Andrew Taylor crafts historical mysteries, often with a dark edge. His books are full of secrets, atmosphere, and twisty plots.
If you enjoy stories set in the past with a crime at the heart of them, and you are looking for authors who create a similar experience, here are some writers you might like. They all have a knack for history and for keeping you guessing until the very last page.
Think of books with hidden family histories and maybe a touch of the gothic.
C.J. Sansom crafts intriguing historical thrillers steeped in atmosphere and rich character detail. If you appreciate Andrew Taylor’s vivid historical mysteries, you may find Sansom’s “Dissolution” particularly appealing.
Set during the tense years of Tudor England, this story follows Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer who investigates the mysterious murder of a royal commissioner at a monastery slated for closure.
As Shardlake navigates religious tension, political scheming, and hidden motives, the author creates a gripping portrayal of a society on edge.
Sansom combines the suspense of a murder mystery with precise historical detail that brings the volatile backdrop of Henry VIII’s Reformation vividly to life.
Readers who enjoy the historical mysteries of Andrew Taylor may also appreciate the novels of Kate Morton. Morton brings past and present together in stories filled with family secrets and dark twists.
Her book “The Forgotten Garden” follows Cassandra, a young woman who inherits an old cottage in Cornwall and sets out to unravel the truth behind her grandmother’s mysterious past.
As Cassandra sorts through hidden clues, she discovers connections to a lost child, an eerie garden, and a book of fairy tales that is more than it seems. Morton creates a compelling atmosphere that slowly reveals mysteries long buried.
If you enjoy Andrew Taylor’s atmospheric historical mysteries, you might also appreciate the works of Charles Palliser. Palliser excels in crafting deeply layered stories set in vividly reimagined historical eras.
His novel “The Quincunx” takes readers back to nineteenth-century England, a shadowy world of family secrets, lost inheritances, and hidden identities.
At its heart is young John Huffam, whose quest to understand his past draws him into a complicated puzzle involving betrayal, false documents, suspicious deaths, and mysterious relatives.
Palliser weaves dark, compelling twists and turns into Victorian London’s back alleys and aristocratic estates, creating an immersive experience for fans who love intricate historical mysteries.
Rennie Airth is a great find if you enjoy crime novels set in historical England by authors like Andrew Taylor. Airth’s book, “River of Darkness,” gives readers a mix of mystery and suspense against a detailed, authentic backdrop of post-World War I Britain.
Inspector John Madden, haunted by his own wartime experiences, investigates a brutal murder case set in a quiet village. The careful storytelling and character depth create the perfect atmosphere for a gripping search for answers.
It’s a thoughtful look at the after-effects of war, wrapped in an intriguing mystery. If you appreciate stories by Taylor, Rennie Airth provides a similarly rich historical setting and memorable characters in his crime fiction.
Laura Purcell writes historical fiction with a dark twist, blending atmospheric settings, suspenseful storytelling, and carefully woven plots. Her novel “The Silent Companions” offers the kind of mystery and intrigue that fans of Andrew Taylor often enjoy.
Set in a remote, crumbling manor house in Victorian England, the story follows Elsie, a woman grieving her husband’s recent death.
Inside the lonely estate, Elsie finds eerie wooden figures known as silent companions—life-sized cutouts that seem to appear and vanish mysteriously, stirring fear and suspicion among the household.
Strange events grow ever more sinister, and Elsie struggles to cling to sanity while uncovering the dark history behind the family she married into.
Filled with secrets, shadows, and a creeping sense of dread, Purcell’s careful blend of historical realism and psychological tension makes it a natural choice for readers drawn to Andrew Taylor’s atmospheric mysteries.
If you enjoy historical mysteries by Andrew Taylor, you might appreciate Imogen Robertson’s novels. Her book “Instruments of Darkness” takes place in the Sussex countryside in the late 18th century.
When a body turns up on the estate of wealthy landowner Gabriel Crowther, he reluctantly teams up with neighbor Harriet Westerman, an insightful and determined woman with a sharp mind.
As they investigate clues linking the mystery to a missing heir and family secrets, they begin to uncover a complicated web of deception and danger. Robertson’s writing vividly portrays the atmosphere and period details, making the late Georgian era come alive.
The dynamic between Harriet and Gabriel adds depth and intrigue to this suspenseful story.
Maurice Druon was a French author famous for his vivid historical fiction filled with intrigue, power plays, and rich detail. Readers who enjoy Andrew Taylor’s carefully woven plots and atmospheric settings may find Druon’s “The Iron King” equally fascinating.
Set in 14th-century France, the novel opens with King Philip IV (“The Iron King”) ruthlessly dismantling the Knights Templar.
When the Grand Master of the Templars curses the king and his royal line from the stake, a series of unsettling events follows, with murders, betrayals, and political turmoil plunging France into chaos.
Druon ties together real historical figures and dramatic storytelling into a narrative that feels authentic and engaging.
Books by Tana French offer psychological depth and nuanced storytelling similar to Andrew Taylor’s, especially for readers who enjoy unraveling twisted mysteries hidden beneath ordinary surfaces.
