20 Murder Mystery Book Series to Intrigue and Delight (2023)

There's nothing quite as exciting as discovering a new murder mystery series. Here is a list of 20 books in the great mystery book series that you should check out. Some are new series with some books published, some are more established, and some are classics. The format is:Title of the first bookby author name, detective name.

Classic mystery book series.

Let's start with the classic writers, the royalty of the genre, typically in the first half of the 20th century. I left out Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle because I think they are very well known and popular.

Whose body?por Dorothy Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey

Sayers was supposed to be upstairs with Agatha Christie. His characters, Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, are well written; well-conceived mysteries. There is much to love. Plus, he's writing about 1910+, so he's dealing with revolutionary issues of the time, like PTSD and World War I.

Spearheadby Rex Stout, Nero Wolfe

Stout is one of the great American crime writers. Nero Wolfe is a reclusive genius and foodie who refuses to leave his brownstone, relying on the work of the brilliant and dashing Archie Goodwin to bring clues and suspects to the house.

the man in lineby Josephine Tey, Alan Grant

Writing at the same time as Christie and Sayers, he really pushed the medium forward.daughter of timeit is the best book about anyone I read; His detective is bedridden with a broken leg and decides to investigate the mystery of Richard III and the two missing princes. Your books go to interesting places. It's worth checking out.

how great they arepor Raymond Chandler, Philip Marlowe

Chandler's sparse but beautiful language helps make Los Angeles feel alive. While in the noir vein, Philip Marlowe is more of a damaged angel, doing what he can to make the world a little less terrible while he drinks a few gimlets along the way. Bold and bright.

death of a top hatfrom Clayton Rawson, The Great Merlini

Magic and murder? Sign me up! This 1930s series features the Great Merlini, a magician extraordinaire who works with the police to solve seemingly impossible murders. It is part of a new reprint series: Otto Penzler presents American Mystery Classics.

Historical Murder Mystery Book Series

Since we started with the classic murders, we now move on to the historical murder mysteries.

roman bloodby Steven Saylor, Gordianus the Finder

This series takes place in Ancient Rome with Cicero as the main character. Gordianus the Finder is hired by Cicero and others, and becomes embroiled in the latest political intrigue. Delicious and informative.

A morbid taste for bonesby Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael

This sweet series that takes place during the 12th century features a gentle monk who has detective skills that he uses to help people out of trouble. Typically, each book features a pair of lovers who have some kind of handicap and he helps them. It takes place in the midst of a lawless period in England.

Malabar viúvaspor Sujata Massey, Perveen Mistry

This new series introduces Perveen Mistry, a lawyer in her father's law firm in Bombay in 1921, with her own tragic story. The company is hired to execute the will of Mr. Omar Farid, a wealthy Muslim with three wives. However, she soon realizes that the quiet secluded house has a lot of intrigue behind its walls. The next book should be out later this year.

yes i must diepor Grace Edwards, Mali Anderson

In the first book, Mali Anderson has left the force and is working on her master's degree in sociology while living with her father, a jazz musician. She ends up witnessing an attempted kidnapping of a child and comes across a dead body, a friend of hers. Once again she hits all my areas! Murder! Jazz!

Maisie Dobbspor Jacqueline Winspear, Maisie Dobbs

Set in 1920s and 1930s England, Maisie Dobbs makes a pretty compelling lead as a researcher and psychologist. Her servant, she is caught reading in her library, but instead of dismissing and punishing her, she cheers her up. She eventually joins the First World War. After learning from another detective, Maurice Blanche, she starts her own business and discovers that war is not far away.

Artistic Murder Mystery Book Series

The next group are murder mysteries that have to do with the world of art, including art, music, and even books. Or series based on famous works of art.

Raphael's casepor Iain Pears, Jonathan Argyll and Flavia di Stefano

The Mysteries of Art History are splendid. The two "detectives", art historian/dealer Jonathan Argyll and art theft officer Flavia di Stefano, solve art and murder mysteries in Italy and Europe.

