Mystery audiobooks are a great way to escape reality and dive into a world of suspense and intrigue. The best mystery audiobooks will keep you engaged and entertained with their twists and turns, and guessing right until the end of the story. And a good narrator will make the experience even more thrilling and immersive by transporting you to the heart of the story, making you feel as though you’re right there alongside the characters, trying to solve the mystery.
With the help of Libro.fm and their community of independent bookstores, I’ve selected ten of the best mystery audiobooks. Not familiar with Libro.fm? It’s actually one of my favorite audiobook services because, among other things, it splits its profits with independent bookstores (read my Libro.fm review).
Whether you’re a die-hard mystery fan or a newcomer to the genre, there’s a mystery audiobook in this collection for you. Enjoy!
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone
By Benjamin Stevenson. Read by Barton Welch.
Bookseller recommendation:
“Being such an avid Mystery/Thriller reader, I am always trying to figure out the twists and turns of a story before the main character is able to solve it- and I’m usually pretty spot on. This book, however, was a breath of fresh air- a clever, surprisingly deep mystery that kept me on my toes throughout, even though the self-proclaimed ‘reliable narrator’ Ernie was very forthcoming with every piece of evidence and his deductions throughout the story. Even though there’s a lot of death and suspense, at the heart of this story is a complex family that’s trying to come together to defy their generational curses, even though the odds are stacked against them (and some members are stacked against each other). I loved listening to this story, not only because of the dreamy Australian accent, but also because the tone made me feel like I was in on the investigation- Stevenson’s writing and approach to turning tried and true mystery tropes on their head has definitely made him a must-read author for me!” – Maggie, East City Bookshop
The Thursday Murder Club
By Richard Osman. Read by Lesley Manville.
Bookseller recommendation:
“Witty and sharp and twisty, this mystery will be just your cup of tea! At a posh retirement community, an elderly group of crime enthusiasts meet on Thursdays to go over old cold cases. When several current murders happen practically on their front stoop, these silver haired sleuths start digging for clues. There are a lot of secrets and hidden motives to unearth, which will keep the reader guessing until the last page. The narration by Lesley Manville is superb!” – Kate, Fountain Bookstore
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
By Jesse Q. Sutanto. Read by Eunice Wong.
Bookseller recommendation:
“In true Jesse Q. Sutanto fashion, her newest book brings lovable characters, hijinks, and a rollicking good time. I don’t know how she makes murder so wholesome and funny but she does in a forget-your-worries-and-only-read-this-book way every time.” – Kimi, Buttonwood Books and Toys
The Golden Spoon
By Jessa Maxwell. Read by a full cast.
Bookseller recommendation:
“A surprising and delightful combination of Agatha Christie and The Great British Baking Show, The Golden Spoon will sweep you off your feet and into a world of cakes, pies and gruesome murders!” – Alex, Harvard Book Store
The Guest List
By Lucy Foley. Read by a full cast.
Bookseller recommendation:
“This was a great, suspenseful listen. It wasn’t as spooky as I’d been hoping for, but it was an excellent mystery. The story takes place on an island off of Ireland with an old manor house that is hosting a posh wedding. The story starts the day before the murder and ends with the body being found. We get the viewpoint of several of the guests and the bride as the story builds up to the murder. By the time it happens there are numerous people who would want the victim dead (and you will too). A very original, very well written mystery.” – Karrie, Vroman’s Bookstore
The Violin Conspiracy
By Brendan Slocumb. Read by JD Jackson & Brendan Slocumb.
Bookseller recommendation:
“This was such an excellent mystery and it’s so refreshing reading a mystery that doesn’t involve a dead body. Here, we have a stolen, priceless violin. But most of all, we have Ray’s journey and his love of playing the violin. Unsupported by his family, other than a loving grandmother, Ray, perseveres with his love of the violin, first playing on a crappy rental, to being gifted a family violin that was his great great grandfather’s, one of the formerly enslaved. The journey that Ray takes, isn’t easy, from lack of resources, gatekeeping and outright racism, until a professor sees and then nurtures his talent, culminating in a world renowned competition. All this, plus an engaging mystery as well as a fantastic narrator, makes this a must listen.” – Audrey, Belmont Books
The Villa
By Rachel Hawkins. Read by Julia Whelan, Kimberly M. Wetherell & Shiromi Arserio.
Bookseller recommendation:
“I love it when I think an author has revealed all the juicy plot twists and I have figured out where the story is headed and solved the mystery, only to be surprised by more tantalizing twists and even more mysteries. Welcome to The Villa! Two lifelong friends, now both successful authors, head to Italy for a summer at a beautiful villa. As it turns out, the villa is famous for having been the scene of the murder of a young rock musician in 1974. Drawn into the story of that fateful summer, Emily begins to research. Clues she finds lead her on a path neither she nor her friend Chess expected for their summer, much as the group in 1974 did not expect the ending to their vacation. Unfolding in alternating chapters, the stories of the 1974 summer and this summer intertwine and twist in marvelously unexpected ways.” – Nancy, Raven Book Store
Things in Jars
By Jess Kidd. Read by Jacqueline Milne.
Bookseller recommendation:
“Set in Victorian England, Things in Jars feels like a Sherlock Holmes story, if Holmes had been a woman. You can’t help but love Bridie Devine, a strong-willed, chain-smoking woman who has clawed her way from life as an orphaned thief to a highly sought-after detective often consulted by Scotland Yard. Bridie’s newest case, though, is proving difficult and incredibly strange. Not only will it force her to confront someone from her past who she thought was dead, she’ll also team up with an actual ghost as she solves a fantastical crime. Highly imaginative, Things in Jars is a fun and immersive read.” – Jamie Southern, Bookmarks
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
By Holly Jackson. Read by a full cast.
Bookseller recommendation:
“CHILLS. This book was AMAZING. Experiencing the twists and turns of this case along side Pip and taking risks along side of her sucked me into the audiobook. I particularly enjoyed how all of her logs, interviews, and case notes were laid out throughout the story. Each interview sounded like something straight from a true-crime documentary. Pip was relentless in her pursuit of the truth, and the ending had me gasping and on the edge of my seat.” – Sam, Bright Side Bookshop
The Woman in the Library
By Sulari Gentill. Read by Katherine Littrell.
Bookseller recommendation:
“I’d never thought of the term metafiction before, but in The Woman in the Library, Australian writer Sulari Gentill dives right into a recursive story of a writer, Hannah, writing a book about a writer, Winifred, who is writing a book and during a research trip to the Boston Public Library, becomes enmeshed in a murder investigation, using the people she encounters in her book. And then there’s Leo, who Hannah is emailing chapters of the book to for comments. When Leo’s feedback becomes creepier and weirder, his story and the fictional mystery start to parallel each other, including a character also named Leo in Winifred’s story. Murders in two realities in one book; so intelligent and well constructed!” – Genevieve, A Great Good Place for Books
What are the best mystery audiobooks you’ve listened to? Please let me know in the comments below!
