January 19, 2007

It's a mystery

The Mystery Writers of America once compiled a list of the top 100 Crime Novels of all time, picking ten in each of the following categories:

  • Classics (1-10)
  • Suspense (11-20)
  • Hardboiled/Private Eye (21-30)
  • Police Procedural (31-41 – there was a tie between #40 and #41)
  • Espionage/Thriller (42-51)
  • Criminal (52-61)
  • Cozy/Traditional (62-71)
  • Historical (72-81)
  • Humorous (82-91)
  • Legal/Courtroom (92-101)

#1 in Classics: The Complete Sherlock Holmes (no surprise there)
#1 in Suspense: Rebecca
#1 in Hardboiled/Private Eye: The Maltese Falcon
#1 in Police Procedural: Dance Hall of the Dead
#1 in Espionage/Thriller: The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
#1 in Criminal: The Godfather
#1 in Cozy/Traditional: And Then There Were None
#1 in Historical: The Daughter of Time
#1 in Humorous: Fletch
#1 in Legal/Courtroom: Presumed Innocent

The British Crime Writers did the same thing, although without the categories.

These kinds of things are always fun. For the record, of the ones listed above, I've read seven. Somehow I've missed Turow's Presumed Innocent, McDonald's Fletch, and du Maurier's Rebecca.

Posted by Linkmeister at January 19, 2007 09:05 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Um, WHERE IS WILKIE COLLINS?!

Posted by: Scott at January 19, 2007 10:13 PM

The Moonstone is number 3 on the Americans' list (in Classics). It's number 8 on the Brits' list. The Woman in White is number 4 on the Americans' list and number 28 on the Brits'.

Posted by: Linkmeister at January 20, 2007 07:35 AM

"Fletch" is a fast read, very funny, and a marvelous example of how to write dialog and carry the story forward. "Presumed Innocent" is, I think, Turow's first book, and it's really a fine, twisting piece of work. I know nothing about "Rebecca."

Posted by: terry in AZ at January 20, 2007 08:13 AM

Oh, I recommend PI and Rebecca. (After the read, watch the movies; both are fine films.)

Posted by: shelley at January 21, 2007 02:56 PM

I can't believe you have never read Fletch.

I have missed Rebecca, Dance Hall of the Dead and Daughter of Time. To be honest, I don't think your missing much with Presumed Innocent, though I don't recall why I didn't like it - of course it's lack of memorability says something.

Posted by: DuWayne at January 22, 2007 02:45 PM