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 Agatha Christie is a classic author of detective fiction, famous for clever plots and fascinating characters. If you enjoy Edgar Wallace’s suspenseful storytelling, you’ll probably appreciate Christie’s mystery Murder on the Orient Express.
In this story, detective Hercule Poirot is traveling by train across Europe when a passenger is murdered. As the train is stranded by heavy snow, Poirot must investigate the crime and untangle a web of misleading clues, secrets, and motives.
The solution to the murder is both clever and surprising, making this novel one of Christie’s most memorable and entertaining.
Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace’s detective novels might also appreciate Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the iconic character Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle crafts clever plots filled with unique characters and smart deductions.
One excellent example is The Hound of the Baskervilles, a tale set in the eerie English moors, where Sherlock Holmes investigates a mysterious curse haunting the Baskerville family.
Holmes uses logic, observation, and careful reasoning to unravel secrets hidden behind local legends, leading readers through suspenseful twists and turns to an unexpected conclusion.
Conan Doyle’s sharp storytelling style and memorable detective might appeal to Edgar Wallace fans seeking to explore another master of crime and mystery.
Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace’s detective thrillers will appreciate Raymond Chandler’s sharp wit and vivid storytelling.
Chandler’s novel, The Big Sleep, introduces private detective Philip Marlowe, a tough, clever, and morally complex character at home in the gritty world of 1930s Los Angeles.
Marlowe is hired by the wealthy General Sternwood to handle the blackmail threats against his wayward daughter, Carmen. What starts as a simple job soon spirals into a darker web of crime, corruption, and murder.
Chandler brings readers into a noir world full of realistic dialogue, shady characters, and unexpected danger. Fans of classic mystery writing will find Chandler’s books both engaging and satisfying.
If you enjoy Edgar Wallace’s suspenseful crime fiction and sharp detective stories, you might appreciate the works of Dashiell Hammett. Hammett is best known for his detective tales with tight plots and gritty atmosphere, including his classic novel The Maltese Falcon.
In this book, private detective Sam Spade gets pulled into a tangled case when a mysterious woman hires him to find her missing sister. Soon, it becomes clear there is no sister, only dangerous criminals after a priceless statuette called the Maltese Falcon.
As murder and betrayal pile up, Spade navigates a web of deceit where trusting anyone could be deadly. Hammett’s realistic style and intense storytelling deliver a satisfying read reminiscent of the mysteries Edgar Wallace fans enjoy.
Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace’s tense plots and atmospheric thrillers might find Graham Greene equally captivating. Greene excels at crafting morally complex characters caught up in crime and intrigue.
His novel The Third Man follows writer Holly Martins as he travels to post-war Vienna to visit his friend Harry Lime. Once there, Martins discovers Lime has mysteriously died.
As he investigates, Martins encounters shady characters, unexpected revelations, and a city filled with secrets. Greene skillfully blends suspicions and loyalties, making readers constantly question who can truly be trusted.
Fans of Wallace’s suspenseful storytelling will likely appreciate Greene’s mastery of dark settings, crisp dialogue, and plot twists.
Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace’s suspenseful mysteries might appreciate Cornell Woolrich, an American author known for dark, atmospheric crime thrillers.
In his book The Bride Wore Black, Woolrich introduces readers to Julie, a mysterious and intriguing woman who sets out on a chilling path of revenge.
Her mission and motives unfold in suspenseful layers, drawing you into a shadowy and tense world filled with mystery and emotion. The style is sharp and direct, with twists and unexpected revelations that keep readers hooked until the very end.
For readers drawn to Wallace’s classic suspense and clever plots, Woolrich offers an absorbing blend of psychological drama and intense storytelling.
John Buchan was a Scottish author known for his exciting adventure novels filled with suspense and espionage. If you enjoy Edgar Wallace’s mysteries and thrillers, Buchan’s The Thirty-Nine Steps could be a great find.
In this classic spy novel, protagonist Richard Hannay gets unexpectedly caught in a dangerous world of espionage. He must evade both the police and ruthless spies in a tense journey through the Scottish countryside.
The constant action, clever escapes, and intriguing twists give the book a pace Edgar Wallace readers often enjoy. Buchan’s storytelling style blends fast-paced adventure with a clear, straightforward narrative that keeps you turning the pages until the very end.
Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace’s clever mysteries will appreciate Ellery Queen, a pseudonym used by two cousins who collaborated to create intriguing detective stories.
