Historical Mysteries are a subgenre of both historical fiction and mystery novels. If you love books set in a different time period and you enjoy a satisfying whodunit, then perhaps these titles might interest you!
This is a list of the Best Historical Mystery Books , set in various time periods throughout history and all featuring engrossing and thrilling mysteries at the center of the plot. For books that are part of a series, I’ve included the first book of the series on the list.
There are so many great books that fit into this category that it was really tough to narrow it down, but here’s what I came up with. Do you have a suggestion for this list? Drop a comment below!
For more heart-pounding mysteries and enchanting historical fiction, see the lists of Best Historical Fiction Novels for 2022 or the Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time .
The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1) Carlos Ruiz Zafón
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 1, 2005
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Alienist (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, #1) Caleb Carr
What It's About:
Publication Date: November 21, 2017
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Historian Elizabeth Kostova
What It's About:
Publication Date: June 14, 2005
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Thirteenth Tale Diane Setterfield
What It's About:
Publication Date: September 12, 2006
out of 5 on Goodreads
Death Comes as the End Agatha Christie
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 27, 2010
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Name of the Rose Umberto Eco
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 17, 1994
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #1) Laurie R. King
What It's About:
Publication Date: April 1, 2010
out of 5 on Goodreads
Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs #1) Jacqueline Winspear
What It's About:
Publication Date: May 25, 2004
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) Alan Bradley
What It's About:
Publication Date: January 19, 2010
out of 5 on Goodreads
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Patrick Suskind
What It's About:
Publication Date: February 17, 1989
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Lost Apothecary Sarah Penner
What It's About:
Publication Date: March 2, 2021
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Forgotten Garden Kate Morton
What It's About:
Publication Date: June 6, 2008
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Secret Keeper Kate Morton
What It's About:
Publication Date: October 16, 2012
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Club Dumas Arturo Perez-Reverte
What It's About:
Publication Date: May 1, 2006
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Hangman's Daughter Oliver Pötzsch
What It's About:
Publication Date: August 2, 2011
out of 5 on Goodreads
Her Royal Spyness (Royal Spyness #1) Rhys Bowen
What It's About:
Publication Date: July 3, 2007
out of 5 on Goodreads
Fingersmith Sarah Waters
What It's About:
Publication Date: October 1, 2002
out of 5 on Goodreads
Our Woman in Moscow Beatriz Williams
What It's About:
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Shape of Darkness Laura Purcell
What It's About:
Publication Date: January 21, 2021
out of 5 on Goodreads
A Master of Djinn P. Djèlí Clark
What It's About:
Publication Date: May 11, 2021
out of 5 on Goodreads
A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1) Deanna Raybourn
What It's About:
Publication Date: July 12, 2016
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Widows of Malabar Hill (Perveen Mistry #1) Sujata Massey
What It's About:
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane Katherine Howe
What It's About:
Publication Date: June 9, 2009
out of 5 on Goodreads
My Name Is Red Orhan Pamuk
What It's About:
Publication Date: December 5, 2006
out of 5 on Goodreads
Child 44 (Leo Demidov #1) Tom Rob Smith
What It's About:
Publication Date: April 1, 2009
out of 5 on Goodreads
The Lost Apothecary is one of my favorites! Great picks.