Katie Moench is a librarian, runner, and lover of baked goods. A school librarian in the Upper Midwest, Katie lives with her husband and dog and spends her free time drinking coffee, trying new recipes, and adding to her TBR.
If you’ve ever picked up a murder mystery with a stately home, a logically minded detective prone to speaking clues out loud, and/or a cozy English village as the setting, you might be reading a classic mystery novel. Popularized during the “Golden Age of Detective Fiction” in the 1920s and ’30s, books from authors such as Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey, and Dorothy Sayers came to typify a type of mystery novel that relied on logic, eschewed supernatural explanations, and encouraged the reader to unravel the mystery and try to solve it along with the book’s main characters.
The hallmarks of classic mysteries show up again and again, from books published in the early twentieth century to the Japanese new traditionalist authors and television shows like Murder, She Wrote and Midsomar Murders. The characters from these books — Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and others — have become archetypes of the genre, and the manor homes and village lanes these stories are set in have become standards of a certain type of mystery subgenre.
For fans of these classic novels, it never gets old working alongside their favorite detective to unravel the latest crime, whether it takes place on the Nile or in a cottage. If you, or someone you love, loves a classic mystery novel, these gifts will be the perfect accompaniment to their next read.
Image from BookNookies on EtsyCan’t you just picture a detective working to crack a case in this cozy book nook? $70
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Image from on Lilja Hazard EtsySave your place in your latest mystery read with this detailed and charming Miss Marple bookmark. $10
Image from The Tea Book on EtsySip on this soothing — and bloody red — Agatha ChrisTea while you solve a classic, locked room mystery. $8
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Image from Society of Cozy Sleuths on EtsyThis creative mug, available in multiple colors, pays tribute to Golden Age mysteries and detectives. $21
Image from Annie B By the Sea on EtsyThis collection of Royal Mail stamps issued to commemorate Agatha Christie’s most famous novels would be a beautiful gift for fans of her work. $74
Image from Classic Book Fans on EtsyWalk the streets of London with Poirot and Hastings as they discuss their latest case via this scented candle. $24
Image from It’s Geektastic on EtsyClassic mystery lovers will be charmed by this bracelet featuring items that reference Nancy Drew books. $32
Image from Freaking Lit Candle Co. on EtsyCan you solve the mystery of which famous detective each of the candles in this set represents? $34
Image from Society of Cozy Sleuths on EtsySend your classic mystery novel-loving friend this box that features a surprise mystery novel and bookish goodies with a vintage feel. $20+
Looking for more gifts for the mystery readers in your life? Check out these selections, and be sure to explore our mystery articles archive for plenty of great book recommendations!
English (US) · 