World’s 15 Most Famous Detective Novelists and Their Works

Although detective novels are followed with great interest by many people from past to present, some are not seen detective literature as a literary genre. However, it has always been one of the most widely read varieties, and it remains influential. In this article, we brought together the world’s most famous crime writers and their notable works. Here are those important names that will make you start detective novels even if you haven’t read it before!

  1. Edgar Alan Poe

Edgar Alan Poe

Edgar Alan Poe, the world-renowned detective novelist, is also regarded as America’s first great writer. The author’s book, Morgue Street Murder is one of the antecedents of the detective novels. Other noticeable works of the author can be listed as The Pit and The Pendulum, The Black Cat, The Raven, Berenice.

  1. Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie

One of the world’s most famous crime writers, Agatha Christie’s first detective work, The Mysterious Affair Style, was written in 1920. It is known that the renowned author had about 80 detective novels. Christie’s other prominent works can be listed as; And Then They Were None, Murder On The Orient Express, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, The Murder at the Vicarage, Hickory Dickory Dock.

  1. Arthur Conan Doyle

Arthur Conan Doyle

Famous detective novelist Arthur Conan Doyle is the creator of the character of Sherlock Holmes, which is still fascinating masses even today. The author, known to be of Irish descent, has a lot of detective novels. The author’s prominent works include A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Valley of Fear.

  1. Dashiell Hammett

Dashiell Hammett, one of the most famous detective writers in the world, wrote his first work in 1929, after eight years working in a detective agency. His works are differentiated from other detainees because of his bullying and harsh detective styles and his slang dialect characteristic. Dashiell Hammett’s outstanding works are Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon.

  1. Dorothy L. Sayers

A well-known writer and translator, Dorothy L. Sayers is known for her work in the genre of crime, playwright, critique and essay. The author’s prominent works include Have His Carcase Striding Folly, Hangman’s Holiday, Clouds of Witness. Not many works of the author translated into our language.

  1. Reginald Hill

American writer Reginald Hill is also among the most famous crime writers in the world. Although the author’s many detective works are not translated into our language, the author’s prominent works can be listed as, Good Morning, Midnight, A Clubbable Woman, Bones and Silence.

  1. Raymond Chandler

Raymond Chandler is a crime writer, journalist, translator and screenwriter. He gained fame in a short time with his detective works and served as the president of the American Association of Detective Writers for a long time. Chandler’s prominent works include The Big Sleep, Playback, Farewell My Lovely, The Little Sister, Woman in the Lake.

  1. Elmore Leonard

Elmore Leonard, one of the most famous detective writers in the world, draws attention with his thrillers. His so many books have been the subject of film scripts. Elmore Leonard’s prominent works are Out Of Sight, The Hot Kid, Killshot, Tishomingo Blues.

  1. Georges Simenon

Georges Simenon, one of the well-known names of detective literature, published his first detective works under the pseudonym Sim in the 1920s. In addition to the detective novel, He was the author of various books such as psychological novels and essays. His prominent detective works can be listed as The House by the Canal, The Man Who Watched the Trains Go By, and The Blue Room.

  1. Ruth Rendell

Renowned crime writer Ruth Rendell published her works under the pseudonym Barbara Vine. She is both a good thriller and a crime novelist known for her books, Inspector Wexford. The author’s outstanding works can be listed as A Judgement in Stone, Gallowglass, The Monster in the Box, An Unkindness of Ravens, A Dark-Adapted Eye.

  1. P. D. James

The famous crime writer, known as Phyllis Dorothy James, is Baroness James. Many of her works have been adapted to TV and have been broadcasted numerous times in different countries. P. D. James’ prominent works can be listed as Lighthouse, Private Patient.

  1. Lee Child

Lee Child

Lee Child, whose real name was Jim Grant, published his works under the pseudonym Lee Child. The author’s most known series is Jack Reacher. The author’s prominent works can be listed as Deep Down, One Shot, The Enemy.

  1. John Dickson Carr

American writer John Dickson Carr is considered one of the most famous detective writers in the world. He is best known for his work The Hollow Man, under the pseudonyms Carter Dickson, Carr Dickson, and Roger Fairbairn. His other prominent works include The Three Coffins, The Emperor’s Snuff-Box, The Devil in Velvet.

  1. Dan Brown

Dan Brown

The American writer Dan Brown stands out with his work, Da Vinci’s Code which made him worldwide-renowned. The esteemed author published his first novel, Digital Fortress in 1996 as a result of his deep interest in secret organizations and decoding. His three books, Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Inferno, have been adapted for cinema. Other prominent works by Dan Brown include Deception Point, Lost Symbol, Origin.

  1. Ahmet Ümit

Ahmet Ümit, who is known and admired for his detective works in Turkey, is also one of the most famous detective writers in the world. His first work as a detective novel was Barefooted Night, and his books have been translated and are still being translated in many languages around the world. Umit’s prominent works can be listed as Farewell My Beautiful Motherland, A Memento for Istanbul, Patasana and Killing the Sultan.

 

These articles may also be of interest to you:

Top 12 Books To Read From Crime Fiction Novelist Ahmet Ümit

Crime Fiction in Turkey: Authors You Must Read

The Prominent Leading Characters Of World-Famous Crime Novels

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