List of mystery writers

This is a list of mystery writers:

A–C
• Megan Abbott (born 1971)

• Christine Adamo (born 1965)

• Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (pseudonyms: Carolyn Keene, Franklin W. Dixon) (1892–1982)

• Jane Adams (born 1960)

• Ginny Aiken (born 1955)

• Joan Aiken (1924–2004)

• Catherine Aird (born 1930)

• Jirō Akagawa (born 1948)

• Susan Wittig Albert

• Bruce Alexander Cook (pseudonym: Bruce Alexander) (1932–2003)

• Goldie Alexander

• Shana Alexander (1925–2005)

• Tasha Alexander (born 1969)

• Margery Allingham (1904–1966)

• Karin Alvtegen (born 1965)

• James Anderson (1936–2007)

• Lin Anderson

• Donna Andrews

• Sarah Andrews

• Gosho Aoyama (born 1963)

• Charles Ardai (born 1969)

• Charlotte Armstrong (1905–1969)

• Robert Arthur (1909–1969)

• Taku Ashibe (born 1958)

• Isaac Asimov (1920–1992)

• Kate Atkinson (born 1951)

• Rosemary Aubert

• Bunty Avieson (born 1962)

• Yukito Ayatsuji (born 1960)

• Marian Babson (1929–2017)

• Deb Baker (born 1953)

• David Baldacci (born 1960)

• Donna Ball (born 1951)

• Blue Balliett (born 1955)

• Jo Bannister (born 1951)

• Robert Barnard (1936–2013)

• Linda Barnes (born 1949)

• Nevada Barr (born 1952)

• Lynne Barrett

• Earle Basinsky

• Bernard Bastable (pseudonym for Robert Barnard)

• Belinda Bauer (born 1962)

• William Bayer (born 1939)

• K.K. Beck (born 1950)

• Jean Bedford (born 1946)

• Josephine Bell (1897–1987)

• Robert Leslie Bellem (1902–1968)

• C.C. Benison (pseudonym for Douglas Whiteway) (born 1961)

• James R. Benn (born 1949)

• Margot Bennett (1912–1980)

• Laurien Berenson

• William Bernhardt

• Lauren Beukes (born 1976)

• Anthony Bidulka (born 1962)

• Claudia Bishop (pseudonym for Mary Stanton) (born 1947)

• Cara Black (born 1951)

• Nicholas Blake (1904–1972)

• Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944–2010)

• Clair Blank (1915–1965)

• Lawrence Block (born 1938)

• Enid Blyton (1897–1968)

• Geraldine Bonner (1870–1930)

• Gail Bowen (born 1942)

• Peter Bowen (1945–2020)

• Rhys Bowen (pseudonym for Janet Quin-Harkin) (born 1941)

• Christianna Brand (1907–1988)

• Lilian Jackson Braun (1913–2011)

• Fredric Brown (1906–1972)

• Rita Mae Brown (born 1944)

• Sandra Brown (born 1948)

• Robert Gregory Browne (born 1955)

• Alison Bruce (born 1962)

• Leo Bruce (1903–1979)

• Edna Buchanan (born 1939)

• Marie Buchanan (1922–2010)

• Fiona Buckley (born 1937)

• Jan Burke (born 1953)

• Gwendoline Butler (1922–2013)

• James M. Cain (1892–1977)

• Janet Caird (1913–1992)

• Karen Campbell (born 1967)

• Joanna Cannan (1898–1961)

• Dorothy Cannell (born 1943)

• Victor Canning (1911–1986)

• Patricia Carlon (1927–2002)

• John Dickson Carr (1905–1977)

• Margaret Carr (born 1935) (pseudonyms: Martin Carroll, Carole Kerr, Belle Jackson)

• Felicity Winifred Carter (1906–1995)

• John Case (pseudonym of Jim Hougan and Carolyn Hougan)

• Kathryn Casey

• Vera Caspary (1899–1987)

• Richard Castle (pseudonym for ghostwriter)

• Sarah Caudwell (1939–2000)

• Jessie Chandler (born 1968))

• Raymond Chandler (1888–1959)

• Kate Charles (born 1950)

• Marion Chesney (1936–2019)

• G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936)

• Jennifer Chiaverini (born 1969)

• Chin Shunshin (1924–2015)

• Agatha Christie (1890–1976)

• Jill Churchill (born 1943)

• Carol Higgins Clark (born 1956)

• Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020)

• Anna Clarke (1919–2004)

• Brian Cleeve (1921–2003)

• Ann Cleeves (born 1954)

• Jane Cleland

• Judy Clemens (born 1969)

• Barbara Cleverly

• Liza Cody (born 1944)

• Margaret Coel (born 1937)

