A little more than 170 years ago, Edgar Allen Poe’s story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, first appeared in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine. The story described the analytical power used by one Monsieur C. Auguste Dupin to solve a slew of murders in Paris. Thus, the first detective story was born.
The Murders in the Rue Morgue also inspired the creation of perhaps one of the greatest literary detectives of all time, Sherlock Holmes. He first hit bookshelves 46 years after Poe’s story and set into motion one of the most read literary genres ever.
Often filled with chilling and complex stories, clever and witty humor and strong characters that seem to come to life before your eyes, detective novels are a great go-to solution for a summer beach read, a vacation read, or just a quick and exciting story to help pass the time.
If you’re looking for a great detective novel, here are 10 awesome ones to get you started!
10 Awesome Detective Novels
The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson
The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami
In the Woods, Tana French
Booked to Die, John Dunning
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, P.D. James
Looking for a new book to read? Check in every Friday for a “Bee Happy” post, where I share reviews of books I’ve read or other book-themed lists.
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