my TOP 10 murder mystery books OF ALL TIME! 🔪🩸💀 (2024)

[@sophspice32]

meg is literally the only person i follow on goodreads that i can trust when it comes to book ratings😭weirdly i almost always agree with her bookish opinions and i love that💖

[@racheltfisher]

Aww cute 😊

[@K98McKean]

Amazing list! I'd also recommend "Mystery on the Midnight Express by Florence Bearden" for anyone who loves murder mysteries in unique settings illustrated book. The suspense is high, the twists are unexpected, and the train atmosphere adds so much tension. One of my favorites this year.

[@alliemonreale]

The Thursday Murder Club is my favorite audiobook series! They switch narrators between the 2nd and 3rd books and I was originally devastated but both narrators are so talented at bringing the characters and story to life 🥹🩷

[@agl5132]

I loved that audio series as well. I'm looking forward to the movie. They aligned a brilliant cast. Also, give a listen to The Marlow Murder Club. 🎧📚

[@alliemonreale]

@@agl5132 I’m actually listening to that series right now! It’s free with an Ever& subscription so even though I only started a couple weeks ago, I’m already on the third book. I love the cozy English mystery vibes! I still feel like The Thursday Murder Club has more heart and better plots/characters but it’s a good series and I’ll def be picking up the fourth one next year!

[@rebeccag8589]

I'm a huge Agatha Christie and murder mystery fan! If you like Christie, you might like Dorothy L Sayers (I like some of her books a lot). My favorite is Gaudy Night. I'd also recommend The Moonstone or The Woman in White, both by Wilkie Collins. They're from the 1860s. They are generally considered the first murder mysteries/detective novels and are both great!

[@kemouse]

I read both Moonstone and the Woman in White. I liked the 2nd one better but still both were good. Ruth Rendell is also good but yeah Agatha Christie and Daphne Du Maurier are great!

[@milycome]

Agreed. All good choices : Christie, Sayers, and Wilkie Collins. One other author I'd put at the top is the very, very underated Christianna Brand. My favorite mystery book of all time is the Brand mystery, Fog of Doubt. First published in 1952. Don't know whether it's still in print ?? Maybe as an e-book or print on demand ?? Two other good ones : Death in High Heels and Green for Danger.

[@rebeccag8589]

@milycome I haven't heard of her! Thank you for the recommendation. I'm always looking for new murder mystery authors.

[@SelinaShaw]

Also Ngaio Marsh

[@kemouse]

@@SelinaShaw Yes! I'd seen the name many times looking through the aisles but I (not too long ago) got "Color Scheme" and it was good. Have to check some more titles though as they're all artistic in their own right.

[@l.c.6282]

One of my favourite series is the Flavia Deluce Series by Alan Bradley. The main character is an eleven year old chemistry genius. Set in the 50s in a British Village. It’s well written and funny and has an interesting cast of characters that are featured in all the books : from Flavia’s mean sisters, her absent minded father, their cook, the local vicar and the detective. I’d highly recommend.

[@emotions99]

This sounds so good! Thanks for sharing!! ❤ Have you watched the Father Brown series?

[@l.c.6282]

I watched some of it a long time ago and attempted to read one of the books but never got into it.

[@keldaogg2157]

I love Flavia! I'm 76 and use a walker. I named her Gladys. We go on adventures. I have all the books on audiobooks. Jayne Entwistle reads them and she is wonderful.

[@carolaustin3785]

The Flavia DeLuce series is so good!

[@yagmurugur9904]

I hadn’t cried reading a book before (I don’t really read sad books, but still). But the Last Devil to Die had me sobbing 🥲Literally couldn’t stop crying during *those* few chapters. Thursday Murder Club is my favorite book series, always happy to see others enjoy and recommend it! I hope you reread the second book soon, the mystery in that one was my personal favorite. Thanks for the video and all the recommendations! ❤

[@yagmurugur9904]

PS, if you haven’t read the Crooked House by Agatha Christie, highly recommend!

