List of mystery writers

Mystery fiction is a genre in which the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A–C

• Megan Abbott (born 1971)
• Christine Adamo (born 1965)
• Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (pseudonyms: Carolyn Keene, Franklin W. Dixon) (1892–1982)
• Jane Adams (born 1960)
• Ginny Aiken (born 1955)
• Joan Aiken (1924–2004)
• Catherine Aird (1930–2024)
• Jirō Akagawa (born 1948)
• Susan Wittig Albert
• Bruce Alexander Cook (pseudonym: Bruce Alexander) (1932–2003)
• Goldie Alexander
• Shana Alexander (1925–2005)
• Tasha Alexander (born 1969)
• Margery Allingham (1904–1966)
• Karin Alvtegen (born 1965)
• James Anderson (1936–2007)
• Lin Anderson
• Donna Andrews
• Sarah Andrews
• Gosho Aoyama (born 1963)
• Charles Ardai (born 1969)
• Charlotte Armstrong (1905–1969)
• Robert Arthur (1909–1969)
• Taku Ashibe (born 1958)
• Isaac Asimov (1920–1992)
• Kate Atkinson (born 1951)
• Rosemary Aubert
• Bunty Avieson (born 1962)
• Yukito Ayatsuji (born 1960)
• Marian Babson (1929–2017)
• Deb Baker (born 1953)
• David Baldacci (born 1960)
• Donna Ball (born 1951)
• Blue Balliett (born 1955)
• Jo Bannister (born 1951)
• Robert Barnard (1936–2013)
• Linda Barnes (born 1949)
• Nevada Barr (born 1952)
• Lynne Barrett
• Earle Basinsky
• Bernard Bastable (pseudonym for Robert Barnard)
• Belinda Bauer (born 1962)
• William Bayer (born 1939)
• K.K. Beck (born 1950)
• Jean Bedford (born 1946)
• Josephine Bell (1897–1987)
• Robert Leslie Bellem (1902–1968)
• C.C. Benison (pseudonym for Douglas Whiteway) (born 1961)
• James R. Benn (born 1949)
• Margot Bennett (1912–1980)
• Laurien Berenson
• William Bernhardt
• Lauren Beukes (born 1976)
• Anthony Bidulka (born 1962)
• Claudia Bishop (pseudonym for Mary Stanton) (born 1947)
• Cara Black (born 1951)
• Nicholas Blake (1904–1972)
• Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944–2010)
• Clair Blank (1915–1965)
• Lawrence Block (born 1938)
• Enid Blyton (1897–1968)
• Geraldine Bonner (1870–1930)
• Gail Bowen (born 1942)
• Peter Bowen (1945–2020)
• Rhys Bowen (pseudonym for Janet Quin-Harkin) (born 1941)
• Christianna Brand (1907–1988)
• Lilian Jackson Braun (1913–2011)
• Fredric Brown (1906–1972)
• Rita Mae Brown (born 1944)
• Sandra Brown (born 1948)
• Robert Gregory Browne (born 1955)
• Leo Bruce (1903–1979)
• Edna Buchanan (born 1939)
• Marie Buchanan (1922–2010)
• Fiona Buckley (1937–2024)
• Jan Burke (born 1953)
• Gwendoline Butler (1922–2013)
• James M. Cain (1892–1977)
• Janet Caird (1913–1992)
• Karen Campbell (born 1967)
• Joanna Cannan (1898–1961)
• Dorothy Cannell (born 1943)
• Victor Canning (1911–1986)
• Patricia Carlon (1927–2002)
• John Dickson Carr (1905–1977)
• Margaret Carr (born 1935) (pseudonyms: Martin Carroll, Carole Kerr, Belle Jackson)
• Felicity Winifred Carter (1906–1995)
• John Case (pseudonym of Jim Hougan and Carolyn Hougan)
• Kathryn Casey
• Vera Caspary (1899–1987)
• Richard Castle (pseudonym for ghostwriter)
• Sarah Caudwell (1939–2000)
• Jessie Chandler (born 1968))
• Raymond Chandler (1888–1959)
• Kate Charles (born 1950)
• Marion Chesney (1936–2019)
• G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936)
• Jennifer Chiaverini (born 1969)
• Chin Shunshin (1924–2015)
• Agatha Christie (1890–1976)
• Jill Churchill (1943–2023)
• Carol Higgins Clark (1956–2023)
• Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020)
• Anna Clarke (1919–2004)
• Brian Cleeve (1921–2003)
• Ann Cleeves (born 1954)
• Jane Cleland
• Judy Clemens (born 1969)
• Barbara Cleverly
• Liza Cody (born 1944)
• Margaret Coel (born 1937)
• Kate Collins
• Max Allan Collins (born 1948)
• Michael Collins (pseudonym for Dennis Lynds) (1924–2005)
• Wilkie Collins (1824–1889)
• Susan Conant
• Michael Connelly (born 1956)
• J. J. Connington (1880–1947)
• Sheila Connolly (1950–2020)
• Patricia Cornwell (born 1956)
• Frances Cowen (pseudonym: Eleanor Hyde) (1915–1992)
• Katherine Cowley
• Cleo Coyle
• Frances Crane (1896–1981)
• Edmund Crispin (1921–1978)
• Deborah Crombie (born 1952)
• Amanda Cross (pseudonym for Carolyn Heilbrun) (1926–2003)
• Chris Culver

