Books
12 must-read books for Knives Out fans
If you, like us, delight in a good mystery, you’ll have eagerly devoured Knives Out, the raucous send-up of twisty whodunnits that catapults the Golden Age of crime capers into the modern day. A love letter to Agatha Christie, the dastardly tale has everything from a locked-room crime scene, leeching family members of the murdered, and an intriguing gentleman sleuth, all with a sense of humour fitting of an out-and-out comedy, but with tragedy at its rotten core.
Knives Out 2: Glass Onion had a more extravagant setting, on a remote private island, but, like the first film, is a claustrophobic ‘whodunnit’ with a cast of suspicious characters. As we wait for the third film in the series (which is rumoured to be released in 2024), we’ve pulled together a selection of books like Knives Out – packed full of personality, eccentric characters, twisting plots and malevolent murderers with a point to prove, all as entertaining as they are engrossing. If you suspect foul play, you’re in good company…
Books like Knives Out:
Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
The Cunningham family have got one thing in common – they’ve all killed someone. So when a body is discovered during a family reunion everyone’s a suspect. But who is the murderer?
Delivering a twist on the classic whodunnit, this unexpected mystery has a bold beginning and continues apace with its own uniquely quirky style. Darkly comic, subversive and hugely entertaining, this is a must-read.
A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz
A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz
The third instalment in the Hawthorne and Horowitz series sees narrator Anthony Horowitz accompany Detective Daniel Hawthorne to a boutique literary festival on the Channel Island of Alderney to talk about their new book. But when the festival’s wealthy sponsor is found dead in unusual circumstances, suddenly Hawthorne and Horowitz have a mystery on their hands. On an island as small as Alderney, everyone’s a suspect.
A literary locked-room mystery that’s a perfect page turner.
The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
An idyllic wellness retreat off the coast of Devon has a secret; years before, the island where it is located, known locally as Reaper’s Rock, was the favourite haunt of a serial killer. But now, decades later, a woman is found dead. The detective on the case soon discovers the victim wasn’t a guest – and history seems to be repeating itself… This is the latest fast-paced novel from Sarah Pearse, whose best-seller The Sanatorium was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick.
Read an exclusive extract from The Retreat here.
A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle
A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle
It’s November, 1924, and a cruise liner sets sail with 2,000 passengers onboard. When a man is found dead at the bottom of the staircase, while the ship is out at sea, it’s ruled as an accident. But the ship’s officer suspects there could be a murderer on board… This claustrophobic locked-room mystery is perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz, and has a twist you won’t see coming.
Speedy Death by Gladys Mitchell
Speedy Death by Gladys Mitchell
It’s 1929 and the guests of quintessential English country manor Chaynings are aghast at the disappearance of fellow guest and world-famous traveler Everard Mountjoy and the discovery of a body in a bathtub. A sinister sequence of events follows, as amateur detective and eccentric psychoanalyst Mrs Beatrice Bradley is introduced, but will she solve the peculiar case or is she the prime suspect?
The first in a series of Mrs Bradley mysteries that go on to span decades, this is a highly enjoyable iconic Golden Age mystery that has stood the test of time.
Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi
Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi
Grant McAllister, former mathematics professor turned author of crime fiction, has worked out that all murder mysteries follow a set of rules. Now living a secluded life on an idyllic Mediterranean island, he’s tracked down by persistent editor Julia Hart to explore his previously penned works, which in turn lead to a murder that needs solving…
A clever, creative and playful celebration of crime fiction bringing a new spin to the genre.
Murder at the Theatre Royale by Ada Moncrieff
Murder at the Theatre Royale by Ada Moncrieff
When Scrooge dies onstage on the opening night of A Christmas Carol at London’s Theatre Royale, supposedly of a heart attack, it’s a shock but the show must go on. That is until an old rival of the production’s director is murdered in a dressing room and suddenly there’s real concern that those associated with the play are being targeted one by one…
Set in December 1935 and full of festive twists and turns, this is a historical mystery where murder takes centre stage.
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena
A weekend getaway in a cozy lodge in the snowy mountains is just what all the guests at the remote Mitchell’s Inn need, until a storm hits and the body of one of the guests is found in suspicious circumstances. Suddenly the idyllic retreat is looking remarkably less so, especially when a second body is discovered…
Telling the story through a split narrative between the ten guests and those running the hotel, this is a whodunnit that feels like the walls are closing in from the very first page.
One By One by Ruth Ware
One By One by Ruth Ware
Saint Antoine is the luxurious location of Ruth Ware’s chilling alpine thriller where an off-site retreat goes horribly wrong when the company co-founder goes missing in the snow, leaving the rest of the group questioning whether it’s an unfortunate accident or if one amongst them is capable of murder. But the plot thickens with the snow outside when an avalanche hits and members of the group are picked off by the mystery murderer.
With a knowing nod to Agatha Christie, this is an adrenaline-fueled, highly entertaining read full of suspense.
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley
Friendships are put to the test when a group of old university mates travel to an exclusive lodge in the remote Scottish wilderness for a New Year’s reunion. Very soon a body is found and a freak snowstorm means they can’t leave. They might have all been friends once, but now one of them is a murderer.
Exploring the intensity of friendships with a shared history, this is an atmospheric thriller that delights in keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
As Europe teeters on the brink of war in 1939, ten strangers are lured to an island mansion where the hosts are mysteriously absent. It soon becomes apparent that the guests are there for a reason – each accused of a terrible crime. One after another the guests are murdered… but will anyone survive judgement day?
As the world’s bestselling crime novel, this iconic read is a dark and twisting story of attrition and a masterclass in crime writing.
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered again and again and again… and the deadly deed is witnessed on repeat by Aiden Bishop. Living the murderous day multiple times, Bishop wakes up afresh each morning in a different body, or “host”, of a guest attending the Blackheath ball that ends when the fatal shot is fired at Evelyn. The day will keep repeating and Aiden will continue to be haunted by the brutal events until he can correctly identify the murderer and in turn release himself from the loop.
A time-traveling take on a country house mystery with a labyrinth plot that both baffles and beguiles, this is an extraordinary intellectual thriller that is as original as it is unique.
Have we missed any of the best books like Knives Out? Let us know in the comments below!
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Knives out is such a good movie!