TOP TEN MYSTERY NOVELS OF ALL TIME!!

[@math1mom]

1:40 The Likeness 2:50 Open Season 3:10 In A Dry Season 3:55 The Complaints 4:30 Shame The Devil 5:15 Raylan 6:05 Dissolution 6:55 Mr Mercedes7 7:20 An Instance of a Fingerpost 8:00 Devil in a Blue Dress 9:00 Lullaby Town 9:45 Skinwalkers 10:35 Neon Rain 11:20 Gorky Park 12:15 The Name of the Rose 12:50 Natchez Burning 13:45 This Body of Death 14:35 The Concrete Blonde 15:05 Gone Girl 15:55 The Secret History 16:45 Mystic River

[@math1mom]

British Murder Mystery books are my favorite too! I need to compile a list and publish it. Thank you

[@reginaldforthright805]

Thanks

[@arjunpaudel709]

am doing this job with his every videos ; you already did here. Thanks to you

[@Adidasler593]

Thanks

[@republikentalks4454]

I'm surprised to not see any Lawrence Block on this list

[@suzieirby2137]

I'm so happy I found these! My 94 year old mom is blind and I put audio books on for her; she listens to one every other day or so; so I'm always looking for books for her. She does not like Fantasy or Sci-Fi. Can you please do more of these? Thank you!!

[@JonathanPriesthood]

I have just read a novel based in Africa and I have been in that country. Amazing detective. Just forgot the title.

[@LeoWhalen1933]

Sorry to hear about your mom's situation but she's lucky to have a caring child do that for her. I wouldn't mind just reading/listening to books when I (hopefully) reach that age.

[@TheArtfulBrittani]

I always love your recommendation lists because they are usually books that no one else brings up. Recently I read The Current by Tim Johnston and it shot up to my favorites in mysteries/thrillers. Its described as a literary mystery thriller and I agree, its not written in your usual formulaic way and keeps your mind wondering even passed the ending.

[@sabeehb9514]

Thanks a great list, love the enthusiasm and the top 10 turning into top 20 starting at number 21 !

[@preslim84]

lol I love how your top 10 became a top 20 with an honourable mention into a top 21

[@etluxaeterna]

also funfact: Eco in 'Rose' based a lot of it on Sherlock Holmes, not only is 'William of Baskerville' named after 'The Hounds of Baskerville' (famous Sherlock Holmes book), his physical description given is identical to Sherlock, and his sidekick named Adso is a diminution of Watson if you take out the first & last letters you get Atso = Adso. There are many other easter eggs from his favorite writers in the book such as Yorge of Burgos (the blind monk) a clear reference to Jorge Luis Borges (blind late in life) whom Eco loved. Probably many others I am not aware of

[@whathappenedtojfk2470]

This was one of the most entertaining, informative, and energetic videos I've seen on the topic!

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

watch me react to my negative reviews kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6CXfWx7rseAoq8

[@eazypeazy33]

This is where I come for a good list of any genre I find to interest me. Thanks again B. Lee Durfee!

[@MrK.A]

Dude, you have some amazing top ten videos. So much great recommendations mixed with a very personable character. Keep it up man. I've already bought like 8 novels based on your videos. Also picked up your first book too👍🏿

[@JonathanPriesthood]

I have just read a novel based in Africa and I have been in that country. Amazing detective. Just forgot the title.

[@thewickerman4083]

Nice list Brian, I have read a few of these and they are brilliant. Plus you have given me a few other great sounding mystery books to get my teeth into.

[@AverageJoesLibrary]

Series we love is Sebastian St Cyr. Early 1800s London, kinda Sherlock esq, fantastic. Has secondary plots too as you move though. Like 18+ books so far?