• Kate Collins

• Max Allan Collins (born 1948)

• Michael Collins (pseudonym for Dennis Lynds) (1924–2005)

• Wilkie Collins (1824–1889)

• Susan Conant

• Michael Connelly (born 1956)

• J. J. Connington (1880–1947)

• Sheila Connolly (1950–2020)

• Patricia Cornwell (born 1956)

• Frances Cowen (pseudonym: Eleanor Hyde) (1915–1992)

• Katherine Cowley

• Cleo Coyle

• Frances Crane (1896–1981)

• Edmund Crispin (1921–1978)

• Deborah Crombie (born 1952)

• Amanda Cross (pseudonym for Carolyn Heilbrun) (1926–2003)

• Chris Culver

D–G
• Barbara D'Amato (born 1938)

• Jordan Dane (born 1953)

• Ray Daniel

• Denise Danks

• Diane Mott Davidson (born 1949)

• Carol Anne Davis (born 1961)

• Dorothy Salisbury Davis (1916–2014)

• Kyra Davis (born 1972)

• Lindsey Davis (born 1949)

• Janet Dawson (born 1949)

• Marele Day (born 1947)

• Jeffery Deaver (born 1950)

• Miriam Allen deFord (1888–1975)

• Vicki Delany (born 1951)

• Randall Denley

• August Derleth (1909–1971)

• P. T. Deutermann (born 1941)

• Eileen Dewhurst (born 1929)

• Colin Dexter (1930–2017)

• Charles Dickens (1812–1870)

• Peter Dickinson (1927–2015)

• Doris Miles Disney (1907–1976)

• Franklin W. Dixon

• Joanne Dobson (born 1942)

• David Dodge (1910–1974)

• Thea Dorn (born 1970)

• Carole Nelson Douglas (1944–2021)

• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)

• June Drummond (1923–2011)

• Stella Duffy (born 1963)

• Sarah Dunant (born 1950)

• C. M. Eddy Jr. (1896–1967)

• Edogawa Ranpo (1894–1965)

• Martin Edwards (born 1955)

• Kerstin Ekman (born 1933)

• Amelia Ellis (born 1977)

• J.T. Ellison

• James Ellroy (born 1948)

• Ben Elton (born 1959)

• Kathy Lynn Emerson

• Maggie Estep (1963–2014)

• Loren D. Estleman (born 1952)

• Janet Evanovich (born 1943)

• Elizabeth Eyre (pseudonym for Jill Staynes and Margaret Storey)

• Terence Faherty (born 1954)

• Linda Fairstein (born 1947)

• Diane Fanning (born 1950)

• Jerrilyn Farmer

• Charles Finch (born 1980)

• Mary Fitt (pseudonym for Kathleen Freeman) (1897–1959)

• Joanne Fluke (born 1943)

• Gillian Flynn (born 1971)

• Rae Foley (1900–1978) (pseudonym for Elinor Denniston, who also wrote as Helen K. Maxwell and Dennis Allan)

• Elena Forbes

• Richard S. Forrest (1932–2005)

• Karin Fossum (born 1954)

• Earlene Fowler (born 1954)

• Barbara Fradkin

• Ariana Franklin (pseudonym for Diana Norman) (1933–2011)

• Miles Franklin (1879–1954)

• Antonia Fraser (born 1932)

• Anthea Fraser (born 1930)

• Margaret Frazer (pseudonym for Gail Frazer and Mary Monica Pulver Kuhfeld) (1946–2013)

• R. Austin Freeman (1862–1943)

• Celia Fremlin (1914–2009)

• A. C. Frieden (born 1966)

• Inger Frimansson (born 1944)

• Gayleen Froese (born 1972)

• Frances Fyfield (born 1948)

• Leighton Gage (1942–2013)

• Gillian Galbraith

• Menna Gallie (1920–1990)

• Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (born 1949)

• Erle Stanley Gardner (1889 –1970)

• Lisa Gardner (born 1971)

• Roberta Gellis (1927–2016)

• Anne George (1927–2001)

• Elizabeth George (born 1949)

• Tess Gerritsen (born 1953)

• Michael Gilbert (1912–2006)

• Leslie Glass

• Alan Gordon (born 1959)

• Alison Gordon (1943–2015)

• Dolores Gordon-Smith (born 1958)

• Steven Gore

• Joe Gores (1931–2011)

• Gary Goshgarian

• Nancy Grace (born 1959)

• Sue Grafton (1940–2017)

• Caroline Graham (born 1931)

• Sara Gran (born 1971)

• Ann Granger (born 1939)

• Alex Gray (born 1950)

• Anna Katharine Green (1846–1935)

• John M. Green (born 1953)

• Kerry Greenwood (born 1954)

• Dorien Grey (died 2015)

