Best Mystery Books of 2020s (2026): 5 Compared

Looking for the best mystery books of 2020s is harder than it sounds when half the shelf is horror wearing a trench coat. We compared five books by publication date, series position, stated page count and how directly each one serves a mystery reader. Every detail below comes from the Amazon listings.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Something Bad Wrong by Pruitt	9.7/10	Buy
2	Jokers Wild by Howard	9.6/10	Buy
3	Craven Manor by Coates	9.4/10	Buy
4	A World of Secrets by Maxwell	9.3/10	Buy
5	The King in Yellow by Chambers	9.2/10	Buy

1

Something Bad Wrong by Pruitt

Eryk Pruitt·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2023 cold-case thriller for readers who like true-crime podcasters reopening old murders.

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Pros

• Published May 1, 2023, the most recent of the main picks
• Book 1 of 2 in the Jess Keeler Thrillers, so readers start at the beginning
• Dual-timeline cold-case plot: a podcaster reopens her detective grandfather's 1972 case

Cons

• Murder, corruption and family secrets in the description; check before buying for a younger reader
• No print page count is stated
• No reading age or grade level is stated

2

Jokers Wild by Howard

Blair Howard·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2022 PI crime novel for readers who like twisty cases with a series detective.

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Pros

• Published October 25, 2022, with a stated twisty PI crime plot
• Book 18 of 27 in The Harry Starke Novels, for readers who like long-running series
• Ex-cop turned PI Harry Starke returns with Kate Gazzara for a poker-night murder case

Cons

• A man is found shot three times; violence is central to the premise
• Book 18 of a 27-book series, so new readers jump in deep
• No print page count is stated

3

Craven Manor by Coates

Darcy Coates·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2020 haunted-house horror for readers who want gothic secrets rather than a whodunit.

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Pros

• Published March 3, 2020 with a stated 304-page print length
• Poisoned Pen Press reprint edition; a complete standalone haunted-house story
• Gothic setup: a groundskeeper, a forbidden house and disappearances in town

Cons

• Horror, not a mystery: the description centers haunting and a hungry house
• Disappearances and dread in the description; check before buying for a younger reader
• No reading age or grade level is stated

4

A World of Secrets by Maxwell

James Maxwell·9.3/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2020 sci-fi adventure for Firewall Trilogy readers, not a crime mystery.

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Pros

• Published July 16, 2020 by 47North; Book 2 of 3 in The Firewall Trilogy
• Series readers continue Taimin and Selena's story from book one
• Described as a perilous journey with companions, danger and a hunted hero

Cons

• Science fiction, not a mystery; the secrets here belong to a world, not a crime
• Book 2 of 3, so it starts mid-series
• No print page count is stated

5

The King in Yellow by Chambers

Robert W. Chambers·9.2/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A 2018 deluxe reprint of an 1895 weird-fiction classic for classic horror readers.

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Pros

• Deluxe edition from Pushkin Press with a stated 160-page print length
• Four linked weird-fiction stories for readers of classic horror
• The description names its influence on H.P. Lovecraft and HBO's True Detective

Cons

• Published February 27, 2018, a reprint of an 1895 work, so not a 2020s title
• Weird fiction and supernatural horror rather than a mystery
• Themes of despair and dread in the description; check before buying for a younger reader

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More picks to compare

• Marooned in Realtime by VingeFor SF readers: a murder mystery set fifty million years ahead.Check on Amazon
• Ghost Force by RobinsonFor military thriller readers: Navy SEALs and a Russian submarine in the Falklands.Check on Amazon
• Adrift by BrideauFor thriller readers: a woman with no memory on a sailboat in 2038.Check on Amazon
• Blood Red Summer by PruittFor Jess Keeler fans: book two, a sniper case in a mill town.Check on Amazon
• Not Safe for Work by EstrinFor noir comedy readers: a reporter solves a murder in the porn industry.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 17 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. None of the five picks states a reading age or grade level, so that part scores zero across the board. The two 2023 and 2022 crime novels lead on fit; the horror, sci-fi and classic picks rank lower because they serve a different reader. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best mystery books of 2020s

Check the publication date first

2020s means published from 2020 on. Three picks qualify: Something Bad Wrong (2023), Jokers Wild (2022) and Craven Manor (2020). The King in Yellow is a 2018 reprint of an 1895 work, so it does not belong to the decade even though the deluxe edition is newer. Our mystery novels from the last 5 years list keeps the date window tighter.

Mystery, thriller or horror in disguise

Only two picks are crime mysteries: Something Bad Wrong and Jokers Wild. Craven Manor is haunted-house horror, A World of Secrets is science fiction, and The King in Yellow is weird fiction. Browse the full thriller and mystery shelf if you want the genre kept strict.

Series position matters

Something Bad Wrong is book 1 of 2, the natural starting point. Jokers Wild is book 18 of 27 and A World of Secrets is book 2 of 3, so both assume you know the characters. For standalones, Craven Manor and The King in Yellow are complete in one volume.

Before you buy

• Check the publication date on the listing: The King in Yellow here is a 2018 reprint, not a 2020s title.
• Note the series position before buying: Jokers Wild is book 18 of 27 and A World of Secrets is book 2 of 3.
• Look for a stated page count: Craven Manor lists 304 pages and The King in Yellow lists 160; the other three state none.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these is a true 2020s mystery?

Something Bad Wrong (2023) and Jokers Wild (2022) are the crime mysteries. Craven Manor (2020) is horror with a mystery setup.

Which book should a new reader start with?

Something Bad Wrong is book 1 of 2, the natural starting point. Craven Manor and The King in Yellow are standalones.

Do any of these state a reading age?

No. None of the five listings states a reading age or grade level, so check the description before buying for a younger reader.

Still deciding? Our top pickSomething Bad Wrong by Pruitt

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Related lists

See every thrillers and mystery list and all fiction lists.

More lists: mystery books past 10 years, classic mystery novels, mystery books with a twist.