[@clairedeperry]

I was SO EXCITED when I saw TTMC series as #1 because this series got me into reading 2 years ago and it holds a special place in my heart. The fourth made me cry like a baby and I find that Osman does such a fantastic job with creating genuinely good mysteries and cases with fun settings and characters. He always keeps you guessing!

[@KatY-qq2we]

I'm so happy with the love and recommendation for the Lady Hardcastle books! 😍 I found them a while ago and since then I have faithfully pre-ordered every book and read it immediately when it becomes available. I adore lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong, their friendship and banter, the humour in the books, the writing style, the atmosphere! Even if the mystery in the particular book is not that great, these things are enough for me to enjoy it immensely! I really need to start reading the Thursday murder club, I already have the first three books.

[@connieroberts5152]

I totally love the Hamish McBeth series by M.C Beaton🥰The series is set in Scotland and you can almost smell the heather.Hamish is a very unusual main character!Definitely in the cozy genre.

[@sneums6610]

I read The Thursday Murder Club because of one of your videos and now it's my all time favorite series. I sobbed at the last one too. When I think of the emotional rollercoaster and thrill that reading can give, I think of these books. They are so so good. I'll forever trust anything you recommend Megan! lol Edited: Also....no spoilers, but I was only a few chapters in to We Solve Murders and Richard Osman already got me feeling a little teary for one of the characters. And I thought "Aw crap, here we go again."

[@bea9631]

I think you'll really enjoy Janice Hallet's new book, The Examiners, it's very similar to the alperton angels. Different varieties of mixed media and interesting reveals. it has one reveal about 3/4 of the way through where at first I was completely shocked and taken aback but then I was like well duh that makes so much sense! I remember similar ones happening in her other books

[@racheltfisher]

I enjoyed The Examiner, so twisty!

[@eimeartheirishstitcher]

I picked up the Examiners on a whim lately. Super excited to get stuck into it!

[@TriceyReads]

I just finished The Examiner last night. I enjoyed it & was able to figure out the victim. I feel the same way about the twist you mentioned.

[@isabellavalentine7268]

Meg, I am reading Thursday Murder Club because of you- currently on book four and I have already cried twice in 130 pages

[@natasagajic1061]

My top 3 murder mysteries are: 1. Death on the Nile 2. Murder on the Orient Express 3. The A.B.C. Murders I think that Poirot (and in particular, David Suchet's Poirot) has ruined all other murder mysteries for me 😭 Not only Poirot is a genius, but he solves the murders through understanding human psyche and human nature. He isn't doing the gimmicky stuff like knowing what a certain cigarette ash looks like, but instead has a deep understanding of humans and what motives them. And he is genuinely kind. I just can't seem to find any other detective or detective like characters (well, except Miss Marple) who use the understanding of human nature to solve the murders. And I am in complete agreement with you that I dislike And Then There Were None. I thought that it was a pure thriller, no mystery and I thoroughly disliked it. The only other two from your list that I have read/have on my radar are A Good Girl's Guide to Murder which I read a few years ago and thought that the twist was ridiculously outlandish and emotionally unreasonable and I have Wrong Place Wrong Time out of the library atm. From the synopsis, I am hoping that it will have that emotional and intelligent approach to mysteries that I am always looking for.

[@Nicole-dh3um]

I love Lady Hardcastle and Flo! I learned about this series from your channel and I adore them. The narrator for the audio books makes these cosy mysteries even better because she is amazing.

[@lisag618]

Brilliant list! The only one I haven't read is True Crime Story which I need to add as I LOVE mixed media novels too 😍

[@kristenkeys3273]

Agree on Thursday Murder Club! Love them. I also cried in the last book. Since you picked this as your #1, I'm definitely going to check out some of your other recommendations!