• Martha Grimes (born 1931)

• John Grisham (born 1955)

• Beth Groundwater

• Elizabeth Gunn

H–L
• Jane Haddam (1951–2019)

• Parnell Hall (1944–2020)

• Brett Halliday (1904–1977)

• Bruce Barrymore Halpenny (1937–2015)

• Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961)

• Jane Harper (born 1980)

• Charlaine Harris (born 1951)

• Carolyn G. Hart (born 1936)

• Ellen Hart (born 1949)

• J. M. Hayes

• Sylvia Haymon (1918−1995)

• Georgette Heyer (1902–1974)

• Keigo Higashino (born 1958)

• Patricia Highsmith (1921–1995)

• Reginald Hill (1936–2012)

• Tony Hillerman (1925–2008)

• Chester Himes (1909–1984)

• Genevieve Holden (pseudonym of Genevieve Pou) (1919–2007)

• Elisabeth Sanxay Holding (1889–1955)

• Kay Hooper (born 1958)

• Ernest William Hornung (1866–1921)

• Charlotte Hughes (born 1954)

• Dorothy B. Hughes (1904–1993)

• Gwen Hunter

• Ibn-e-Safi (1940–1980)

• Greg Iles (born 1960)

• India Ink

• Michael Innes (1906–1994)

• Kotaro Isaka (born 1971)

• P. D. James (1920–2014)

• J. A. Jance (born 1944)

• Charlotte Jay (1919–1996)

• Linda O. Johnston

• Stan Jones (born 1947)

• Stuart M. Kaminsky (1934–2009)

• Alex Kava (born 1960)

• H. R. F. Keating (1926–2011)

• Carolyn Keene

• Faye Kellerman (born 1952)

• Jonathan Kellerman (born 1949)

• Nora Kelly (born 1945)

• Harry Kemelman (1908–1996)

• David Kessler (born 1957)

• Karen Kijewski (born 1943)

• Laurie R. King (born 1952)

• Natsuo Kirino (born 1951)

• Kenzo Kitakata (born 1947)

• Kazuhiro Kiuchi (born 1960)

• Minerva Koenig (born 1960)

• Carl Kosak (pseudonym: K. C. Constantine) (born 1934)

• William Kent Krueger (born 1950)

• Ken Kuhlken

• Michael Kurland (born 1938)

• Natsuhiko Kyogoku (born 1963)

• Lori L. Lake (born 1960)

• Virginia Lanier (1930–2003)

• Gaston Leroux (1868–1927)

• Paul Levine (born 1948)

• Will Levinrew (1881–1951)

• Paul Levinson (born 1947)

• Beverly Lewis

• Laura Lippman (born 1959)

• S. E. Lister (born 1988)

• Peter Lovesey (born 1936)

• Dennis Lynds (1924–2005)

M–Q
• John D. MacDonald (1916–1986)

• Marianne Macdonald (born 1934)

• Philip MacDonald (1900–1980)

• Ross Macdonald (1915–1983)

• Charlotte MacLeod (1922–2005)

• Michael Mallory (born 1955)

• Stephen Marley

• Margaret Maron (1938–2021)

• Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982)

• Edward Marston (pseudonym for Keith Miles)

• Sujata Massey (born 1964)

• Seicho Matsumoto (1909–1992)

• Peter May (born 1951)

• Ed McBain (1926–2005)

• James McClure (1939–2006)

• Sharyn McCrumb (born 1948)

• Val McDermid (born 1955)

• Gregory Mcdonald (1937–2008)

• Michael McGarrity (born 1939)

• Mary McMullen (1920–1986) (pseudonym for Mary Reilly)

• Zygmunt Miłoszewski (born 1976)

• Gladys Mitchell (1901–1983)

• Kirk Mitchell (born 1950)

• Miyuki Miyabe (born 1960)

• Christopher G. Moore (born 1952)

• John Mortimer (1923–2009)

• J. E. Preston Muddock (1843–1934)

• Marcia Muller (born 1944)

• Margaret Murphy (born 1959)

• Beverle Graves Myers (born 1951)

• Fuminori Nakamura (born 1977)

• Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (born 1933)

• Jo Nesbø (born 1960)

• Katherine Neville (born 1945)

• Etsuko Niki (1928–1986)

• Lisa de Nikolits

• Kyotaro Nishimura (1930–2022)

• Asa Nonami (born 1960)

• Rintaro Norizuki (born 1964)

• Suzanne North (born 1945)

• Joyce Carol Oates (born 1938)

• T. Lynn Ocean

• Rodica Ojog-Brașoveanu (1939–2002)

• Kido Okamoto (1872–1939)

• Baroness Orczy (1865–1947)

• Go Osaka (born 1943)

