It is tough to choose the best of anything leave alone books, which you have read over the years. I guess it would be an easier task to choose your 5 favourite girlfriends rather than the above! I adore Mystery Fiction and here are some of my favourite picks apart from the venerable Sherlock Holmes series which is an indispensable read for lovers of this genre.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie 1929 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a detective novel by Agatha Christie. Agatha Christie is widely regarded as the greatest mystery fiction writer of all time. The novel features Hercule Poirot as the lead detective. It is one of Christie’s best known and most controversial novels since its crafty ending had a significant impact on the genre. This book established Christie as one of the foremost mystery writers of her generation, which is regarded as the “golden-age” of mystery fiction.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie 1940 This novel is one of Christies best in plot and characterisation. It went on to become one of the all time great Agatha Christie bestsellers ever. The themes and patterns found in this book have inspired recent stories such as serial killer, horror & disaster films. The main characters die one by one. The book was earlier published as “Ten Little Niggers”, the title was considered racial in nature and later publications changed the controversial title to “Ten Little Indians” and finally to the present one.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins 1868 The Moonstone is the precursor of the modern mystery and suspense novels in the English language. It contains a number of ideas which became common tropes of the genre: a large number of suspects, red herrings, a crime being investigated by talented amateurs, and two police officers who exemplify respectively the’local bungler’ and the skilled, professional.
The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan 1915 The Thirty-Nine Steps is generally considered the forerunner of the modern adventure thriller novels. This is a story of war and spies steeped in intrigue and mystery. The main protagonist runs into trouble for no fault of his and is chased across Scotland by the police and German spies. This book reads well and I bet you will never put it down once you have started. This augurs well for a novel that was published almost 9 decades ago.
The Judas Window by John Dickson Carr 1938 Carr is generally regarded as one of the greatest writers of the so-called "Golden Age" mysteries. His plots are always complex, has a supernatural tinge, with strong plot stories in which the puzzle is paramount, and gets a rational explanation at the story’s solution. He is also widely known as the master of the “Locked-Room Crimes” genre. The Judas Windows is one of his best books. Another masterpiece book “The Three Coffins” has the famous "The Locked Room Lecture". The Judas Window is strong in its storytelling, comedy and unfolds a riveting courtroom drama. Every plot element falls into place in the work just the way a reader wants at the denouement.