Designed to Feel by Peter Burchardt
Bestseller by Peter Burchardt
Designed to Feel
Why Evolution Built Your Emotions, and How to Make Them Work for You
Get it on Amazon →Paperback & Kindle
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Best Mystery & Thriller Books

Mystery and thriller fiction is among the oldest and most enduringly popular literary forms. The detective story, codified by Edgar Allan Poe and refined by Arthur Conan Doyle, Patricia Highsmith, and Raymond Chandler, uses the puzzle of crime as a way of examining society, psychology, and the fragility of order. The thriller — faster, more visceral, less interested in ratiocination than in danger — developed alongside it, and the two forms have increasingly merged. Scandinavian crime fiction, from Henning Mankell to Stieg Larsson, has globalised the genre and brought to it a new social-democratic seriousness.

50 titles ranked · Scored across 40+ editorial sources
#1
Cover of Piranesi
fantasy

Piranesi

Susanna Clarke· 2020
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score94/100
#2
Cover of A Brief History of Seven Killings
literary-fiction

A Brief History of Seven Killings

Marlon James· 2015
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score89/100
#3
Cover of The Glorious Heresies
literary-fiction

The Glorious Heresies

Lisa McInerney· 2015
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score89/100
#4
Cover of The Luminaries
mystery-thriller

The Luminaries

Eleanor Catton· 2013
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score87/100
#5
Cover of The Sympathizer
literary-fiction

The Sympathizer

Viet Thanh Nguyen· 2016
★Pulitzer Prize
Editorial Score81/100
#6
Cover of We Need to Talk About Kevin
literary-fiction

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Lionel Shriver· 2005
★Women's Prize for Fiction
Editorial Score81/100
#7
Cover of My Name Is Red
literary-fiction

My Name Is Red

Orhan Pamuk· 2006
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score80/100
#8
Cover of The Shadow of the Wind
mystery-thriller

The Shadow of the Wind

Carlos Ruiz Zafón· 2005
★National Book Award
Editorial Score77/100
#9
Cover of Crime and Punishment
literary-fiction

Crime and Punishment

Fyodor Dostoevsky· 1866
★Nobel Prize in Literature
Editorial Score76/100
#10
Cover of Amsterdam
literary-fiction

Amsterdam

Ian McEwan· 1998
★Booker Prize
Editorial Score74/100
#11
Cover of The Goldfinch
literary-fiction

The Goldfinch

Donna Tartt· 2014
★Pulitzer Prize
Editorial Score74/100
#12
Cover of Rebecca
mystery-thriller

Rebecca

Daphne du Maurier· 1938
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score72/100
#13
Cover of Big Little Lies
mystery-thriller

Big Little Lies

Liane Moriarty· 2014
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score71/100
#14
Cover of The Tenderness of Wolves
mystery-thriller

The Tenderness of Wolves

Stef Penney· 2006
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score70/100
#15
Cover of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
literary-fiction

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Mark Haddon· 2003
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score69/100
#16
Cover of Holes
young-adult

Holes

Louis Sachar· 1999
★Newbery Medal
Editorial Score69/100
#17
Cover of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
young-adult

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

E.L. Konigsburg· 1968
★Newbery Medal
Editorial Score69/100
#18
Cover of Case Histories
mystery-thriller

Case Histories

Kate Atkinson· 2004
★Costa Book Award
Editorial Score68/100
#19
Cover of The Echo Maker
literary-fiction

The Echo Maker

Richard Powers· 2007
★National Book Award
Editorial Score67/100
#20
Cover of The City & The City
mystery-thriller

The City & The City

China Miéville· 2010
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score67/100
#21
Cover of The Executioner's Song
biography-memoir

The Executioner's Song

Norman Mailer· 1980
★Pulitzer Prize
Editorial Score66/100
#22
Cover of Gone Girl
mystery-thriller

Gone Girl

Gillian Flynn· 2012
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score66/100
#23
Cover of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
mystery-thriller

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson· 2005
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score66/100
#24
Cover of Wolf
young-adult

Wolf

Gillian Cross· 1990
★Carnegie Medal
Editorial Score63/100
#25
Cover of The Name of the Rose
mystery-thriller

The Name of the Rose

Umberto Eco· 1983
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score60/100
#26
Cover of To Say Nothing of the Dog
science-fiction

To Say Nothing of the Dog

Connie Willis· 1999
★Hugo Award
Editorial Score60/100
#27
Cover of Devil in a Blue Dress
mystery-thriller

Devil in a Blue Dress

Walter Mosley· 1990
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score59/100
#28
Cover of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
mystery-thriller

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Alexander McCall Smith· 1998
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score58/100
#29
Cover of The Big Sleep
mystery-thriller

