The Top-100 Crime Novels of All Time

1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50 | 51-60 | 61-70 | 71-80 | 81-90 | 91-100

John Burdett (2011) The Godfather of Kathmandu.

Inspector Sonchai Jitpleecheep, half-caste son of a prostitute and an American GI, is a bad-ass cop and gentle follower of Buddha. He hunts down crazy criminals in Bangkok while trying to get promoted by his drug-dealing boss. Hilarious plot - but more complex than it seems.

Caleb Carr (2006) The Alienist.

Set in 1896, Carr's novel about a serial killer lose in New York City this unusual book is one of the classics of psychological crime fiction.

Raymond Chandler (1988) The Big Sleep. (First published in 1939)

First published in 1939, Chandler's book created the archetypal character of street-smart private investigator Philip Marlow. He works a case of blackmail in the underbelly of San Francisco, populated by con men, weird ladies, mobsters, cheap sluts, pornographers, gamblers, drunks, and other despicable characters. In this tough world, Marlow is the straight and loyal guy.

Tom Clancy (1992) The Hunt for Red October (Jack Ryan Series).

Somewhere under the Atlantic, a Soviet submarine commander has made a fateful decision: the Red October is heading west. This trademark military thriller has launched Tom Clancy's phenomenal career.

William Diehl (1994) Primal Fear.

A sainted archbishop is murdered, mutilated, and dismembered in his rectory. Aaron Stampler, an angelic-looking young man, is found crouched in a confessional, covered with blood, clutching a butcher's knife, swearing his innocence. Martin Vail is the brilliant lawyer who uncovers the horrifying truth about the crime.

Joseph Finder (2011) Buried Secrets.

Clearly one of the best action thrillers of 2011. Too bad it is so short!

Ken Follett (2004) Eye of the Needle.

During World War II, The Needle, a ruthless German spy, a young Englishwoman and an investigator are linked together in a breathtaking tale of espionage. This superb thriller is one of the best spy novels ever written.

Frederick Forsyth (1999) The Day of the Jackal. (Reprint Ed.)

First published in 1971, the Jackal created a new genre: realistic spy fiction. Forsyth didn't bother with fantasy espionage (a la James Bond), but depicted a brutal and nasty world of evildoers. The plot is about an attempt to murder General DeGaulle of France. Most reviewers consider the novel as the gold standard of spy fiction.

Friedrich Glauser (2006) In Matto's Realm (First published in 1936)

Glauser's second Sergeant Studer mystery is a psychological police procedural. A child killer has escaped from a psychiatric asylum and as Studer begins to investigate, the director of that institution is found in the boiler room with a broken neck. In a battle of will between Studer and the assistant director, who is suspected of the crime, the truth slowly unravels. A masterpiece!

Henning Mankell (2006) Before the Frost.

Atmospheric thriller about a religious fanatic on a murder spree. In his latest Kurt Wallander crime novel, Henning Mankell describes a secret world of religious extremists in peaceful southern Sweden, who are bent on punishing the world's sinners.

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