[@eymerichinquisitore9022]

I follow you from Italy, your enthusiasm is truly contagious. I'm glad you introduced The Name of the Rose to your top ten. Eco was a great intellectual but also an esoteric expert even if this aspect of him has always kept it hidden. I consider Eco a worthy follower of Edward Bulwer Lytton one of the last authentic Rosicrucians, indeed: "Stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus" ⚘

[@chantelleroberts9024]

My favourite books by Stephen King are, 1) Different Seasons, 2)Full Dark No Stars, 3)The Bachman Books, 4) Nightmares and Dreamscapes, 5)The DarkTower Gunslinger, 6)JoyLand, 7)The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

[@MichaelRomeoTalksBooks]

Excellent list. You've added to my TBR pile which is already overflowing. Have you tried the Ian Rutledge series by Charles Todd? An Excellent series.

[@philnasmith9755]

I agree about Robert Parker’s Spenser series. Deserves an honourable mention on every detective/crime “best of ..” list

[@LeoWhalen1933]

Officalially hooked on your videos😂😂 i just bought god save the child and moratl stakes by parker two days ago and now your video starts by mentioning him! Love Elmore Leonard. Love D Lehane, Michael Connelly, King. Looking forward to binging more of your videos. Leo from Boston

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Thanks@!!!

[@chantelleroberts9024]

I love Walter Mosely 11 of my favourite books by Walter Mosely are 1)The Man In My Basement, 2)A Red Death, 3) Black Betty, 4) Killing Johnny Fry, 5) Fortunate Son, 6)Gone Fishin, 7) Always Outnumbered Always Outgunned, 8)Six Easy Pieces, 9) Fearless Jones, 10)White Butterfly, 11) Diablerie.

[@etluxaeterna]

before I even play the video...I am putting money down that The Secret History by Donna Tartt is somewhere in the top 5 !

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Bingo

[@etluxaeterna]

@@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS shoot I was right, but it was even lower on the list than I thought. I read The Name of the Rose and The Secret History, loved both but 'Rose' is now one of my top 3-5 favorite books of all time period, whereas Secret History I thought had more of a weakness as there is a period after the 'big event' halfway through where it really drags up until the ending where it again gets brilliant

[@AverageJoesLibrary]

My wife and I love murder mysteries. I just recorded a Top 7 video and need to read more so I can expand my list. Will be adding some of these.

[@jesusarmando2400]

I love this man great content in all your videos.

[@helengolovina6127]

What about Carlos Ruiz Zafon "Shadow of the Wind"? (which is the first in a series.centered around the Cemetery of forgotten books, set in Barcelona) I'd really recommend it If you haven't read them. It is a mystery on so many different ways and has so many layers ..... My favourite book (not just mystery book) of all Times. Also a bestseller in lots of languages. I really recommend it. Another candidate for my most favourite book of all times is "The name of the rose". If you liked that i would recommend checking out another one by Ecco: Baudolino. It IS set in the 12. century in Constantinople and this partly imagined world and among other things has multiple mysteries. I appreciate your top. The books about murdes in Tudor England got my interest. Geeetings from Estonia

[@monkeydeluffi3]

It's the best... penelope aldaya's letter broke me in pieces

[@SoftOtaku]

I've downloaded samples of all of these and just grabbed the #1 on Kindle for $4.99. Woo hoo! I read The Name of the Rose just over 20 years ago. I wish I remembered it better. Thanks for the list!

[@ianwild66]

Great list. I think the Elizabeth George character is Inspector Linley rather than Linsey. It is a great series of books that always have such wonderful red herrings. I've written down a few of your other suggestions too. Keep the lists coming.

[@moniqueyap9193]

I loved your list. So many old favorites and I'm take notes of the ones I haven't read. If I may, one of my newer favorites is a brit author by the name of Ellie Griffiths. The Ruth Galloway series. Interesting characters, twists and turns. Lots of atmosphere.

[@dipinbk8852]

You really should read books by Karin Slaughter. She writes great mystery thrillers.

[@jamesnoriega4698]

Concrete Blonde was amazing!!! Loved it all!!!