French is known for her “Dublin Murder Squad” series, which explores crimes embedded in Ireland’s complex society. In the novel “In the Woods,” detective Rob Ryan investigates a chilling murder case involving a young girl’s body found in a Dublin suburb near the woods.
These are the same woods where years earlier, Ryan himself was found as a child, covered in blood, unable to recall what happened to his friends who disappeared beside him.
French weaves Ryan’s troubled past with his present investigation, creating a suspenseful mystery filled with dark secrets and emotional revelations.
Philip Kerr was a Scottish author known for his atmospheric historical mysteries set in wartime Europe. Fans of Andrew Taylor, who enjoy stories about complex historical settings and nuanced plots, will find a similar appeal in Kerr’s gripping Bernie Gunther series.
A great place to start is “March Violets,” the first novel featuring detective Bernie Gunther. The story is set in 1936 Nazi Germany, during the Berlin Olympic Games.
Bernie, an ex-cop turned private investigator, is hired by a wealthy industrialist to find a missing diamond necklace and uncover the truth behind the brutal murder of his daughter and son-in-law.
What begins as a straightforward case quickly gets complicated as Bernie encounters Nazi politics, corruption, and hidden motives at every step.
Kerr masterfully recreates the tension-filled atmosphere of pre-war Germany, and Bernie is a witty, charismatic detective who draws readers deeply into his world.
Books by Josephine Tey offer readers classic English mysteries filled with subtle wit and thoughtful puzzles. If you enjoy Andrew Taylor’s atmospheric and meticulously plotted crime novels, “The Daughter of Time” by Tey might catch your interest.
In this novel, Inspector Alan Grant is stuck in a hospital bed after an injury. Out of boredom, he begins investigating the historical mystery of King Richard III and the princes in the Tower.
The detective turns historian, reexamines evidence from centuries past, and challenges established beliefs about guilt and innocence.
Tey’s approach combines detective work with historical intrigue and offers readers an unusual mystery that feels thought-provoking and refreshingly different.
If you enjoy Andrew Taylor’s atmospheric mysteries and psychological suspense, Barbara Vine is another author worth exploring. Vine, who is actually Ruth Rendell under a pen-name, skillfully combines dark psychological shades with tense storytelling.
Her book “A Dark-Adapted Eye” explores hidden family secrets and deep-rooted mysteries uncovered by the narrator Faith, after the shocking execution of her aunt Vera. This novel moves between past and present, revealing unsettling layers of family tension, betrayal, and tragedy.
If you’re drawn to the exploration of complex family dynamics and psychological depth in Taylor’s books, Barbara Vine’s work can offer a similarly absorbing reading experience.
Books by Ann Cleeves offer atmospheric mysteries that immerse readers in vivid settings and carefully crafted characters. If you’re a fan of Andrew Taylor’s historical mysteries, you might enjoy “The Long Call” by Ann Cleeves.
Set in North Devon, it introduces Detective Matthew Venn, who returns to the strict evangelical community he once rejected. When a body is found on the beach, Matthew faces tensions from his past while uncovering hidden secrets of the locals.
The story explores small community dynamics, conflicting beliefs, and buried resentments. Cleeves builds a tense and intricate mystery wrapped up in a thoughtful character study.
Susan Hill is an English author known for eerie stories and suspenseful mysteries that draw readers into a quietly unsettling atmosphere.
Her novel “The Woman in Black” centers around Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor sent to a remote village to settle the affairs of a deceased client.
Upon arriving at the isolated Eel Marsh House, he finds himself haunted by unexplained events and chilling encounters that reveal a deeper tragedy.
Hill carefully builds a mood of unease and subtle menace throughout the story, creating an effective ghost tale reminiscent of Andrew Taylor’s atmospheric plots and psychological tension.
David Liss is a great choice for readers who enjoy Andrew Taylor’s mix of historical suspense and vivid storytelling. In “A Conspiracy of Paper,” Liss introduces Benjamin Weaver, an ex-boxer turned investigator in 18th-century London.
Weaver navigates through coffeehouses, gambling dens, and stock-jobbing schemes to uncover the truth behind his father’s suspicious death. Rich historical detail meets engaging intrigue, wrapped neatly into London’s gritty financial world.
Liss crafts a story of murder and betrayal against a backdrop of stock market manipulation—a theme that keeps readers turning pages. If elaborate plots and historically authentic settings spark your interest, David Liss delivers a reading experience worthy of attention.
Readers who appreciate Andrew Taylor’s atmospheric mysteries and detailed storytelling might enjoy Wilkie Collins, a Victorian author often credited with helping shape modern detective fiction.
His novel “The Woman in White” combines mystery, deception, and suspense in a thrilling story. The plot centers on Walter Hartright, an art teacher who meets a mysterious woman dressed in white one evening.
This eerie encounter plunges him into a complex web of secrets, shady identities, and hidden motives. Collins carefully builds tension and suspense as Hartright attempts to unravel a conspiracy that threatens the woman he loves.
Fans of gripping historical mysteries filled with dark secrets and intriguing characters will find plenty to enjoy in Wilkie Collins’s storytelling style.