Arthur Conan Doyle famously created Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant detective. His classic mysteries, including The Hound of the Baskervilles, remain widely popular and influential in detective fiction.
If you enjoy reading books by Arthur Conan Doyle then you might also like the following authors:
Agatha Christie is celebrated for her logical puzzle mysteries and clever storytelling. Her stories, featuring detectives like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, highlight human psychology and intricate plotting.
A great place to start is Murder on the Orient Express, where Poirot untangles a murder aboard a stranded luxury train.
Dorothy L. Sayers writes witty and intelligent mysteries with a focus on insightful, realistic characters. Her detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, solves cases using humor, charm, and sharp intellect.
Try reading Gaudy Night, a novel set in an Oxford college where mysteries and personal relationships collide.
Edgar Allan Poe specializes in mysterious and atmospheric stories, blending suspense, psychological depth, and a touch of Gothic horror. His creation, the detective C. Auguste Dupin, was an early inspiration for Sherlock Holmes.
Check out The Murders in the Rue Morgue, often considered the first modern detective story.
Wilkie Collins offers suspenseful mysteries filled with twists, secrets, and tension. His novels combine engaging storytelling with social commentary.
If you enjoy stories that keep you guessing, begin with The Moonstone, a mystery involving the disappearance of a valuable diamond and the investigation that follows.
G.K. Chesterton gives us thoughtful and imaginative mysteries featuring his wise and sharp-witted priest-detective, Father Brown. Chesterton blends clever detective plots with philosophical and moral insights.
You might enjoy The Innocence of Father Brown, a collection of short stories introducing the quietly insightful detective.
If you like Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, you might enjoy Raymond Chandler. Chandler wrote detective mysteries following private investigator Philip Marlowe, who is tough but insightful, working cases in the streets of Los Angeles.
His stories feature fast-paced plots and sharp dialogue, mixed with a moody, gritty atmosphere. You might start with his classic novel The Big Sleep, a detective story filled with clues, shady characters, and an intriguing mystery.
If you appreciate Conan Doyle’s logical mysteries and intriguing characters, consider reading Dashiell Hammett. Hammett helped shape American detective fiction with brisk, no-nonsense writing.
His famous book, The Maltese Falcon, introduces Sam Spade, a hard-edged detective pursuing a valuable artifact and solving a twisting crime. Hammett’s style is direct and clever, emphasizing practicality and wit amid the gritty realism of city life.
Fans of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes might also enjoy Rex Stout’s detective novels featuring Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin.
Nero Wolfe, an eccentric genius, solves difficult cases from the comfort of his home while Archie gathers clues and engages in lively banter. Stout combines clever plots and entertaining dialogue, blending traditional mystery puzzles with humor and character-driven storytelling.
A good entry point would be Fer-de-Lance, Wolfe’s memorable first case.
Georges Simenon, like Conan Doyle, created a memorable detective who solves cases through keen psychological insights.
His famous character, Inspector Maigret, calmly uncovers mysteries by understanding the suspects and their motivations, fueled by curiosity and empathy rather than action. His storytelling style is thoughtful, understated, and insightful.
Consider reading Maigret and the Yellow Dog, which captures Simenon's nuanced style and his detective's careful approach.
If you enjoy Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic detective tales, you might find P.D. James equally rewarding. James writes mysteries that are carefully plotted and richly detailed, often exploring deeper questions about human nature and morality.
Her detective Adam Dalgliesh is intelligent, introspective, and methodical. Try her great novel, Cover Her Face, a well-crafted mystery that introduces Inspector Dalgliesh and demonstrates her thoughtful, literary approach.
If you appreciate Arthur Conan Doyle's style of crime solving and keen observations, Ruth Rendell might become a favorite of yours. Her novels explore psychological suspense, interesting criminal motives, and intriguing mysteries.
Rendell's clever plots highlight the dark side of human nature. Her book A Judgement in Stone is a fascinating story about the complexities beneath ordinary lives leading to tragic outcomes.
If it's the puzzle-solving aspect of Doyle's stories that you enjoy, you'll likely appreciate John Dickson Carr. Famous for clever "locked-room" mysteries, Carr mastered the ability to hide important clues in plain sight.
His novel The Hollow Man, often praised as a classic, includes one of the most baffling murder mysteries that's sure to intrigue readers who like working through Sherlock Holmes-style deductions.
Ngaio Marsh offers a thoughtful and stylish take on detective fiction. Her refined detective, Roderick Alleyn, uses logic and close attention to detail to untangle mysteries. Marsh includes engaging characters and witty dialogue.
You might particularly enjoy Artists in Crime, where Detective Alleyn applies sharp reasoning in solving a perplexing murder among a community of artists.
Margery Allingham combines the best elements of detective stories and adventure fiction. Her main character, Albert Campion, seems charmingly eccentric but is smart and insightful.
Her work The Tiger in the Smoke shows crime-solving that's both adventurous and suspenseful, appealing to Doyle's fans who enjoy clever plot twists and memorable characters.
For readers interested in brilliant but slightly eccentric detectives, Boris Akunin is a perfect fit. In his Erast Fandorin novels, he highlights vivid historical settings, clever deductions, and engaging plots filled with action and mystery.
A great example of his style is The Winter Queen, which introduces readers to a young Fandorin solving a conspiracy in 19th-century Russia—an enjoyable read for those who appreciate Conan Doyle's thoughtful detective style.