D–G

• Barbara D'Amato (born 1938)
• Jordan Dane (born 1953)
• Ray Daniel
• Denise Danks
• Diane Mott Davidson (born 1949)
• Carol Anne Davis (born 1961)
• Dorothy Salisbury Davis (1916–2014)
• Kyra Davis (born 1972)
• Lindsey Davis (born 1949)
• Janet Dawson (born 1949)
• Marele Day (born 1947)
• Jeffery Deaver (born 1950)
• Miriam Allen deFord (1888–1975)
• Vicki Delany (born 1951)
• Randall Denley
• August Derleth (1909–1971)
• P. T. Deutermann (born 1941)
• Eileen Dewhurst (born 1929)
• Colin Dexter (1930–2017)
• Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
• Peter Dickinson (1927–2015)
• Doris Miles Disney (1907–1976)
• Franklin W. Dixon
• Joanne Dobson (born 1942)
• David Dodge (1910–1974)
• Thea Dorn (born 1970)
• Carole Nelson Douglas (1944–2021)
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)
• June Drummond (1923–2011)
• Stella Duffy (born 1963)
• Sarah Dunant (born 1950)
• C. M. Eddy Jr. (1896–1967)
• Edogawa Ranpo (1894–1965)
• Martin Edwards (born 1955)
• Kerstin Ekman (born 1933)
• Amelia Ellis (born 1977)
• J.T. Ellison
• James Ellroy (born 1948)
• Ben Elton (born 1959)
• Kathy Lynn Emerson
• Maggie Estep (1963–2014)
• Loren D. Estleman (born 1952)
• Janet Evanovich (born 1943)
• Elizabeth Eyre (pseudonym for Jill Staynes and Margaret Storey)
• Terence Faherty (born 1954)
• Linda Fairstein (born 1947)
• Diane Fanning (born 1950)
• Jerrilyn Farmer
• Charles Finch (born 1980)
• Mary Fitt (pseudonym for Kathleen Freeman) (1897–1959)
• Joanne Fluke (born 1943)
• Gillian Flynn (born 1971)
• Rae Foley (1900–1978) (pseudonym for Elinor Denniston, who also wrote as Helen K. Maxwell and Dennis Allan)
• Elena Forbes
• Richard S. Forrest (1932–2005)
• Karin Fossum (born 1954)
• Earlene Fowler (born 1954)
• Barbara Fradkin
• Ariana Franklin (pseudonym for Diana Norman) (1933–2011)
• Miles Franklin (1879–1954)
• Antonia Fraser (born 1932)
• Anthea Fraser (born 1930)
• Margaret Frazer (pseudonym for Gail Frazer and Mary Monica Pulver Kuhfeld) (1946–2013)
• R. Austin Freeman (1862–1943)
• Celia Fremlin (1914–2009)
• A. C. Frieden (born 1966)
• Inger Frimansson (born 1944)
• Gayleen Froese (born 1972)
• Frances Fyfield (born 1948)
• Leighton Gage (1942–2013)
• Gillian Galbraith
• Menna Gallie (1920–1990)
• Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (born 1949)
• Erle Stanley Gardner (1889 –1970)
• Lisa Gardner (born 1971)
• Roberta Gellis (1927–2016)
• Anne George (1927–2001)
• Elizabeth George (born 1949)
• Tess Gerritsen (born 1953)
• Michael Gilbert (1912–2006)
• Leslie Glass
• Alan Gordon (born 1959)
• Alison Gordon (1943–2015)
• Dolores Gordon-Smith (born 1958)
• Steven Gore
• Joe Gores (1931–2011)
• Gary Goshgarian
• Nancy Grace (born 1959)
• Sue Grafton (1940–2017)
• Caroline Graham (born 1931)
• Sara Gran (born 1971)
• Ann Granger (born 1939)
• Alex Gray (born 1950)
• Anna Katharine Green (1846–1935)
• John M. Green (born 1953)
• Kerry Greenwood (1954–2025)
• Dorien Grey (died 2015)
• Martha Grimes (born 1931)
• John Grisham (born 1955)
• Beth Groundwater
• Elizabeth Gunn

