What are the best locked room mystery novels?

Paul Halter's works, like 'The Demon of Dartmoor', are also excellent modern locked room mystery novels. His stories are full of complex puzzles and impossible situations. He often uses classic mystery elements but gives them a modern spin, making them both nostalgic and fresh for mystery lovers.

One of the greatest is 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a classic that really set the standard for locked room mysteries. The story's setting and the seemingly impossible nature of the crime within a locked room is both fascinating and mind - boggling.

For beginners, 'The Girl on the Train' by Paula Hawkins can be a good start. It has elements of a locked - room mystery as it mainly focuses on a small set of characters and locations. The mystery is engaging and easy to follow.

Agatha Christie's 'The Crooked House' is also a great one. It has a complex plot within a seemingly impossible crime scene. The characters are all suspects, and Christie masterfully weaves the mystery.

Another great one is 'The Big Bow Mystery' by Israel Zangwill. It was one of the early locked room mystery novels and is still very engaging today. The setting and the characters add to the overall mystery.

Agatha Christie is a very famous author. She wrote many mystery novels, some of which are locked room mysteries like 'And Then There Were None'. Her plots are always full of twists and turns.

The key elements often include a seemingly impossible crime scene where the victim is found in a locked room. There's usually a limited number of suspects who had access to the room or were in the vicinity. Another important element is the detective or investigator who uses their wits and deduction skills to solve the mystery.

Well, in a locked room mystery short story, there are a few key things. First, there's the locked room itself, which creates a sense of mystery. Then, there are the suspects with their motives and alibis. The detective has to figure out who did it despite the locked room situation. And there are often hidden clues within the room that are crucial for solving the mystery.

In a locked room mystery short story, the concept of the locked room challenges the reader's perception of what is possible. Many of these stories play with the idea of the 'impossible' crime. The characters in the story are also important. There is usually a brilliant detective who is able to think outside the box. The suspects, on the other hand, are often complex individuals with their own secrets. Sometimes, the solution to the mystery lies in the relationships between the characters. For example, a suspect might have an accomplice who helps them create the illusion of a locked room mystery. Also, the use of red herrings is common. The author will introduce false clues to mislead the reader and the detective within the story, making it even more difficult to solve the mystery.

Well, 'Death from a Top Hat' by Clayton Rawson is also among the best. It has a magician as the detective which gives a different flavor to the locked room mystery. The magic tricks and illusions are intertwined with the mystery, and the locked room aspect is really well - crafted with lots of clever twists and turns.