# List of mystery writers

This is a list of mystery writers:

## A–C

* Megan Abbott (born 1971)
* Christine Adamo (born 1965)
* Harriet Stratemeyer Adams (pseudonyms: Carolyn Keene, Franklin W. Dixon) (1892–1982)
* Jane Adams (born 1960)
* Ginny Aiken (born 1955)
* Joan Aiken (1924–2004)
* Catherine Aird (born 1930)
* Jirō Akagawa (born 1948)
* Susan Wittig Albert
* Bruce Alexander Cook (pseudonym: Bruce Alexander) (1932–2003)
* Goldie Alexander
* Shana Alexander (1925–2005)
* Tasha Alexander (born 1969)
* Margery Allingham (1904–1966)
* Karin Alvtegen (born 1965)
* James Anderson (1936–2007)
* Lin Anderson
* Donna Andrews
* Sarah Andrews
* Gosho Aoyama (born 1963)
* Charles Ardai (born 1969)
* Charlotte Armstrong (1905–1969)
* Robert Arthur (1909–1969)
* Taku Ashibe (born 1958)
* Isaac Asimov (1920–1992)
* Kate Atkinson (born 1951)
* Rosemary Aubert
* Bunty Avieson (born 1962)
* Yukito Ayatsuji (born 1960)
* Marian Babson (1929–2017)
* Deb Baker (born 1953)
* David Baldacci (born 1960)
* Donna Ball (born 1951)
* Blue Balliett (born 1955)
* Jo Bannister (born 1951)
* Robert Barnard (1936–2013)
* Linda Barnes (born 1949)
* Nevada Barr (born 1952)
* Lynne Barrett
* Earle Basinsky
* Bernard Bastable (pseudonym for Robert Barnard)
* Belinda Bauer (born 1962)
* William Bayer (born 1939)
* K.K. Beck (born 1950)
* Jean Bedford (born 1946)
* Josephine Bell (1897–1987)
* Robert Leslie Bellem (1902–1968)
* C.C. Benison (pseudonym for Douglas Whiteway) (born 1961)
* James R. Benn (born 1949)
* Margot Bennett (1912–1980)
* Laurien Berenson
* William Bernhardt
* Lauren Beukes (born 1976)
* Anthony Bidulka (born 1962)
* Claudia Bishop (pseudonym for Mary Stanton) (born 1947)
* Cara Black (born 1951)
* Nicholas Blake (1904–1972)
* Eleanor Taylor Bland (1944–2010)
* Clair Blank (1915–1965)
* Lawrence Block (born 1938)
* Enid Blyton (1897–1968)
* Geraldine Bonner (1870–1930)
* Gail Bowen (born 1942)
* Peter Bowen (1945–2020)
* Rhys Bowen (pseudonym for Janet Quin-Harkin) (born 1941)
* Christianna Brand (1907–1988)
* Lilian Jackson Braun (1913–2011)
* Fredric Brown (1906–1972)
* Rita Mae Brown (born 1944)
* Sandra Brown (born 1948)
* Robert Gregory Browne (born 1955)
* Leo Bruce (1903–1979)
* Edna Buchanan (born 1939)
* Marie Buchanan (1922–2010)
* Fiona Buckley (born 1937)
* Jan Burke (born 1953)
* Gwendoline Butler (1922–2013)
* James M. Cain (1892–1977)
* Janet Caird (1913–1992)
* Karen Campbell (born 1967)
* Joanna Cannan (1898–1961)
* Dorothy Cannell (born 1943)
* Victor Canning (1911–1986)
* Patricia Carlon (1927–2002)
* John Dickson Carr (1905–1977)
* Margaret Carr (born 1935) (pseudonyms: Martin Carroll, Carole Kerr, Belle Jackson)
* Felicity Winifred Carter (1906–1995)
* John Case (pseudonym of Jim Hougan and Carolyn Hougan)
* Kathryn Casey
* Vera Caspary (1899–1987)
* Richard Castle (pseudonym for ghostwriter)
* Sarah Caudwell (1939–2000)
* Jessie Chandler (born 1968))
* Raymond Chandler (1888–1959)
* Kate Charles (born 1950)
* Marion Chesney (1936–2019)
* G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936)
* Jennifer Chiaverini (born 1969)
* Chin Shunshin (1924–2015)
* Agatha Christie (1890–1976)
* Jill Churchill (born 1943)
* Carol Higgins Clark (born 1956)
* Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020)
* Anna Clarke (1919–2004)
* Brian Cleeve (1921–2003)
* Ann Cleeves (born 1954)
* Jane Cleland
* Judy Clemens (born 1969)
* Barbara Cleverly
* Liza Cody (born 1944)
* Margaret Coel (born 1937)
* Kate Collins
* Max Allan Collins (born 1948)
* Michael Collins (pseudonym for Dennis Lynds) (1924–2005)
* Wilkie Collins (1824–1889)
* Susan Conant
* Michael Connelly (born 1956)
* J. J. Connington (1880–1947)
* Sheila Connolly (1950–2020)
* Patricia Cornwell (born 1956)
* Frances Cowen (pseudonym: Eleanor Hyde) (1915–1992)
* Katherine Cowley
* Cleo Coyle
* Frances Crane (1896–1981)
* Edmund Crispin (1921–1978)
* Deborah Crombie (born 1952)
* Amanda Cross (pseudonym for Carolyn Heilbrun) (1926–2003)
* Chris Culver

