrong Place, Wrong Time and The Night She Disappeared – plus the latest from crime-writing favourites like Jo Nesbø and Tim Weaver – will never fail to keep readers in nail-biting suspense with their brilliantly crafted storytelling.

This week's bestsellers

Book cover of The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

The Impossible FortuneRichard Osman

Book cover of Return of the Spider by James Patterson

Return of the SpiderJames Patterson

Book cover of Exit Strategy by Lee Child, Andrew Child

Exit StrategyLee Child, Andrew Child

Book cover of The Murder at World’s End by Ross Montgomery

The Murder at World’s EndRoss Montgomery

Book cover of Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon, Harlan Coben

Gone Before GoodbyeReese Witherspoon, Harlan Coben

Book cover of Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Don't Let Him InLisa Jewell

Book cover of I Will Find You by Harlan Coben

I Will Find YouHarlan Coben

Our recommendations

Close to Death

Anthony Horowitz (Author)

The quiet, gated community of Riverview Close offers its inhabitants the perfect life within one of the most desirable areas of London. That is, until Giles Kenworthy moves in with his wife and noisy children, his gas-guzzling cars, loud parties and outrageous plans for a new swimming pool. His neighbours all have a reason to hate him. So when Kenworthy is shot dead with a crossbow bolt through his neck, they all come under suspicion. Only former Detective Daniel Hawthorne has a chance at solving the case, but he’s stuck on one part of the puzzle: How do you solve a murder when everyone has the same motive?

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The Family Remains

Lisa Jewell (Author)

PREPARE TO BE HOOKED . . . Early morning: on the foreshore of the river Thames, a bag of bones is discovered. Human bones. DCI Samuel Owusu quickly sends the bag for forensic examination. The bones are those of a young woman, killed by a blow to the head many years ago. Also inside the bag is a trail of clues which lead DCI Owusu to a mansion in Chelsea where thirty years previously three people lay dead, while a baby upstairs waited for someone to pick her up. Four deaths. An unsolved mystery. A family whose secrets can't stay buried for ever. _________________ 'I was ENTHRALLED. Empathetic, gripping, authentic' Gillian McAllister 'A GRIPPING read. Superb!' Shari Lapena 'Fast-paced, cleverly plotted. GRIPS from first page to last' Paula Hawkins 'Artful, slippery, HUGELY SATISFYING. A rare treat awaits!' Louise Candlish 'The story EVERYONE has been waiting for.' Adele Parks

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The Spy

Ajay Chowdhury (Author)

ONE BOY MISSING. ONE MAN UNDERCOVER. A WHOLE NATION AT RISK. Detective Kamil Rahman is working for the Met Police when he gets the call from MI5. They’ve received intelligence of a terrorist plot, and it’s Kamil they need. Posing as a disaffected cop, and working back in his friend Anjoli’s beloved restaurant on Brick Lane, Kamil attempts to infiltrate the cell. What he uncovers leads him halfway across the world to Kashmir, and face to face with an old nemesis. Meanwhile Anjoli starts to investigate the disappearance of a young boy who’s sending coded messages to his parents. As she attempts to solve his clues, she finds herself in greater danger than she could have imagined. Time is running out for Kamil and Anjoli: can they save the boy, and save a nation, before it’s too late? For fans of Robert Galbraith, Anthony Horowitz and Elly Griffiths, The Spy is the compelling, thought-provoking new mystery in the Detective Kamil Rahman series.

