The 44 Greatest Crime and Mystery Series
This selection of works is based on the continuing research carried out for The Greatest Literature of All Time list and further research into crime and mystery series acclaimed by the world's readers, writers, critics and scholars.
For this list a series is defined as having at least three novels, novellas or story collections by the same author with shared characters, themes or storyline.
The list is continually updated as new works are discovered and appreciation of older works evolves. Please note the current revision date when citing the list.
Latest update: March 13, 2025
1887–1926
Sherlock Holmes
Novel and story series includes novels
A Study in Scarlet,
The Sign of the Four,
The Hound of the Baskervilles, and
The Valley of Fear, and story collections
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, and others.
When we're talking about Arthur Conan Doyle's contribution to detective literature, we really mean the entire oeuvre of fifty-six Sherlock Holmes stories, plus four Holmes novels. But if you're looking for a.... Critique • Quotes • Text • At the movies • Buy
1898–1909
A.J. Raffles stories
E.W. Hornung, England
Novel and story collection
1905–1932
Arsène Lupin series
Maurice Leblanc, France
Novel and story series
1910–1936
Father Brown stories
Story series includes story collections
The Innocence of Father Brown,
The Wisdom of Father Brown,
The Incredulity of Father Brown, and others.
The Innocence of Father Brown is the first of five collections of mystery stories featuring G.K. Chesterton's canny priest. It's probably the best collection and it introduces the holy detective—as well as his sometime.... Critique • Quotes • Text • At the movies • Buy
1920-–1975
Hercule Poirot mysteries
Novel and story series includes
The Mysterious Affair at Styles,
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,
Murder on the Orient Express,
Death on the Nile, and others.
A lot of mystery novels don't stand up to repeated readings. Makes sense. Once you know the ending—once the mystery has been solved—the tension in the slow buildup to the conclusion is dissipated. Plot holes and thin.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1923–1930
The Continental Op
Novel and story series
1923–1939
Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries
Dorothy L. Sayers, England
Novel series
1926–1939
Philo Vance series
S.S. Van Dine, United States
Novel series
1927-–1976
Miss Marple mysteries
Novel and story series
1929–1968
Campion series
Margery Allingham, England
Novel series
1931–1972
Inspector Maigret series
Georges Simenon, Belgium
Novel and story series
1933–1973
Perry Mason mysteries
Erle Stanley Gardner, United States
Novel series includes The Case of the Velvet Claws, The Case of the Sulky Girl, The Case of the Lucky Legs, The Case of the Howling Dog, and others.
1934–1975
Nero Wolfe series
Rex Stout, United States
Novel series
1934–1982
Roderick Alleyn mysteries
Ngaio Marsh, New Zealand
Novel series
1939–1958
Philip Marlowe series
Novel series includes
The Big Sleep;
Farewell, My Lovely;
The Lady in the Lake;
The Long Goodbye; and others.
My comments upon first reading Raymond Chandler's famous detective novel, The Big Sleep, were all about how sparse and direct his prose was. Just the facts. Plain, chiselled sentences à la Hemingway and Hammett.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1947–1996
Mike Hammer
Mickey Spillane, United States
Novel series
1949–1976
Lew Archer series
Novel series includes
The Moving Target,
The Drowning Pool,
The Ivory Grin,
The Galton Case,
The Blue Hammer, and others.
It starts as a simple case for a rich old family, as many fictional P.I. cases seem to. Rich old Mrs. Galton wants to find out what happened to her son, whom she has not seen in twenty years—not since he disappeared with.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
1955–1991
The Ripliad
Patricia Highsmith, United States
Novel series
1962–2008
Adam Dalgliesh mysteries
P.D. James, England
Novel series
1964–2013
Inspector Wexford series
Ruth Rendell, England
Novel series
1965–1975
Martin Beck series
Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö, Sweden
Novel series
1970–2006
Navajo Nation series
Tony Hillerman, United States
Novel series
1970–2009
Dalziel and Pascoe series
Reginald Hill, England
Novel series
1973–2011
Spenser series
Robert B. Parker, United States
Novel series
1975–1999
Inspector Morse series
Colin Dexter, England
Novel and story series
1977–1994
Cadfael Chronicles
Ellis Peters, England
Novel series
1980–2018
Benny Cooperman mysteries
Howard Engel, Canada
Novel series
1982–2017
Alphabet Mystery series
Sue Grafton, United States
Novel series
1987–1992
L.A. Quartet
James Ellroy, United States
Novel series
1987–2004
Chief Inspector Barnaby series
Caroline Graham, England
Novel series
1987–2024
Dave Robicheaux series
James Lee Burke, United States
Novel series includes The Neon Rain, Heaven's Prisoners, Black Cherry Blues, Sunset Limited, The Tin Roof Blowdown and others.
1988–2015
Inspector Lynley mysteries
Elizabeth George, United States
Novel series
1990–2024
Easy Rawlins mysteries
Walter Mosley, United States
Novel series
1991–2009
Kurt Wallander series
Henning Mankell, Sweden
Novel series includes Faceless Killers, The White Lioness, The Man Who Smiled, The Fifth Woman, and others.
1992–2024
Commissario Guido Brunetti series
Donna Leon, United States
Novel series
1993–2024
Alex Cross Mysteries
James Patterson, United States
Novel series
1997–2023
Detective Harry Hole series
Jo Nesbø, Norway
Novel series
1998–2022
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
Alexander McCall Smith, Scotland
Novel series
1998–2023
The Erast Fandorin series
Boris Akunin, Russia
Novel series
2001999–20245
Vera Stanhope series
Ann Cleeves, England
Novel series
2005–2007
The Millennium Trilogy
by Stieg Larsson, Sweden
Novel series includes
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,
The Girl Who Played with Fire, and
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
Nordic noir had been around before the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels made it a worldwide fad. For at least a decade earlier, Scandinavian crime writers, like Henning Mankell, had been winning.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
2005–2022
Inspector Gamache series
Louise Penny, Canada
Novel series
2007–2016
Dublin Murder Squad series
Tana French, Ireland
Novel series includes In the Woods, The Likeness, Faithful Place, The Trespasser, and others.
2007–2021
Department Q
Jussi Adler-Olsen, Denmark
Novel series
