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The Ultimate Must-Read List of Crime, Mystery & Thriller Novels

This list is comprised of many authors, and provides a guide to the best novels from each of these authors if they're prolific writers. Some authors, on the other hand, have had one-off successes. Just a couple of things to note - firstly, I acknowledge that the list is primarily focused on English-written novels, so my apologies to those great novels that haven't made the list. I have lists for great novels from countries all around the world, though, so they can be found there. Secondly, I'm not a massive science fiction or fantasy fan, so please don't expect to see such novels. I think there may just be two or three novels I think that fall into those genres. Otherwise, it's pure, realistic crime, mystery and thrillers!
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11/22/63 (Stephen King)
11/22/63
1
Stephen King
1st to Die (James Patterson)
1st to Die
2
James Patterson
The 39 Steps (John Buchan)
The 39 Steps
3
John Buchan
4.50 From Paddington (Agatha Christie)
4.50 From Paddington
4
Agatha Christie
The ABC Murders (Agatha Christie)
The ABC Murders
5
Agatha Christie
Absolute Power (David Baldacci)
Absolute Power
6
David Baldacci
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
7
Arthur Conan Doyle
The Affair (Lee Child)
The Affair
8
Lee Child
After the Funeral (Agatha Christie)
After the Funeral
9
Agatha Christie
All That Is Mine I Carry With Me (William Landay)
All That Is Mine I Carry With Me
10
William Landay
All That Remains (Patricia Cormwell)
All That Remains
11
Patricia Cormwell
Along Came a Spider (James Patterson, 1993)
Along Came a Spider
12
James Patterson, 1993
Altered Carbon (Richard K. Morgan)
Altered Carbon
13
Richard K. Morgan
American Psycho (Bret Easton Ellis)
American Psycho
14
Bret Easton Ellis
American Tabloid (James Ellroy)
American Tabloid
15
James Ellroy
An Officer an a Spy (Robert Harris)
An Officer an a Spy
16
Robert Harris
Anatomy of a Murder (Robert Traver)
Anatomy of a Murder
17
Robert Traver
And Then There Were None (Agatha Christie)
And Then There Were None
18
Agatha Christie
Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
Angels and Demons
19
Dan Brown
Angels Flight (Michael Connelly)
Angels Flight
20
Michael Connelly
The Appeal (John Grisham)
The Appeal
21
John Grisham
Appointment With Death (Agatha Christie)
Appointment With Death
22
Agatha Christie
The Aquitaine Progression (Robert Ludlum)
The Aquitaine Progression
23
Robert Ludlum
Archangel (Robert Harris)
Archangel
24
Robert Harris
Area 7 (Matthew Reilly)
Area 7
25
Matthew Reilly
The Associate (John Grisham)
The Associate
26
John Grisham
At Bertram's Hotel (Agatha Christie)
At Bertram's Hotel
27
Agatha Christie
The Attorney (Steve Martini)
The Attorney
28
Steve Martini
Bad Luck and Trouble (Lee Child)
Bad Luck and Trouble
29
Lee Child
Balance of Power (Richard North Patterson)
Balance of Power
30
Richard North Patterson
The Bat (Jo Nesbø)
The Bat
31
Jo Nesbø
The Big Nowhere (James Ellroy)
The Big Nowhere
32
James Ellroy
The Big Sleep (Raymond Chandler)
The Big Sleep
33
Raymond Chandler
The Birds (Daphne Du Maurier)
The Birds
34
Daphne Du Maurier
The Black Dahlia (James Ellroy)
The Black Dahlia
35
James Ellroy
The Black Echo (Michael Connelly)
The Black Echo
36
Michael Connelly
Blacktop Wasteland (S.A. Cosby)
Blacktop Wasteland
37
S.A. Cosby
Blood Defense (Marcia Clark)
Blood Defense
38
Marcia Clark
Blood's a Rover (James Ellroy)
Blood's a Rover
39
James Ellroy
The Blunderer (Patricia Highsmith)
The Blunderer
40
Patricia Highsmith
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