[@davidr9104]

Your #1 pick is waiting for me on my shelf. Will be my second Lehane novel after Shutter Island which was an absolute cant-putter-downer despite how predictable it was (getting too much into the protagonists head quickly became the giveaway, but that doesnt take away from what a thrill it was to read)

[@Paromita_M]

Huge Agatha Christie fan here looking to get into reading mysteries again. Loved The Secret History (love all Donna Tartt's books, one of my top authors as well) and really liked Name Of The Rose. Great list and so many books to look into. Particularly interested in The Likeness, Natchez Burning and Mystic River. P.S. I flew through your second book as well and now am joining the wait for ANSWERS!

[@XDAKOTA]

Loved the cursing 🤬😂😂😂 you have a great sense of humor 😂 great top 20 👍🏼

[@voz805]

A thoughtful list. I did not find Gone Girl memorable but I do recall the first sentence too, but that's it. A renowned, prolific British crime writer who deserves mention is, P.D. James, who wrote well into old age and passed on about ten years ago at age 94. She's called, heir to Agatha Christie. I checked and you can find a Sixty Minutes interview with her from 1992 on YT. My first book of hers was, Original Sin, which I can still recall. And when I looked up Dissolution in Amazon, in the description is written, "remarkable debut" (P.D. James).

[@babyboy1971]

I’m thinking of listening to the secret history, I love Donna Tartt and she reads that book herself!

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

I didn't know she read it. Now I have to get it

[@pattypage6723]

Oh man thanks for the Reylan recommend. Found the first two at library plus Raylan. Loved Dissolution and look forward to the rest of series.

[@palacerevolution2000]

Glad to see Lehane in there. When he was good, he was real good. 'Darkness take my Hand', and it's prequel' "Gone Baby Gone' and 'Mystic River' - all awesome. Pretty much all the ones with Angie and the main investigator (can't recall his name). But for crime novels IMo you just can not beat James Ellroy. The LA Quartet, and The American Trilogy. Seven books of heavy stuff.

[@jackpenberton1750]

Dystopian Novel : The End Of Silence by George Ernest ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@jdsantibanez]

I loved Dennis Lehane's Kenzie and Genaro series. Too bad he's not writing it anymore. I loved Robert Dailey, William J. Caunitz, Lawrence Sanders. Too bad they all passed away.

[@WesternOutpostDonVonFilms]

I find the Name of the Rose tedious.

[@JamesI88]

Mystery novels set in historical or unique settings always intrigue me. Have to check a few of these out.

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

Oohhh... I'll check out more of these. I totally agree about Gone Girl!

[@francinecorry633]

A lot of my favorites as well. I must read Dissolution because I am a real fan of medieval mysteries.

[@carlosbranca8080]

Great list Brain. Dont you like the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly?

[@andreabknight]

Have you read the Luminaries by Eleanor Catton? It is a historical novel with a mystery element. It is a little weird in concept but the world building of 1860s New Zealand is great (I assume, being a non-expert!)

[@irena7777777]

The size puts me off, I take it it’s worth the effort?

[@andreabknight]

@@irena7777777 I didn't mind the size- the story was so engaging that it didn't matter. They say a good book is never long enough and a bad book is never short enough.

[@irena7777777]

@@andreabknight Perfect. I’m going to give this a go. Thanks for the reply

[@virgilflowers9846]

Good list, many on here I need to check out. Have you ever read William Kent Krueger? If not I can’t recommend him enough. Very high quality mystery books with beautiful prose and much more heart than your average mystery book. Ordinary Grace is a wonderful book. Also couldn’t help but notice Tom Clancy and Nelson DeMille on the shelf behind you. They are two kind of guilty pleasures of mine, though I actually think Clancy’s writing is better than he gets often credit for. You really notice when you try to read similar books by other authors!

[@irena7777777]

I loved Ordinary Grace. So well written. I have This Tender Land to read now

[@virgilflowers9846]

@@irena7777777 Me too! I’ve read about half of his Cork O’Connor series and they have all been excellent and up to his high writing standards. The Devil’s Bed was good too. Planning on reading This a tender Land in the next couple months

[@irena7777777]

@@virgilflowers9846 I need to read his Cork O'Connor books. They sound ace.