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The Fury

Alex Michaelides (Author)

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER FROM THE MULTIMILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SILENT PATIENT 'Infinitely thrilling and delicately crafted, the plot keeps everyone guessing until the very end, with an unscrupulous villain to underline just how good it is. DO NOT MISS IT' Daily Mail ----- It begins with a phone call. And it ends with a murder . . . Seven friends gather on an idyllic Greek island. Among them: the actress, the playwright, the housekeeper, the second husband and the wayward son. There’s jealousy, betrayal, unrequited love, a handful of secrets and too many lies. Thirty-six hours after they arrive one of them will be dead. You’ll never guess who. You’ll never guess why. ----- 'Deliciously twisty and fiendishly clever. A highly enjoyable tale of subterfuge, secrets and murder' Observer ‘My favourite Alex Michaelides yet – the undisputed master of the twist’ Lucy Foley ‘The king of all unreliable narrators, enough twists and turns to power two novels’ David Baldacci ‘You'll think you know where it's going and you couldn't be more wrong’ Linwood Barclay ‘A very special book and highly recommended’ Janice Hallett ‘A masterclass in suspense’ Steve Cavanagh ‘A glorious triumph - just brilliant’ Stephen Fry ‘The best novel yet from Alex Michaelides’ Sophie Hannah Even better than The Silent Patient . . . Alex Michaelides is a magician’ JP Delaney The Fury, the instant New York Times bestseller, January 2024, and Sunday Times bestseller, February 2024

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Triple Cross

James Patterson (Author)

They strike under cover of darkness, trigger no alarms, and leave no evidence behind. Detective Alex Cross is hunting a killer who targets families around Washington, DC. But Cross isn't the only one investigating. A charismatic true-crime author has spotted patterns in the actions of 'The Family Man' that others have missed. It's up to Cross to determine whether the writer's theories are fact or fiction.

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The Girls Who Disappeared

Claire Douglas (Author)

Twenty years ago, Olivia Rutherford was driving three friends home when she crashed. When she regained consciousness, she was alone - her friends had vanished. Now, journalist Jenna Halliday visits the small town of Stafferbury to solve the mystery of the girls' disappearance. But Olivia won't speak. What happened? What is Olivia hiding? And why are the people of Stafferbury so frightened?

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Apples Never Fall

Liane Moriarty (Author)

The Delaney family love one another dearly - it's just that sometimes they want to murder each other ... Joy Delaney and husband Stan have done well. Four wonderful grown-up children. A family business to envy. The golden years of retirement ahead of them. So when Joy Delaney vanishes - no note, no calls, her bike missing - it's natural that tongues will wag. How did Stan scratch his face? And who was the stranger who entered and suddenly left their lives? What are they all hiding? But for the Delaney children there is a much more terrifying question: did they ever know their parents at all?

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Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone

Benjamin Stevenson (Author)

I was dreading the Cunningham family reunion even before the first murder. Before the storm stranded us at the mountain resort. The thing is, us Cunninghams don't really get along. We've only got one thing in common: we've all killed someone. My brother, my step-sister, my wife, my father, my mother, my sister-in-law, my uncle, my step-father, my aunt. Even me. When they find the first body in the snow, it's clear that only a Cunningham could have committed the crime - and it's up to me to prove it. There are plenty of killers in my family. But only one murderer...

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Where to start reading Sherlock Holmes

Explore the genre

Eight Detectives

Alex Pavesi (Author)

All murder mysteries follow a simple set of rules. Grant McAllister, a mystery writer and mathematics professor, once sat down and worked them all out. But that was thirty years ago. Now he's living in seclusion on a quiet Mediterranean island - until Julia Hart, an ambitious young editor, knocks on his door. Grant's work is being republished, and together they must revisit those old stories. But Julia soon realises that something's not right. Grant's stories seem to reference a real murder - one that's remained unsolved for thirty years. Julia wants answers. But some mysteries can be murder to solve...

