8 Best Mystery Books Packed With Plot Twists

Image via 20th Century Studios Published Jul 19, 2026, 6:03 PM EDT Remus is a writer, editor, journalist, and author with an eye for detail and an extremely active imagination. He is an enthusiast of everything to do with the graphic medium, whether it's Western comics and their adaptations or manga and anime. Remus is also the author of the sci-fantasy novel Once Upon a Time in Hyperspace and several works of short fiction in the mystery, comedy, and horror genres. Sign in to your Collider account For those who love playing detective, there is nothing quite like the puzzle of a good mystery novel. The process of uncovering the who, what, when, how, and — most importantly — why takes you through a labyrinthian maze of intrigue, suspense, and thrill that the writer has expertly plotted for the reader to decode. Whether it is murder, kidnapping, theft, or a simple scavenger hunt, the best mystery novels are those that invite all armchair detectives to get their grey cells racing and investigate alongside the real sleuths. If you are on the lookout for a tightly-knit mystery that will put your puzzle-solving skills to the best test, then we have an excellent selection of vintage and modern mystery classics for you to explore. Each of these mystery novels boasts cleverly crafted plot twists that no one ever sees coming, is packed with thrills and action, and finally, offers the most satisfying resolution one can imagine. So here’s our selection of great mystery books that are simply packed with plot twists. 1 ‘The Secret Keeper’ (2012) Written by Australian author Kate Morton, The Secret Keeper tells the story of Laurel, who, as a teenager, witnesses a shocking crime on her family’s farm that entirely changes her perspective towards her mother. Fifty years later, on her mother’s 90th birthday, when the family reunites at the same farmhouse, Laurel sets out to find the truth about the past that has haunted her all her life. Tracing every clue back to the past, Laurel discovers a long-buried secret involving three strangers in 1940s London. Unlike conventional murder mysteries, The Secret Keeper is neither a whodunit, howdunit, nor howcatchem. Rather, the story focuses on why the crime was committed, finding the reason spread across three timelines: the 1930s, 1960s, and 2012. Even though it is a slow-burn mystery, the intricately knit web of enduring love, betrayal, and deep secrets surrounding all the characters makes The Secret Keeper a fascinating page-turner that will keep you guessing till the end. Landing a place on the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller lists, as well as others, The Secret Keeper has also won several awards. 2 ‘The Husband’s Secret’ (2013) Written by bestselling Australian author Liane Moriarty, The Husband’s Secret follows the story of three women — Cecilia, Tess, and Rachel — who, though unrelated to each other, have common connections through their children’s school. Cecilia’s husband, John-Paul, has written a letter that is only meant to be opened by her in the event of his death. But when she accidentally finds and reads the letter, only to discover a devastating secret, the lives of the three women unexpectedly intertwine with overwhelming consequences. The Husband’s Secret is a thrilling and thought-provoking mystery about how well one really knows their “better half." While the story builds up slowly, it quickly becomes addictive and teases the reader with hints and theories of what could possibly come next, and rewards them with a shocking, though devastating, climax. When published, The Husband’s Secret was critically acclaimed and praised for its well-realized characters and the massive final twist. The novel is also being adapted into a film directed by Kat Coiro and starring Blake Lively. 3 ‘Gone Girl’ (2012) Image via Crown Publishing Group The most successful and popular novel by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl is a crime thriller mystery that follows Amy Dunne, who suddenly disappears on her fifth marriage anniversary, leaving her husband, Nick, as the prime suspect. As the investigation begins and police discover Amy’s diary, packed with shocking personal details, the case against Nick reaches critical mass. But is he really a criminal, or is this all hearsay? Presented in three parts from both characters' perspectives, Gone Girl’s greatest highlight is its differing narratives of the events, which constantly make the reader wonder if Nick really is responsible for whatever happened to Amy. The real mystery of this story is not the who or how but rather why it all happened, which makes Gone Girl a riveting psychological thriller. Even if you have watched David Fincher’s faithful film adaptation, the book still holds the power to break the reader’s expectations of the outcome, and remains a benchmark in modern mystery storytelling. Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would BeYour Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn't work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back. 🎖️Rambo 🍸James Bond 🏺Indiana Jones 🔧John McClane 🎭Ethan Hunt FIND YOUR PARTNER → 01 You're dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you. ASomeone who already has three contingency plans running and is calmly working through all of them. BSomeone who reads the terrain instinctively and knows exactly how to use it against the enemy. CSomeone who keeps their nerve and their sense of humour when everything is falling apart. DSomeone who knows the history of wherever we are and what we're walking into. ESomeone with the right contact, the right cover identity, and the right exit already arranged. NEXT QUESTION → 02 You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission. AOn foot through terrain no one else would attempt — I move where vehicles can't follow. BOn a motorcycle, a cargo plane, or anything else that gets me there before I think too hard about it. CIn something that belongs to someone else — borrowed, stolen, or improvised under fire. DFirst class, with a cover identity and a gadget that does something I won't