Best Mystery Series on PBS (2026): 5 Compared

On a rainy evening, with the kettle on and the remote in hand, the best mystery series on pbs are the ones that pair a sharp detective with a story worth following. We compared five books tied to PBS mysteries by series, setting and tone, all from the listings.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	The Moth Catcher	9.7/10	Buy
2	Making Masterpiece	9.7/10	Buy
3	Murder at Hartigan House	9.6/10	Buy
4	The Breaking Point	9.6/10	Buy
5	Unpleasantness at Bellona Club	9.5/10	Buy

1

The Moth Catcher

Ann Cleeves·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 ›

Vera Stanhope Book 7, a village mystery with two victims.

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Pros

• Vera anchors PBS Mystery!
• Book 7 of a 12-book series
• Layered village suspects

Cons

• Mid-series start for newcomers
• Slow-burn pacing
• No audio format is stated

2

Making Masterpiece

Rebecca Eaton·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 ›

Behind the scenes of Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! on PBS.

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Pros

• Directly about PBS Mystery!
• Covers Downton, Sherlock, Morse
• Producer’s firsthand stories

Cons

• Nonfiction, not a mystery novel
• 2013, predates recent shows
• Unabridged audio only here

3

Murder at Hartigan House

Lee Strauss·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 1920s cozy mystery, Ginger Gold Book 2, clean read.

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Pros

• Clean read stated in listing
• Book 2 of a 31-book series
• 1920s fashion and forensics

Cons

• Cozy tone is not for everyone
• Long series may daunt
• Second book, not the start

4

The Breaking Point

Jefferson Bass·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 ›

Body Farm Book 9, a forensic thriller with a returning killer.

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Pros

• Forensic anthropology detail
• Book 9 of a 10-book series
• High-stakes serial-killer plot

Cons

• Late-series entry
• Dark themes throughout
• Forensic detail is graphic

5

Unpleasantness at Bellona Club

Dorothy L. Sayers·9.5/10 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 ›

Lord Peter Wimsey Book 5, an inheritance timing puzzle.

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Pros

• Classic Golden Age mystery
• Book 5 of 15 Wimsey books
• Clever inheritance puzzle

Cons

• 2002 audio reissue of a classic novel
• Dated language and attitudes
• Audio only in this listing

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More picks to compare

• Murder at RavenrockRachel Markham Book 2, English manor mystery.Check on Amazon
• Love in AmsterdamVan der Valk Book 1, now a PBS series.Check on Amazon
• The Haunting of LouisianaBased on the PBS documentary, 224 pages.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Details are as listed by the publisher, collected 20 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs story, craft, value, series depth and availability. For PBS mysteries, series depth reflects how many books continue the story; all five list a series number. 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 series on pbs

The PBS connection

Vera Stanhope anchors PBS Mystery! and The Moth Catcher is Book 7 of 12 in her series, set in a Northumberland village with two victims and a moth-collecting connection. Making Masterpiece goes behind the scenes of Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! with the producer who ran it for over twenty-five years. For the purest PBS pick, start with Vera.

Cozy or forensic

Murder at Hartigan House is a 1920s cozy with no swearing or explicit content per its listing, Book 2 of a 31-book series. The Breaking Point is a forensic thriller, Book 9 of 10 in the Body Farm series. Pick cozy for comfort, forensic for science.

A glance at the five books

Start mid-series or at the beginning

The Moth Catcher is Book 7, Hartigan House Book 2, Breaking Point Book 9, Bellona Club Book 5. The listings describe each as a complete mystery, but starting at Book 1 rewards series readers. Making Masterpiece stands alone as nonfiction.

Before you buy

• Check the format: the Bellona Club listing here is the unabridged audio edition.
• For a series, buy Book 1 first and confirm the series number on the listing.
• Compare the tone with your taste: cozy, classic or forensic.
• Start with Book 1 of a series for the full character arc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Vera Stanhope book is this?

The Moth Catcher is Book 7 of 12 in the Vera Stanhope series by Ann Cleeves.

Is there a book about PBS mysteries themselves?

Making Masterpiece by Rebecca Eaton goes behind the scenes of Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! on PBS.

Which of these is a cozy mystery?

Murder at Hartigan House is a 1920s cozy; its listing states clean reads with no swearing or explicit content.

Still deciding? Our top pickThe Moth Catcher

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Related lists

See every thriller and mystery book list and all fiction lists.

More lists: mystery series PBS, mystery series Prime, thriller and mystery books.