Five Acclaimed Detective Classics You Should Read

The Hound of the Baskervilles

The third of four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, is considered the most atmospheric of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

This detective novel mixes classic detective work with Gothic horror.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Written by the famous Queen of crime novels, Agatha Christie, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a mystery novel you would not want to miss. It’s also her third to feature the Belgian detective Hercules Poirot as the lead, a role Christie’s fans are well familiar with. Hercule Poirot comes out of retirement to solve a murder in a quiet English village, but the storytelling itself becomes part of the puzzle.

It has been called one of the most influential mysteries ever written.

The Daughter of Time

Often regarded as one of the best detective novels, Josephine Tey wrote it and follows a modern police officer’s investigation into the alleged crimes of King Richard III of England. At the same time, the king lies in a hospital bed. This was the last book the author wrote and published in her lifetime, shortly before her death. The novel also follows the alleged murder of the Princes in the Tower. Instead of chasing a present-day crime scene, the police officer uses reasoning, documents, and logic to reassess what really happened. It is highly complimented for its intelligent, investigative approach.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson’s 2005 novel was converted into a movie of the same name. It’s a modern crime classic that blends investigative journalism with a decades-old disappearance case. The story follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander—one of the most compelling and unconventional characters in crime fiction. The book also explores themes of corruption, violence, and power in society, making it more socially charged than typical detective novels.

The Moonstone

Written by Wilkie Collins, this novel was published in 1868 and is often regarded as the first true detective novel in English literature. The story follows a priceless diamond stolen from an English country house, with suspicion falling on everyone around it. A talented investigator slowly unravels the mystery through interviews, clues, and psychological insight. The novel’s style has the classic “closed-circle mystery” touch, with twists, red herrings, and several narrators disclosing various parts of the truth.