Robin W Winks
Recommended Reading Detective Fiction
Favorite Mystery Books
The following are the favourite books of the respected crime fiction historian Robin W WinksAs well as a personal list it serves very well for l those looking for a recommended reading guide
Some of the titles are regarded as important in the development of the genre
Others are simply good reads. Either way none are likely to disappoint the reader
It is an extensive list and we hope you find it of some interest and use
By choice, Robin Winks has omitted any pre 1930 books
If the author name is hyperlinked in blue it will lead to more information within this site
| A CHOICE OF ENEMIES, Ted Allbeury, 1973 THE CRIME AT BLACK DUDLEY, Margery Allingham, 1929 DANCERS IN MOURNING, Margery Allingham, 1937 THE TIGER IN THE SMOKE, Margery Allingham, 1952 GODEY'S LAST STAND, Charles Alverson, 1975 BACKGROUND TO DANGER, Eric Ambler, 1937 A COFFIN FOR DIMITRIOS, Eric Ambler, 1939 JOURNEY INTO FEAR, Eric Ambler, 1940 THE AFFAIR OF THE BLOOD-STAINED EGG COSY, James Anderson, 1975 DEATH OF A HITTITE, Sylvia Angus, 1969 MURDER AT THE ABA, Isaac Asimov, 1976 HIGH CITADEL, Desmond Bagley, 1965 RUNNING BLIND, Desmond Bagley, 1970 THE ENEMY, Desmond Bagley, 1977 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, John Ball, 1965 THE REMBRANDT PANEL, Oliver Banks, 1980 DEATH OF AN OLD GOAT, Robert Barnard, 1974 DEATH OF A LITERARY WIDOW, Robert Barnard, 1979 THE KREMLIN LETTER, Noel Behn, 1966 THE RUNNING MAN, Ben Benson, 1957 TRENT'S LAST CASE, E. C. Bentley, 1913 THE BIG KISS OFF OF 1944, Andrew Bergman, 1974 TRIAL AND ERROR, Anthony Berkeley, 1937 REPEAT THE INSTRUCTIONS, R. Vernon Beste, 1967 THE CASE OF THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN, Nicholas Blake, 1941 MINUTE FOR MURDER, Nicholas Blake, 1947 THE SINS OF THE FATHER, Lawrence Block, 1976 FICCIONES, Jorge Luis Borges, 1962 THE CASE OF THE SEVEN OF CALVARY, Anthony Boucher, 1937 DEATH IN THE FIFTH POSITION, Edgar Box (Gore Vidal), 1952 GREEN FOR DANGER, Christianna Brand, 1944 WILDERS WALK AWAY, Herbert Brean, 1948 THE FABULOUS CLIPJOINT, Fredric Brown, 1947 THE LENIENT BEAST, Fredric Brown, 1956 THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS, John Buchan, 1915 JOHN MACNAB, John Buchan, 1925 MOUNTAIN MEADOW, John Buchan, 1941 SAVING THE QUEEN, William F. Buckley Jr., 1976 MONGOOSE R.I.P., William F. Buckley Jr., 1987 THE PYX, John Buell, 1959 TREMOR OF INTENT, Anthony Burgess, 1966 ANGLE OF ATTACK, Rex Burns, 1979 GROUND MONEY, Rex Burns, 1986 OR BE HE DEAD, James Byrom, 1958 THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, James M. Cain, 1934 DOUBLE INDEMNITY, James M. Cain, 1935 FINDING MAUBEE, A. H. Z. Carr, 1970 THE THREE