Stephen King, Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware And More Best-Selling Mystery Authors Reveal The Stories They Can’t Get Enough of

Maggie Dillard and Melissa D'Agnese

March 9, 2024 at 1:05 AM·8 min read

Whether they come from book clubs, Facebook groups, bibliophile friends or another source, uncovering a great book recommendation is a small victory for book lovers everywhere. And if your favorite genre is mystery, you are in for a treat! Woman’s World caught up with 7 bestselling authors, from the iconic "King of Horror" Stephen King to beloved mystery writers like Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, Abbey Collette and Janet Evanovich. Here, they each reveal why certain books remain their top mystery novels — and why this genre means so much to them. Keep reading to uncover their go-to stories to add to your TBR pile.

Janet Evanovich, Author of Dirty Thirty

“I love mysteries and thrillers because they are totally immersive experiences. They take me into intense situations and make me feel something. I connect with the characters. I root for them. I laugh with them. I worry about them when they go into dangerous situations. I go on the rollercoaster ride with them and sometimes I’m so immersed and riveted that I am them,” explains Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Stephanie Plum Series — including Dirty Thirty and The Bounty. “Mysteries and thrillers are my passion and mystery and thriller readers are wonderful, hugely supportive readers.”

Janet's thoughts on her favorite mysteries:

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene

“I couldn’t write this list without including a Nancy Drew classic. The Hidden Staircase was one of my favorites — Nancy is everything I want my characters to be: curious, plucky, strong. Nancy’s adventures played a huge role in my interest in storytelling and led me down this writing path.”

The Force by Don Winslow

“One of the most acclaimed novels of the last few years. An intense 'police thriller' which examines the life of a corrupt cop in microscoping detail.”

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

“A great atmospheric novel set in East Texas. A haunting read and a very good crime novel from a writer with a unique voice.”

Lisa Jewell, Author of None of This is True

“Is there anything more tantalizing than not knowing something? And the promise of finding out? That's why I love mysteries, for the intake of breath that comes with a perfectly timed reveal,” says Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of None of This is True and The Night She Disappeared.

Lisa's thoughts on her favorite mysteries:

Lie With Me by Sabine Durrant

“Sultry Greek island vibes and one of the greatest unreliable narrators of all time in this addictive story of a man who thinks he's scamming a mousy divorcee, but is in fact the one being manipulated. But why?”

Sleep With Me by Joanna Briscoe

“A slight book that feels as if it moves at a glacial pace as a hipster couple in London lets a strange young woman into their lives, but each twist and turn packs a punch building up to a brilliantly shocking ending.”

A Fatal Inversion by Barbara Vine

“A group of young people spends a hedonistic summer at a rambling country house, but 10 years later a terrible secret is discovered in the grounds, and the group is reunited with chilling consequences.”

Stephen King, Author of Holly

“My favorite plots are the stories where someone or something creates a chaos in the society and then a person or group of people try to get the system back to the controlled state,” explains Stephen King, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Holly and Later, whose books have sold more than 350 million copies. “I'm interested in the mystery of what we are and what we're capable of doing. Good books don't give up all their secrets at once.”

Stephen's thoughts on his favorite mysteries:

The Twenty-Year Death by Ariel S. Winter

A crime series that “crackles with suspense and keeps you up.”

Charlesgate Confidential by Scott Von Doviak

A “braided” Boston crime story set in 1946, 1986, 2014.

The Cocktail Waitress by James M. Cain

“This novel will involve you, then shock you with an ending you’ll never forget.”

Mia P. Manansala, Author of Murder and Mamon

“I absolutely love mysteries because you get the fun of a logic puzzle combined with very human stories and the satisfaction that justice will be served at the end,” says Mia P. Manansala, award-winning author of Murder and Mamon and Blackmail and Bibingka.

Mia's thoughts on her favorite mysteries:

The Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

"Thomas’ genderbent take on Sherlock Holmes combines brilliant investigative prowess with slow-burn romance for a series that gets better with every book."

Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett

"Garrett’s Detective by Day series changed my life by showing me that young, funny women of color could absolutely dominate in my beloved amateur sleuth genre."

Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Cake by Donald J. Sobol

"My love of combining mysteries and food started from a very young age, beginning with this collection starring the boy detective solving food-based cases and sharing kid-friendly recipes."

Ruth Ware, Author of One Perfect Couple

“Which type of read do you prefer – a really good mental workout, or a heart-wrenching emotional one? Or what if you could have both? I think one of the reasons I love mystery books (and particularly psychological thrillers) is because they combine the best of both worlds, a challenging puzzle and a thrilling emotional journey," says Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of One Perfect Couple (out 5/21) and One by One. "In other words, I get to have my cake and eat it."

Ruth's thoughts on her favorite mysteries:

He Said / She Said by Erin Kelly

“Another book that will keep you hoping for the best, fearing the worst and discarding theory after theory about what is really going on with Kit, Laura and Beth. When Laura is the sole witness to a brutal attack, she is desperate to secure justice for the victim, Beth. So desperate, she makes a mistake that haunts her 15 years on.”

My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

“This isn’t a traditional whodunit as we know from the first page who the titular killer is — narrator Korede’s beautiful, unstable sister. The mystery is in the why — and in how Korede is going to react to the realization that one killing might be a mistake, but three is a pattern…”

Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

“There’s a crime at the heart of this brilliant novel — the tragic shooting of a young Black girl by a Korean shopkeeper — but although Cha keeps the reader guessing with how and why her protagonists are connected to the event, the real point of her novel is to chart the ripples of effect emanating out of this single act of violence.”

Abbey Collette, Author of A Killer Sundae

“From amateur sleuths to private eyes and everything in between, I find mysteries captivating and fulfilling,” says Abby Collette, bestselling author of A Killer Sundae and A Game of Cones. “It is utterly appealing to me being compelled to turn each page of a book as concealed secrets unfold, making its way to the reveal of a final twist that makes me say, “oh wow.” Lost in the tangled web of a mystery book, I get to go along on a wave of intrigue that I’d never experience in real life. And here are a few that have kept me engaged until the very last page.”

Abbey's thoughts on her favorite mysteries:

Death in the Family by Tessa Wegert

“A locked room detective novel exuding with a sense of place. The ever-present storm that rages both outside and within the main character, the unpredictable tale drew me in and the final twist left me satisfied.”

August Snow by Stephen Mack Jones

“A story about an ex-cop with a good heart and a determination to make sure what’s right is done. Action-packed, plot-driven and R-rated for violence with people and places I recognized and felt right at home with. I went right down the rabbithole with this one and didn’t come up for air until I finished.”

Broken Places by Tracy Clark

“A private investigator novel that starts off with a bang and doesn’t give an inch till the end. A tough female lead who is witty and smart but comes with flaws is the driver in this puzzling whodunit. An absorbing and twist-filled read with enough action go keep you glued to the end.”

David Baldacci, Author of A Calamity of Souls

“We don’t often get justice in real life, so we seek it in crime fiction. It satisfies a human need,” says David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Edge and A Calamity of Souls (out 4/16).