[@virgilflowers9846]

@@irena7777777 They’re excellent. New one comes out in August and it’s actually a prequel, so it might be a good place to start. Krueger’s books have been especially good lately so I have no doubt it’ll be excellent

[@kenkroupa5707]

I absolutely LOVE your reviews and love your enthusiasm with reading and writing. I know I would LOVE to see your top 10 ( 20) of true crime. I love true crime and I know there are followers of yours that love it too. Please Mr. Durfee, we are waiting with great anticipation! .. Debby Kroupa

[@irena7777777]

Love this video. Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins books are great

[@tweezers193]

Fantastic selection, so many of my own favourite authors in there. Shall be subscribing from now on.

[@caliinthevalley24681]

You have excellent taste. I’m literally taking notes and will read every recommendation!

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Hope u enjoy the books on the list

[@txmatt2112]

Great video. Found lots of authors I will be discovering from this vid.

[@g.mitchell7110]

I know, very late to the party, but what the heck . . . A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin is my favorite crime novel of all time, and by the standards listed -- there must be a murder, and there must be a mystery -- this is a mystery. The book is split into three sections, each of which is a different style of story. The first section is a Jim Thompson style look into the mind of a psychopath, told in first person from the POV of the killer as he makes plans to kill his pregnant girlfriend, and we follow along step-by-step. In the second section, told in third person, the victim's older sister decides to play Nancy Drew and quickly identifies three potential suspects to investigate. It plays very much like a Nancy Drew mystery up until things turn nasty. The third section is a natural extension of the first two as a character with a big secret to hide goes to greater and greater lengths to keep that secret hidden as a careful plan gradually unravels. The fun part is that, even though we follow the killer closely throughout the first section, we don't know who he is until the big reveal in the second section. And there's a second, more insidious secret that gradually sneaks up on the reader, the kind of thing where you gradually begin to think, "Wait, is he going there?", meaning the author, and then realize that he's definitely going there, and it's grotesque and great fun at the same time. Yeah, a book that's equal parts The Killer Inside Me, Nancy Drew, and A Simple Plan may sound like an insane combination, and that's why it works so well. This is a book where telling what the premise is would be a major spoiler.

[@timgaul2256]

I couldn’t agree more about Mystic River and I really liked Gone Girl. I just don’t get A Secret History. I read it on a recommendation but it was hard for me to get through it. I’m surprised to hear it mentioned as a great book in two videos tonight. Anyway, I’ve never read a bad Elmore Leonard or Dennis Lehane.

[@jetm7698]

What other James Lee Burke novels would you recommend?

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

All of them

[@alexnieves]

Great list Durfee!

[@timkjazz]

The Last Good Kiss - James Crumley The Black Dahlia - James Ellroy

[@arjunpaudel709]

22. Robert parker series 21. The likeness - tana french 20. Open season - archer mayor 19. Peter robinson - in a dry season was doing this and found out somebody in the comment section already did the job. Go there. Go thereee rn !;😂

[@chantelleroberts9024]

I love Elmore Leonard My favourite books of Elmore Leonard are, 1)Glitz, 2)La Brava 3) Unknown Man, 4)52 Pick Up.

[@Plantlady70]

I have read all of Robert Parker too. All of French is worth reading. John D MacDonald is also great.

[@danwilliams1920]

This is a great list. Check out Ruth Ware's stuff. Turn of the Key is pretty damned good. Second for me is The Death of Mrs. Westaway.

[@summerlakephotog8239]

An Instance of the Fingerpost is set in the 1600s about 200 years before Charles Dickens. Also sorority not fraternity. Good list though. Very helpful.😊

[@sethrakes1991]

Highly recommend Red Leaves by Thomas H. Cook

[@mrdeeganjr8661]

Dennis Lehane is literally my favorite!!

[@tysonmilner]

Good stuff Brian! Try looking into Homecoming Heist for review.

