Most Popular Mystery Books of the 1950s

Discover popular Mystery books from the 1950s, with reader ratings and new favorites to explore.

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Books in this list

The Birds and Other Stories

Daphne du Maurier

Horror · Short Stories · Mystery

1952

The Man from the Bomb

R. Chetwynd-Hayes

Science Fiction · Mystery

1959

Ripley #1

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Patricia Highsmith

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

November 30, 1955

Miss Marple #4

A Murder is Announced

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · TV Series · Mystery · Thriller

June 20, 1950

Hercule Poirot #36

Cat Among the Pigeons

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

November 2, 1959

Hercule Poirot #34

Hickory Dickory Dock

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1955

Hercule Poirot #33

After the Funeral

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

March 1, 1953

Miss Marple #7

4:50 from Paddington

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · TV Series · Mystery · Thriller

November 4, 1957

Miss Marple #6

A Pocketful of Rye

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · TV Series · Mystery · Thriller

November 9, 1953

Miss Marple #5

They Do It With Mirrors

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · TV Series · Mystery · Thriller

1952

Hercule Poirot #31

The Under Dog and Other Stories

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · Collection · Short Stories · Mystery · Thriller

July 1, 1951

The Third Man

Graham Greene

Crime Fiction · Spy Thriller · Movie · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1950

Hercule Poirot #30

Three Blind Mice and Other Stories

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · Collection · Short Stories · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1950

Hercule Poirot #35

Dead Man's Folly

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

October 1, 1956

Hercule Poirot #32

Mrs. McGinty’s Dead

Agatha Christie

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

February 1, 1952

Philip Marlowe #6

The Long Goodbye

Raymond Chandler

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1953

A Matter of Conviction

Evan Hunter

Crime Fiction · Legal Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1959

87th Precinct #9

'Til Death

Ed McBain

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1959

87th Precinct #10

King’s Ransom

Ed McBain

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1959

87th Precinct #7

Killer’s Wedge

Ed McBain

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1959

Patrick Petrella #1

Blood And Judgement

Michael Gilbert

Crime Fiction · Mystery

January 1, 1959

James Bond #7

Goldfinger

Ian Fleming

Crime Fiction · Spy Thriller · Adventure · Mystery · Thriller

March 23, 1959

Please Write for Details

John D. MacDonald

Mystery

January 1, 1959

Crossroads

John D. MacDonald

Crime Fiction · Mystery

January 1, 1959

You Live Once

John D. MacDonald

Crime Fiction · Mystery

January 1, 1959

The Beach Girls

John D. MacDonald

Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1959

Passage of Arms

Eric Ambler

Crime Fiction · Spy Thriller · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

1959

Strangers When We Meet

Evan Hunter

Mystery

January 1, 1958

The Gutter and the Grave

Ed McBain

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

October 1, 1958

North from Rome

Helen MacInnes

Spy Thriller · Adventure · Mystery · Romance · Thriller

January 1, 1958

87th Precinct #8

Killer's Payoff

Ed McBain

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1958

87th Precinct #6

Lady Killer

Ed McBain

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1958

James Bond #6

Dr. No

Ian Fleming

Crime Fiction · Spy Thriller · Adventure · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1958

Deadly Welcome

John D. MacDonald

Crime Fiction · Suspense Thriller · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1958

Soft Touch

John D. MacDonald

Crime Fiction · Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1958

Clemmie

John D. MacDonald

Mystery · Thriller

January 1, 1958