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An Unwanted Guest

Shari Lapena (Author)

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from the author of the number one bestseller THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR. 'Tense. Unpredictable. Unputdownable. Shari Lapena's novels are domestic noir at its finest' Simon Kernick ____________________ We can't choose the strangers we meet. As the guests arrive at beautiful, remote Mitchell's Inn, they're all looking forward to a relaxing weekend deep in the forest, miles from anywhere. They watch their fellow guests with interest, from a polite distance. Usually we can avoid the people who make us nervous, make us afraid. With a violent storm raging, the group finds itself completely cut off from the outside world. Nobody can get in - or out. And then the first body is found . . . and the horrifying truth comes to light. There's a killer among them - and nowhere to run. Until we find ourselves in a situation we can't escape. Trapped. ____________________ PRAISE FOR SHARI LAPENA: 'Crafted like a vintage Christie and just as tense, this will be a smash hit' Heat 'Smart characterisation combined with a subtle appreciation for the darkness of the human heart . . . A perfectly choreographed danse macabre' Mail on Sunday 'Shari Lapena . . . is rapidly becoming a go-to author for anyone seeking a light but lip-smacking mystery' Sunday Express 'The psychological thrillers of Lapena are masterclasses in tightly plotted, economical narrative' Metro 'An excellent mystery! Agatha Christie meets P D James' Ragnar Jonasson ____________________ READERS LOVE SHARI LAPENA: 'Best book I've read in ages' '5* fast paced, twisting thriller' 'The pace never let up' 'On the edge of my seat to the end' 'I haven't picked up a book in 9 years and I'm so glad that I picked this up! I loved it.' 'Incredibly readable and unputdownable' 'Very clever, well written, intriguing and suspenseful' 'Had me hooked from start to finish'

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One by One

Ruth Ware (Author)

A LUXURY CHALET. THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME. BUT THEN GUESTS START TO DISAPPEAR...ONE BY ONESnow is falling in the exclusive alpine ski resort of Saint Antoine, as the directors of Snoop, the hottest new music app, gather for a corporate retreat to decide the future of the company.At stake is a buyout that could make them all millionaires, or leave some of them out in the cold. But when an avalanche cuts the chalet off from help, and guest goes missing in the snow, the group is forced to ask – is there a murderer among them?‘Will hold you captive until the brilliant ending’ Shari Lapena‘A dark tale by one of the best thriller writers around’ Independent

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Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone

Benjamin Stevenson (Author)

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A Fatal Crossing

Tom Hindle (Author)

'Dazzling' Crime Monthly 'My kind of book!' Belfast Telegraph 'Captivating' My Weekly Magazine 'Suspenseful' Country Life Magazine _____________________________________ *WATERSTONES AUGUST THRILLER OF THE MONTH* November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail to New York with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board . When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the foot of a staircase, ship's officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare it a tragic accident. But James Temple, a strong-minded Scotland Yard inspector, is certain there is more to this misfortune than meets the eye. Birch agrees to investigate, and the trail quickly leads to the theft of a priceless painting. Its very existence is known only to its owner . . . and the now dead man. With just days remaining until they reach New York, and even Temple's purpose on board the Endeavour proving increasingly suspicious, Birch's search for the culprit is fraught with danger. And all the while, the passengers continue to roam the ship with a killer in their midst. ________________________________________________________ 'A very clever plot and a final twist which will delight Agatha Christie fans. You will love it!!!' Ragnar Jónasson 'With twist after gut-punching twist, A Fatal Crossing really is an ingenious thriller. Highly recommend' M. W. Craven 'It twists and turns like the best of Christie' - Peterborough Telegraph 'A tantalizing and captivating plot, filled with detail and texture to enhance the feeling of the halcyon days of the liners and their times' Shots Magazine 'The action unfolds at a rip-roaring pace in this perfectly executed homage to the Golden Age of crime, which features a deviously devised plot boasting a final twist worthy of Christie herself. I absolutely loved it' Anita Frank 'Twists and turns cartwheel to a blindsiding finish' Woman's Weekly 'My favourite westward Atlantic crossing detective novel is Peter Lovesey's The Fake Inspector Dew (1981), but A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle is a first-rate addition to the corpus [...] A very good debut novel' The Critic

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A Line to Kill

Anthony Horowitz (Author)