H–L

• Jane Haddam (1951–2019)
• Parnell Hall (1944–2020)
• Brett Halliday (1904–1977)
• Bruce Barrymore Halpenny (1937–2015)
• Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961)
• Jane Harper (born 1980)
• Charlaine Harris (born 1951)
• Carolyn G. Hart (born 1936)
• Ellen Hart (born 1949)
• J. M. Hayes
• Sylvia Haymon (1918−1995)
• Georgette Heyer (1902–1974)
• Keigo Higashino (born 1958)
• Patricia Highsmith (1921–1995)
• Reginald Hill (1936–2012)
• Tony Hillerman (1925–2008)
• Chester Himes (1909–1984)
• Genevieve Holden (pseudonym of Genevieve Pou) (1919–2007)
• Elisabeth Sanxay Holding (1889–1955)
• Kay Hooper (born 1958)
• Ernest William Hornung (1866–1921)
• Charlotte Hughes (born 1954)
• Dorothy B. Hughes (1904–1993)
• Gwen Hunter
• Ibn-e-Safi (1928–1980)
• Greg Iles (born 1960)
• India Ink
• Michael Innes (1906–1994)
• Kotaro Isaka (born 1971)
• P. D. James (1920–2014)
• Sherri Leigh James (born 1947)
• J. A. Jance (born 1944)
• Charlotte Jay (1919–1996)
• Linda O. Johnston
• Stan Jones (born 1947)
• Stuart M. Kaminsky (1934–2009)
• Alex Kava (born 1960)
• H. R. F. Keating (1926–2011)
• Carolyn Keene
• Faye Kellerman (born 1952)
• Jonathan Kellerman (born 1949)
• Nora Kelly (born 1945)^[1]
• Harry Kemelman (1908–1996)
• David Kessler (born 1957)
• Karen Kijewski (born 1943)
• Laurie R. King (born 1952)
• Natsuo Kirino (born 1951)
• Kenzo Kitakata (born 1947)
• Kazuhiro Kiuchi (born 1960)
• Minerva Koenig (born 1960)
• Carl Kosak (pseudonym: K. C. Constantine) (1934–2023)
• William Kent Krueger (born 1950)
• Ken Kuhlken
• Michael Kurland (born 1938)
• Natsuhiko Kyogoku (born 1963)
• Lori L. Lake (born 1960)
• Virginia Lanier (1930–2003)
• Gaston Leroux (1868–1927)
• Paul Levine (born 1948)
• Will Levinrew (1881–1951)
• Paul Levinson (born 1947)
• Beverly Lewis
• Laura Lippman (born 1959)
• S. E. Lister (born 1988)
• Peter Lovesey (1936–2025)
• Dennis Lynds (1924–2005)

M–Q

• John D. MacDonald (1916–1986)
• Marianne Macdonald (1934–2019)
• Philip MacDonald (1900–1980)
• Ross Macdonald (1915–1983)
• Charlotte MacLeod (1922–2005)
• Michael Mallory (born 1955)
• Stephen Marley
• Margaret Maron (1938–2021)
• Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982)
• Edward Marston (pseudonym for Keith Miles)
• Sujata Massey (born 1964)
• Seicho Matsumoto (1909–1992)
• Peter May (born 1951)
• Ed McBain (1926–2005)
• James McClure (1939–2006)
• Sharyn McCrumb (born 1948)
• Val McDermid (born 1955)
• Gregory Mcdonald (1937–2008)
• Michael McGarrity (born 1939)
• Mary McMullen (1920–1986) (pseudonym for Mary Reilly)
• Zygmunt Miłoszewski (born 1976)
• Gladys Mitchell (1901–1983)
• Kirk Mitchell (born 1950)
• Miyuki Miyabe (born 1960)
• Christopher G. Moore (born 1952)
• John Mortimer (1923–2009)
• J. E. Preston Muddock (1843–1934)
• Marcia Muller (born 1944)
• Margaret Murphy (born 1959)
• Beverle Graves Myers (born 1951)
• Fuminori Nakamura (born 1977)
• Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (born 1933)
• Jo Nesbø (born 1960)
• Katherine Neville (born 1945)
• Etsuko Niki (1928–1986)
• Lisa de Nikolits
• Kyotaro Nishimura (1930–2022)
• Asa Nonami (born 1960)
• Rintaro Norizuki (born 1964)
• Suzanne North (born 1945)
• Joyce Carol Oates (born 1938)
• T. Lynn Ocean
• Rodica Ojog-Brașoveanu (1939–2002)
• Kido Okamoto (1872–1939)
• Baroness Orczy (1865–1947)
• Go Osaka (born 1943)
• Arimasa Osawa (born 1956)
• Otsuichi (born 1978)
• Bernadette Pajer
• Sara Paretsky (born 1947)
• Barbara Parker (1946/1947–2009)
• Robert B. Parker (1932–2010)
• Hayford Peirce (1942–2020)
• Louise Penny (born 1958)
• Anne Perry (pseudonym for Juliet Hulme) (1938–2023)
• Elizabeth Peters (pseudonym for Barbara Mertz) (1927–2013)
• Ellis Peters (pseudonym for Edith Pargeter) (1913–1995)
• Nancy Pickard (born 1945)
• Catherine Louisa Pirkis (1841–1910)
• Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)
• Barbara Corrado Pope (born 1941)
• Bill Pronzini (born 1943)
• Ellery Queen (pseudonym for Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee), also wrote as Barnaby Ross
• Patrick Quentin (pseudonym for Hugh Wheeler and Richard Wilson Webb), also wrote as Quentin Patrick and Jonathan Stagge
• Qiu Xiaolong (born 1953)

