Subject
Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction Books
Best books
Agatha Christie
The murder of Roger Ackroyd
"The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" by Agatha Christie is a detective novel published in 1926. When wealthy Roger Ackroyd is found stabbed in his study, the recently retired Hercule Poirot is called to investigate. The victim had recently learned the identity of a blackmailer from his fiancée, a widow who poisoned her husband. As Poirot unravels a complex web of secrets among the household guests and staff, the novel's narrator, local doctor James Sheppard, chronicles the investigation that leads to one of detective fiction's most controversial and groundbreaking conclusions.
Agatha Christie
The Big Four
"The Big Four" by Agatha Christie is a detective novel published in 1927. When a dying stranger staggers into Hercule Poirot's bedroom and whispers about an international crime cartel, the famous detective and his friend Hastings find themselves pursuing a shadowy organization led by four powerful masterminds. Their investigation takes them across countries as they uncover kidnappings, mysterious murders, and a deadly new weapon, all orchestrated by criminals who seem always one step ahead.
Agatha Christie
The Man in the Brown Suit
"The Man in the Brown Suit" by Agatha Christie is a detective novel published in 1924. When Anne Beddingfeld witnesses a man's death at a London tube station, she picks up a mysterious note that launches her into a dangerous adventure. Following clues across continents to South Africa, Anne pursues the truth about murder, stolen diamonds, and a shadowy international criminal known only as "the Colonel." With danger at every turn, she must uncover the real identity of the elusive man in the brown suit.
Agatha Christie
The Plymouth Express Affair
"The Plymouth Express Affair" by Agatha Christie is a crime fiction narrative written during the early 20th century. The story revolves around the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot as he investigates the mysterious murder of a young woman found dead in a train compartment. The narrative delves into the complexities of human relationships and the dark motives that can lead to crime. In this gripping mystery, Lieutenant Alec Simpson inadvertently discovers the body of the Honorable Mrs. Rupert Carrington on the Plymouth Express train. After learning the shocking news, Poirot is drawn into the investigation, uncovering a web of deception involving Mrs. Carrington, her estranged husband Rupert, and her past romantic entanglement with the dubious Count de la Rochefour. As clues come together, Poirot navigates through a labyrinth of lies, leading him to identify the real culprits—a plot involving Mrs. Carrington's maid, who has orchestrated the crime alongside a notorious jewel thief. Ultimately, Poirot's brilliant deductions and insights challenge assumptions, revealing the true nature of both love and greed.
Agatha Christie
The Hunter's Lodge Case
"The Hunter's Lodge Case" by Agatha Christie is a crime fiction novella written in the early 20th century. This work is a captivating example of Christie's mastery in crafting intricate murder mysteries, centering around the famous detective Hercule Poirot. The story unfolds as Hercule Poirot, although recovering from influenza, is drawn into a puzzling case involving the murder of a wealthy man named Mr. Harrington Pace at a remote shooting lodge. The plot follows Captain Hastings, Poirot's loyal companion, as he is dispatched to investigate the murder after being contacted by Roger Havering, Pace's nephew. The narrative details the sequence of events leading up to the murder, including a mysterious visitor and the frantic attempts of both local police and Hastings to uncover the truth. Multiple suspects arise, including Havering and his wife, Zoe, who deceives everyone around her. Poirot ultimately deduces that the seemingly innocent housekeeper is a figment of Zoe's elaborate ruse, devised to create an alibi during the murder. The resolution unfolds with Poirot's insights into the deceptions, yet the tragic fate of the murderers offers a poignant reflection on justice.
Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh) Sayers
Whose Body? A Lord Peter Wimsey Novel
"Whose Body? A Lord Peter Wimsey Novel" by Dorothy L. Sayers is a mystery novel published in 1923. When an architect discovers a naked corpse wearing only pince-nez spectacles in his London bathtub, the amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey takes on the puzzling case. The body appears connected to the mysterious disappearance of financier Sir Reuben Levy, but evidence suggests otherwise. As Wimsey investigates alongside Inspector Parker, the trail leads to a teaching hospital and a respected surgeon, where secrets darker than anyone imagined await discovery.
Edgar Wallace
The clue of the silver key
No description available.
Fergus Hume
The Mandarin's Fan
"The Mandarin's Fan" by Fergus Hume is a novel written during the early 20th century. It centers around Rupert Ainsleigh, a young man burdened by his family's misfortunes, who is on a quest for a valuable jade fan that holds the promise of wealth and resolution to his financial woes. The story weaves themes of love, curses, and the supernatural, setting the stage for a mix of romance and mystery. At the start of the narrative, Rupert is engaged in a conversation with Major Tidman, revealing the tension of his financial troubles and an ancestral curse associated with the Ainsleigh family. He learns about a mysterious jade fan belonging to Mandarin Lo-Keong, which is said to bring fortune to its possessor, and he believes it could help save his estate. As Rupert expresses his determination to find the fan, discussions about his love for Olivia Rayner, the daughter of his aunt Sophia Wharf, introduce further complication, as Miss Wharf holds a mortgage on his estate. As Rupert navigates the intricate web of personal and familial conflict, hints of darker mysteries surrounding the fan begin to emerge, foreshadowing the challenges he will face in his quest.
Charles Brockden Brown
Edgar Huntly; or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker
"Edgar Huntly; or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker" by Charles Brockden Brown is a Gothic novel published in 1799. Set in rural Pennsylvania, it follows Edgar Huntly as he investigates his friend's murder. When he discovers a servant sleepwalking near the crime scene, Huntly begins a dangerous pursuit through the wilderness. But Huntly harbors his own dark secret—he too is a sleepwalker. His nocturnal wanderings lead him to awaken in a pitch-black cave, triggering a harrowing struggle for survival involving hostile encounters and shocking revelations.
Anna Katharine Green
The Leavenworth Case
"The Leavenworth Case" by Anna Katharine Green is a detective novel published in 1878. When wealthy merchant Horatio Leavenworth is found shot dead in his Manhattan mansion's library, detective Ebenezer Gryce and lawyer Everett Raymond investigate a locked-room mystery. No one could have escaped before the body was discovered. Leavenworth's two orphaned nieces, a maid, and a mysterious gentleman all become suspects in this groundbreaking American detective story that influenced Agatha Christie and helped establish conventions still used in mystery fiction today.
S. S. Van Dine
The Bishop murder case
"The Bishop murder case" by S. S. Van Dine is a mystery novel published in 1929. Detective Philo Vance investigates a series of murders in a wealthy New York neighborhood, each accompanied by cryptic notes signed "The Bishop" and containing verses from Mother Goose nursery rhymes. As victims fall according to the rhymes' dark patterns, Vance must decode the killer's twisted game before more lives are claimed. Believed to be the first nursery-rhyme mystery, it established a popular template for Golden Age detective fiction.
Mary Roberts Rinehart
The Circular Staircase
"The Circular Staircase" by Mary Roberts Rinehart is a mystery novel published in 1908. When Rachel Innes rents a country house for the summer with her niece and nephew, she encounters mysterious intruders, unexplained noises, and a murder at the bottom of the titular staircase. As bodies accumulate and secrets multiply, Rachel must untangle a web of hidden identities, missing money, and family betrayals. This pioneering work established the "had I but known" mystery formula and became Rinehart's first bestseller.
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