Nothing keeps the mind occupied and the pages turning quite like a good mystery novel. Here are some of my personal favorites that I hope you’ll enjoy:
- Alias Grace- You are most likely familiar with Margaret Atwood’s more famous work The Handmaid’s Tale, hopefully, you are not surprised to find that Atwood has had a robust career with many other successes including this novel about a grizzly set of murders and the woman convicted of committing them despite having no recollection of the events in question. An intense mystery that will have you reassessing what you think you know with every turn of the page.
- The Brothers Karamazov- Look I get an excuse to recommend you read some Dostoyevsky, I’m going to recommend you read some Dostoyevsky. And while it’s true only about a quarter of this book qualifies as a mystery, the whole thing is a masterpiece and that mystery is a pretty important plot point. This is not an easy read by any definition so if you’re looking for some light fare to pass the time take a pass. But if you’re ready to do some heavy lifting you wouldn’t otherwise have the mental energy to pursue; this is what you should be reading.
- Call of the Dead– The first of John le Carré’s spy novels staring British Secret Service Agent George Smiley. If you want your mysteries wrapped in clandestine operations, old-fashioned spycraft, and double-crosses then le Carré is who you want to be reading. Call of the Dead isn’t the best novel in the series but it’s the first so I’ll recommend you start here as it makes the subsequent novels a bit easier to follow.
- Snow Falling on Cedars– I actually read this one way back in high school and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. A small-town mystery that deals heavily with themes of racism and the aftermath of Japanese internment, Snow Falling on Cedars can get a little heavy handed at places; but it’s a compelling read, showcasing topics that are often overlooked by mainstream literary mysteries.
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time- A quirky yet poignant favorite of mine, featuring a brilliant fifteen-year-old on the autism spectrum trying to solve the murder of his neighbors dog by asking himself “What would Sherlock Holmes do?” The writing is deft, the subject matter handled with care and respect and the end result is a novel that is capable of making you laugh out loud and make tears roll down your cheeks. For all of you out there who think of yourselves as different
- The Name of the Rose– Umberto Eco’s novel about several murders at a fourteenth century Italian abbey is a classic of then genre partly because of its unique setting and partly for its gruff but charming protagonist, Brother William. It’s a dense read, chalk full of philosophy and theology but mystery is compelling and excellently crafted. And if you are reading this blog, I suspect a little intellectual examination of theological principles isn’t going to scare you off from a good read.
- The Shadow of the Wind– One of my top five favorite reads ever. In fact, just typing its name out has me ready to re-read it. A gothic mystery set in post-civil war Spain; this is a love letter to book lovers the world over. Even translated the writing style is intoxicating. Do yourself a favor and read the first ten pages. I doubt you’ll be able to put it down once you start.
- The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency- Following Botswana’s only Lady Detective, this series of novels from Alexander McCall Smith is more about the characters and the world they inhabit. The mysteries may not keep you guessing but they are enjoyable and diverting. For fans of cozy mysteries who have already burned through everything on the Agatha Christie shelf.
- The Big Sleep- The debut novel of Raymond Chandler’s hard-boiled private eye Phillip Marlowe. This book basically took a whole subgenre mainstream while inspiring and informing a good chunk of the Film Noir movement. If you like your cops crooked, your dames leggy, and your heroes morally compromised this is where you need to start.
- And Then There Were None- I can’t let this list go by without at least one Agatha Christie novel making an appearance, and here is perhaps her best work unencumbered by any of her franchise detectives. No one is likable, everyone is a suspect. And the bodies just keep dropping. One of the greatest mystery novels ever written.