[@bottle1211]

I'm gonna take a chance on Tony Hillerman. Mysticism and murder I hope is a combo I've been looking for. To the person that was trying to help me find a book in the comment section, tyvm, I cannot find my original comment to respond.

[@benjaminwyatt3778]

Your outburst let me know your list is great. If you don’t have patience for stuck books, you won’t have patience for blaring potholes and other bs. Awesome list, at least 10 I haven’t read!!

[@angusorvid8840]

Great books! I highly recommend James W. Hall's Thorn novels beginning with Under Cover of Daylight. Absolutely badass series. I also recommend the Burke series by the late Andrew Vachss. Super, heavy duty noir. Another author I really enjoyed is the late Dick Francis. He was a former horse jockey and his novels usually have some angle that deals with the world of horses. He's great.

[@NamasteBbooktube]

Just completed re-watching this video. These books sound great! Love murder mysteries.

[@Toracube]

A hard list to beat… many of them I dig into..l quite like John d MacDonald, Ross MacDonald and have recently found Ross Thomas who has something to his writing. A real craftsman.

[@jdsantibanez]

You're very passionate in your reviews. I guess you're the same in your writing. Great. Do you write Noir?

[@MrK.A]

He writes fantasy

[@davidcdavenport]

Great list - An Instance of the Fingerpost is set a bit earlier than you stated - 1660’s and a use of the new fangled scientific thinking to solve the murder. I am probably unlikely to be able to recommend writers that you don’t already know, but maybe Deon Meyer, South African writer with his thrillers set in the chaos of the post apartheid Sth Africa. If you liked Gorky Park, absolutely check out Tim Rob Smith Child 44 - hOw do you just a serial killer in a country where to suggest that there might be a serial killer, which is only a disease of capitalism, will get you executed for undermining the state. And, I wouldn’t know where to begin for Australian thrillers, but if you look for some Aussie best seller lists you wont go too far wrong.

[@sundancer7381]

Great list!!!! I'll come back to........

[@irena7777777]

Do you like Joe R Lansdale books?

[@dariusmolark6820]

i've just been turned on to your channel and appreciate it very much. need to take time and go through this video. will come back. i went through it quickly to see if you mentioned a quite profound mystery. hey, i'm a literary guy but like to be aware of pop (-ular) stuff. so i will come back and see. agatha christie, arthur conan doyle, other old classics?. and hey, kudos for the walter mosley! but i believe you did not mention imo the number one mystery, 'the woman in white' by dickins' friend wilkie collins. a great write - some say with the first detective. hey, really enjoy your channel.

[@danieljette8007]

It's the first time I watch you. I like your style. At first I was afraid because of the hat and the dark glasses but no, you have fine taste.

[@kclark2413]

6:15 have you read Dark Fire? I thought that was better if the series. But the entire series is great

[@Jessicab-u7c]

you should check out If looks could Kill By Michael Blair is another great mystery.( his favourite Author was Ian Rankin)

[@galinaboss6810]

Very nice wish list recomendation for me🙏🔥

[@andreabknight]

Have you tried Peter Lovesey? Brillant British Author of mysteries (Peter Diamond series, set in Bath, England)

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

I've seen them around.

[@debbiemcnamara7059]

I loveThe likenesses . It takes place in Ireland at Trinity College.

[@professorx8258]

I'm sad to see that THE BONE COLLECTOR by Jeffery Deaver did not make your list. THE BONE COLLECTOR is "legendary."

[@wardkerr2456]

Are there any other of Eco's books you would recommend. Please, a list of 10 or less :)

[@etluxaeterna]

ofcourse, Eco himself considered his greatest book to be Foucault's Pendulum and could not understand why Name of the Rose became so popular when that was his very first book he ever wrote. The other usually recommended is 'The Island of the Day Before' though I haven't read that yet

[@wardkerr2456]

@@etluxaeterna I enjoyed Pendulum in particularly because of my dislike for Von Däniken and all his kind.

[@DenzilPeters]

Nice channel!!

[@debbiemcnamara7059]

Rayland I love the book. Henry The Eighth.