COFFINS, John Dickson Carr, 1935 THE CASE OF THE CONSTANT SUICIDES, John Dickson Carr, 1941 THUS WAS ADONIS MURDERED, Sarah Caudwell, 1981 THE BIG SLEEP, Raymond Chandler, 1939 FAREWELL, MY LOVELY, Raymond Chandler, 1940 THE LADY IN THE LAKE, Raymond Chandler, 1943 THE INNOCENCE OF FATHER BROWN, G. K. Chesterton, 1911 THE RIDDLE OF THE SANDS, Erskine Childers, 1903 THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD, Agatha Christie, 1926 AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, Agatha Christie, 1939 THE PATRIOTIC MURDERS, Agatha Christie, 1940 THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, Tom Clancy, 1985 THE THIRD SIDE OF THE COIN, Francis Clifford, 1965 ALL MEN ARE LONELY Now, Francis Clifford, 1967 WISTERIA COTTAGE, Robert M. Coates, 1948 BAD COMPANY, Liza Cody, 1982 DRINK TO YESTERDAY, Manning Coles, 1940 A TOAST TO TOMORROW, Manning Coles, 1940 THE BLANK PAGE, K. C. Constantine, 1974 THE MAN WHO LIKED SLOW TOMATOES, K. C. Constantine, 1982 MURDER'S BURNING, S. H. Courtier, 1967 GIDEON'S WEEK, John Creasey (as J. J. Marric) 1956 GIDEON'S RIVER, John Creasey (as J. J. Marric) 1968 THE TRIAL OF LOBO ICHEKA, David Creed, 1971 THE MOVING TOY SHOP, Edmund Crispin, 1946 THE CHEYNE MYSTERY, Freeman Wills Crofts, 1926 DEATH OF A TRAIN, Freeman Wills Crofts, 1946 POETIC JUSTICE, Amanda Cross, 1970 THE LAST GOOD Kiss, James Crumley, 1978 SYLVIA, E. V. Cunningham, 1960 OUT OF THE DARK, Ursula Curtiss, 1964 NIGHT OF WENCESLAS, Lionel Davidson, 1960 THE ROSE OF TIBET, Lionel Davidson, 1962 KILLED IN THE RATINGS, William L. DeAndrea, 1978 THE IPCRESS FILE, Len Deighton, 1962 SS-GB, Len Deighton, 1978 THE SUNLIT AMBUSH, Mark Derby, 1955 THE SILENT WORLD OF NICHOLAS QUINN, Colin Dexter, 1977 THE GLASS-SIDED ANTS' NEST, Peter Dickinson, 1968 ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE, Peter Dickinson, 1979 HINDSIGHT, Peter Dickinson, 1983 THE LONG ESCAPE, David Dodge, 1948 REBECCA'S PRIDE, Donald McNutt Douglass, 1956 THE QDOCUMENT, Robert Duncan (as James Hall Roberts), 1964 THE NAME OF THE ROSE, Umberto Eco, 1983 THE EIGHTH CIRCLE, Stanley Ellin, 1958 VERY OLD MONEY, Stanley Ellin, 1985 THE GLASS HIGHWAY, Loren D. Estleman, 1983 THE HORIZONTAL MAN, Helen Eustis, 1946 THE BIG CLOCK, Kenneth Fearing, 1946 PURSUIT, Robert L. Fish, 1978 I WAKE UP SCREAMING, Steve Fisher, 1941 FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, lan Fleming, 1957 EYE OF THE NEEDLE, Ken Follett, 1978 PAYMENT DEFERRED, C. S. Forester, 1926 THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, Frederick Forsyth, 1971 DEAD CERT, Dick Francis, 1962 BLOOD SPORT, Dick Francis, 1967 FORFEIT, Dick Francis, 1969 LOVE IN AMSTERDAM, Nicolas Freeling, 1962 AUPRES DE MA