Keating’s 100 best crime and mystery books

This is one of the 743 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.

About this list

Book, 99 Books

H. R. F. Keating was the crime books reviewer for the London Times for 15 years, a former chairman of the British Crime Writers’ Association, and a past president of the Detection Club. His 100 Best Crime and Mystery Books was published 1987.

H.R.F Keating, author of The Perfect Murder and mystery reviewer for the Times of London, offers a concise commentary on the finest mystery books ever written. From Poe's tales of mystery and imagination to P. D. James's A Taste for Death, Keating delivers a highly-readable evaluation of 100 authors and their masterpieces. This collection is a must for all devoted mystery readers.

This list was originally published in 1987 and was added to this site about 1 year ago.

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Cover of 'Tales Of Mystery And Imagination' by Edgar Allan Poe
Tales Of Mystery And Imagination

Edgar Allan Poe

Cover of 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins
The Moonstone

Wilkie Collins

Cover of 'The Mystery Of Edwin Drood' by Charles Dickens
The Mystery Of Edwin Drood

Charles Dickens

Cover of 'The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes' by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes

Arthur Conan Doyle

Cover of 'The Amateur Cracksman' by E. W. Hornung
The Amateur Cracksman

E. W. Hornung

Cover of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Hound of the Baskervilles

Arthur Conan Doyle

Cover of 'The Thinking Machine' by Jacques Futrelle
The Thinking Machine

Jacques Futrelle

Cover of 'The Circular Staircase' by Mary Roberts Rinehart
The Circular Staircase

Mary Roberts Rinehart

Cover of 'The Innocence of Father Brown' by G. K. Chesterton
The Innocence of Father Brown

G. K. Chesterton

Cover of 'Uncle Abner' by Melville Davisson Post
Uncle Abner

Melville Davisson Post

Cover of 'The Mind Of J G Reeder' by Edgar Wallace
The Mind Of J G Reeder

Edgar Wallace

Cover of 'The Murder of Roger Ackroyd' by Agatha Christie
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Agatha Christie

Cover of 'Red Harvest' by Dashiell Hammett
Red Harvest

Dashiell Hammett

Cover of 'Death Of My Aunt' by C. H. B. Kitchin
Death Of My Aunt

C. H. B. Kitchin

Cover of 'The Documents In The Case' by Dorothy L. Sayers, Robert Eustace
The Documents In The Case

Dorothy L. Sayers, Robert Eustace

Cover of 'The Maltese Falcon' by Dashiell Hammett
The Maltese Falcon

Dashiell Hammett

Cover of 'The Sands Of Windee' by Arthur William Upfield
The Sands Of Windee

Arthur William Upfield

Cover of 'Before The Fact' by Francis Iles
Before The Fact

Francis Iles

Cover of 'The Case Of The Sulky Girl' by Erle Stanley Gardner
The Case Of The Sulky Girl

Erle Stanley Gardner

Cover of 'Murder on the Orient Express' by Agatha Christie
Murder on the Orient Express

Agatha Christie

Cover of 'The Postman Always Rings Twice' by James M. Cain
The Postman Always Rings Twice

James M. Cain

Cover of 'The Nine Tailors' by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Nine Tailors

Dorothy L. Sayers

Cover of 'The Hollow Man' by John Dickson Carr
The Hollow Man

John Dickson Carr

Cover of 'The League Of Frightened Men' by Rex Stout
The League Of Frightened Men

Rex Stout

Cover of 'The Wheel Spins' by Ethel Lina White
The Wheel Spins

Ethel Lina White

Cover of 'The Beast Must Die' by Nicholas Blake
The Beast Must Die

Nicholas Blake

Cover of 'The Bride Wore Black' by Cornell Woolrich
The Bride Wore Black

Cornell Woolrich

Cover of 'Death Of A Peer' by Ngaio Marsh
Death Of A Peer

Ngaio Marsh

Cover of 'Calamity Town' by Ellery Queen
Calamity Town

Ellery Queen

Cover of 'Tragedy At Law' by Cyril Hare
Tragedy At Law

Cyril Hare

Cover of 'The High Window' by Raymond Chandler
The High Window

Raymond Chandler

Cover of 'Green For Danger' by Christianna Brand
Green For Danger

Christianna Brand

Cover of 'Appleby's End' by Michael Innes
Appleby's End

Michael Innes

Cover of 'Murder Among Friends' by Elizabeth Ferrars
Murder Among Friends

Elizabeth Ferrars

Cover of 'The Horizontal Man' by Helen Eustis
The Horizontal Man

Helen Eustis

Cover of 'The Moving Toyshop' by Edmund Crispin
The Moving Toyshop

Edmund Crispin

Cover of 'The Fabulous Clipjoint' by Frederick Brown
The Fabulous Clipjoint

Frederick Brown

Cover of 'The Franchise Affair' by Josephine Tey
The Franchise Affair

Josephine Tey

Cover of 'Devil Take The Blue Tail Fly' by John Franklin Bardin
Devil Take The Blue Tail Fly

John Franklin Bardin

Cover of 'More Work For The Undertaker' by Margery Allingham
More Work For The Undertaker

Margery Allingham

Cover of 'My Friend Maigret' by Georges Simenon, Shaun Whiteside
My Friend Maigret

Georges Simenon, Shaun Whiteside

Cover of 'The Asphalt Jungle' by W. R. Burnett
The Asphalt Jungle

W. R. Burnett

Cover of 'Smallbone Deceased' by Michael Gilbert
Smallbone Deceased

Michael Gilbert

Cover of 'Dirty Snow' by Georges Simenon
Dirty Snow

Georges Simenon

Cover of 'The Daughter of Time' by Josephine Tey
The Daughter of Time

Josephine Tey

Cover of 'Last Seen Wearing ...' by Hillary Waugh
Last Seen Wearing ...

