Best Mystery Audiobooks

The 15 Best Mystery Books To Keep You Guessing

For fans of everything from Sherlock Holmes classics to modern true crime, we've compiled a list of the 14 best mystery series audiobooks that will keep you guessing. Get lost in a puzzling detective series and let your imagination run wild as you listen to each startling twist and piece together the clues. Here is our list of the most chilling and thrilling mystery audiobook series.
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  • The Sisters cover art

    • The Sisters

    • By: Dervla McTiernan
    • Narrated by: Aoife McMahon
    • Series: The Cormac Reilly Series, Book 0.5
    • Length: 3 hrs and 8 mins
    • Release date: 05-09-2019
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,633 ratings
    • With five instalments—three primary novels and two prequels—to date, The Cormac Reilly Series follows Detective Cormac Reilly as he navigates his eventful professional and personal life. Lawyer-turned-author Dervla McTiernan grips the listener with her expertly written and convincingly real tales of betrayal and murder from the very first line. Set in Galway, Ireland, the series starts with The Ruin, a top 10 bestseller and the Amazon Best Book of 2018. The story details the unexpected reopening of an unsettling cold case. Uncovering a crime that spans two generations of the same family, McTiernan shocks and stuns listeners with the astonishing secrets that have laid dormant for the past 20 years. Narrator Aoife McMahon lends her natural Irish accent, precision pacing, and talent for building tension to not just the debut audiobook but the entire series. From the case of two related bodies found two decades apart to a controversial investigation into a suspicious hit-and-run outside a university to police corruption, The Cormac Reilly Series is a fantastic crime series without a single dull moment. A must-listen for anyone who enjoys gritty and realistic crime thrillers, this series will not disappoint.

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  • Good Girl, Bad Girl cover art

    • Good Girl, Bad Girl

    • By: Michael Robotham
    • Narrated by: Joe Jameson
    • Series: Cyrus Haven, Book 1
    • Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
    • Release date: 23-07-2019
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,660 ratings
    • From acclaimed Australian writer Michael Robotham, the two-part Cyrus Haven series is a haunting saga and masterful psychological thriller. It follows forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven in his efforts to free a troubled young girl from the traumatic secrets of her past—and the dangerous results. After Evie Cormac was discovered alone in a secret room in the aftermath of a gruesome crime, numerous people attempted to get answers. What was her past, and who was she hiding from? However, nobody could figure it out, as they all ended up dead. Undaunted, Cyrus Haven decides to try and find the truth about Evie’s history, despite her warnings that it may not be a good idea. What Cyrus eventually uncovers is darker than anything he could have ever imagined…Winner of the prestigious Gold Dagger Award from the Crime Writers’ Association, Robotham is highly acclaimed by critics and widely popular with crime fiction fans. It is no wonder that his works have been translated into 25 different languages and published in more than 50 countries. With the story continuing to haunt you long after you have finished listening, the Cyrus Haven series is worthy of its position on the Best Mystery Series list. Robotham’s complex and intriguing characters come more and more to life in each successive audiobook, supported by the skilful narration of experienced theatre and voice actor Joe Jameson.

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  • Their Lost Daughters cover art

    • Their Lost Daughters

    • A Jackman and Evans Thriller
    • By: Joy Ellis
    • Narrated by: Richard Armitage
    • Series: Jackman & Evans (Recommended Listening Order), Book 1, Jackman & Evans (Published Order), Book 2
    • Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
    • Release date: 14-06-2018
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 6,006 ratings
    • Audible’s 2018 Breakthrough Crime Writer of the Year, Joy Ellis is a much-loved British author of crime fiction. Her seven-volume Jackman & Evans series follows DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans as they investigate shocking crimes that stun the local community of the Lincolnshire Fens. Jackman was educated at Cambridge and brings his keen intellect to unravelling the patterns and understanding the motives of killers, while Evans tends to put more weight in emotions and trust her instincts about people. Together, they make the perfect detective team. Listeners will quickly become invested in these two characters while following their different but complementary approaches to solving confounding cases and vicious murders. These horrifying crimes take place in a seemingly ordinary and quiet coastal community. As Jackman and Evans sort through clues and track down suspects, Ellis will keep listeners guessing and gasping at the numerous twists and turns, as well as constantly looking over their own shoulder, as if they are experiencing the tension and terror firsthand. Noted film, theatre, and television actor Richard Armitage lends his brilliant and powerful baritone to narrating all the audiobooks in this Audible exclusive series. Dynamic, harrowing, and deeply suspenseful, Jackman & Evans is a must-listen for any mystery lover. Listeners who become fans of this enthralling crime series might also enjoy Ellis’s Nikki Galena detective series, which takes place in the same setting: the muddy Fenlands.