[@lillibettt]

If you like Christie, I recommend checking out Ngaio Marsh. She was up there with Christie and Sayers back in the day, but largely forgotten now. Have you read any of Anne Perry's work? She has two series, both set in the Victorian era. I prefer the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series, but they're all really good mysteries. If you've see the Miss Fisher series (and if you haven't, drop everything and watch it now) then you should follow it up by reading the series by Kerry Greenwood. Set in 1920s Australia, they're fascinating and fun. For something a little more gritty and modern, Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series are great--an archeologist who gets pulled into investigating mysteries around Norfolk. And for the best, best writing, read Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series--the first one, Still Life, is one of my Top Ten Books of all genres. Set in modern-day Canada, they revolve around a small town with a cast of unforgettable characters who will make you want to move there (and I am *not* a big fan of small towns).

[@lillibettt]

Also, if you're willing to branch out a little, I think you'd enjoy the Rivers of London series. They are mysteries, set in a modern-day London that includes magic and supernatural creatures. The books are great and the audio books are even better!

[@wwilson553]

These would be my recommendations, too

[@lauras4472]

I actually grew up there☺️

[@COWBOYBARTER]

I didn’t know the twist for Murder on the Orient Express and I was gagged 😮

[@cierrasimpson116]

Thursday Murder Club series is my favorite also! I bawled during the fourth book. I also like a Goods Girl Guide to Murder it’s what got me back in to reading.

[@racheltfisher]

I need to re read the first book as I listened to the audiobook but didn’t love it sadly

[@racheltfisher]

I do have We Solve Murders to read, started last night 😊

[@novaartino2874]

I read wrong place wrong time because of you and I LOVED it!

[@SarahAtHeart]

I think you might like One Perfect Couple! It really reminded me of One by One (also one of my favorite Ruth Ware's), and the Agatha Christie inspiration really shines. I was very happily surprised after dnf'ing Zero Days.

[@livrodrigues6534]

I LOVED One by One by Ruth Ware, it was one of my first murder mystery/thriller(?) and I was so hooked. I'm still trying to find something similar

[@charthec]

Highly recommend the book Eight Detectives if you love classic murder mysteries. Also Benjamin Stevenson books - they're such a good play on the genre!

[@ashloves2]

It’s fall and I was just craving a murder mystery to read..it’s fate😌

[@hannahandherstories]

I’m reading Wrong Place, Wrong Time right now with my fiancée and we’re loving it!

[@cmdavis1976]

I have recently become addicted to the Wrexford and Sloane mystery series by Andrea Penrose. It is set in Regency England. He is a Lord who also happens to be a brilliant chemist and puts reason over emotion. She is a political satirist pretending to be male who has great intuition and tends to value emotions and relationships. She also acts as a mother figure to a pair of street urchins who are smart and savvy. The mysteries are not always solid for me, but the dialogue, the characterizations of and relationships between the main characters are a joy to read.

[@evispalmer]

I just listened to the newest Lady Hardcastle book and it was great. You turned me on to the series, and I’m so glad!

[@2025Mindfulness]

I love Murder Mysteries, my favorite genre. I've read all of Agatha Christie's twice. I've read all of P.D. James, Dorothy L. Sayer, Louise Penny and Ruth Rendell's murder mystery series. I love Thursday Murder Mysteries. I love M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth as well. Always looking for new series to read. I will try some of the others that you have mentioned. Thanks.

[@sashamoons868]

I started Lady Hardcastle on audible because of your rec and I LOVE IT. Think I'm gonna do one a month to pace myself and enjoy it. Thank you! ✨♥️ Then I picked up The Marlow Murder Club and it was amazing. Highly recommend. Older character, lovable eccentric cast. I think English mystery series with older female characters are my new fave genre.

[@BookReviewsWithBecky]

I loved The Guest List! 🤩🤩🤩 And I loved Richard Osman series too!

[@fiesty3000]

I've read several murder mysteries. They're my jam. Started with tv shows and just got hooked. Favorite so far is And Then There Were None and Twyford Code. Those 2 have me in a chokehold. I've read Thursday Murder Club and will get the 2nd one soon. I liked it ok but honestly, it's not a go-to for me. But I'm open to others and to reading the rest of the series. I've only seen the movies for MOTN and MOTOE so I probably need to read the books at this point. Thanks for the recommends!

