Reading is a pure pleasure. Few sensations rival the moment you can’t stop until the last page is turned. Of course, this magic isn’t in everyone’s hands to achieve. It’s a gift reserved for true writers, a quality tough to learn. Yet there is a group where this effect comes more easily: those who commit to crafting a great detective novel.
Detective, mystery, and murder stories stay on trend. There isn’t a week that passes without a title near the top of bestseller lists. The reason is simple: they appeal to a broad audience, and they rarely become heavy, even when they run for hundreds of pages.
Choosing ten essentials makes for a perfect gift or a standout self-presentation for Book Day.
Red Queen series
Three books aren’t enough to tire readers of Antonia Scott and Jon Gutiérrez, created by a master of prose, Juan Gomez-Jurado. Red Queen, Black Wolf, and White King invite readers into an endless loop of “one more chapter.”
Give, It Will Be Given to You
A signature work by Donna Leon is a guarantee of success. In Give and It Will Be Given to You, the familiar equation holds steady. The curator Brunetti returns to a scene that marks one of the genre’s crown achievements: Venice, where the famous acqua alta occurs. Loyalty mingles with mystery across 336 brisk pages. Even at 80, ideas remain inexhaustible.
Epic Inspector Camino Vargas
Progeny, Species, and Planet chart a sensory journey led by Inspector Camino Vargas. Seville threads through these tales as a guiding motif. Susana Martín Gijón, a devoted genre fan since childhood, draws inspiration from family influences and has contributed to the TV adaptation La novia gitana, based on Carmen Mola’s novel.
The night belongs to us
Among the jewels of Latin American literature, Our Part of the Night reveals its full potential, earning recognition at the 2019 Herralde Novel Award. Mariana Enriquez builds a meditation on family, spirituality, death, and power across a compelling narrative.
Baztán Trilogy
Dolores Redondo stands as a cornerstone of contemporary Spanish letters thanks to the Baztán Trilogy. The series, featuring Amaya Salazar, earned major accolades and inspired film adaptations, delivering a dark and atmospheric aesthetic that resonates with readers worldwide.
The riddle of Room 622
Joël Dicker remains one of the most internationally visible young writers. While some readers note recurring plot threads, his books consistently become bestsellers. After The Truth About the Harry Quebert Case, Dicker’s Room 622 mystery offers another captivating encounter with his signature storytelling.
Inspector Harry Hole series
Directly linked to Northern Europe’s moody landscapes, Scandinavian noir thrives in these pages. Jo Nesbø’s long-running Harry Hole saga, along with other standalone works, has become a global hit and continues to attract new readers.
The day you lost your sanity
This title sparked a reading phenomenon among young Spaniards, amplified by social media. Javier Castillo’s 2017 debut resonated deeply, and since then, several more titles have followed, with many adapted for the screen.
The Gypsy Bride epic
A collaboration by Carmen breaks and Jorge Díaz, Agustín Martínez, and Antonio Mercero produced a vibrant renaissance for intrigue. The Gypsy Bride grew into a larger saga, adapted for television with three sequels that expand the original story: The Purple Net, La Nena, and Las Madres.
Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins’ worldwide sensation remains a benchmark in the genre. Even years after its release, the novel still appears on bestseller lists. Hawkins has published additional works, including Written in Water, Slow Fire, and Blind Spot, continuing to captivate readers around the globe.