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  • Poirot's Early Cases cover art

    • Poirot's Early Cases

    • By: Agatha Christie
    • Narrated by: Hugh Fraser, David Suchet
    • Series: Hercule Poirot Mysteries
    • Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
    • Release date: 11-07-2007
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 186 ratings
    • Agatha Christie is universally acclaimed as one of the best crime authors in history, to the point where one of her favourite series characters, Hercule Poirot, has become a household name across the world. With her beloved Poirot tales being transformed into spellbinding and captivating audiobooks, listeners are transported to the very heart of Christie’s brilliantly written mysteries.Taking the listener along on the investigations of this moustached Belgian detective, the diversity and brilliance of the Poirot universe has more than withstood the test of time. From the puzzling sequence of the ABC murders to the scandalous and gruesome killing aboard a now-infamous train, the Orient Express, listeners will be gripped by Poirot’s cases and escapades from the moment they press play. A true timeless classic, Poirot and his sleuthing adventures deserve a place on our Best Mystery Series list. In these audiobooks, a variety of narrators, including Hugh Fraser and Richard Armitage, bring Poirot to life in all his eccentric charm and deductive brilliance. With each mystery more puzzling than the last, the Poirot series has something for everyone, from seasoned mystery aficionados to listeners just discovering the world of crime fiction. With the title character’s fantastic skills of deduction, and the constant feeling that suspects can be anyone and anywhere, Christie’s fantastical mysteries will have the listener guessing then second guessing until the very end.

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  • The Dry cover art

    • The Dry

    • By: Jane Harper
    • Narrated by: Steve Shanahan
    • Series: Aaron Falk, Book 1
    • Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
    • Release date: 07-07-2016
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 8,336 ratings
    • Currently consisting of two thrilling titles, the Aaron Falk series takes listeners to the depths of rural Australia for some of the most spine-chilling crimes imaginable. British-Australian author Jane Harper, who has a background in journalism in both Australia and the UK, writes her acclaimed crime novels with both journalistic realism and characteristic depth. Having won accolades such as the Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger and the Davitt Award from the Sisters in Crime Australia association, Jane Harper is a name to watch in the crime fiction world.The series follows Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk as he confronts dark secrets and chilling crimes in his hometown, the drought-ridden, struggling farming community of Kiewarra. In the first audiobook, The Dry, listeners are introduced to Falk’s suspicious past, and how the confident investigator became estranged from the place he once called home. When Falk returns home to attend the funeral of his childhood friend, whose suspicious death stretches the already-struggling farming town to its limits, the listener will learn the frightening lie that connects the two men. The second audiobook, Force of Nature, delves into the mysterious disappearance of a hiker whose companions all tell a different story about what happened, and it is just as compelling and spine-tingling as the first title. Expertly plotted, driven by complicated characters, and featuring the accomplished narration of Stephen Shanahan, the Aaron Falk series is not to be missed by any mystery fan.

