The to-read list

This is a selection of the books which I plan to read or (reread) in the near future.


This list is made up almost exclusively of mystery/detective books written between 1890 and 1940. I am currently in the process of expanding it to include books that might best be described as "comedies of manners." Suggestions and feedback are welcome.

Tracks in the Snow    Godfrey R. Benson (Lord Charnworth)
The Triumphs of Eugene Valmont    Robert Barr
The Thinking Machine    Jacques Futrelle
The Man Who Was Thursday    G. K. Chesterton
The Circular Staircase    Mary Roberts Rineheart
The Gentle Grafter    O. Henry
Through the Wall    Cleveland Moffett
The Old Man in the Corner    Baroness Orczy
At the Villa Rose    A. E. W. Mason
The Innocence of Father Brown    G. K. Chesterton
The Singing Bone    R. Austin Freeman
The Mysterious Affair at Styles     Agatha Christie
Call Mr. Fortune    H. C. Bailey
The Secret Adversary     Agatha Christie
The Murder on the Links     Agatha Christie
The House of the Arrow    A. E. W. Mason
The Man in the Brown Suit     Agatha Christie
The Secret of Chimneys     Agatha Christie
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd     Agatha Christie
The Benson Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
The Big Four     Agatha Christie
 The Canary Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
Unnatural Death [Wimsey 3]    Dorothy Sayers
 The Greene Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
The Mystery of the Blue Train     Agatha Christie
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club [Wimsey 4]    Dorothy Sayers

The Roman Hat Mystery    Ellery Queen
The Seven Dials Mystery     Agatha Christie
The Bishop Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
The Crime at the Black Dudley (Campion 1)    Margery Allingham
The Poisoned Chocolates Case    Anthony Berkeley
The French Powder Mystery    Ellery Queen
The Maltese Falcon    Dashiell Hammett
Mystery Mile (Campion 2)    Margery Allingham
The Murder at the Vicarage     Agatha Christie
The Scarab Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
Strong Poison [Wimsey 5]    Dorothy Sayers
Malice Aforethought    Frances Iles
Maigret and the Enigmatic Lett - The Strange Case of Peter the Lett    Georges Simenon
Maigret Meets a Milord - The Crime at Lock 14    Georges Simenon
Maigret Stonewalled - The Death of Monsieur Gallet    Georges Simenon
"Maigret and the Hundred Gibbets - The Crime of Inspector Maigret
"    Georges Simenon
The Sittaford Mystery    Agatha Christie
Maigret's War of Nerves    Georges Simenon
Maigret and the Concarneau Murders - Maigret and the Yellow Dog    Georges Simenon
Maigret at the Crossroads    Georges Simenon
A Crime in Holland - Maigret in Holland    Georges Simenon
The Sailor's Rendezvous - Maigret Answers a Plea    Georges Simenon
Maigret at the Gai Moulin    Georges Simenon
The Dutch Shoe Mystery    Ellery Queen
Look to the Lady (U.S. title: The Gyrth Chalice Mystery)    Margery Allingham
Police at the Funeral    Margery Allingham
Five Red Herrings [Wimsey 6]    Dorothy Sayers
Mr. Fortune Explains    H. C. Bailey
Footsteps in the Dark    Georgette Heyer
Maigret and the Tavern by the Seine - Maigret to the Rescue    Georges Simenon
Maigret Mystified    Georges Simenon
Maigret and the Countess - Maigret Goes Home - Maigret on Home Ground    Georges Simenon
Maigret and the Flemish Shop    Georges Simenon
Death of a Harbour Master - Maigret and the Death of a Harbor Master    Georges Simenon
The Madman of Bergerac    Georges Simenon
The Greek Coffin Mystery    Ellery Queen
Liberty Bar - Maigret on the Riviera    Georges Simenon
Peril at End House     Agatha Christie
Before the Fact    Frances Iles
The Egyptian Cross Mystery    Ellery Queen
Have His Carcase    Dorothy Sayers
The Kennel Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
The Lock at Charenton - Maigret Sits It Out - Lock No. 1    Georges Simenon
Sweet Danger (U.S. title: Kingdom of Death or The Fear Sign)    Margery Allingham
Lord Edgware Dies, also Thirteen at Dinner     Agatha Christie
Why Shoot a Butler?    Georgette Heyer
The American Gun Mystery     Ellery Queen
The Siamese Twin Mystery    Ellery Queen
Murder Must Advertise [Wimsey 6]    Dorothy Sayers
Dead Mrs. Stratton (Jumping Jenny)    Anthony Berkeley
A Man Lay Dead    Ngaio Marsh
 Fer-de-Lance    Rex Stout
Murder on the Orient Express, also Murder in the Calais Coach     Agatha Christie
The Dragon Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, also the Boomerang Clue    Agatha Christie
The Unfinished Clue    Georgette Heyer
The Casino Murder Case    S. S. Van Dine
The Chinese Orange Mystery    Ellery Queen
The Murder of My Aunt    Richard Hull
 Death of a Ghost    Margery Allingham
The Nine Tailors [Wimsey 7]    Dorothy Sayers
The League of Frightened Men    Rex Stout
Death in the Stocks    Georgette Heyer
Enter a Murderer    Ngaio Marsh
Three Act Tragedy, Murder in Three Acts    Agatha Christie
 The Nursing Home Murder    Ngaio Marsh