The 100 best moderately difficult mystery and crime novels

No. 11 on this list. The Big Sleep · Raymond Chandler · 1939

Widely taught in American literature courses as the defining hard-boiled detective novel. Appears on most lists of essential crime fiction and is a fixture in twentieth-century American literature curricula, though primarily within genre studies.

No. 12 on this list. The Maltese Falcon · Dashiell Hammett · 1930

Listed on the Modern Library 100 Best Novels (1998) and appears on 544 university syllabi according to Open Syllabus — placing it at the 68th percentile among taught books. With Wikipedia articles in 7 languages, The Maltese Falcon occupies a firm but not commanding canonical position: foundational to crime fiction and American literature courses, less universally required than Fitzgerald or Hemingway.

No. 13 on this list. The Executioner's Song · Norman Mailer · 1980

The book won the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and is regularly taught in creative nonfiction and American literature courses. It's considered a landmark in the 'nonfiction novel' genre that Capote pioneered with In Cold Blood. The work appears on major reading lists as an essential text for understanding both 1970s America and the possibilities of documentary literature.

No. 14 on this list. Watchmen #1: At Midnight, All The Agents… · Alan Moore · 1986

The series is a staple of comics courses and is widely taught as the landmark graphic novel, though this single issue is taught less on its own.

No. 15 on this list. The Day of the Owl · Leonardo Sciascia · 1961

The standard first text on the Mafia in literature, taught in Italian and comparative crime-fiction courses, and continuously in print in NYRB Classics and Granta editions.

No. 16 on this list. The Known World · Edward P. Jones · 2004

Pulitzer Prize winner (2004), widely taught in African American literature and American history courses. Growing presence in contemporary fiction syllabi but not yet at universal canonical status like 'Beloved.' Recognized as essential within specific academic contexts.

No. 17 on this list. To Have and Have Not · Ernest Hemingway · 1937

A recognized Hemingway novel taught in American literature courses and appearing regularly on university syllabi for modernist and American fiction studies. While not as widely assigned as The Sun Also Rises or A Farewell to Arms, it holds a secure place in the Hemingway canon and on curated reading lists of 20th-century American fiction.

No. 18 on this list. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd · Agatha Christie · 1926

Taught in schools: AQA GCSE and A-level English Literature (UK)

Listed in Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century and taught on 258 university syllabi (60th percentile), with Wikipedia articles in 44 languages. It is the standard text for the Golden Age detective novel in genre and narrative-theory courses.

No. 19 on this list. Farewell, My Lovely · Raymond Chandler · 1940

Farewell, My Lovely is taught regularly in American literature and genre fiction courses, and the Philip Marlowe series is considered canonical within hard-boiled detective fiction. While not as ubiquitously assigned as Fitzgerald or Hemingway, Chandler's work appears in both popular fiction studies and serious literary curricula, and the novel appears on numerous 'greatest novels' and 'greatest crime novels' lists including the Modern Library and Time magazine rankings.

No. 20 on this list. The Woman in White · Wilkie Collins · 1859

Taught regularly in Victorian literature and detective/crime fiction courses at university level. The Woman in White is consistently recognized as the founding text of the sensation novel genre and appears on syllabi across English, comparative literature, and genre studies programs. Not at the level of Dickens or Hardy in breadth of assignment, but firmly in the Victorian canon.

No. 21 on this list. Intruder in the Dust · William Faulkner · 1948

Intruder in the Dust appears on university syllabi in Southern literature, American modernism, and literature-and-race courses, though it occupies a middle tier within Faulkner's own canon. The Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom! draw greater teaching attention; this novel is frequently assigned in Faulkner surveys and American racial-justice literature courses.

No. 22 on this list. The Luminaries · Eleanor Catton · 2013

The Luminaries is a 2013 Booker Prize winner with 9 Wikipedia language editions and documented critical reception and adaptation sections. It is widely reviewed and taught in contemporary fiction courses, particularly in New Zealand and postcolonial literary contexts. However, its canonical standing remains early-stage: scholar citation counts are negligible, syllabus presence is limited compared to mid-20th-century Booker winners, and it has not yet accumulated the critical apparatus of fully canonical works. The Booker win places it above most contemporary literary fiction but its 2013 publication date means academic canonization is ongoing.