[@OkieAllDay]

Just out of curiosity - why don't you just make your Title "Top Twenty" when you use 20 spots instead of calling it top ten and then having 20?

[@philnasmith9755]

Subtle joke, bro

[@AllenFreemanMediaGuru]

A Simple Plan-Scott Smith

[@chantelleroberts9024]

James Lee Burke I love his book A Stained White Romance

[@readinsteadbyjake]

I’m surprised “Plum Island’ isn’t on there..

[@Why_do_I_do_this.]

No Agatha Christie novels?? 😮😮☹️

[@redviper6805]

You should try Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime. Can’t go wrong with her. Start off with Murder of Roger Ackroyd then try AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

[@jesseramos3810]

Wow Parker didn’t make the list. I have never read Archer Mayor but i’ll now

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

He should have, huh?

[@goodknight37]

In A Dry Season sounds amazing 🤗

[@cathycarter1223]

It is but also check out Final Account in that series.

[@XDAKOTA]

C.I Samson is one of the best authors of all time for me

[@aprilhutchens2105]

You said "unmurdered" 🤣🤣🤣

[@kentnoble8434]

Great list!

[@DuckRon626]

Is Inspector Banks the same character as D.C.I. Banks in the TV series?

[@DuckRon626]

Have you ever read Jo Nesbo? Or, Henning Mankell? A couple of Scandinavian authors that I really like. The Harry Hole series by Nesbo and the Wallander series by Mankell. In the Hole series, my favorite is The Redbreasted. Not sure which Wallander book would be my favorite as I loved all of them. But, in my opintion, these authors are as good as any you have mentioned. Also, the Prey series by John Sandford. Again, can't really list a favorite Prey novel as I think they are all pretty special. Among the authors you've listed my all time favorite is Michael Connelly. Also really like James Lee Burke, Dennis Lehane, Robert Crais, Ian Rankin and Tony HIllerman. Another one you did mention as a series is C.J. Box that I like.

[@chriscarter7371]

Awesome stuff!!

[@KingDerwin]

Give me your best top 5 series to read im really into murder mystery i did amos decker and all Michael connelly books give me more currently reading sa cosby books arey are good but not series like i like

[@mikequist1]

My two favorite Elmore Leonard novels are Stick and Killshot. Agreed re Gone Girl. Really twisty story. I’ll recommend three series and one standalone: The Bernie Rhodenbarr series by Lawrence Block The John Dortmunder series by Donald Westlake The Joe O’Loughlin series by Michael Robotham Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow

[@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS]

Killshot is awesome

[@doreenarcher8543]

Man oh man. Dude you so speak my language.

[@anuparnoacharya5779]

No mystery list is complete without any agatha christie or Sherlock Holmes books

[@yohanenyasulu]

Great list

[@TheAnarchitek]

