Edgar Wallace was an English author and screenwriter who specialized in crime and thriller stories. His well-known crime novel The Four Just Men highlights his skill at crafting mystery.
If you enjoy reading books by Edgar Wallace then you might also like the following authors:
Agatha Christie is famous for her clever detective stories and ingenious plots. Her books feature intriguing characters and meticulously constructed mysteries. Readers who enjoy Wallace's suspense and puzzles will likely appreciate Christie's style.
A great place to start is Murder on the Orient Express, a classic Hercule Poirot mystery set aboard a luxury train, blending setting, character, and surprising revelations seamlessly.
Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes, one of literature's great detectives. He writes detective stories with sharp logic and memorable characters. Doyle blends mystery with vivid atmosphere and action, something Edgar Wallace readers would enjoy.
Try reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, a gripping Holmes case with plenty of suspense and atmosphere.
G.K. Chesterton writes clever detective fiction with humor and thoughtful insights. He considers bigger ideas like morality and justice alongside neat mysteries. Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace's intrigue might find Chesterton's Father Brown stories appealing.
Start with The Innocence of Father Brown, featuring the gentle yet insightful priest detective who solves puzzles through intuition and understanding human nature.
Dorothy L. Sayers creates detective novels known for their intelligence, realistic characters, and engaging plots. Her detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, is witty, thoughtful, and convincing, qualities that Edgar Wallace readers often enjoy.
Gaudy Night is a standout novel, blending mystery, romance, and insightful commentary into one satisfying story.
Sax Rohmer is best known for his distinctive thriller style filled with suspense, exotic settings, and sinister characters, often touching on themes of intrigue and danger similar to Edgar Wallace's writing.
His series featuring the villainous Fu Manchu is famous for its blend of suspense and storytelling flair. Readers may especially enjoy The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, which introduces the cunning and mysterious criminal mastermind in a tense and exciting narrative.
E. Phillips Oppenheim's novels blend suspense, international intrigue, and clever plotting. If you like Edgar Wallace's exciting mysteries and vivid characters, you'll probably enjoy Oppenheim's fast-moving plots full of spies, diplomats, and hidden agendas.
Try his novel The Great Impersonation, a classic spy thriller involving espionage, mistaken identities, and gripping twists.
John Buchan specializes in tightly written, adventurous tales that combine mystery with excitement and political drama. Like Edgar Wallace, Buchan builds his narratives around clear, crisp storytelling filled with suspense and quick-moving plots.
A great example is The Thirty-Nine Steps, an intense, action-filled chase story that's become a classic of the thriller genre.
Freeman Wills Crofts is known for his detailed detective stories that carefully explore the logic behind crime-solving. His style is methodical and precise, focusing on puzzle-like mysteries solved through patient reasoning.
If you appreciate Edgar Wallace's clever puzzles, try Crofts' The Cask, where diligent detective work slowly unfolds a complex murder mystery.
R. Austin Freeman created Dr. Thorndyke, one of early crime fiction's best-loved detective-scientists. Freeman's stories highlight forensic science and clever deduction, appealing strongly to readers who like Edgar Wallace's meticulous plotting and intriguing cases.
You might enjoy The Red Thumb Mark, Freeman's skillful tale of scientific detection and courtroom drama.
S.S. Van Dine crafted elegantly written detective stories featuring the refined, intellectual detective Philo Vance. His works focus on puzzle-solving through sharp logic, timed revelations, and well-hidden clues.
If Edgar Wallace's intelligent mysteries capture your interest, you'll likely enjoy Van Dine's The Benson Murder Case, a sophisticated novel that reveals layers of deceit through clever deduction.
Ellery Queen is the pseudonym of two cousins who teamed up to write detective novels. Their mysteries are logically structured, with clever plots and fair clues that let readers solve along with the detective.
If you like Edgar Wallace's stories, you might enjoy Queen's detailed attention to puzzles and clear storytelling style. A good place to start is The Greek Coffin Mystery, famous for its intricate plot and surprising solution.
Margery Allingham created the character Albert Campion, a charming and mysterious detective who balances wit with confidence. Like Edgar Wallace, Allingham mixes suspense, clever twists, and a sense of adventure in her stories.
Try out The Tiger in the Smoke, which showcases atmospheric writing, clear prose, and a tense, satisfying mystery.
Ngaio Marsh wrote classic detective novels featuring Inspector Roderick Alleyn, a thoughtful, observant detective from Scotland Yard. Her storytelling style is clear and engaging, with well-drawn characters and strong plots.
If you enjoy the methodical approach and intriguing crimes of Edgar Wallace, read A Man Lay Dead, the first in the Roderick Alleyn series.
Rex Stout created Nero Wolfe, a detective with a brilliant mind, large appetite, and even bigger personality. Wolfe solves crimes with his sharp assistant Archie Goodwin, combining clever reasoning and humor.
Stout has the clear, readable prose style and strong, puzzle-driven mysteries readers of Edgar Wallace will enjoy. Check out Fer-de-Lance, Wolfe's first outing, for a sharp and enjoyable mystery.
Georges Simenon is best known for his Inspector Maigret novels, French mysteries with psychological depth and atmospheric settings. His style is clear and direct, with mysteries grounded in realistic characters and settings.
Edgar Wallace readers who like strong characters and vivid mysteries will find plenty to appreciate in Simenon's The Strange Case of Peter the Lett, which introduces the insightful and persistent Maigret.