The best whodunnit murder mysteries that will keep you guessing

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the author of The Lake Pines Mystery Series, as well as a multi-genre-inspired reader and writer. The story is what motivates my interest and captivates my attention. From my early fascination with Nancy Drew that drove me straight into my love of Agatha Christie, I'm passionately drawn to the traditional whodunnit murder mystery genre. I love creating red herrings and revel in the ‘ah-ha’ moments that give the reader pause and enjoyment. As a writer, I wanted to bring stories to life – to entertain and inform. Through murder mysteries I hope to give readers of this genre the satisfaction of a good ending, layered characters, and a good whodunnit.


I wrote...

Murder At First Light

By L.L. Abbott,

Book cover of Murder At First Light

What is my book about?

A regatta, a murder, and a small town. As dawn breaks a horn signals the start of the season's favorite race, and a body drifts out from under the main city dock, sending chills through the spectators. Doctor Kerry Dearborne is immediately at odds with the current coroner when she disagrees with his reported cause of death. 

As the police launch an investigation, tensions mount, and the victim's life of regret begins to reveal itself one piece at a time. As clues point to numerous suspects, Kerry learns that the small town of Lake Pines has more layers than she ever could have imagined. Murder At First Light is the first book in the Lake Pines Mystery Series.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of And Then There Were None

L.L. Abbott Why did I love this book?

Agatha Christie is essentially the queen of the mystery whodunnit genre and easily puts the perfect crime to paper. I still remember the first time I read this book and it was as if a window was flung open in my mind. As the plot thickens and the suspense builds, Agatha Christie still finds the capacity of surprise and amazement with yet another twist. This is the type of book you will want to read again and again, and each time you will be reminded of what true whodunnit crime fiction should feel like.

By Agatha Christie,

Why should I read it?

13 authors picked And Then There Were None as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Agatha Christie's world-famous mystery thriller, reissued with a striking new cover designed to appeal to the latest generation of Agatha Christie fans and book lovers.

Ten strangers, apparently with little in common, are lured to an island mansion off the coast of Devon by the mysterious U.N.Owen. Over dinner, a record begins to play, and the voice of an unseen host accuses each person of hiding a guilty secret. That evening, former reckless driver Tony Marston is found murdered by a deadly dose of cyanide.

The tension escalates as the survivors realise the killer is not only among them but…


Book cover of Raven Black

L.L. Abbott Why did I love this book?

Ann Cleeves is the author whose writing I feel most closely resembles a modern mystery whodunnit. The story opens and a crime is revealed, and I was immediately pulled into Shetland. Drawn into the atmosphere of the island and the lives of the locals. In Raven Black, readers are challenged to not only uncover the motive of the crime, but they are faced with the reality of prejudices and how they can point the finger of guilt unjustly. A quiet island, once comfortable in their community, suddenly is set uneasy when they realize that a killer is living among them. As the people of Shetland rush to focus their attention on one man, it is only through the impartial perseverance of detective Jimmy Perez that the truth is finally revealed.

By Ann Cleeves,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Raven Black as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Introducing Inspector Jimmy Perez. Raven Black is the first book in Ann Cleeves' bestselling Shetland series - now a major BBC One drama, starring Douglas Henshal.

A remote community with a killer in their midst . . .

On New Year's Day, Shetland lies buried beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter's eye is drawn to a vivid splash of colour on the white ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbour. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, the ravens continue their deadly dance . . .

The body is found…


Book cover of The Twist of a Knife

L.L. Abbott Why did I love this book?

In the fourth book in A Hawthorne and Horowitz Mystery, Horowitz himself becomes the suspect. How has an author not thought of this before? Horowitz masterfully ties together other stories from the series and throws the reader into the path of red herrings, twists and turns as they experience a true whodunnit mystery. I highly recommend you read this book, but do so after you devour the first three. The Twist of a Knife is a magnificent novel that fans of true mystery novels will love.

By Anthony Horowitz,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Twist of a Knife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

By global bestselling Anthony Horowitz, a brilliantly entertaining new locked-room mystery with a key that only Hawthorne can find.