BLONDE, Nicolas Freeling, 1972 THE CASE OF THE CARETAKER'S CAT, Erle Stanley Gardner, 1935 THE D.A. DRAWS A CIRCLE, Erie Stanley Gardner, 1939 THE CASE OF THE CROOKED CANDLE, Erie Stanley Gardner, 1944 THE LIQUIDATOR, John Gardner, 1964 THE CUCKOO-LINE AFFAIR, Andrew Garve, 1953 THE GALLOWAY CASE, Andrew Garve, 1958 THE ASCENT OF D-13, Andrew Garve, 1969 THE JUDAS PAIR, Jonathan Gash, 1977 THE DAY OF THE RAM, William Campbell Gault, 1956 THE WIND CHILL FACTOR, Thomas Gifford, 1975 DEATH HAS DEEP ROOTS, Michael Gilbert, 1951 DEATH IN CAPTIVITY, Michael Gilbert, 1952 DEATH DROP, B. M. Gill, 1979 MARATHON MAN, William Goldman, 1974 THE RIVER GETS WIDER, R. L. Gordon, 1974 STAMBOUL TRAIN, Graham Greene, 1932 BRIGHTON ROCK, Graham Greene, 1938 THE MINISTRY OF FEAR, Graham Greene, 1943 FATAL OBSESSION, Stephen Greenleaf, 1983 THE DIRTY DUCK, Martha Grimes, 1984 THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, Davis Grubb, 1953 WILD PITCH, A. B. Guthrie Jr., 1973 THE TELEMANN TOUCH, William Haggard, 1958 VENETIAN BLIND, William Haggard, 1959 THE SCORPION'S TAIL, William Haggard, 1975 THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM, Adam Hall, 1965 THE TANGO BRIEFING, Adam Hall, 1973 THE MANDARIN CYPHER, Adam Hall, 1975 EXIT SHERLOCK HOLMES, Robert Lee Hall, 1977 THE SEARCH FOR JOSEPH TULLY, William Hallahan, 1974 DEATH OF A CITIZEN, Donald Hamilton, 1960 THE RAVAGERS, Donald Hamilton, 1964 RED HARVEST, Dashiell Hammett, 1929 THE MALTESE FALCON, Dashiell Hammett, 1930 EARLY GRAVES, Joseph Hansen, 1987 AN ENGLISH MURDER, Cyril Hare, 1951 THE BELLAMY TRAIL, Frances Noyes Hart, 1927 RITUAL MURDER, S. T. Haymon, 1982 THE STAKED GOAT, Jeremiah Healy, 1986 ATASTE FOR HONEY, H. F. Heard, 1941 THROUGH THE DARK AND HAIRY WOOD, Shaun Herron, 1972 A BLUNT INSTRUMENT, Georgette Heyer, 1938 THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE, George V. Higgins, 1972 RULING PASSION, Reginald Hill, 1973 DEADHEADS, Reginald Hill, 1984 THE BLESSING WAY, Tony Hillerman, 1970 THE GHOSTWAY, Tony Hillerman, 1984 COTTON COMES TO HARLEM, Chester Himes, 1965 FLORENTINE FINISH, Cornelius Hirschberg, 1963 ROGUE MALE, Geoffrey Household, 1939 A ROUGH SHOOT, Geoffrey Household, 1951 DANCE OF THE DWARFS, Geoffrey Household, 1968 OSSIAN'S RIDE, Fred Hoyle, 1959 TROTSKY'S RUN, Richard Hoyt, 1982 RIDE THE PINK HORSE, Dorothy B. Hughes, 1946 FROM CUBA, WITH LOVE, E. Howard Hunt, 1964 MURDER ON SAFARI, Elspeth Huxley, 1938 BEFORE THE FACT, Francis Iles, 1932 THE WRECK OF THE MARY DEARE, Hammond Innes, 1956 HAMLET, REVENGE!, Michael Innes, 1937 COVER HER FACE, P. D. James, 1962 SHROUD FOR A NIGHTINGALE, P. D. James, 1971 AN UNSUITABLE JOB FOR A WOMAN, P. D. James, 1972 BEAT NOT THE BONES, Charlotte