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  • In the Woods cover art

    • In the Woods

    • By: Tana French
    • Narrated by: John McCormack
    • Series: Dublin Murder Squad, Book 1
    • Length: 18 hrs and 58 mins
    • Release date: 15-03-2012
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 341 ratings
    • Irish-American author Tana French grew up infatuated with mystery novels and true crime sagas, so it’s no wonder that she came up with the thrilling Dublin Murder Squad series, where each investigation unfolds from the fresh perspective of one of many detectives in the department. Winning an impressive array of awards, including the esteemed Edgar, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity, the six audio titles in the Dublin Murder Squad series have rightfully earned their position on our Best Mystery Series list. Set in modern-day Ireland, this series provides an eerie reminder of how some of the most heinous crimes can happen in a seemingly calm and ordinary society. As the Dublin-based detectives delve into an array of gruesome and peculiar murder cases, listeners will be gripped into the drama until the very end. Mixing hard-hitting police procedurals with psychological suspense, tormented characters, and romance, the Dublin Murder Squad series has something for everyone and is as satisfying and action-packed as a Hollywood movie. Fittingly, as each case focuses on a different detective, each audiobook is read by a different narrator. With coincidence around every corner, the Dublin Murder Squad takes the listener on a journey of investigations where one crime is often linked to another, and it’s just a matter of putting the pieces together and figuring out the real picture.

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  • Genesis cover art

    • Genesis

    • By: Karin Slaughter
    • Narrated by: Jennifer Woodward
    • Series: Will Trent, Book 3
    • Length: 15 hrs and 9 mins
    • Release date: 18-10-2010
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 288 ratings
    • Karin Slaughter is a prominent name in crime fiction, with more than 20 novels, two series, and more than 35 million copies of her novels sold to her credit. And having ‘Slaughter’ as her name is more than fitting, as the audiobooks in her Will Trent Series cover gruesome murders and more. At the heart of Slaughter’s storytelling are her characters, each one being more complex and chaotic than they appear. That definitely applies to the title character of this series. Will Trent had a rough beginning in life when he was found abandoned in a trash can and has been left with some scars from his upbringing in an orphanage and being constantly returned from foster homes. Now a successful police agent working alongside colleagues Angie Polaski and Faith Mitchell on the tough streets of Atlanta, Georgia, Trent draws on his experience and uses his skills to solve the grittiest and most confounding of crime cases. With constant twists and unexpected turns that make the investigations darker and darker, Slaughter’s Will Trent series is a must-listen for any mystery fan. Narrated by Michael Kramer and Kathleen Early, these audiobooks will take listeners to the scenes of savage killings and into broken lives and damaged minds.

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  • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo cover art

    • The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

    • By: Stieg Larsson
    • Narrated by: Saul Reichlin
    • Series: Millennium Series, Book 1
    • Length: 18 hrs and 48 mins
    • Release date: 07-05-2009
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 902 ratings
    • The brainchild of the late author Stieg Larsson, and continued by David Lagercrantz after Larsson’s unexpected death, The Millennium Series is perhaps one of the most notorious and popular Swedish crime series in the world. The six books in the series, all beginning with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, have sold more than 80 million copies worldwide, won numerous awards, including the Best Swedish Crime Novel Award and Sweden’s Glass Key Award, and served as the inspiration for both Swedish and English film adaptations. Featuring several fascinating and complex characters, all of which have their own hidden stories, traumas, and secrets, The Millennium Series sees the characters come together to investigate puzzling murder cases… only to find themselves in a world deeper and darker than listeners could ever imagine. Up against a secretive and powerful family that wields influence everywhere they go, disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist and deeply-troubled computer hacker Lisbeth Salander are forced to realise just how far they are willing to go to protect themselves. The winner of multiple awards for his narration, Simon Vance is the masterful voice of all six of the gripping audiobooks. Hauntingly excellent, The Millennium Series is a modern classic in the mystery and crime genre and a true testimony to the talent and brilliance of the late Stieg Larsson.