R–Z

• Ian Rankin (born 1960)
• Ellen Raskin (1928–1984)
• Satyajit Ray (1921–1992)
• Jean M. Redmann (born 1955)
• Arthur J. Rees (1872–1942)
• Ruth Rendell (1930–2015)
• Craig Rice (pseudonym for Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig) (1908–1957)
• Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876–1958)
• J. D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts) (born 1950)
• Lynda S. Robinson (born 1951)
• Peter Robinson (1950–2022)
• James Rollins (born 1961)
• Audrey Roos (1912–1982) (pseudonym Kelley Roos; co-author with husband William Roos)
• William Roos (1911–1987) (pseudonyms William Rand and Kelley Roos; the latter in collaboration with his wife Audrey Roos)
• Barnaby Ross (pseudonym for Ellery Queen)
• Kate Ross (1956–1998)
• S. J. Rozan (born 1950)
• Garry Ryan
• Ryukishi07 (born 1974)
• Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957)
• Mark Schweizer (1956–2019)
• Sandra Scoppettone
• Will Scott (1893−1964)
• Lisa Scottoline (1956–2019)
• Lisa See
• Soji Shimada (born 1948)
• Celestine Sibley (1917–1999)
• Georges Simenon (1903–1989)
• Elizabeth Sims (born 1957)
• Marilyn Singer (born 1948)
• Karin Slaughter (born 1971)
• Julie Smith (born 1944)
• Lemony Snicket (born 1970)
• Donald J. Sobol (1924–2012)
• Maris Soule (born 1939)
• Ross H. Spencer (1921–1998)
• Julia Spencer-Fleming (born 1961)
• Mickey Spillane (1918–2006)
• Dana Stabenow (born 1952)
• Manning Lee Stokes (1911–1976)
• Rex Stout (1886–1975) the Nero Wolfe series
• John Straley (born 1953)
• Edward Stratemeyer (pseudonyms include Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon) (1862–1930)
• Sarah Strohmeyer
• George Szanto (born 1940)
• Mitzi Szereto
• Akimitsu Takagi (1920–1995)
• Katsuhiko Takahashi (born 1947)
• Tetsuo Takashima (born 1949)
• Bernard J. Taylor
• Josephine Tey (1896–1952)
• Jim Thompson (1906–1977)
• Masako Togawa (1931–2016)
• Camilla Trinchieri (1942)
• James Twining (born 1972)
• Arthur Upfield (1890–1964)
• Andrew Vachss (1942–2021)
• Jack Vance (1916–2013)
• Janwillem van de Wetering (1931–2008)
• Robert van Gulik (1910–1967)
• Elaine Viets
• Mark Haddon
• Minette Walters (born 1949)
• Ronald J Watkins (born 1945)
• Hillary Waugh (1920–2008)
• Martha G. Webb (1943–2021)
• Charlie Wells (1923–2004)
• Patricia Wentworth (1878–1961)
• Frank Atha Westbury (1838–1901)^[2]
• Jeri Westerson (born 1960)
• Donald Westlake (pseudonyms include Richard Stark) (1933–2008)
• Collin Wilcox (1924–1996)
• Margaret Wetherby Williams (pseudonym: Margaret Erskine) (1901–1984)
• Anne Wingate (pseudonyms include Lee Martin) (1943–2021)
• Leslie Wolfe (born 1967)
• L. R. Wright (1939–2001)
• Willard Huntington Wright (pseudonym: S. S. Van Dine) (1888–1939)
• Yi Kŭmch'ŏl
• Seishi Yokomizo (1902–1981)
• Hideo Yokoyama (born 1957)
• Margaret Yorke (1924–2012)
• Shuichi Yoshida (born 1968)
• Kyusaku Yumeno (1889–1936)

See also

• Mystery fiction
• List of female mystery writers
• List of crime writers
• List of thriller writers
• Lists of writers