8 Most Fun Mystery Books of All Time, Ranked

Published Oct 13, 2026, 8:55 PM EDT

Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts! 
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK. 
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. 

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Sometimes, we wish we could be like the incredible professional and amateur sleuths we read about on the page. Though many of these intuitive detectives embark on dark, dangerous investigations, some stories add a bit of fun along the way. Today, we celebrate eight of the most fun mystery books ever.

From a group of witty pensioners saving the day to crime authors thrust into real-life mysteries, these mystery stories are simply a blast from beginning to end. While we have great reverence for stories from master novelists who love darker tones, this new batch of mysteries adds an extra dash of excitement.

8 'The Monkey's Raincoat' by Robert Crais (1987)

Image via Bantam Books

Kicking off the first story involving private investigator Elvis Cole and his partner Joe Pike, The Monkey’s Raincoat is high-energy fun. Written by Robert Crais, the mystery novel follows Elvis as he’s hired by Ellen Lang to find her missing husband, Mort, and their young son, Perry, who vanished after Mort failed to pick the boy up from school. What begins as a seemingly simple missing-persons case spirals into a dark underworld of Hollywood parties, drug dealing, extortion, and wealthy ex-bullfighter Dom Duran. Earning the 1988 Anthony Award for "Best Paperback Original" at Bouchercon XIX and the 1988 Mystery Readers International Macavity Award for "Best First Novel,” The Monkey’s Raincoat set the tone for Crais’ subsequent stories.

The Monkey’s Raincoat is a barrel of fun thanks to its sharp-witted protagonist, fast-paced banter, and fresh spin on classic California noir. Unlike the gloomy private eyes of yore, Crais crafts Elvis to be a wise-cracking, thirty-something "man-child" who watches cartoons, loves Disney trivia, quotes Jiminy Cricket, and has a rescue cat that drinks beer. It’s a stark contrast to his partner-in-crime, the silent, hyper-violent, wraparound-sunglasses-wearing Joe. They create the perfect chalk-and-cheese dynamic that cuts through the darker underbelly they navigate. A quick, breezy page-turner, Crais uses his snappy background in television writing to start a franchise.

7 'The Three Dahlias' by Katy Watson (2022)

Image via Constable

A newfound hidden gem, The Three Dahlias by Katy Watson is the ultimate old-fashioned-tinged, cozy comfort read. The country-house mystery follows three rival actresses, Rosalind King, Caro Hooper, and Posy Star, who all played the famous 1930s fictional detective Dahlia Lively, as they gather at Aldermere, the estate of the character's late creator, Lettice Davenport. When the weekend gathering turns deadly, the three women must set aside their generational differences and rivalries to solve real-life murders, with clues that might be hidden in Davenport's own books. The first novel of Watson’s series, The Three Dahlias is light and frothy fun.

The Three Dahlias gives readers of any generation something to attach to thanks to the trio of women at the center of the story. Their backstories couldn’t be so drastically different, yet seeing them come together for the common goal is the draw. Each Dahlia has a distinct approach to investigation, giving the story natural twists, turns, and conflicts. Setting it at a fan convention gives the story a fun, uniquely intimate backdrop. The story follows them as they try to sneak around to outwit the murderer before more chaos ensues. Watson’s prose is filled with accessible wit and charm. Because she built such a delightful world with three dynamic women, it’s clear she was eager to continue their adventures.

6 'One for the Money' by Janet Evanovich (1994)

Image via St. Martin's Press

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum got her start in Janet Evanovich’s One for the Money. The comedy mystery novel follows Stephanie, a 30-year-old former lingerie buyer from Trenton, New Jersey. Out of work, broke, and facing car repossession, she blackmails her sleazy bail-bond cousin, Vinnie, into hiring her as an apprehension agent. She is sent to hunt down Joe Morelli, a former vice cop and her former high school flame, who is accused of murdering an unarmed man. With no law enforcement training, the over-her-head Stephanie relies on guidance from bounty hunter Ranger as she tries to earn her first major payday. Appearing for 75 weeks on USA Today's list of 150 best-selling novels, peaking at number 13, One for the Money trades a gloomy murder mystery in exchange for a female-driven underdog story.

