10 Classic Detective Fictions
Detective novels are one of the most popular genres of novels, which mainly describe the occurrence of cases and the process of reasoning and detection. Here are 10 classic detective fictions that you should not miss.
1. Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle
This list won't be completed without mentioning Sherlock Holmes. This talented character is well known all over the world, the image of him has been synonymous with the word "detective" in people's minds. There are 4 Novels and 56 Short Stories totally, and were modified into films and TV dramas many times.
2. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None is the representative work of Agatha Christie, the "Queen of Crime". The story is full of tension and excitement from beginning to end, which makes readers unable to stop. It perfectly demonstrates the infinite charm of detective fictions. This is the world's most best-selling mystery of all time with over 100 million copies sold.
3. The Greek Coffin Mystery, Ellery Queen
A deceased antique dealer left a huge legacy but his will suddenly disappeared after funeral. When people opened the Greek coffin of him, they were shocked by a stranger body lying with this old man! Reading this book is like tasting a delicious multi-layer cake. The plot is compact and the atmosphere is tense, just like the rainy days in the book.
4. The Daughter of Time, Josephine Tey
The Daughter of Time is a classic historical mystery. The author is Josephine Tey, one of the great female writers in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. The fiction tells that an inspector overturn a 400 years historical conclusion while lying on the hospital bed, only based on his excellent reasoning and the information provided by the others.
5. The Maltese Falcon, Dashiell Hammett
The Maltese Falcon is one of the representative works of western hard-boiled detective novels. The image of private detective Sam Spade in the book is well known in west. The novel has been adapted several times for the cinema. The film based on this book ranks 23rd among the 100 best films of the 20th century in the United States.
6. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, John le Carré
John le Carré gained his fame and status from The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. This novel tells the story of a British agent who decided to infiltrate the enemy after seeing the death of his undercover operative, but got involved in a more complicated situation.
7. The Moonstone, Wilkie Collins
The Moonstone is written by Wilkie Collins in the initial stage of detective literature. It was once evaluated as "the best British detective novel" by Eliot. It tells a series of thrilling and tortuous stories caused by the mysterious disappearance of a precious diamond.
8. The Big Sleep, Raymond Chandler
Chandler has an immense stylistic influence on American popular literature, The Big Sleep is a hard-boiled crime novel written by Raymond Chandler. The novel is about that private detective Philip Marlowe was hired to handle a blackmailer but found himself involved with complications more than extortion, kidnapping, seduction, and murder.
9. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
Rebecca is a Gothic novel created by Daphne du Maurier, who was elevated to Dame Commander of the British Empire. The characters under her pen are exquisite, as well as intricate plots. This novel has been adapted numerous times for stage and screen, Alfred Hitchcock won the Academy Award for Best Picture with the film based on it.
10. The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco
The Name of the Rose written by Umberto Eco tells a murder mystery in a medival Italian monastery. This fiction contains semiotics, religion, theology, medieval studies, and literary theory. It is one of the best-selling detective novels in the world and has received many international awards and accolades.
Detective fictions charm readers for suspense atmosphere and thrilling process of detectives using their talents and skills to expose the truth and solve the complex cases.