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  • Mr Mercedes cover art

    • Mr Mercedes

    • By: Stephen King
    • Narrated by: Will Patton
    • Series: Bill Hodges Trilogy, Book 1
    • Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
    • Release date: 03-06-2014
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,181 ratings
    • Stephen King needs no introduction, being the mastermind author behind timeless classics such as The Shining, Misery, and The Green Mile and having sold over 350 million books since the beginning of his career. The Bill Hodges Trilogy, although perhaps less known than his notorious classics, is an understated standout on the Best Mystery Series list and will no doubt keep both lifelong King fans and listeners new to King’s work on the edge of their seats. Following the life and adventures of retired American cop Bill Hodges, listeners will be immersed in the ominous and peculiar investigations that involve some of the most hardened and terrifying criminals. Although finding the culprit is often a chaotic and adrenaline-fuelled race against time that proves pause-resistant, the listener will be equally intrigued by the ever-complicated and tormented personality of Hodges himself. Deeply depressed and suffering from alcoholism, the former cop is tormented by his failure to find the culprit for a horrific murder case years prior. In three spine-tingling instalments, listeners will be thrown into a world of excitement, obsession, action, psychological torment, and of course, Stephen King’s specialty: dark and twisted crime. Known for his engaging performances of some of Stephen King’s most celebrated titles, narrator and Audible regular Will Patton brings this suspenseful trilogy to life.

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  • The Suspect cover art

    • The Suspect

    • By: Michael Robotham
    • Narrated by: Crispin Redman
    • Series: Joe O'Loughlin, Book 1
    • Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins
    • Release date: 17-01-2007
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,181 ratings
    • Another thrilling series by Australian crime writer Michael Robotham, who has won prestigious accolades such as the Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger Award, the Joseph O’Loughlin series follows the title character, a successful clinical psychologist, as the listener looks on in their seemingly perfect life. However, things are not how they appear to be on the surface...This series takes the listener deep into the psychological elements of crime. Seeing the most severe crimes through the eyes of a clinical psychologist, the listener not only receives an insight on the criminal mind, but also how Joseph himself is affected by the horrific crimes he works on. Becoming obsessed by a murdered girl who happens to be a face from his past, Joseph soon becomes tangled in a web of obsession that takes the listener to the darkest depths of the human mind... Having been translated into 25 different languages and published in more than 50 countries, Robotham’s works are clearly enjoyed by a wide variety of listeners all over the globe. His groundbreaking perspective and depth of character development more than merit a place for the Joseph O’Loughlin audiobooks on the Best Mystery Series list. Seven instalments of this nine-volume series are brought to audio by Sean Barrett, who grips listeners with his diverse narration style and makes them forget there is only one voice behind this epic performance.

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  • Postmortem cover art

    • Postmortem

    • By: Patricia Cornwell
    • Narrated by: Lorelei King
    • Series: Kay Scarpetta, Book 1
    • Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
    • Release date: 08-07-2014
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 223 ratings
    • Author Patricia Cornwell kicked off the success of Scarpetta in 1990 with Postmortem, the first title. The series, inspired by a series of real murders that took place in Richmond, Virginia, follows Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta as she works on the forensic aspects of some of the most brutal and gruesome cases. Full of fascinating scientific details about postmortems and criminal forensics and what they can tell you about a crime, this series is ideal for anybody who is fascinated by the scientific side of crime. However, this series will not disappoint those who are looking for scandal and mystery, as the listener, through Scarpetta’s own commentary, will also learn more about Scarpetta’s life, inner demons, and family situation. The Scarpetta series will satisfy all kinds of mystery fans while providing a rare insight on the crime world from a medical perspective. With Cornwell having sold more than 100 million copies of her works worldwide, the character of Kay Scarpetta has touched hearts all over the world. Listeners will be gripped from the very first listen and eager to get to the next instalment in this 19-book series. Multi-award-winning narrator Lorelei King is a perfect fit for this performance as she wins listeners over with her ability to translate this chilling series into a gripping audio experience.