One for the Money celebrates chutzpah. Stephanie is an unlikely individual to embark on a high-stakes chase, but her ingenuity and pure grit make her a compelling protagonist. She’s stubborn and determined, never letting a hiccup prevent her from her objective. She stumbles and bumbles, yet still solves the mystery. The story has a unique allure: her first mark is an old flame, adding a messy, unpredictable subplot to the larger story. With eccentric, colorful side characters, One for the Money was the anti-bleak novel during an era of darker tales. It’s pure action meets comedy. In 2012, One for the Money was adapted into a film starring Katherine Heigl as Stephanie, Jason O’Mara as Joe, and Daniel Sunjata as Ranger. Unfortunately, it was a commercial flop, unlike its source material.

Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be
Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt

Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn't work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.

🎖️Rambo

🍸James Bond

🏺Indiana Jones

🔧John McClane

🎭Ethan Hunt

FIND YOUR PARTNER →

01

You're dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.

ASomeone who already has three contingency plans running and is calmly working through all of them. BSomeone who reads the terrain instinctively and knows exactly how to use it against the enemy. CSomeone who keeps their nerve and their sense of humour when everything is falling apart. DSomeone who knows the history of wherever we are and what we're walking into. ESomeone with the right contact, the right cover identity, and the right exit already arranged.

NEXT QUESTION →

02

You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.

AOn foot through terrain no one else would attempt — I move where vehicles can't follow. BOn a motorcycle, a cargo plane, or anything else that gets me there before I think too hard about it. CIn something that belongs to someone else — borrowed, stolen, or improvised under fire. DFirst class, with a cover identity and a gadget that does something I won't explain until it's needed. EBy whatever means are available — I've driven, flown, and once arrived by camel. The destination matters, not the method.

NEXT QUESTION →

03

You're pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.

ADisappears into the environment, flanks them silently, and ends it before I've reloaded. BCracks a one-liner, grabs a fire extinguisher or a chair, and improvises something that somehow works. CProduces a gadget specifically designed for this exact scenario and uses it with infuriating precision. DPulls out a whip, a pistol, and an archaeological insight that somehow gets us out alive. ENeutralises the threat with maximum efficiency and minimum words — they were already three moves ahead.

NEXT QUESTION →

04

The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.

AA bar with terrible lighting, cold beer, and absolutely no questions about feelings. BThe finest restaurant in the city, a bottle of something expensive, and a conversation that is equal parts brilliant and exhausting. CA local dig site, a museum after hours, or a long story about why that particular artefact matters to human civilisation. DPizza. Bad TV. Falling asleep halfway through a movie neither of you were watching anyway. EA debrief that turns into three hours of contingency planning that somehow becomes the most fun you've had all week.

NEXT QUESTION →

05

How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.

APrecise and minimal — tell me what I need to know and nothing else. Every word has a cost. BDeadpan and dry — keeping it light keeps me sharp, even when everything is on fire. CEnthusiastic and slightly chaotic — but always with useful information buried somewhere in the noise. DCalm and controlled through an earpiece, with a plan that covers every variable I haven't thought of yet. EBarely at all — silence is a language and they speak it fluently.

NEXT QUESTION →

06

Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.

AInfiltrate their inner circle, learn everything, and dismantle them from inside out before they know we're there. BStudy the historical pattern — every villain of this type has a weakness written somewhere in the past. CGet them talking. The more they monologue, the more time I have to figure out how to beat them. DGo through them. Directly. With as much force as the terrain allows. EFind the one thing they haven't accounted for — there's always one thing — and make sure we're holding it.

NEXT QUESTION →

07

Things go badly wrong and you're captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.

ACome in alone, quietly, and get me out before anyone knows they were there. BHave already been working on the extraction since the moment I disappeared — the plan is already running. CCome in loud, come in fast, and worry about the collateral damage later — I'd do the same for them. DUse every resource, every contact, and bend every rule until I'm out — they don't leave people behind. ECharm their way in somehow, bluff through the hard part, and still manage to look good doing it.

NEXT QUESTION →

08

What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn't replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn't know you had.