Jay, 1952 THE YELLOW TURBAN, Charlotte Jay, 1955 A RUSH ON THE ULTIMATE, H. R. F. Keating, 1961 THE PERFECT MURDER, H. R. F. Keating, 1964 THE SPOILT KILL, Mary Kelly, 1961 . FRIDAY THE RABBI SLEPT LATE, Harry Kemelman, 1964 COURT OF CROWS, Robert A. Knowlton, 1961 FLOATER, Joseph Koenig, 1986 EMILY DICKINSON Is DEAD, Jane Langton, 1984 DEATH SHALL OVERCOME, Emma Lathen, 1966 MURDER AGAINST THE GRAIN, Emma Lathen, 1967 PASSPORT TO OBLIVION, James Leasor, 1964 THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD, John le Carre, 1963 TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, John le Carre, 1974 SWAG, Elmore Leonard, 1976 La BRAVA, Elmore Leonard, 1983 NIGHT COVER, Michael Z. Lewin, 1976 THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE, Norman Lewis, 1984 THE DEFECTION OF A. J. LEWINTER, Robert Littell, 1973 THE DEBRIEFING, Robert Littell, 1979 THE AMATEUR, Robert Littell, 1981 WOBBLE TO DEATH, Peter Lovesey, 1970 THE FALSE INSPECTOR DEW, Peter Lovesey, 1982 ONE MORE UNFORTUNATE, Edgar Lustgarten, 1947 THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, Gavin Lyall, 1963 MIDNIGHT PLUS ONE, Gavin Lyall, 1965 CASTLES BURNING, Arthur Lyons, 1980 HAIL TO THE CHIEF, Ed McBain, 1973 ICE, Ed McBain, 1983 THE MIERNIK DOSSIER, Charles McCarry, 1973 THE STEAM PIG, James McClure, 1971 THE ARTFUL EGG, James McClure, 1985 FLETCH'S FORTUNE, Gregory Mcdonald, 1978 DEAD LOW TIDE, John D. MacDonald, 1953 THE DROWNER, John D. MacDonald, 1963 THE QUICK RED Fox, John D. MacDonald, 1964 THE LIST OF ADRIAN MESSENGER, Philip MacDonald, 1959 THE GALTON CASE, Ross Macdonald, 1959 THE FAR SIDE OF THE DOLLAR, Ross Macdonald, 1965 THE GOODBYE LOOK, Ross Macdonald, 1969 BOGMAIL, Patrick McGmley, 1978 LAIDLAW, William Mcllvanney, 1977 ABOVE SUSPICION, Helen Maclnnes, 1941 THE VENETIAN AFFAIR, Helen Maclnnes, 1963 SOUTH BY JAVA HEAD, Alistair MacLean, 1958 THE SATAN BUG, Alistair MacLean (as lan Stuart), 1962 ENTER A MURDERER, Ngaio Marsh, 1935 THIN AIR, William Marshall, 1977 AN OXFORD TRAGEDY, J. C. Masterman, 1933 THE PASS BEYOND KASHMIR, Berkely Mather, I960 ASHENDEN, W Somerset Maugham, 1928 THE SEVEN PER CENT SOLUTION, Nicholas Meyer, 1974 BEAST IN VIEW, Margaret Millar, 1955 AN AIR THAT KILLS, Margaret Millar, 1957 THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY, A. A. Milne, 1922 THE THIRD POLICEMAN, Flann O'Brien, 1967 THE GREAT IMPERSONATION, E. Phillips Oppenheim, 1920 INDEMNITY ONLY, Sara Paretsky, 1982 GOD SAVE THE CHILD, Robert B. Parker, 1974 MORTAL STAKES, Robert B. Parker, 1975 LOOKING FOR RACHEL WALLACE, Robert B. Parker, 1980 THE OUTSIDE MAN, Richard North Patterson, 1981 DREAMLAND LAKE, Richard Peck, 1973 THE BUTCHER'S BOY, Thomas Perry, 1982 ONE CORPSE