The Big Sleep

Raymond Chandler· 1939
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score58/100
#30
Cover of In Cold Blood
biography-memoir

In Cold Blood

Truman Capote· 1966
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score58/100
#31
Cover of The Talented Mr. Ripley
mystery-thriller

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Patricia Highsmith· 1955
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score58/100
#32
Cover of The Poet
mystery-thriller

The Poet

Michael Connelly· 1996
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score57/100
#33
Cover of Postmortem
mystery-thriller

Postmortem

Patricia Cornwell· 1991
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score57/100
#34
Cover of Farewell, My Lovely
mystery-thriller

Farewell, My Lovely

Raymond Chandler· 1940
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score56/100
#35
Cover of A Is for Alibi
mystery-thriller

A Is for Alibi

Sue Grafton· 1982
★Edgar Award
Editorial Score55/100
#36
Treasure Island
literary-fiction

Treasure Island

Robert Louis Stevenson· 1880
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#37
Анна Каренина
literary-fiction

Анна Каренина

Лев Толстой· 1876
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#38
The Hound of the Baskervilles
literary-fiction

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1900
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#39
Преступление и наказание
literary-fiction

Преступление и наказание

Fiódor Dostoievski· 1866
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#40
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [12 stories]
literary-fiction

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [12 stories]

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1892
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#41
The Man Who Was Thursday
literary-fiction

The Man Who Was Thursday

Gilbert Keith Chesterton· 1908
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#42
The Jewel of Seven Stars
literary-fiction

The Jewel of Seven Stars

Bram Stoker· 1902
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#43
The Red Badge of Courage
literary-fiction

The Red Badge of Courage

Stephen Crane· 1855
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#44
The Prisoner of Zenda
literary-fiction

The Prisoner of Zenda

Anthony Hope· 1800
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#45
His Last Bow [8 stories]
literary-fiction

His Last Bow [8 stories]

Arthur Conan Doyle· 1917
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#46
Cover of Heart of Darkness
literary-fiction

Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad· 1899
Library Journal
Editorial Score55/100
#47
The Riddle of the Sands
literary-fiction

The Riddle of the Sands

Erskine Childers· 1903
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#48
Le Tour du Monde en Quatre-Vingts Jours
literary-fiction

Le Tour du Monde en Quatre-Vingts Jours

Jules Verne· 1872
Kirkus Reviews
Editorial Score55/100
#49
Cover of Vingt mille lieues sous les mers
literary-fiction

Vingt mille lieues sous les mers

Jules Verne· 1870
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
#50
The pioneers
literary-fiction

The pioneers

James Fenimore Cooper· 1800
Publishers Weekly
Editorial Score55/100
Designed to Feel
Bestseller by Peter Burchardt
Designed to Feel
Why Evolution Built Your Emotions, and How to Make Them Work for You
“The most eye-opening book on emotions I’ve ever read.”
Get It on Amazon →Paperback & Kindle

By Country

🇺🇳International4535🇬🇧United Kingdom262🇺🇸United States238🇵🇱Poland34🇯🇵Japan29🇮🇳India7🇮🇪Ireland6🇮🇹Italy3🇸🇪Sweden2🇫🇷France2🇯🇲Jamaica1🇳🇿New Zealand1🇹🇷Turkey1🇪🇸Spain1🇷🇺Russia1🇦🇺Australia1🌍Norway1🌍Brazil1🇨🇦Canada1🇩🇪Germany1🇦🇷Argentina1🇲🇽Mexico1🇩🇰Denmark1

Key Authors

Susanna ClarkeMarlon JamesLisa McInerneyEleanor CattonViet Thanh NguyenLionel ShriverOrhan PamukCarlos Ruiz ZafónFyodor DostoevskyIan McEwan

Mystery & Thriller Books — FAQ

What are the best mystery & thriller books of all time?

The top-ranked mystery & thriller books include Piranesi, A Brief History of Seven Killings, The Glorious Heresies — all with high editorial consensus scores across major literary prizes and critic lists.

How are mystery & thriller books ranked on 50 Best Books?

Rankings are based on aggregate editorial scores drawn from Nobel Prizes, Booker Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and 40+ other critical sources. Each mention is weighted by prestige, recency, and scope.

Which countries produce the most acclaimed mystery & thriller books?

International, United Kingdom, United States lead our rankings in mystery & thriller, producing the most internationally recognised titles in the genre.

Who are the most acclaimed mystery & thriller authors?

Key authors in mystery & thriller include Susanna Clarke, Marlon James, Lisa McInerney, whose works consistently appear across major prize lists and critic selections.

Are there mystery & thriller books for beginners?

Yes — our rankings include books at every level. Look for titles with broad critical acclaim and accessible descriptions. Start with books scoring 70+ on our editorial scale.