8 of the Best Debut Mystery Novels Ever Written

Black Water Rising by Attica Locke

With Locke’s recent publication of Guide Me Home, the final book in her Highway 59 trilogy, now is a great time to go back to her debut if you haven’t already read it. Black Water Rising received wide praise as a debut and was nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, an Edgar Award, and an NAACP Image Award, and was shortlisted for the UK’s Orange Prize. Black Water Rising introduced readers to Locke’s character, Jay Porter, and to her cinematic and thrilling writing style.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

The original Sherlock books are certainly worth reading in and of themselves, but also because they have become the template for a universe of retellings and re-imaginings by modern writers as well as forming the basis for a variety of spin-off television shows and movies. While not technically the first published work by Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet introduced the famous detective, and his sidekick Watson, who would become the template for numerous characters to come.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Speaking of classic sleuths, if you’re a fan of mysteries, it’s crucial to dive into the works of the Queen herself: Agatha Christie. Christie’s debut, The Mysterious Affair at Styles features detective Hercule Poirot cracking his first case at a country manor in England. The book features many of the tropes that became standards of Christie’s writing and the Golden Era of mysteries such as a large cast of suspects, an isolated rural setting, and a plethora of clues for the reader to stitch together.

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In the Woods by Tana French

Since debuting with her novel In the Woods in 2007, French has become one of the best-known Irish crime writers for both her Dublin Murder Squad books and her Cal Hooper series: The Searcher, and the recently released The Hunter. French has become known for her compelling plots and characters, the sense of foreboding and atmosphere she brings to her novels, and the literary feel of her mysteries.

Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley

Set in post-World War II Los Angeles, Devil in a Blue Dress is a standout of the noir mystery genre. Easy Rawlins, who would go on to be at the center of many of Mosley’s novels, is a Black war veteran who has just been laid off from a defense plant. When he’s offered money from a stranger to locate the beautiful, missing Miss Daphne Money, Easy is set on a new and dangerous path.

Still Life by Louise Penny

Penny’s still-ongoing Armand Gamache series has become beloved by readers for its literary writing and for her creation of the town of Three Pines, a small community in the Eastern townships of Québec that holds both loving townspeople and dark secrets. In this first installment, Inspector Gamache is called to Three Pines after the murder of beloved community member and artist Jane Neal. The mystery that unfolds is dark, compelling, and will leave you excited to read more of Penny’s work.

A Drink Before the War by Dennis Lehane

Perhaps best known for the mystery-thriller Mystic River, Lehane’s debut novel reflects the same attention to character development and social issues as his later works. The first in a series featuring private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, the book is set in Boston and involves characters from the highest levels of society and politics to the violent street gangs of Dorchester.

My Darkest Prayer by S.A. Cosby

Dive into S.A. Cosby’s Southern noir writing style with his debut novel. In his small town, Nathan Waymaker, a former Marine and sheriff’s deputy has a reputation for being the man to go to to investigate a death when no one else can or will. When a local minister is found dead, his parishioners turn to Nathan to make sure the truth is found out. In his quest for justice, Nathan is drawn into a world of crime lords, corrupt cops, gangsters, and a mysterious preacher and his wife.