[@komaedacoffee4298]

Orient express -YES, though I saw the movie first. Thursday murder - YES !! Hunting party - didn't like that much, but I like we don't know who died Good girl- it was just okay Lady Hardcastle I'm gonna check out!

[@zobookish]

Soooo agree with you about Ruth Ware & One by One!

[@mickeyhank]

LOVE the Sherlock Holmes get up! Absolutely appropriate for this video. Now I’m going to watch it. 😊 I think I’m going to get some good recommendations here…

[@shannen271]

I literally paused this video at One By One, went and read it, and now I'm back for the rest of the video ❤ P.S. One by one was EXCELLENT!! 👌

[@arlievaughn]

I absolutely adore the Lady Hardcastle audio books!

[@skeletonkeybooks]

I've read all of Christie's mysteries and am hard put to rank them. Though be warned that Postern of Fate is widely regarded as barely readable. A classic that recently blew me away was Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles. At first I was put off by the characters, but that's clever distraction from some key points. And the craft is so subtle that I imagine many readers get to the last page, think Wait, WHAT? and then have to go back through and figure out what they missed.

[@maggiemay646]

Fantastic video!! One of my favorites from you. ❤

[@TallyDrake]

I would have rated Curtain and And Then There Were None (and several other Christie novels) over Death on the Nile and Orient Express. Then again, the only mystery novels I read are Christie's.

[@entjohns]

Best murder mystery adaptation: BBC's Charles Paris series narrated by Bill Nighy. Avail on YT. Simon Brett wrote the books but they're darker and not as engaging as the adaptations. If you're not a Nighy fan then avoid; Nighy is perfect as the loveable louche. For something more intellectually engaging - esp if familiar with 'mystery' leif motifs - Anthony Horowitz's Hawthorne + Horowitz series (Horowitz aka Foyle's War writer) -- full audiobooks avail on YT. Enjoy!

[@SelinaShaw]

I LOVED "One by One"!

[@VivianBenabese]

All Mary Higgins Clark' books esp You Belong to Me, Minette Walters' The Shaape of Snakes, iris Johansen's Eight Days to Live, and Ruth Rindell's The Rothweiler...are my faves....

[@nbenefiel]

Mine would be Josehine Tey's Daughter of Time, Arthur Connan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles, Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, PD James, anything, Louise Penny Still life, Anne Perry's Monk books.

[@suziet6535]

So... The Midnight Feast is very similar to the Guest List 😅 if you loved the latter, you will love the new release as well. I might add, subjectively speaking, it's like a redo, a lot better done

[@Winterknits]

Fantastic recs! Thank you!!

[@Kristy.Reads.2024]

Good God! That last book in the Thursday Murder Club. We were in the car when I finished it & I just stared out the window with tears running down my face trying to not let my little kids know I was crying. My husband who was driving asked “Are you alright?” & I said, “No. No I am not.” 😂

[@whitneydd6915]

Loved Thursday murder club! I found it by accident as my pick for a family book club. Everyone says it is the best book we have read so far. But now I can’t find another murder mystery that is as good as TTMC 🥺

[@Kristy.Reads.2024]

@@whitneydd6915 Try The Marlow Murder Mystery series. I love it almost as much as TTMC. Its about 3...actually 4 women in different stages of life & lifestyles who form an unlikely friendship while investigating a murder. They are in the process of making it a TV show as well.

[@hotmintchoco]

i’m a huge fan of murder mysteries, thanks for this hahahah

[@hotmintchoco]

putting all of them in my TBR if i haven’t

[@benjaminashank]

Thursday Murder Club is also way way up there for me! Everything Christie is my bread and butter, and I weigh everything against her. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is also at the top! I am starting Richard Osman’s new one tomorrow after my book club is over! I can’t wait! Keep doing these kid…I love your passion and certainly your recs!