'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' SUNDAY TIMES

'Funny, addictive and clever, and the crime fighting duo of Hawthorne and Horowitz are as entertaining as ever. Brilliant. I can't wait for more.' ADAM HANDY

''There's a lovely Hitchcockian feel to TWIST. The clock is ticking. It's a lot of fun.' IAN RANKIN

'The Twist of a Knife is a beautifully turned locked-room whodunit' THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

'A total joy. Anthony is a master entertainer, the genius twists and turns of…


Book cover of A Fatal Grace

L.L. Abbott Why did I love this book?

Louise Penny has become a Canadian icon. I often believed that Louise Penny belongs in a category of her own because her writing, plot lines, and characters are all so unique. That said, her Armand Gamache Series is a must-read for all mystery lovers. Filled with humorous and layered characters that each contribute to the unfolding of the plot. Everyone has a part to play in Louise Penny novels. Set in an idyllic town in Quebec, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is soon investigating a crime as the village prepares for a Christmas celebration. A woman is electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake in front of the entire village, and there seem to be no witnesses. A Fatal Grace is a perfectly layered whodunnit with a contemporary twist, and as always, the compassionate and brave Gamache is never far from danger himself as he searches for truth among the pines.

By Louise Penny,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Fatal Grace as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the 2007 Agatha Award for Best Novel!

From the Dagger award winning author Louise Penny comes the second Armand Gamache mystery set in the stunning countryside of Quebec.

Welcome to winter in Three Pines, a picturesque village in Quebec, where the villagers are preparing for a traditional country Christmas, and someone is preparing for murder.

No one liked CC de Poitiers. Not her quiet husband, not her spineless lover, not her pathetic daughter―and certainly none of the residents of Three Pines. CC de Poitiers managed to alienate everyone, right up until the moment of her death.

When Chief…


Book cover of Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I

L.L. Abbott Why did I love this book?

It was 1887 when the world was introduced to Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson. Since then, Sherlock Holmes has been synonymous with solving the unsolvable crime. Uniquely presented, Sherlock Holmes’ adventures take the reader on a mind-bending journey as clues are revealed and entertaining characters are introduced. I recommend this entire collection because they will be stories you read more than once.

By Arthur Conan Doyle,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sherlock Holmes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories contains, in two volumes, all fifty-six short stories and four novels featuring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world-famous detective.

Volume I includes the novels and stories that introduced the brilliant and unflappable Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Dr. Watson, to the world. A Study in Scarlet is a drama of long-simmering revenge that ranges from the fog-bound streets of London to the pioneer settlements of Utah. The Sign of Four weaves together a stolen treasure from India, poison darts, and double-crossing thieves, while The Hound of the Baskervilles sets the legend of a diabolical…


You might also like...

Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

By Gabrielle Robinson,

Book cover of Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

Gabrielle Robinson Author Of Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Retired english professor

Gabrielle's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Gabrielle found her grandfather’s diaries after her mother’s death, only to discover that he had been a Nazi. Born in Berlin in 1942, she and her mother fled the city in 1945, but Api, the one surviving male member of her family, stayed behind to work as a doctor in a city 90% destroyed.

Gabrielle retraces Api’s steps in the Berlin of the 21st century, torn between her love for the man who gave her the happiest years of her childhood and trying to come to terms with his Nazi membership, German guilt, and political responsibility.

Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

By Gabrielle Robinson,

What is this book about?

"This is not a book I will forget any time soon."
Story Circle Book Reviews

Moving and provocative, Api's Berlin Diaries offers a personal perspective on the fall of Berlin 1945 and the far-reaching aftershocks of the Third Reich.

After her mother's death, Robinson was thrilled to find her beloved grandfather's war diaries-only to discover that he had been a Nazi.

The award-winning memoir shows Api, a doctor in Berlin, desperately trying to help the wounded in cellars without water or light. He himself was reduced to anxiety and despair, the daily diary his main refuge. As Robinson retraces Api's…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in murder, murder mystery, and private investigators?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about murder, murder mystery, and private investigators.

Murder Explore 930 books about murder
Murder Mystery Explore 488 books about murder mystery
Private Investigators Explore 289 books about private investigators