Too MANY, Ellis Peters, 1979 VERDICT OF TWELVE, Raymond Postgate, 1940 OTHER PATHS TO GLORY, Anthony Price, 1974 THE PUB CRAWLER, Maurice Procter, 1956 THE STALKER, Bill Pronzini, 1971 THE ROMAN HAT MYSTERY, Ellery Queen, 1929 THE TRAGEDY OF X, Ellery Queen (as Barnaby Ross), 1932 CALAMITY TOWN, Ellery Queen, 1942 DEATH IN THE MORNING, Sheila Radley, 1978 THE EURO-KiLLERS, Julian Rathbone, 1979 A DEMON IN MY VIEW, Ruth Rendell, 1976 THE BAT, Mary Roberts Rinehart, 1926 THE RED RIGHT HAND, Joel Townsley Rogers, 1945 SACRIFICIAL PAWN, Francis Ryck, 1973 THE FIRST DEADLY SIN, Lawrence Sanders, 1973 STRONG POISON, Dorothy L. Sayers, 1930 THE NINE TAILORS, Dorothy L.Sayers, 1934 GAUDY NIGHT, Dorothy L. Sayers, 1935 THE LISTENING HOUSE, Mabel Seeley, 1938 THE MAN WHO WATCHED THE TRAINS Go BY, Georges Simenon, 1942 THE BIG Fix, Roger L. Simon, 1973 ROSEANNA, Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, 1967 THE FIRE ENGINE THAT DISAPPEARED, Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, 1971 THE BALLAD OF THE RUNNING MAN, Shelley Smith, 1961 THE DAY OF THE DEAD, Bart Spicer, 1955 TOO MANY COOKS, Rex Stout, 1938 AND BE A VILLAIN, Rex Stout, 1948 PLOT IT YOURSELF, Rex Stout, 1959 THE 31ST OF FEBRUARY, Julian Symons, 1950 THE MAN WHO KILLED HIMSELF, Julian Symons, 1967 A CRIMINAL COMEDY, Julian Symons, 1986 THE DUTCH BLUE ERROR, William G. Tapply, 1985 THE MARINE CORPSE, William G. Tapply, 1986 A SHILLING FOR CANDLES, Josephine Tey, 1936 THE DAUGHTER OF TIME, Josephine Tey, 1951 THE FAMILY ARSENAL, Paul Theroux, 1976 THE COLD WAR SWAP, Ross Thomas, 1966 THE SEERSUCKER WHIPSAW, Ross Thomas, 1967 THE BRASS GO-BETWEEN, Ross Thomas (as Oliver Bleeck), 1969 THE KILLER INSIDE ME, Jim Thompson, 1952 DEATH CAP, June Thomson, 1973 THE EIGER SANCTION, Trevanian, 1972 DEEP AND CRISP AND EVEN, Peter Turnbull, 1981 THE BACHELORS OF BROKEN HILL, Arthur Upfield, 1950 THE NEW SHOE, Arthur Upfield, 1951 LIFE'S WORK, Jonathan Valin, 1986 FIRE LAKE, Jonathan Valin, 1987 THE MIND-MURDERS, Janwillem van de Watering, 1981 STATELINE, John van der Zee, 1976 THE BENSON MURDER CASE, S. S. Van Dine, 1926 THE CHINESE BELL MURDERS, Robert van Gulik, 1958 THE DEPARTMENT OF DEAD ENDS, Roy Vickers, 1947 THE FOUR JUST MEN, Edgar Wallace, 1905 LAST SEEN WEARING, Hillary Waugh, 1952 DEATH AND CIRCUMSTANCE, Hillary Waugh, 1963 THE HOT ROCK, Donald E. Westlake, 1970 VICTIMS, Colin Wilcox, 1984 NEW HOPE FOR THE DEAD, Charles Willeford, 1985 THE CATFISH TANGLE, Charles Williams, 1951 TREE FROG, Martin Woodhouse, 1966 THE BRIDE WORE BLACK, Cornell Woolrich, 1940 SMOKE DETECTOR, Eric Wright, 1984 THE SUSPECT, L. R. Wright, 1985 THE FIFTH PASSENGER, Edward Young, 1963 HAZELL PLAYS SOLOMON, P. B. Yuill, 1974 |