ATechnology that shouldn't exist yet and the training to use it under any conditions. BSurvival instinct so refined it borders on supernatural — and the scars to prove it's been tested. CKnowledge of history, language, and culture that makes them invaluable in places where force is useless. DThe ability to walk into any room in the world and immediately become the most trusted person in it. EStubbornness that refuses to accept a situation is hopeless — and the improvisational skill to back it up.

NEXT QUESTION →

09

Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.

AA partner who never fully switches off — always watching exits, always calculating threats, even at dinner. BA partner who gets the job done brilliantly but has the emotional availability of a locked filing cabinet. CA partner who makes everything ten times more complicated than it needs to be — but who always comes through. DA partner who gets personally attached to every relic, ruin, and artefact we encounter, which slows everything down. EA partner who was not built for this and knows it — but shows up anyway, every time, without being asked.

NEXT QUESTION →

10

It's the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.

AOne line. Absolutely dry. Delivered like the world isn't ending. Then we move. BNothing said at all — just a look that means we both already know what has to happen. CA plan I don't fully understand that somehow accounts for everything, delivered in thirty seconds flat. DA piece of historical context that reframes the entire situation and tells us exactly what to do next. ESomeone who steps forward instead of back — because that's who they've always been.

REVEAL MY PARTNER →

Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…

Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.

Rambo

Your partner doesn't talk much, doesn't need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you've finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You'll never need to ask if he has your back. You'll just know.

James Bond

Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it'll take you a moment to remember what's actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You'll never be bored. You'll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.

Indiana Jones

Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar's eye and a brawler's instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn't matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you'll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.

John McClane

Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren't so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.

Ethan Hunt

Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you've finished reading the briefing, and the plan he's settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn't exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

5 'The A.B.C. Murders' by Agatha Christie (1936)

Image via HarperCollins

There are quite a few adjectives and superlatives you could use to describe Agatha Christie, but fun may not always come to mind. And yet, if one novel fits the bill, it’s The A.B.C. Murders. Featuring the renowned Hercule Poirot, the story centers on a serial killer who begins targeting people across England in alphabetical order, sending advance warning letters signed "A.B.C." to Poirot. Poirot and his associates race against time to stop the alphabetical killings while dealing with public panic and a taunting adversary. With twists, turns, and red herrings, Christie breaks from her usual country-house formula for a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game and an eerie, elementary puzzle to decode.

The fun lies in the alphabet challenge that Poirot is forced to endure. Instead of a hidden family drama or inheritance dispute, the sleuth gets his warnings ahead of time, signaling where and when the next murder will happen. Poirot is joined by Captain Arthur Hastings, who brings delicious chemistry and often leads to plenty of humor as he tries to decode the investigator's mysterious, cryptic retorts. In a ticking-clock narrative, Christie keeps readers on their toes as she occasionally flips perspectives from Hastings’ classic first-person to third-person chapters focused on the bewildered prime suspect, Alexander Bonaparte Cust. The novel was first adapted in 1965 as The Alphabet Murders starring Tony Randall, and later in 2018 for a three-part miniseries starring John Malkovich and Rupert Grint.

4 'Finlay Donovan is Killing It' by Elle Cosimano (2021)

Image via Minotaur Books

In the debut of Elle Cosimano’s series, Finlay Donovan is Killing It follows the titular struggling single mother of two and a stressed author who is mistaken for a professional contract killer while at lunch with her literary agent. Facing severe financial ruin, custody threats from her ex-husband, and a looming deadline, Finlay inadvertently accepts a cash offer to eliminate a troublesome husband, only to quickly learn that real-life crime is much messier than fiction. But at least she can get book inspiration out of it! A uniquely giddy and fast-paced mystery, Finlay Donovan is Killing It blends slapstick humor, accessible single-parent chaos, and high-stakes suburban crime into a witty mystery satire.

Unlike traditional slick or stoic sleuths, the titular mystery solver’s life is a relatable mess. She’s unpolished but determined, making Finlay someone you want to root for. The novel mixes laugh-out-loud domestic comedy, cozy-mystery energy, a splash of romance, and scary mob-level danger into a juicy comedic thrill ride. The mystery unfolds smartly as Finlay takes a do-what-you-know approach, using her writing experience to lead the way. Finlay isn’t the only brightly crafted character; Vero, her quick-witted nanny, is her fearless partner-in-crime. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is a series waiting to happen.

