The Top 50 Mystery Authors

...and Some of Their Best Books

(as selected by Grobius Shortling)

1. Eric Ambler
   • A COFFIN FOR DIMITRIOS
2. Robert Barnard
   • DEATH OF A MYSTERY WRITER
   • DEATH OF A LITERARY WIDOW
   • DEATH OF A PERFECT MOTHER
   • DEATH OF AN OLD GOAT
   • OUT OF THE BLACKOUT
3. Francis Beeding
   • DEATH WALKS IN EASTREPPS
4. Anthony Berkeley
   • TRIAL AND ERROR
   • THE POISONED CHOCOLATES CASE
5. Lawrence Block
   • WHEN THE SACRED GIN MILL CLOSES
6. Ray Bradbury
   • DEATH IS A LONELY BUSINESS
7. Simon Brett
   • A COMEDIAN DIES
   • SITUATION TRAGEDY
   • NOT DEAD, ONLY RESTING
8. Fredric Brown
   • NIGHT OF THE JABBERWOCK
9. John Dickson Carr
   • THE THREE COFFINS (The Hollow Man)
   • HE WHO WHISPERS
   • THE CASE OF THE CONSTANT SUICIDES
   • THE MAD HATTER MYSTERY
   • THE BURNING COURT
   • THE DEVIL IN VELVET
   • FIRE, BURN!
10. Raymond Chandler
    • THE LADY IN THE LAKE
11. Agatha Christie
    • THE PALE HORSE
    • AT BERTRAM'S HOTEL
    • THE BODY IN THE LIBRARY
    • WHAT MRS MCGILLICUDDY SAW
    • AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (Ten Little Indians)
12. Wilkie Collins
    • THE MOONSTONE
    • THE WOMAN IN WHITE
13. Edmund Crispin
    • FREQUENT HEARSES
    • THE LONG DIVORCE
    • THE CASE OF THE GILDED FLY
14. Colin Dexter
    • LAST BUS TO WOODSTOCK
    • THE RIDDLE OF THE THIRD MILE
    • SERVICE OF ALL THE DEAD
15. Charles Dickens
    • BLEAK HOUSE
    • THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD
16. Peter Dickinson
    • THE GLASS-SIDED ANTS' NEST
    • SLEEP AND HIS BROTHER
    • THE POISON ORACLE
17. Carter Dickson
    • MY LATE WIVES
    • THE JUDAS WINDOW
    • THE CURSE OF THE BRONZE LAMP
    • AND SO TO MURDER
    • SHE DIED A LADY
18. Arthur Conan Doyle
    • THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
19. Kenneth Fearing
    • THE BIG CLOCK
20. Ian Fleming
    • ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE
    • YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
    • FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE
    • LIVE AND LET DIE
21. R. Austin Freeman
    • MR POTTERMACK'S OVERSIGHT
    • THE PENROSE MYSTERY
    • THE D'ARBLAY MYSTERY
22. Randall Garrett
    • TOO MANY MAGICIANS
23. Jonathan Gash
    • THE JUDAS PAIR
    • GOLD BY GEMINI
24. Michael Gilbert
    • SMALLBONE DECEASED
    • DEATH HAS DEEP ROOTS
    • THE QUEEN AGAINST KARL MULLEN
    • THE KILLING OF KATIE STEELSTOCK
25. B. M. Gill
    • THE TWELFTH JUROR
26. Dashiell Hammett
    • THE MALTESE FALCON
27. Cyril Hare
    • TRAGEDY AT LAW
    • UNTIMELY DEATH
28. Reginald Hill
    • A KILLING KINDNESS
    • UNDERWORLD
    • AN APRIL SHROUD
    • RULING PASSION
29. Tony Hillerman
    • SKINWALKERS
30. Chester Himes
    • HOT DAY, HOT NIGHT
31. P.M. Hubbard
    • THE HOLM OAKS
    • A HIVE OF GLASS
32. Richard Hull
    • THE MURDER OF MY AUNT
33. Francis Iles
    • MALICE AFORETHOUGHT
    • BEFORE THE FACT
34. Hammond Innes
    • THE WRECK OF THE MARY DEARE
    • ATLANTIC FURY
35. Michael Innes
    • LAMENT FOR A MAKER
    • HAMLET, REVENGE!
    • THE CASE OF THE JOURNEYING BOY
36. John LeCarre
    • THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
    • TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY
    • THE HONOURABLE SCHOOLBOY
    • SMILEY'S PEOPLE
37. John D. MacDonald
    • THE LAST ONE LEFT
38. Sharyn McCrumb
    • THE ROSEWOOD CASKET
    • THE BALLAD OF FRANKIE SILVER
    • SHE WALKS THESE HILLS
    • THE HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER
    • IF EVER I RETURN, PRETTY PEGGY-O
      --[in other words, the whole "Appalachian" Series]
39. Mark McShane
    • THE CRIMSON MADNESS OF LITTLE DOOM
    • SEANCE (Seance on a Wet Afternoon)
40. William Murray
    • THE KING OF THE NIGHTCAP
41. Anthony Price
    • TOMORROW'S GHOST
    • COLONEL BUTLER'S WOLF
    • GUNNER KELLY
42. Ellery Queen
    • THE EGYPTIAN CROSS MYSTERY
    • THE CHINESE ORANGE MYSTERY
    • CAT OF MANY TAILS
43. Peter Robinson
    • INNOCENT GRAVES
44. Rex Stout
    • TOO MANY COOKS
    • A FAMILY AFFAIR
    • SOME BURIED CAESAR
    • THE FINAL DEDUCTION
45. Ross Thomas
    • CHINAMAN'S CHANCE
    • THE EIGHTH DWARF
46. Jim Thompson
    • THE KILLER INSIDE ME
    • POP. 1280
47. Arthur W. Upfield
    • DEATH OF A LAKE
    • THE NEW SHOE
48. S.S. Van Dine
    • THE BISHOP MURDER CASE
    • THE BENSON MURDER CASE
49. Barbara Vine
    • A DARK-ADAPTED EYE
50. Colin Watson
    • HOPJOY WAS HERE
    • LONELYHEART 4122