Their detective, also named Ellery Queen, is known for solving crimes through sharp observation and logical deduction. In their classic story The Greek Coffin Mystery, Ellery faces a challenging puzzle after a wealthy art dealer dies and his will vanishes.
As suspects multiply and motives overlap, Ellery must untangle a complex web of clues and red herrings to find the truth. Fans of Edgar Wallace’s twist-filled plots will enjoy following Ellery Queen as he methodically uncovers buried secrets and cleverly hidden motives.
If you enjoy Edgar Wallace, you might appreciate James M. Cain. Cain is a master at creating tense crime stories filled with intriguing characters.
His book The Postman Always Rings Twice follows drifter Frank Chambers, who becomes involved with the restless and dissatisfied Cora Papadakis. Cora is married, but their attraction is immediate and intense.
They soon hatch a dangerous plan, leading to violence, deception, and unexpected twists. Cain captures the raw edge of passion, crime, and consequence in a plot that keeps readers guessing until the end.
Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace’s suspenseful crime fiction might appreciate Philip K. Dick’s imaginative and thought-provoking novels. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is one novel worth exploring. The story follows a bounty hunter named Rick Deckard.
He tracks down rogue androids who blend seamlessly among humans in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic Earth. Dick weaves suspense into a gripping science fiction tale. The blurred lines between humans and androids raise questions about identity, empathy, and morality.
For readers drawn to Wallace’s skillful twists and intrigue, Dick offers a fresh and exciting reading experience.
Wilkie Collins was a popular Victorian novelist who excelled in suspenseful storytelling and clever twists, similar to Edgar Wallace.
His novel The Woman in White is about Walter Hartright, a young drawing teacher who meets a mysterious woman dressed in white on a quiet, moonlit road.
Shortly after, he travels to Limmeridge House, where he meets Laura Fairlie, whose life strangely resembles that of the mysterious woman. As Hartright becomes entangled in secrets, mistaken identities, and sinister plots, you won’t be able to stop turning the pages.
Collins weaves together multiple narrators, unforgettable characters, and a plot that will leave you guessing until the very end.
Readers who appreciate Edgar Wallace’s blend of suspense and intricate plotting may enjoy Ruth Rendell. Rendell is known for her psychological depth and clever storytelling, especially evident in her novel A Judgement in Stone.
This absorbing mystery centers around Eunice Parchman, a housekeeper who murders an entire family because she cannot read or write. The story exposes dark secrets hidden behind ordinary lives and explores how seemingly trivial issues can trigger devastating outcomes.
Fans of Wallace’s unexpected twists and tense narratives will find Rendell’s approach equally satisfying.
Books by P.D. James offer classic and well-crafted detective stories, filled with complex characters and detailed plots. If you admire Edgar Wallace’s clever storytelling, you’ll appreciate James’ ability to create atmospheric settings and intricate puzzles.
In Cover Her Face, James introduces her detective, Adam Dalgliesh, who investigates the murder of a young maid in an English countryside manor. Dalgliesh carefully examines each resident’s life, uncovering multiple secrets and tensions beneath the home’s respectable façade.
The story unfolds at a measured pace, leading readers piece by piece toward the surprising final reveal.
Mickey Spillane was an American author famous for his tough private detective stories packed with action, danger, and memorable character dialogue. If you’re into Edgar Wallace’s punchy crime tales, Spillane’s Mike Hammer novels might become your next favorite.
For instance, in I, the Jury, detective Mike Hammer investigates his best friend’s murder.
The story sends Hammer into the dark underbelly of New York City crime, as he pursues vengeance and uncovers a trail of deception, betrayal, and surprising twists that keep pages rapidly turning.
Spillane’s blunt style and vivid scenes deliver exactly what Wallace fans appreciate: fast action, sharp suspense, and a gritty detective determined to seek justice no matter the cost.
Readers who enjoy Edgar Wallace’s sharp, suspenseful style might find themselves intrigued by Patricia Highsmith. Highsmith is a master of psychological suspense and subtle menace.
Her novel Strangers on a Train explores a chilling pact made between two men who meet by chance while traveling. Guy Haines is an architect trapped in an unhappy marriage who encounters the charismatic yet unsettling Charles Bruno.
Bruno proposes a sinister bargain: each man will commit a murder for the other, freeing both from suspicion and motive.
As tension escalates and paranoia sets in, readers are hooked into a gripping narrative filled with moral conflicts and psychological twists similar to the thrilling plots Edgar Wallace fans appreciate.