On a small island, everyone's a suspect ... Private Investigator, Daniel Hawthorne, and Anthony Horowitz have been invited to a literary festival on Alderney to talk about their new book. They find the island in turmoil over a planned power line that is turning neighbour against neighbour. And the visiting authors seem to be harbouring any number of personal secrets. When the festival's wealthy sponsor is brutally murdered, Alderney goes into lock-down. With no one allowed on or off the island, Hawthorne knows he doesn't have to look too far for suspects. But the killer is still on the island. And there's about to be a second death ... ___________ 'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' Sunday Times 'Witty, wry, clever, a fabulous detective story and perfect summer reading' KATE MOSSE 'Funny, intriguing, thrilling and thought-provoking: a marvellous mystery' ADAM HAMDY 'My favourite literary hero at the moment is Anthony Horowitz' SHARI LAPENA

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The Sanatorium

Sarah Pearse (Author)

'The Sanatorium will keep you checking over your shoulder. This spine-tingling, atmospheric thriller has it all: an eerie Alpine setting, sharp prose, and twists you'll never see coming. A must-read.' Richard Osman 'An eerie, atmospheric novel that had me completely on the edge of my seat.' Reese Witherspoon YOU WON'T WANT TO LEAVE... UNTIL YOU CAN'T. *WATERSTONES THRILLER OF THE MONTH* *ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD* *THE NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER* *A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOKCLUB PICK* *CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE 2022 FINGERPRINT AWARDS* *COLD AS ICE AWARD WINNER AT 2022 DEAD GOOD READERS AWARDS* A beautiful, eerie hotel in the Swiss Alps, recently converted from an abandoned sanatorium, is the last place Detective Elin Warner wants to be. But her estranged brother has invited her there for his engagement party, and she feels she has no choice but to accept. Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge. And things only get worse when they wake the next morning to find her brother's fiancée is missing. With access to the hotel cut off, the guests begin to panic. But this is only the first disappearance. Everyone's in danger - and anyone could be next . . . ____________________ 'The Sanatorium is an absolutely splendid Gothic thriller.' A. J. Finn 'One of the best books of 2021 [...] guaranteed to give you goosebumps.' Woman & Home 'I absolutely loved The Sanatorium - it gave me all the wintry thrills and chills.' Lucy Foley 'A menacing, creepy debut [...] echoes of Hitchcock and du Maurier.' Daily Mail 'A chillingly vivid thriller in a fantastic setting.' T. M. Logan Readers love The Sanatorium: ***** 'Thrilling, chilling - a tingles down my spine type of read.' ***** 'Imagine a universe where Agatha Christie and Stephen King collaborated on a book.' ***** 'Sarah Pearse wastes no time in ramping up the tension and is clearly destined to be a master of this genre.' Don't miss The Retreat, the addictive new thriller from the global bestselling author of The Sanatorium.

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Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty (Author)

Jane hasn't lived anywhere longer than six months since her son was born five years ago. Now, in the idyllic coastal town of Pirriwee, Jane feels like she finally belongs. She finds friends in the feisty Madeline and beautiful Celeste, women with seemingly perfect lives - and their own secrets behind closed doors. But at the start of a new term, an incident involving the children of all three women occurs. Whispers and rumours become vicious and spiteful, and truths blur into lies. It was always going to end in tears, but no one thought it would end in murder.

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Our spotlight authors

Anthony Horowitz

Abir Mukherjee

Tim Weaver

Gillian McAllister

Kate Atkinson

Anthony Horowitz

Abir Mukherjee

Tim Weaver

Gillian McAllister

Kate Atkinson

Claire Douglas

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How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?
Arthur Conan Doyle, The Sign of Four

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Detective and mystery

This week's bestsellers

Our recommendations

Where to start reading Sherlock Holmes

Explore the genre

Our spotlight authors

Anthony Horowitz

Abir Mukherjee

Tim Weaver

Gillian McAllister

Kate Atkinson

Claire Douglas

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So good it’s criminal: Penguin authors pick their favourite crime novels

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