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Whodunit? - Mystery & Suspense for adults

Although mysteries were not a new literary form, Edgar Allan Poe was the first to introduce a character that solved the mystery by analyzing the facts of the case. Poe called his detective stories "tales of ratiocination," meaning tales of logical reasoning.

So then, what do you need to have a great mystery novel?

  • A strong hook
  • Active reader involvement in piecing together information
  • Red herrings
  • Suspenseful dialogue
  • Effective, descriptive mood and language
  • Well-structured chapters
  • A satisfying conclusion

Of course there are many sub-genres of mystery such as psychological thriller (probably the most popular), cozies (no gore), historical, and spy thrillers, to name a few.  You might even like to try one of the lesser-known genres like heists or supernatural thrillers. From classics to modern takes on the genre, this list includes examples of all the sub-genres . Many have been recommended by our Book Talks members (Book Talks is open to everyone so just check out our online event calendar at www/tenaflylibrary.org to find the next Book Talks meeting date) and others are considered all-time greats of their sub-genre. 

Many of the selections are available in ebook and other formats that you can find by clicking on "view in library catalog". 

Place a request for a title you like and we'll contact you when it's ready for pick up.  Contact the Reference Desk at 201-568-8680 if you need help placing a request.


Murder with Peacocks

by Donna Andrews






Sweetness At The Bottom Of The Pie

by Alan Bradley


My Sister The Serial Killer

by Oyinkan Braithwaite


The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

by Lilian Jackson Braun




Thick As Thieves

by Sandra Brown




The Long Goodbye

by Raymond Chandler


And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie


The Murder At The Vicarage

by Agatha Christie


The Woman Who Spoke to Spirits

by Alys Clare


The Last Flight

by Julie Clark




The Black Echo

by Michael Connelly


The Lincoln Lawyer

by Michael Connelly


Finlay Donovan Is Killing It

by Elle Cosimano


The Ides of April

by Lindsey Davis


The Poacher's Son

by Paul Doiron


The Hound Of The Baskervilles

by Arthur Conan Doyle




The Black Dahlia

by James Ellroy




The Woman in the Window

by A. J. Finn






Mistress Of The Art Of Death

by Ariana Franklin




The Cuckoo's Calling

by Robert Galbraith


The Strange Case Of The Alchemist's Daughter

by Theodora Goss






A Time To Kill

by John Grisham


The Maltese Falcon

by Dashiell Hammett


The Monogram Murders

by Sophie Hannah










The Widower's Wife

by Cate Holahan


Magpie Murders

by Anthony Horowitz






Never Have I Ever

by Joshilyn Jackson


Defending Jacob

by William Landay


An Unwanted Guest

by Shari Lapena


The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

by John Le Carre


Death At La Fenice

by Donna Leon


And When She Was Good

by Laura Lippman




Bluebird Bluebird

by Attica Locke


The Bourne Identity

by Robert Ludlum


The Lies Of Locke Lamora

by Scott Lynch


Murder in Time

by Julie Mcelwain


What's Done in Darkness

by Laura Mchugh


The Silent Patient

by Alex Michaelides


Big Little Lies

by Liane Moriarty


The Husband's Secret

by Liane Moriarty


The Sympathizer

by Viet Thanh Nguyen




The Thursday Murder Club

by Richard Osman


Behind Closed Doors

by B. A. Paris




The Sanatorium

by Sarah Pearse










The Number One Ladies Detective Agency

by Alexander Mccall Smith


The Cartographers

by Peng Shepherd


The Sun Down Motel

by Simone St. James


Girl Waits with Gun

by Amy Stewart


Presumed Innocent

by Scott Turow


In a Dark Dark Wood

by Ruth Ware


Harlem Shuffle

by Colson Whitehead


American Spy

by Lauren Wilkinson




Maisie Dobbs

by Jacqueline Winspear