Earl Derr Biggers was an American novelist known for his popular detective fiction. He created the iconic detective Charlie Chan, featured notably in The House Without a Key and The Chinese Parrot, offering enjoyable mysteries set in engaging environments.
If you enjoy reading books by Earl Derr Biggers then you might also like the following authors:
If you enjoy Earl Derr Biggers's clever storytelling and memorable detectives, you might love Agatha Christie. Christie keeps readers guessing with her smart plots, detailed settings, and puzzle-like mysteries that unfold step by step.
Her characters and red herrings keep readers absorbed until the very end. Murder on the Orient Express, featuring the brilliant detective Hercule Poirot, is one of her most famous novels and a great place to begin.
If you're drawn to Biggers's refined mysteries and distinctive investigators, Dorothy L. Sayers could become one of your favorites. Her novels combine intricate plots with witty dialogue and thoughtful characters.
Sayers introduced sophisticated amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey in stories set in 1920s and 30s England. Try Gaudy Night, one of her most admired works, for an absorbing tale rich in detail, character dynamics, and keen observations on society.
Readers who appreciate the crisp plotting and colorful characters of Earl Derr Biggers will likely enjoy Ngaio Marsh. Marsh carefully builds believable settings, often involving theaters or the arts, and populates them with lifelike characters to enrich each story.
She features Inspector Roderick Alleyn, an intelligent detective whose gentle humor and shrewd eye make each novel engaging. Her book Artists in Crime exemplifies her ability to blend suspense, memorable characters, and artistic themes.
Fans of Biggers's charm, wit, and memorable detective figures should consider reading Margery Allingham. She is best known for her detective Albert Campion, a quirky and clever investigator whose adventures are filled with humor, inventive plotting, and engaging characters.
Her novel The Tiger in the Smoke is among her finest works, blending suspense, atmosphere, and psychological depth.
If you appreciate Earl Derr Biggers's ability to craft clever mysteries, you should explore John Dickson Carr. He specializes in intricate locked-room mysteries and seemingly impossible crimes. Carr builds suspenseful plots balanced perfectly by logic and detailed clues.
A particularly fine example is The Hollow Man (also known as The Three Coffins), renowned among mystery fans for its famously clever puzzle and astonishing solution.
Ellery Queen, actually a pseudonym for two collaborating cousins, writes puzzles and mysteries that keep you guessing. Their detective stories usually give readers plenty of clues and challenge them to solve the mystery alongside the fictional detective named Ellery Queen.
If you enjoy Earl Derr Biggers for his meticulous detective plots, you might appreciate The Greek Coffin Mystery, where Queen combines clever clues and sharp logical reasoning.
S.S. Van Dine created the sophisticated and logical detective Philo Vance, who solves crimes using intelligence and deduction rather than physical action. Like Biggers, Van Dine emphasizes intellectual puzzles and elegant storytelling.
Fans of Biggers might enjoy The Benson Murder Case, a mystery filled with complex clues and a detective with an engaging personality.
Rex Stout brings readers into the world of the clever, eccentric detective Nero Wolfe, who rarely leaves his home and solves mysteries by intellect alone.
Stout offers witty dialogue, distinctive characters, and puzzles that emphasize psychological insight, much like Biggers' approach. Try Fer-de-Lance, the book that introduces the memorable Wolfe and his loyal assistant, Archie Goodwin.
Erle Stanley Gardner created the famous character of lawyer-detective Perry Mason, known for courtroom dramas that unravel complex mysteries through close attention to detail and logical deduction.
Gardner's style is crisp, straightforward, and engaging—ideal for readers who enjoy the clear storytelling and clever puzzle-solving of Biggers. Check out The Case of the Velvet Claws to see Mason's sharp intellect in action.
Arthur Conan Doyle is the creator of Sherlock Holmes, the iconic detective famous for his sharp deductive skills and memorable adventures. Doyle writes clearly and directly, drawing readers into the mysteries Holmes tackles with intellectual vigor.
If you like Biggers' careful plotting and intelligent detectives, you'll appreciate the clever storytelling and deduction of The Hound of the Baskervilles.
If you enjoy Earl Derr Biggers for his clever detective puzzles, you might love G.K. Chesterton and his collection of short stories titled The Innocence of Father Brown.
The protagonist, Father Brown, is a humble priest who uses insight and intuition rather than brute force or flashy techniques. Chesterton creates plots filled with wit, philosophical twists, and surprising reveals that emphasize human nature over forensic detail.
Fans of Earl Derr Biggers' intricate plotting and methodical detective investigations could appreciate Freeman Wills Crofts. Crofts specializes in clearly structured mysteries featuring meticulous detective work.
In his novel The Cask, Inspector Burnley patiently and carefully unravels the solution by following careful clues and logical reasoning. Crofts' style is straightforward and satisfying, ideal for readers who love a detailed, puzzle-oriented mystery.
Patricia Wentworth’s charming mysteries match Earl Derr Biggers' knack for engaging, character-driven detective fiction. In her book Grey Mask, readers meet Miss Maud Silver, a detective who quietly pieces together clues through observation, insight, and persistence.
Wentworth's mysteries blend clever plotting with gentle humor, romantic subplots, and cozy atmosphere, bringing warmth and enjoyment along with clever detective work.
If Earl Derr Biggers' subtle storytelling and careful attention to character draw your interest, give Josephine Tey a try.
In her mystery The Daughter of Time, Inspector Alan Grant solves a historical puzzle from his hospital bed, focusing on psychology and logical reasoning rather than action.
Tey's plots explore deep questions about truth, perception, and human behavior in a thoughtful and engaging style.
Readers who appreciate Earl Derr Biggers' entertaining combination of wit, intelligence, and skillfully constructed plots might also enjoy Edmund Crispin.
Crispin's stories, especially his novel The Moving Toyshop, feature sharp humor, quirky characters, and fast-paced narrative. His detective hero, the witty and eccentric Professor Gervase Fen, solves imaginative crimes with equal doses of humor and clever deduction.