Murder in G majorby Alexia Gordon, Gethsemane Brown

I'm usually not into supernatural murder mysteries, but Gethsemane Brown is such a compelling character. She is a gifted classically trained African-American musician who has taken a job in a remote Irish village to teach at an all-boys school. However, she soon discovers that the house is haunted by the former owner Eamon McCarthy, who begs her to help him clear her name for the alleged murder of her wife. Shenanigans happen. There are three books in the series, hopefully more to come.

reserved to diepor John Dunning, Cliff Janeway

This series is about an ex-cop turned book dealer, Cliff Janeway, who gets involved in various old book mysteries with a murderous side. Inreserved to die, opens his own bookstore, Twice Told Books, in Denver, and ends up helping with the case of a murdered book hunter.

thirteenth nightby Alan Gordon, Festival

For those of you who wanted more of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, this is the series for you. Duke Orsino of Illyria is said to be dead and Feste returns to find out what is going on. Feste is part of the Fools' Guild, an organization of fools and minstrels who try to influence politics. Many wonderful books await you!

Cloche and Daggerpor Jenn McKinlay, Scarlett Elizabeth Parker

This is a cozy murder mystery based on a London hat shop. I'm including it in the art section because hat making is an art form. After Scarlett Parker has a very embarrassing and public breakup with her married American boyfriend of hers, she is joined by her cousin,Vivian Tremont, in London at her hat show, Mim's Whims. However, nothing is simple for Scarlett when one of her clients is found dead, naked and wearing one of Vivian's hats. A fun and good-natured series.

Food mystery book series

I already wrote about somebased on foodseries, but here are two notable ones.

Auntie Lee's Delight: A Singaporean Mystery by Olivia Yu, Aunty Lee

After her husband's death, Aunt Lee carries on the tradition and decides she wants to open her own restaurant to serve delicious Singaporean food to tourists and locals alike. She hosts special dinners for her stepson; however, one of the guests does not attend a party. She soon discovers that there is more to this wasted food than meets the eye. Tia Lee is a quirky and energetic woman who blazes her own trail.

Death by Dumpling: A Noodle Shop Mysteryby Vivienne Chen,hope reads

This relatively new series is about the energetic Lana Lee, who finds herself working at her parents' Chinese restaurant after quitting her job out of anger. She is trying to organize her life. However, when people start dying around her, she finds herself putting on her detective hat to save herself and the people she loves from suspicion. Book 3 appears to be scheduled for August 2019.

Another series of mystery books

These books don't fit into the above categories, but they are worth reading!

Death at La Feniceby Donna Leon, Commissioner Brunetti

I don't buy many hardbacks, but I always buy the newest Donna Leon mystery when it comes out. In modern Venice, Inspector Brunetti works to find justice in his cases that cover the complicated world of Venice. The books often focus on a specific part of Venetian society, such as the glassblowers or the casino. The best parts are the quiet moments with Brunetti and his family. Also, book titles often have clues to the mystery that aren't apparent until the job is done. She is still writing these books and I can't wait for the 2019 book.

The unexpected legacy of Inspector Choprabywasim khan,Ashwin Chopra and the elephant Ganesha

Although Inspector Chopra is forced to retire, he still wants to solve mysteries in Mumbai. He ends up with an unexpected inheritance in the form of an elephant. It's a lovely series with book 5 projected to come out later this year.

the call of the cuckooby Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling), Cormoran Strike

I have to put this series of mystery books on the list. Reading Harry Potter, I remember saying that J.K. Rowling would make a great murder mystery writer. And it is, under the pseudonym. Cormoran Strike is a down-on-his-luck private investigator you want to see succeed. There's a TV series I wanted to watch too!

If you're interested in reading more murder mystery book series, check out this excellentRead on for the toughest list of murder mysteries by an LGBTQ+ person of color or author.Also, share your favorite mystery book series in the comments!