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  • Memory Man cover art

    • Memory Man

    • Amos Decker, Book 1
    • By: David Baldacci
    • Narrated by: Ron McLarty, Orlagh Cassidy
    • Series: Amos Decker, Book 1
    • Length: 13 hrs and 16 mins
    • Release date: 23-04-2015
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 684 ratings
    • The Memory Man series walks listeners through the investigations of former police officer and now detective Amos Decker, who turned to the world of crime-solving as his professional football career sadly came to an end after he sustained severe injuries during a game. When Decker’s family is suddenly found murdered, he is forced to investigate a crime that couldn’t be closer to his own heart. However, when he is called to dig into another crime, he begins to uncover startling connections between the two horrific events. Developing Amos Decker as a character with synesthesia and hyperthymesia, the abilities to remember and vividly recall experiences far beyond that of the average human, this detective fiction series has an interesting twist on the average crime series. Best-selling American author David Baldacci, who happens to be an attorney by education, brings a welcome, legally-sound perspective to his crime writing. A household name in the world of crime writing, with his books having been published in some 45 languages in more than 80 countries, his well-written characters and sensational storylines have taken the crime world by storm. With his beloved Memory Man detective audiobook series consisting of six instalments, all of which see Decker embark on a chilling new investigation, listeners will soon become invested in Baldacci’s characters and his brilliantly-written literary universe. To complement David Baldaccis’s powerful storytelling, the dynamic narration duo Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy leave listeners hanging on to every word in this six-volume audio series.

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  • Broadland cover art

    • Broadland

    • British Detective Tanner Murder Mystery Series, Book 1
    • By: David Blake
    • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
    • Series: DI Tanner Norfolk Broads Murder Mystery Series, Book 1
    • Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
    • Release date: 12-09-2019
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 232 ratings
    • David Blake, author of the British Detective Tanner Murder Mystery Series, is a British writer who bases his audiobooks in the Norfolk Broads—a place close to his own heart. Hailed as an esteemed crime writer alongside the same lines as fellow Best Mystery Series author Joy Ellis, Blake exposes the listener to some of the most gruesome murder cases you could ever imagine, committed by ruthless serial killers. From historical mysteries in ancient abbeys to priests found gruesomely nailed to crosses and victims drowned in baths, Blake does not shy away from the grotesque. However, as well as appealing to fans of everything gore and gloom, this series provides much-appreciated elements of light humour and romance, as a relationship blossoms between police detectives. With a new scandalous and ghastly crime taking place in each title in the five-book series, listeners will be hooked on Blake’s grim descriptions and warped imagination. Award-winning narrator and Audible regular Jonathan Keeble is the perfect fit for this striking series, as he carves out Blake’s raw and complex characters in audio form. Describing brutal crimes in such a sleepy and unassuming part of the world, Blake will keep the listener on their toes, wondering how such horrendous events can happen in such familiar places. A thoroughly entertaining and bone-chilling series, Blake’s crime fiction saga is more than deserving of a place on the Best Mystery Series list.

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  • The Broken Shore cover art

    • The Broken Shore

    • By: Peter Temple
    • Narrated by: Peter Hosking
    • Series: Broken Shore, Book 1
    • Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
    • Release date: 14-10-2010
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 302 ratings
    • Australian crime writer Peter Temple, who is perhaps best known for his popular Jack Irish series, creates a crime fiction masterpiece in his two-part Broken Shore series. Following Melbourne-based homicide detective Joe Cashin as he is posted to his hometown following some serious physical injuries, the listener is not only introduced to Cashin’s personal struggles but also those of the quiet town on the South Australia coast he grew up in. As Cashin tries his best to rebuild his family home and recover, physically and mentally, from his injuries, he is pulled into the investigation of the death of a wealthy local man, Charles Burgoyne. Whereas nearly everyone is quick to point the finger at three boys from the nearby Aboriginal community, Cashin is not convinced. In a second instalment, Chief Inspector Villani investigates the suspicious death of a young woman. Despite being dedicated to his work, his life is crumbling around him. With The Broken Shore having won the Golden Dagger Award, and the author himself having won five Ned Kelly Awards for Crime Fiction, Temple is no short of being a legend amongst Australian crime writers. His characters are so brilliantly human that listeners will become easily invested in his grueling stories, especially when paired with Peter Hosking and Michael Carman’s vivid narrations.

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Audiobook lists are hand-picked by Audible editors; inclusion is based on a number of factors including
listener ratings, narrator performances, presence on Audible best seller lists and cultural relevance.


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