In A Dry Season, Shame The Devil, Devil in a Blue Dress, Lullaby Town, Neon Rain, Gorky Park, The Concrete Blonde, Natchez Burning, Mystic River, all good. However, "mystery" is an older genre than your list reveals, and there are some great books from before 1980, the earliest publication on your list. BTW, you didn't title this "The Top Ten Murder Mysteries", so "murder" is not necessarily Your choices by Connelly, Burke, Mosely, Crais, Cruz Smith, and Lehane, are not the "best" these authors produced. Almost everything by Connelly, Crais, Cruz Smith, and Lehane is stellar, well worth the time. I read 150-200 books a year, so I go through them pretty rapidly. Below is a list of authors and their books that resonated when I read them. Some are hard to find, now, but that's what used book stores and thrift stores are for, anyway. All are good reads, although the older books show the changes in language, and may be tougher sledding for younger readers. This list also better represents the wide range of "set-ups" in the genre, including one entry from Science Fiction. There is a strong subset of mystery in Sci-Fi, but this one sells it. Others include The Stainless Steel Rat, The Last Policeman, Leviathan Wakes, Forests of the Night, Killer Advice, Old Twentieth, and Hard-Boiled Wonderland, and the End of the World. M Y F A V O R I T E 5 0 I N M Y S T E R Y F I C T I O N 01 C R I M E A N D P U N I S H M E N T (1866) Fyodor Doestoevski 02 T H E M A L T E S E F A L C O N (1930) Dashiell Hammett 03 T H E H O U N D O F T H E B A S K E R V I L L E S (1902) Arthur Conan Doyle 04 T H E H U N T E R (1962) Richard Stark (aka Donald Westlake) 05 M U R D E R O N T H E O R I E N T E X P R E S S (1934) Agatha Christie 06 T H E B I G S L E E P (1939) Raymond Chandler 07 I F T H E D E A D N O T R I S E (2008) Philip Kerr 08 T H E D E T E C T I V E (1966) Roderick Thorpe 09 T H E A M A T E U R C R A C K S M A N (1899) E W Hornung 10 F E R - D E - L A N C E (1934) Rex Stout 11 T H E K E N N E L M U R D E R C A S E (1933) S S van Dine 12 E Y E O F T H E N E E D L E (1978) Ken Follett 13 G E T S H O R T Y (1990) Elmore Leonard 14 T H E Q U I L L E R M E M O R A N D U M (1965) Adam Hall 15 T H E M A N W H O K N E W T O O M U C H (1922) G K Chesterson 16 N I N E C O A C H E S W A I T I N G (1958) Mary Stewart 17 D E A D W A T E R (1964) Ngaio Marsh 18 D O A N D R O I D S D R E A M O F E L E C T R I C S H E E P ? (1968) Philip K Dick 19 L I T T L E C A E S A R (1929) W R Burnett 20 T H E G R E AT T R A I N R O B B E R Y (1975) Michael Crichton 21 T H E C O L D D I S H (2005) Craig Johnson 22 A W A L K A M O N G T H E T O M B S T O N E S (1992) Lawrence Block 23 T H E D A Y O F T H E J A C K A L (1971) Frederick Forsyth 24 T H E P I E D P I P E R (1998) Ridley Pearson 25 N O T H I N G B U T T H E T R U T H (2000) John Lescroart 26 W H E N T H E B O U G H B R E A KS (1985) Jonathan Kellerman 27 T H E H A N G E D M A N ' S S O N G (2003) John Sandford 28 A B S O L U T E P O W E R (1996) David Baldacci 29 C O R R U P T I O N O F B L O O D (1995) Robert K Tannenbaum 30 A C O L D D A Y I N P A R A D I S E (1998) Steve Hamilton 31 B L U E H E A V E N (2008) C J Box 32 T H E B O U R N E I D E N T I T Y (1980) Robert Ludlum 33 R E D E M P T I O N R O A D (2016) John Hart 34 T H E Q U I E T A M E R I C A N (1956) Graham Greene 35 T H E N I G H T O F T H E G E N E R A L S (1965) Hans Hellmut Kirst 36 D E A D S K I P (1972) Joe Gores 37 M A K E D E A T H L O V E M E (1980) Ruth Rendell 38 F U N E R A L I N B E R L I N (2000) Len Deighton 39 T H E C L I E N T (1956) John Grisham 40 L O V E S M U S I C , L O V E S T O D A N C E (1991) Mary Higgins Clark 41 L I S T E N I N G W O M A N (1978) Tony Hillerman 42 A S H O C K T O T H E S Y S T E M (1984) Simon Brett 43 P A L I N D R O M E (1991) Stuart Woods 44 T H E N I N E W R O N G A N S W E R S (1952) John Dickson Carr 45 B L O O D W O R K (1999) Michael Connelly 46 F O U R J U S T M E N (1905) Edgar Wallace 47 L . A . R E Q U I E M (2000) Robert Crais 48 W A T C H M A N (1961) Davis Grubb 49 R E S U R R E C T I O N M E N (2002) Ian Rankin 50 R A Z O R B L A D E T E A R S (2022) S A Cosby ©BW2023 10/09/2023 anarchitek