No. 23 on this list. Possession · A.S. Byatt · 1990

Taught regularly in postmodern fiction courses and neo-Victorian literature seminars. Appears on university syllabi exploring metafiction, historical fiction, and gender in Victorian studies. Not yet a universal high school text like canonical classics, but firmly established in undergraduate and graduate curricula as exemplar of 1990s literary fiction engaging with literary history.

No. 24 on this list. The Round House · Louise Erdrich · 2012

In the lush and unforgiving landscape of a North Dakota reservation, a traumatic event shatters the life of a young boy and his family. The Round House, a piercing novel by Louise Erdrich, tells the story of a violent attack on a mother that shatters the fragile balance of her family, leaving her son to navigate the complexities of justice, identity, and belonging. Through lyrical prose, Erdrich weaves a narrative that explores the intersections of family, community, and the law. As the story unfolds, themes of trauma, loyalty, and the struggles of growing up on a reservation emerge, raising questions about the power of tradition and the reach of justice. Erdrich's writing is evocative and nuanced, conjuring the harsh beauty of the reservation and the deep-seated emotions of her characters. This book is ideal for readers who appreciate literary fiction that tackles tough subjects with sensitivity and depth. Be prepared for a gripping narrative that balances intensity with moments of tenderness and humor. With its well-crafted characters and thought-provoking themes, The Round House is a compelling read that will resonate with fans of character-driven fiction. Winner of the 2012 National Book Award, The Round House is a testament to Erdrich's skill as a storyteller and her ability to craft narratives that are both deeply personal and universally relatable.

No. 25 on this list. Memento Mori · Muriel Spark · 1959

Memento Mori appears regularly on British literature syllabi and features on multiple 'best British novels of the 20th century' lists, including various critics' and publishers' canons. It is not universally taught at the introductory level — The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie holds that role for Spark — but it circulates steadily in graduate seminars on postwar British fiction and dark comedy traditions. The database returned no syllabus count, but Spark's broader canonical standing ensures the novel's ongoing presence.

No. 26 on this list. The Caves of Steel · Isaac Asimov · 1954

The Caves of Steel appears on university syllabi in science fiction literature courses and sits on nearly every canonical SF reading list, including the Science Fiction Encyclopedia's foundational texts. It lacks the cross-disciplinary syllabus presence of mainstream literary fiction but holds a secure place in the SF canon that has been stable for decades.

No. 27 on this list. A Wild Sheep Chase · Haruki Murakami · 1982

A standard entry text for Murakami in contemporary world-literature courses, permanently in print in Vintage International and translated into more than forty languages.

No. 28 on this list. Red Harvest · Dashiell Hammett · 1929

Listed on TIME's All-TIME 100 Novels and the Open Syllabus Top 500 for Literature, and published in prestigious Library of America and Everyman's Library editions. Wikipedia coverage in 9 languages indicates moderate global recognition. Canonical within hard-boiled and noir fiction but not widely taught outside genre studies courses.

No. 29 on this list. When We Were Orphans · Kazuo Ishiguro · 2000

'You seldom read a novel that so convinces you it is extending the possibilities of fiction.' Sunday TimesEngland, 1930s. Christopher Banks has become the country's most celebrated detective, his cases the talk of London society. Yet one unsolved crime has always haunted him: the mysterious disappearance of his parents, in old Shanghai, when he was a small boy. Moving between London and Shanghai of the inter-war years, When We Were Orphans is a remarkable story of memory, intrigue and the need to return.

No. 30 on this list. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler · E.L. Konigsburg · 1967

A fixture in American elementary and middle school curricula since its 1967 publication, taught for over five decades in classrooms across the country. The book appears on numerous recommended reading lists and has sold millions of copies, though it sits within children's literature rather than the adult literary canon taught at university level. Its institutional presence in K-8 education is substantial and sustained.