Hillary Waugh

Cover of 'The Tiger In The Smoke' by Margery Allingham
The Tiger In The Smoke

Margery Allingham

Cover of 'Five Roundabouts To Heaven' by John Bingham
Five Roundabouts To Heaven

John Bingham

Cover of 'The Long Goodbye' by Raymond Chandler
The Long Goodbye

Raymond Chandler

Cover of 'Post Mortem' by Guy Cullingford
Post Mortem

Guy Cullingford

Cover of 'The Party At No. 5' by Shelley Smith
The Party At No. 5

Shelley Smith

Cover of 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' by Patricia Highsmith
The Talented Mr. Ripley

Patricia Highsmith

Cover of 'Beast In View' by Margaret Millar
Beast In View

Margaret Millar

Cover of 'Gideon’s Week' by John Creasey
Gideon’s Week

John Creasey

Cover of 'Mystery Stories' by Stanley Ellin
Mystery Stories

Stanley Ellin

Cover of 'Maigret In Court' by Georges Simenon
Maigret In Court

Georges Simenon

Cover of 'The New Sonia Wayward' by Michael Innes
The New Sonia Wayward

Michael Innes

Cover of 'Gun Before Butter' by Nicolas Freeling
Gun Before Butter

Nicolas Freeling

Cover of 'The Expendable Man' by Dorothy B. Hughes
The Expendable Man

Dorothy B. Hughes

Cover of 'Pop. 1280' by Jim Thompson
Pop. 1280

Jim Thompson

Cover of 'R. S. V. P. Murder' by E. B. Eberhart
R. S. V. P. Murder

E. B. Eberhart

Cover of 'The Man Who Killed Himself' by Julian Symons
The Man Who Killed Himself

Julian Symons

Cover of 'Murder Against The Grain' by Emma Lathen
Murder Against The Grain

Emma Lathen

Cover of 'Roseanna' by Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö
Roseanna

Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö

Cover of 'The Last Best Friend' by George Sims
The Last Best Friend

George Sims

Cover of 'The Glass Sided Ants’ Nest' by Peter Dickinson
The Glass Sided Ants’ Nest

Peter Dickinson

Cover of 'Mr. Splitfoot' by Helen McCloy
Mr. Splitfoot

Helen McCloy

Cover of 'The Tremor Of Forgery' by Patricia Highsmith
The Tremor Of Forgery

Patricia Highsmith

Cover of 'Blind Man with a Pistol' by Chester Himes
Blind Man with a Pistol

Chester Himes

Cover of 'Young Man, I Think You're Dying' by Joan Fleming
Young Man, I Think You're Dying

Joan Fleming

Cover of 'Beyond This Point Are Monsters' by Margaret Millar
Beyond This Point Are Monsters

Margaret Millar

Cover of 'Sadie When She Died' by Ed McBain
Sadie When She Died

Ed McBain

Cover of 'The Friends Of Eddie Coyle' by George V. Higgins
The Friends Of Eddie Coyle

George V. Higgins

Cover of 'The Players And The Game' by Julian Symons
The Players And The Game

Julian Symons

Cover of 'Mirror, Mirror On The Wall' by Stanley Ellin
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Stanley Ellin

Cover of 'Dance Hall Of The Dead' by Tony Hillerman
Dance Hall Of The Dead

Tony Hillerman

Cover of 'The Poison Oracle' by Peter Dickinson
The Poison Oracle

Peter Dickinson

Cover of 'Fletch' by Gregory Mcdonald
Fletch

Gregory Mcdonald

Cover of 'The Black Tower' by P. D. James
The Black Tower

P. D. James

Cover of 'The Long Shadow' by Celia Fremlin
The Long Shadow

Celia Fremlin

Cover of 'The Naked Nuns' by Colin Watson
The Naked Nuns

Colin Watson

Cover of 'The Blue Hammer' by Ross Macdonald
The Blue Hammer

Ross Macdonald

Cover of 'Sleeping Murder' by Agatha Christie
Sleeping Murder

Agatha Christie

Cover of 'A Death In The Life' by Dorothy Salisbury Davis
A Death In The Life

Dorothy Salisbury Davis

Cover of 'The Investigation' by Dorothy Uhnak
The Investigation

Dorothy Uhnak

Cover of 'A Judgement In Stone' by Ruth Rendell
A Judgement In Stone

Ruth Rendell

Cover of 'Laidlaw' by William McIlvanney
Laidlaw

William McIlvanney

Cover of 'Nobody's Perfect' by Donald E. Westlake
Nobody's Perfect

Donald E. Westlake

Cover of 'A Pinch Of Snuff' by Reginald Hill
A Pinch Of Snuff

Reginald Hill

Cover of 'Skinflick' by Joseph Hansen
Skinflick

Joseph Hansen

Cover of 'Kill Claudio' by P. M. Hubbard
Kill Claudio

P. M. Hubbard

Cover of 'The Green Ripper' by John D. MacDonald
The Green Ripper

John D. MacDonald

Cover of 'All On A Summer's Day' by John Wainwright
All On A Summer's Day

John Wainwright

Cover of 'Death In A Tenured Position' by Amanda Cross
Death In A Tenured Position

Amanda Cross

Cover of 'The Glitter Dome' by Joseph Wambaugh
The Glitter Dome

Joseph Wambaugh

Cover of 'To Make A Killing' by June Thomson
To Make A Killing

June Thomson

Cover of 'The False Inspector Dew' by Peter Lovesey
The False Inspector Dew

Peter Lovesey

Cover of 'The Artful Egg' by James McClure
The Artful Egg

James McClure

Cover of 'A Taste For Death' by P. D. James
A Taste For Death

P. D. James