[@jaimeg819]

Great recommendations and kudos on the memes throughout the vid

[@matthampton8692]

If you want to read another Christie read Murder Is Easy or Crooked House both stand-alones and both brilliant

[@skeletonkeybooks]

Crooked House was one of Christie's own personal favorites.

[@rachelpuntel]

I appreciate what you said about And Then There Are None - the only Christie I have read (and I didn't like much, I didn't get the love for it, sorry about it!) - excited to dip my toe back into Agatha's world based on these recs 🙏

[@Kristy.Reads.2024]

Have you read The Marlow Murder Club series? They are also fantastic, if you haven’t. I actually sometimes have a hard time deciding if I like them or the Thursday Murder Club better.

[@GhostXD666]

Have you read the D.I Fawley series by Cara Hunter? It's set in England, every book has a twist in the ending, it has a lot of mixed media and I love the characters so much, they get brilliantly developed book by book. Also the audiobooks are amazing as well, would highly recommend it

[@nataliecutler3569]

I read Midnight feast and for me it was amazing book, I love it so much 🖤

[@MarinaJohan]

One by One love, yes!!!

[@rubymcdime7382]

Highly recommend the book The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe for you, Meg! We have pretty similar taste - you are my favorite KZbinr ❤ - and I think you’d love it!

[@Mustaphaiqbal]

Loved Death On The Nile. More thrilling then what Ruth Ware writes. I loved the Guest List as well(Fantastic suspense) but the ending....denies it 4.5 stars forget 5.

[@shellkay]

I recently listened to audio (which is full cast) of The Midnight Feast & gave it 4.5, same as The Paris Apt. I liked both better than the Guest List. This had typical rich people behaving badly, a sinister atmosphere, & multiple POV’s.

[@shozzy_id]

Thanks Meg!

[@caitlynpease5250]

Can’t wait to read these! I really enjoyed Halloween Party by Agatha Christie! The audiobook is 🤌🤌🤌 and then watching the movie adaptation The Haunting in Venice after is 10/10

[@bookswithamymarie]

I LOVE One by One! So good.

[@brionabookshelf]

ive read a lot of these because of You 😁

[@rebeccareads8413]

My favorite Agatha Christie was the first one I read by her. It is And Then There Were None.

[@wwilson553]

I tried to watch this and write down the names and authors, but Meg was waving the books around so much and only mentioned the writers' names in passing that I only got about 1/2

[@megwithbooks]

@@wwilson553 they’re all listed in the description 🫶🏻

[@wwilson553]

@@megwithbooks I was watching om TV

[@JayGTheAwkwardBookworm]

Wrong place wrong time sounds so good 👀

[@jessicababbitt1983]

The Thursday Murder Club books are so good but they are almost uncomfortably sad for me. Like I just can’t deal with stories about the elderly!

[@KittyxKult]

If you like the documentary/self insert style of True Crime Story: Kill Show and The Ghost That Ate Us have the same vibes. Kill Show doesn’t exactly self insert but the idea is that the book is being written after an unethical true crime documentary has led to greater tragedy and ripped apart the community. The Ghost That Ate Us is horror true crime, with the self insert character being a journalist who is documenting a mass murder at a fast food restaurant and how rumors of a ghost spiraled the workers out of control.

[@KittyxKult]

I gave twyford code a 5 and Alperton a 3. I liked how it was the most mixed media but twyford code made me SOB

[@Yxvandoolu]

A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin is an intriguing read. Do not read spoilers about this one. Good Reads basic info on this is fine, though.

[@jessthomas7210]

Im Currently reading One Perfect couple by Ruth Ware and it is unlikeable rich people vibes i think you might like it

[@VikkiCail]

I would recommend: Daisy Dalrymple A series by Carola Dunn

[@karenwillis3617]

I’m so sad that everyone is saying the TTMC makes them cry. I don’t like to read things that are sad. I don’t want to move forward in this series.