3 'Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies' by Catherine Mack (2024)

Image via Minotaur Books

If ever there was a fun title that would hook you immediately, look no further than Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. The story follows author Eleanor Dash during her 10-day, six-city book tour across Italy. Her main goal is to figure out how to kill off Connor Smith, her infuriating ex and the inspiration for her main character, only to find real life imitating her fiction when someone actually tries to murder the real Connor. Eleanor must juggle literary rivals, intense fans, a stalker, her sister/assistant Harper, and her unexpected ex-boyfriend Oliver while trying to solve three bodies' worth of sudden murders. Known for its witty tone, sun-soaked locale, and smarmy protagonist, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies kicked off Mack’s Vacation book series.

With lighthearted banter, flirty situations, and a fun, accessible world, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies uses snarky author footnotes to break the fourth wall and set itself apart from other mystery books in the genre. The book also doubles as an escapist travel read thanks to its luscious locale. With a colorful cast of suspects, Mack keeps her readers engaged as any of the eccentric, unpredictable individuals could be the culprit. Though it does lean a bit more profanity-heavy than some typical cozy mystery reads, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a wonderful read.

2 'Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers' by Jesse Q. Sutanato (2023)

Image via Berkley Books

Written by Chinese-Indonesian author Jesse Q. Sutanto, the delightful Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers follows Vera Wong, a lonely, overbearing 60-year-old Chinese-American tea shop owner in San Francisco’s Chinatown who decides to solve a murder herself when Marshall Chen is found dead on her shop floor. Before calling the police, Vera outlines the body with a Sharpie and snatches a flash drive clutched in the dead man's hand, convinced the authorities won't do a proper job. Zeroing in on four main visitors who all happen to have complicated connections to the victim, Vera’s investigation eventually devolves into feeding the suspects home-cooked meals, giving them heavy-handed life advice, and meddling in their personal problems. A silly little story about found family that satires and celebrates classic "Asian auntie" behavior, the novel's heart is finding a vibrant second act in life and the power of connection.

Sutanto flips the traditional whodunit on its head by replacing a hardboiled detective with a sharp-tongued, big-hearted 60-year-old Chinese tea-shop owner. With a quirky heroine at the center, readers are instantly drawn into Vera’s internal monologue, packed with humorous judgments about young people, modern technology, and everyone else's failure to live up to her strict schedule and standards. The humor is deeply rooted in a classic archetype, combining biting sarcasm, constant feeding, and deep-seated emotional care. The book won an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original. If you loved the book, it is being developed for television!

1 'The Thursday Murder Club' by Richard Osman (2020)

Image via Viking Press

The cozy mystery genre was revitalized in 2020 by The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. The story centers on four elderly friends living in a luxury retirement village who gather weekly to review and debate unsolved police cold cases. Their hobby turns practical when they must team up to solve a live murder case of a local builder connected to the retirement village's development. Using their varied life experience and the fact that younger people often underestimate them, the friends launch a parallel investigation alongside local police officers DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas. A witty, twisted whodunit with heartfelt, humorous explorations of aging, grief, and friendship, The Thursday Murder Club is a simply joyous read.

The Thursday Murder Club shifts away from the era's darker crime stories to remind readers how fun and charming mysteries can be. With a lovable cast of characters, witty humor, and a cozy British setting, the novel is rooted in heart. A quartet of unlikely detectives leads the charge, giving them an underdog advantage that makes their investigation seamless. They can slip past police lines, interview suspects, and dig up clues that baffle actual detectives. The story is filled with warm human moments as Osman explores the realities of aging through themes of grief, memory loss, and physical decline while still celebrating their sharp minds, mischief, and deep companionship. A fast-paced puzzle, The Thursday Murder Club served as the perfect fun mystery to be adapted for film. The Netflix crime comedy starred Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie.

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  Elizabeth Best

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  Pierce Brosnan

  Ron Ritchie

Based on Richard Osman's bestselling novel, the story follows four septuagenarian friends living in a retirement community who enjoy solving cold cases for fun. When a property developer is found dead, they find themselves tackling their first live murder case, blending humor and mystery as they use their unique skills to unravel the crime.