Historical Mystery

The historical mystery or historical whodunit is a subgenre of two literary genres, historical fiction and mystery fiction. These works are set in a time period considered historical from the author's perspective, and the central plot involves the solving of a mystery or crime (usually murder). Though works combining these genres have existed since at least the early 1900s, many credit Ellis Peters's Cadfael Chronicles (1977-1994) for popularizing what would become known as the historical mystery. ...more

The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives
Daughter of Egypt
The Dreadfuls
A Ghastly Catastrophe (Veronica Speedwell, #10)
Ruby Falls
The Star from Calcutta (Perveen Mistry, #5)
A Love Most Daring (Bow Street #3)
Heiress of Nowhere
The Harvey Girl
Who Killed The Earl of Moran? (Casebook of Barnaby Adair #13)
Never Spar with a Viscount (Secret Society of Governess Spies, #3)
The Fourth Princess
The Heir of Whitestone
Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin (Enola Holmes #10)
The Killing Time (Ali Dawson, #2)
The Last Secret of Lily Adams
The Murder at World's End (Stockingham & Pike, #1)
When the Wolves Are Silent (Sebastian St. Cyr, #21)
The Sicilian Inheritance
Last Twilight in Paris
A Ghastly Catastrophe (Veronica Speedwell, #10)
Land of Dreams
Homecoming
The Heir of Whitestone
Precipice
The Predicament
Grimm Curiosities
A Novel Disguise (A Lady Librarian Mystery #1)
The Missing Pages
The Star from Calcutta (Perveen Mistry, #5)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. RowlingThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. LewisOutlander by Diana GabaldonA Game of Thrones by George R.R. MartinMurder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
Best Series With At Least 7 Books
676 books — 387 voters
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha ChristieThe Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan DoyleAnd Then There Were None by Agatha ChristieIn the Lonely Hours by Shannon  MorganThe Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
Stately Home mysteries
216 books — 108 voters

The Name of the Rose by Umberto EcoThe Alienist by Caleb CarrThe Historian by Elizabeth KostovaThe Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz ZafónMistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Best Historical Mystery
2,241 books — 4,732 voters
Silent in the Grave by Deanna RaybournCocaine Blues by Kerry GreenwoodCrocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth PetersMaster of the Wilderness by Gene ClineHer Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
Sleuths in Silks
252 books — 87 voters

What Angels Fear (Sebastian St. Cyr, #1)
A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell, #1)
Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Grey, #1)
Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody, #1)
Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs, #1)
The Anatomist's Wife (Lady Darby Mystery, #1)
And Only to Deceive (Lady Emily, #1)
A Study in Scarlet Women (Lady Sherlock, #1)
Silent in the Sanctuary (Lady Julia Grey, #2)
Mistress of the Art of Death (Mistress of the Art of Death, #1)
Murder on Astor Place (Gaslight Mystery, #1)
Her Royal Spyness (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries, #1)
The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #1)
Murder on Black Swan Lane (Wrexford & Sloane, #1)
When Gods Die (Sebastian St. Cyr, #2)

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Do you mean to dissuade me? Point out the flaws in my plan? Express your objections with vehemence and eloquence?" He tipped his head. "Actually, no." "Are you entirely well? Have you a fever? Should I palpate something? ...more
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On this particular day, the family had planned to take a walk along Lord Street, which was the main shopping boulevard in the centre of town. Della loved the buzz of the town centre and watched in awe as the horse-drawn carriages flew by with men hanging off all sides. The smell of sweet pastries and freshly baked bread from the boulangerie mixed with the stench of oil, hot dirt and horses from the street, and Della was intoxicated. She tilted her chin up towards the sun and felt its warm kisses ...more
Ida O'Flynn, The Distressing Case of a Young Married Woman

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History & Mystery A group to discuss, recommend, and explore the sub-genre of historical mysteries.
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Tags contributing to this page include: historical-mystery and mystery-historical