[@99xd70]

أعشق اغاثا كريستي⭐️⭐️🤍🤍

[@marf3525]

I loved One Perfect Couple. Hope you like it!

[@andrewannotates]

I liked and then there were none more than murder on the orient express and I have watched the BBC adaptation of that like 4 times now lol. I need to reread the book bc I know I liked it more than the show. But murder on the orient express had an incredible twist

[@valentineboudaud1887]

If you like camp in your mysteries, why haven't you read Benjamin stevenson's mysteries yet ? Everyone in this train is a suspect especially was so fun while still having a solid, twisty plot !

[@charthec]

I came here to say this!! He has a Christmas one coming out at the end of the year too - so exciting!

[@AliDoisRead]

Taking notes 🧐📝

[@rachelblack9545]

I like the Heathcliff Lennox series by Karen Baugh Menuhin

[@kellymanfredini3835]

Have you read anything by Megan Goulding? The Night Swim? Dark Corners? Stay Awake?

[@salahalselene4957]

❤❤❤❤

[@shahjeelani2691]

When u got recommended on my yt I immediately knew ur a british just by reading murder mysteries i mean who better can write/make murder mysteries better other than British Ofc Agatha and conan Doyle

[@rickhaydan3433]

Please read anything by Tana French. A couple of her books are thrillers, but most are mind-bending mysteries. Ignore the TV adaptations of her books. They stinks.

[@chellyfishing]

I disliked the GGTM show so much it made me doubt that I ever enjoyed the book?? It was so boring! I forgive you about And Then There Were None even though it is one of my favorite books of all time, six stars, flawless masterpiece. If there is one person overhyping this book, I am that person. I haven’t read Murder on the Orient Express yet but I LOVE the Lumet film from the 70s, one of my fav films ever, so I would be surprised if I don’t love the book. Also, since you mentioned Roger Ackroyd, I actually didn’t know it was famous for its twist, so I was talking to a friend who’d just read it and literally said, “oh maybe [BLANK] is the killer haha just kidding nah couldn’t be.” Congratulations, I played myself.

[@MikeFurl]

Except for Agatha Christie, she doesn't show any knowledge of The Golden Age. These are all modern novels. Where is John Dickson Carr.? Arthur Conan Doyal? Raymond Chandler? Even modern authors like Bill Pronzini. or Ross MacDonald. Here are my own Top 10 Mysteries: 1. The Hound Of The Baskervilles / Arthur Conan Doyle (1902) 2. The Poisoned Chocolates Case / Anthony Berkeley (1929) 3. The Three Coffins / John Dickson Carr (1935) 4. And Then There Were None / Agatha Christie (1939) 5. I, The Jury / Mickey Spillane (1947) 6. The Little Sister / Raymond Chandler (1949) 7. The Daughter of Time / Josephine Tey (1952) 8. The Finishing Stroke / Ellery Queen (1958) 9. The Zebra Striped Hearse / Ross MacDonald (1962) 10. Epitaphs / Bill Pronzini (1993)

[@mr.Anonymous4444]

Try death note's another note

[@garygillam8226]

You should do a top ten list of male authors.. you can include a token female. But be sure to put her at number one 😉

[@paularodriguez726]

Not me being this early!!!

[@tammieharvey4814]

The first 2 Brontë Mettlestone books are fantastic but the rest of the series goes incredibly downhill

[@Boris_sz]

The Thursday murder club was boring, I don't see what one can like in that book😂

[@leena118]

You have two Agatha Christie novels on your list but are missing her best one The Murder of Roger Aykroyd. The twist is so unexpected that I remember to this day who did it and I read the book more than 30 years ago.

[@coffee8599]

Ma'am, I was listening so closely until you said the last GGGTM was best 😂🤔

[@reading_faerie]

6:52 I actually loved one by one 😂 it’s probably one of my faves of hers. It was FUN idk why people didn’t love it