• Arimasa Osawa (born 1956)

• Otsuichi (born 1978)

• Bernadette Pajer

• Sara Paretsky (born 1947)

• Barbara Parker (1946/1947–2009)

• Robert B. Parker (1932–2010)

• Hayford Peirce (1942–2020)

• Louise Penny (born 1958)

• Anne Perry (pseudonym for Juliet Hulme) (1938–2023)

• Elizabeth Peters (pseudonym for Barbara Mertz) (1927–2013)

• Ellis Peters (pseudonym for Edith Pargeter) (1913–1995)

• Nancy Pickard (born 1945)

• Catherine Louisa Pirkis (1841–1910)

• Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)

• Barbara Corrado Pope (born 1941)

• Bill Pronzini (born 1943)

• Ellery Queen (pseudonym for Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee), also wrote as Barnaby Ross

• Patrick Quentin (pseudonym for Hugh Wheeler and Richard Wilson Webb), also wrote as Quentin Patrick and Jonathan Stagge

• Qiu Xiaolong (born 1953)

R–Z
• Ian Rankin (born 1960)

• Ellen Raskin (1928–1984)

• Satyajit Ray (1921–1992)

• Jean M. Redmann (born 1955)

• Arthur J. Rees (1872–1942)

• Ruth Rendell (1930–2015)

• Craig Rice (pseudonym for Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig) (1908–1957)

• Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876–1958)

• J. D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts) (born 1950)

• Lynda S. Robinson (born 1951)

• Peter Robinson (born 1950)

• James Rollins (born 1961)

• Audrey Roos (1912–1982) (pseudonym Kelley Roos; co-author with husband William Roos)

• William Roos (1911–1987) (pseudonyms William Rand and Kelley Roos; the latter in collaboration with his wife Audrey Roos)

• Barnaby Ross (pseudonym for Ellery Queen)

• Kate Ross (1956–1998)

• S. J. Rozan (born 1950)

• Garry Ryan

• Ryukishi07 (born 1974)

• Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957)

• Mark Schweizer (born 1956)

• Sandra Scoppettone

• Will Scott (1893−1964)

• Lisa Scottoline (1956–2019)

• Lisa See

• Soji Shimada (born 1948)

• Celestine Sibley (1917–1999)

• Georges Simenon (1903–1989)

• Elizabeth Sims (born 1957)

• Marilyn Singer (born 1948)

• Karin Slaughter (born 1971)

• Julie Smith (born 1944)

• Lemony Snicket (born 1970)

• Donald J. Sobol (1924–2012)

• Maris Soule (born 1939)

• Ross H. Spencer (1921–1998)

• Julia Spencer-Fleming (born 1961)

• Mickey Spillane (1918–2006)

• Dana Stabenow (born 1952)

• Manning Lee Stokes (1911–1976)

• Rex Stout (1886–1975) the Nero Wolfe series

• John Straley (born 1953)

• Edward Stratemeyer (pseudonyms include Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon) (1862–1930)

• Sarah Strohmeyer

• George Szanto (born 1940)

• Mitzi Szereto

• Akimitsu Takagi (1920–1995)

• Katsuhiko Takahashi (born 1947)

• Tetsuo Takashima (born 1949)

• Bernard J. Taylor

• Josephine Tey (1896–1952)

• Jim Thompson (1906–1977)

• Masako Togawa (1931–2016)

• Camilla Trinchieri (1942)

• James Twining (born 1972)

• Arthur Upfield (1890–1964)

• Andrew Vachss (1942–2021)

• Jack Vance (1916–2013)

• Janwillem van de Wetering (1931–2008)

• Robert van Gulik (1910–1967)

• Elaine Viets

• Mark Haddon

• Minette Walters (born 1949)

• Ronald J Watkins (born 1945)

• Hillary Waugh (1920–2008)

• Martha G. Webb (1943–2021)

• Charlie Wells (1923–2004)

• Patricia Wentworth (1878–1961)

• Frank Atha Westbury (1838–1901)

• Jeri Westerson (born 1960)

• Donald Westlake (pseudonyms include Richard Stark) (1933–2008)

• Collin Wilcox (1924–1996)

• Margaret Wetherby Williams (pseudonym: Margaret Erskine) (1901–1984)

• Anne Wingate (pseudonyms include Lee Martin) (1943–2021)

• Leslie Wolfe (born 1967)

• L. R. Wright (1939–2001)

• Willard Huntington Wright (pseudonym: S. S. Van Dine) (1888–1939)

• Seishi Yokomizo (1902–1981)

• Hideo Yokoyama (born 1957)

• Margaret Yorke (1924–2012)

• Shuichi Yoshida (born 1968)

• Kyusaku Yumeno (1889–1936)