explain until it's needed. EBy whatever means are available — I've driven, flown, and once arrived by camel. The destination matters, not the method. NEXT QUESTION → 03 You're pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of. ADisappears into the environment, flanks them silently, and ends it before I've reloaded. BCracks a one-liner, grabs a fire extinguisher or a chair, and improvises something that somehow works. CProduces a gadget specifically designed for this exact scenario and uses it with infuriating precision. DPulls out a whip, a pistol, and an archaeological insight that somehow gets us out alive. ENeutralises the threat with maximum efficiency and minimum words — they were already three moves ahead. NEXT QUESTION → 04 The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are. AA bar with terrible lighting, cold beer, and absolutely no questions about feelings. BThe finest restaurant in the city, a bottle of something expensive, and a conversation that is equal parts brilliant and exhausting. CA local dig site, a museum after hours, or a long story about why that particular artefact matters to human civilisation. DPizza. Bad TV. Falling asleep halfway through a movie neither of you were watching anyway. EA debrief that turns into three hours of contingency planning that somehow becomes the most fun you've had all week. NEXT QUESTION → 05 How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability. APrecise and minimal — tell me what I need to know and nothing else. Every word has a cost. BDeadpan and dry — keeping it light keeps me sharp, even when everything is on fire. CEnthusiastic and slightly chaotic — but always with useful information buried somewhere in the noise. DCalm and controlled through an earpiece, with a plan that covers every variable I haven't thought of yet. EBarely at all — silence is a language and they speak it fluently. NEXT QUESTION → 06 Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership. AInfiltrate their inner circle, learn everything, and dismantle them from inside out before they know we're there. BStudy the historical pattern — every villain of this type has a weakness written somewhere in the past. CGet them talking. The more they monologue, the more time I have to figure out how to beat them. DGo through them. Directly. With as much force as the terrain allows. EFind the one thing they haven't accounted for — there's always one thing — and make sure we're holding it. NEXT QUESTION → 07 Things go badly wrong and you're captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters. ACome in alone, quietly, and get me out before anyone knows they were there. BHave already been working on the extraction since the moment I disappeared — the plan is already running. CCome in loud, come in fast, and worry about the collateral damage later — I'd do the same for them. DUse every resource, every contact, and bend every rule until I'm out — they don't leave people behind. ECharm their way in somehow, bluff through the hard part, and still manage to look good doing it. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn't replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn't know you had. ATechnology that shouldn't exist yet and the training to use it under any conditions. BSurvival instinct so refined it borders on supernatural — and the scars to prove it's been tested. CKnowledge of history, language, and culture that makes them invaluable in places where force is useless. DThe ability to walk into any room in the world and immediately become the most trusted person in it. EStubbornness that refuses to accept a situation is hopeless — and the improvisational skill to back it up. NEXT QUESTION → 09 Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together. AA partner who never fully switches off — always watching exits, always calculating threats, even at dinner. BA partner who gets the job done brilliantly but has the emotional availability of a locked filing cabinet. CA partner who makes everything ten times more complicated than it needs to be — but who always comes through. DA partner who gets personally attached to every relic, ruin, and artefact we encounter, which slows everything down. EA partner who was not built for this and knows it — but shows up anyway, every time, without being asked. NEXT QUESTION → 10 It's the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one. AOne line. Absolutely dry. Delivered like the world isn't ending. Then we move. BNothing said at all — just a look that means we both already know what has to happen. CA plan I don't fully understand that somehow accounts for everything, delivered in thirty seconds flat. DA piece of historical context that reframes the entire situation and tells us exactly what to do next. ESomeone who steps forward instead of back — because that's who they've always been. REVEAL MY PARTNER → Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse. RamboYour partner doesn't talk much, doesn't need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you've finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You'll never need to ask if he has your back. You'll just know. James BondYour partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it'll take you a moment to remember what's actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You'll never be bored. You'll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing. Indiana JonesYour partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar's eye and a brawler's instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn't matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you'll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them. John McClaneYour partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren't so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay. Ethan HuntYour partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you've finished reading the briefing, and the plan he's settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn't exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 4 ‘Shutter Island’ (2003) The second standalone novel written by Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island follows the story of U.S. Marshal Edward "Teddy" Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, who head to the titular island — the site of a psychiatric facility — to investigate the disappearance of a patient accused of serial killing. After a massive hurricane leaves them stranded at the hospital, Teddy discovers questionable medical practices and investigates the staff’s motives. The story’s setting is said to be inspired by Lehane’s childhood experiences during the Blizzard of 1978. A true masterpiece of psychological mystery, Shutter Island gets better with every chapter, often blurring the lines between real and unreal. With the claustrophobic setting of an isolated hospital and the mind-bending plot twists that get the brain whirring, Shutter Island is an absolute page-turner with the most astounding revelations. While Martin Scorsese’s film adaptation is considered more tense and suspenseful than the book, Lehane’s novel is still highly rewarding with a nuanced narrative, more detailed clues, and a vastly different ending that changes the entire experience. 5 ‘The Twyford Code’ (2023) The second novel written by award-winning British journalist-author Janice Hallett, The Twyford Code centers on Steven “Smithy” Smith and his discovery of a children’s book by a controversial author marked with strange symbols, puzzling messages, and annotations, following which his English teacher, Miss Iles, disappears. Forty years later, after being released from a long prison sentence, Smithy sets out to solve the mystery of Miss Iles’ disappearance, which has haunted him for decades. As he retraces his past, it soon becomes clear to Smithy that the book is not just forgotten literature but holds a great puzzle that probably only Smithy can solve. An incredibly clever and twisty epistolary novel, The Twyford Code is steeped in suspense and thrill, making it an unputdownable read. Hallett’s narrative, which has become her signature style, beautifully moves between the deliciously mysterious and intimately emotional, as the story also touches upon themes of isolation, self-identity, and redemption. With coded messages, texts, puzzling clues, acrostics, and several red herrings, The Twyford Code is like an epic treasure hunt that culminates in the most unpredictable but also most fulfilling resolution one can ask for. 6 ‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1930) Image via Black Mask An American literary classic written by Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon is a hard-boiled detective novel featuring Hammett’s star private-eye, Sam Spade. After Spade takes a new case, his partner is suddenly killed during the investigation, and Spade becomes the prime suspect. To find the truth and clear his name, Spade navigates a dangerous web of violent criminals, a mysterious woman, and their desperate search for a priceless statuette of a falcon. The Maltese Falcon is often hailed as the most influential detective story in American literature. The novel popularized the hard-boiled detective genre in literature, shaping Hollywood’s vision of detective cinema as we know it. Presented in a third-person, outsider narrative, the storytelling is mostly devoid of elaborate exposition or inner monologues of the characters, but relies heavily on its sharp dialogue, culminating in a major twist. The Maltese Falcon has since been translated into four films, with the 1941 adaptation featuring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade being the most iconic. 7 ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ (1926) Image via HarperCollins First published as a serialized story, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is Agathe Christie’s third mystery novel to feature detective Hercule Poirot. It begins in the small English village of King’s Abbot, where a widow named Mrs. Ferrars suddenly commits suicide, leaving a note with her fiancé, Roger, stating that she had killed her abusive husband and was being blackmailed. Roger is found dead soon after in his locked study but with Mrs. Ferrars’ letter missing. When the town doctor is called to examine, he joins retired detective Hercule Poirot in investigating the baffling case. Brimming with hidden secrets, mysterious disappearances, and blackmail, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd provokes the reader to solve the mystery before Poirot does, but stays very puzzling till the end. The novel is celebrated as Christie’s ultimate mystery masterpiece, and has been hailed as one of the best crime novels ever written, featuring the iconic Belgian detective at his best. It was also one of Christie’s most controversial books because of the way it breaks the rules of mystery writing of its time and its use of the unreliable narrator trope. 8 ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ (1902) A Sherlock Holmes story written by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of the four crime novels featuring the fan-favorite British sleuth and marks his first appearance following his apparent death in "The Final Problem." The story begins with the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville on the foggy moors of Devonshire, which is immediately attributed to the local legend of a demonic hound. As Holmes and Dr. Watson start looking into the supernatural myth, it leads them to a far more diabolical plot. The Hound of the Baskervilles marked a turning point for Doyle, leading him to bring Sherlock Holmes back to life, and it played a big part in turning the character into the universally popular icon he is today. Part gothic horror, part murder mystery, The Hound of the Baskervilles is deliberate, tense, and often spooky. Easily one of the most famous books ever written, The Hound of the Baskervilles is a classic example of “nothing is as they seem” kind of murder mysteries, with excellent plot twists that will keep the reader guessing till the very end. The Hound Of The Baskervilles Release Date March 31, 1939 Runtime 80 Minutes Cast Richard Greene Sherlock Holmes Basil Rathbone Sir Henry Baskerville