Michel Bussi's 'After the Crash' is a great French crime novel. It starts with a plane crash and then delves into a mystery that spans years. The characters' pasts are gradually uncovered as the investigation progresses, making for a really gripping read.
Fred Vargas' books are must - reads. For instance, in 'Have Mercy on Us All', she weaves a complex web of mystery. Her writing style is unique, often blending elements of the fantastical with the crime - solving aspect. Her characters are quirky and add a lot of charm to the stories.
A lesser - known but great European crime novel is 'Bluebird, Bluebird' by Attica Locke. It's set in the American South but is written by an American of African - European descent. It deals with racial tensions and crime in a unique way, adding a different flavor to the European - influenced crime genre.
Definitely check out 'An American Marriage' by Tayari Jones. Although it's not a traditional crime novel in the sense of being about detectives and criminals all the time, it deals with the 'crime' of an unjust imprisonment and its impact on a marriage. It's a beautifully written novel that shows the human side of a situation that could be considered a crime against an individual.
I think 'Before I Go to Sleep' by S. J. Watson is a great dark crime thriller. The main character has amnesia and she's trying to figure out the secrets of her past, which are full of mystery and danger. It has a really interesting premise. 'The Cuckoo's Calling' by Robert Galbraith (J. K. Rowling) is also a good choice. It has a great detective character and a complex murder mystery to solve.
One of the top French crime novels is 'The Chalet' by Catherine Cooper. It has a great plot filled with mystery and intrigue. The setting in the French Alps adds a touch of isolation and danger to the story.
Sure. 'The Appeal' by Janice Hallett is a great 2023 crime novel. It has a really interesting format where the story is told through documents, emails, and texts. It's about a local theater group and a murder that occurs during one of their productions. The unique storytelling method makes it a must - read for mystery lovers.
Agatha Christie's 'Murder on the Orient Express' is also among the top. This novel has a clever plot where a murder occurs on a train and detective Hercule Poirot must figure out which of the diverse group of passengers is the killer. Christie is a master of creating suspense and unexpected twists.
Sure. 'The Chain' by Adrian McKinty is a great choice. It's a high - stakes crime novel where a mother is forced into a terrifying 'chain' of kidnappings. The tension builds throughout the story as she tries to outwit the criminals and save her daughter.
Definitely check out 'The Outsider' by Stephen King. The mystery begins with a crime that defies all logical explanation. The more the investigators dig, the weirder things get. It's a blend of crime and the supernatural that King does so well. Also, 'My Sister, the Serial Killer' is full of mystery. You keep wondering how the narrator will deal with her sister's actions and how far she'll go to protect her.
Another good one could be novels by Michel Bussi. His stories often have a strong sense of place in France. The mysteries are well - crafted and Penguin Books' editions make them easy to pick up and enjoy. The settings are vividly described, and the plots are full of suspense, making them great choices for fans of French mystery novels.
One of the top crime mystery novels is 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' by Arthur Conan Doyle. It features the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes and his loyal friend Dr. Watson solving various complex cases. Another is 'And Then There Were None' by Agatha Christie, a classic where ten people are mysteriously murdered on an isolated island. 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson is also popular, with its complex plot involving a journalist and a hacker investigating a decades - old disappearance.