## D–G

* Barbara D'Amato (born 1938)
* Jordan Dane (born 1953)
* Ray Daniel
* Denise Danks
* Diane Mott Davidson (born 1949)
* Carol Anne Davis (born 1961)
* Dorothy Salisbury Davis (1916–2014)
* Kyra Davis (born 1972)
* Lindsey Davis (born 1949)
* Janet Dawson (born 1949)
* Marele Day (born 1947)
* Jeffery Deaver (born 1950)
* Miriam Allen deFord (1888–1975)
* Vicki Delany (born 1951)
* Randall Denley
* August Derleth (1909–1971)
* P. T. Deutermann (born 1941)
* Eileen Dewhurst (born 1929)
* Colin Dexter (1930–2017)
* Charles Dickens (1812–1870)
* Peter Dickinson (1927–2015)
* Doris Miles Disney (1907–1976)
* Franklin W. Dixon
* Joanne Dobson (born 1942)
* David Dodge (1910–1974)
* Thea Dorn (born 1970)
* Carole Nelson Douglas (1944–2021)
* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930)
* June Drummond (1923–2011)
* Stella Duffy (born 1963)
* Sarah Dunant (born 1950)
* C. M. Eddy Jr. (1896–1967)
* Edogawa Ranpo (1894–1965)
* Martin Edwards (born 1955)
* Kerstin Ekman (born 1933)
* Amelia Ellis (born 1977)
* J.T. Ellison
* James Ellroy (born 1948)
* Ben Elton (born 1959)
* Kathy Lynn Emerson
* Maggie Estep (1963–2014)
* Loren D. Estleman (born 1952)
* Janet Evanovich (born 1943)
* Elizabeth Eyre (pseudonym for Jill Staynes and Margaret Storey)
* Terence Faherty (born 1954)
* Linda Fairstein (born 1947)
* Diane Fanning (born 1950)
* Jerrilyn Farmer
* Charles Finch (born 1980)
* Mary Fitt (pseudonym for Kathleen Freeman) (1897–1959)
* Joanne Fluke (born 1943)
* Gillian Flynn (born 1971)
* Rae Foley (1900–1978) (pseudonym for Elinor Denniston, who also wrote as Helen K. Maxwell and Dennis Allan)
* Elena Forbes
* Richard S. Forrest (1932–2005)
* Karin Fossum (born 1954)
* Earlene Fowler (born 1954)
* Barbara Fradkin
* Ariana Franklin (pseudonym for Diana Norman) (1933–2011)
* Miles Franklin (1879–1954)
* Antonia Fraser (born 1932)
* Anthea Fraser (born 1930)
* Margaret Frazer (pseudonym for Gail Frazer and Mary Monica Pulver Kuhfeld) (1946–2013)
* R. Austin Freeman (1862–1943)
* Celia Fremlin (1914–2009)
* A. C. Frieden (born 1966)
* Inger Frimansson (born 1944)
* Gayleen Froese (born 1972)
* Frances Fyfield (born 1948)
* Leighton Gage (1942–2013)
* Gillian Galbraith
* Menna Gallie (1920–1990)
* Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (born 1949)
* Erle Stanley Gardner (1889 –1970)
* Lisa Gardner (born 1971)
* Roberta Gellis (1927–2016)
* Anne George (1927–2001)
* Elizabeth George (born 1949)
* Tess Gerritsen (born 1953)
* Michael Gilbert (1912–2006)
* Leslie Glass
* Alan Gordon (born 1959)
* Alison Gordon (1943–2015)
* Dolores Gordon-Smith (born 1958)
* Steven Gore
* Joe Gores (1931–2011)
* Gary Goshgarian
* Nancy Grace (born 1959)
* Sue Grafton (1940–2017)
* Caroline Graham (born 1931)
* Sara Gran (born 1971)
* Ann Granger (born 1939)
* Alex Gray (born 1950)
* Anna Katharine Green (1846–1935)
* John M. Green (born 1953)
* Kerry Greenwood (born 1954)
* Dorien Grey (died 2015)
* Martha Grimes (born 1931)
* John Grisham (born 1955)
* Beth Groundwater
* Elizabeth Gunn

## H–L

* Jane Haddam (1951–2019)
* Parnell Hall (1944–2020)
* Brett Halliday (1904–1977)
* Bruce Barrymore Halpenny (1937–2015)
* Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961)
* Jane Harper (born 1980)
* Charlaine Harris (born 1951)
* Carolyn G. Hart (born 1936)
* Ellen Hart (born 1949)
* J. M. Hayes
* Sylvia Haymon (1918−1995)
* Georgette Heyer (1902–1974)
* Keigo Higashino (born 1958)
* Patricia Highsmith (1921–1995)
* Reginald Hill (1936–2012)
* Tony Hillerman (1925–2008)
* Chester Himes (1909–1984)
* Genevieve Holden (pseudonym of Genevieve Pou) (1919–2007)
* Elisabeth Sanxay Holding (1889–1955)
* Kay Hooper (born 1958)
* Ernest William Hornung (1866–1921)
* Charlotte Hughes (born 1954)
* Dorothy B. Hughes (1904–1993)
* Gwen Hunter
* Ibn-e-Safi (1928–1980)
* Greg Iles (born 1960)
* India Ink
* Michael Innes (1906–1994)
* Kotaro Isaka (born 1971)
* P. D. James (1920–2014)
* J. A. Jance (born 1944)
* Charlotte Jay (1919–1996)
* Linda O. Johnston
* Stan Jones (born 1947)
* Stuart M. Kaminsky (1934–2009)
* Alex Kava (born 1960)
* H. R. F. Keating (1926–2011)
* Carolyn Keene
* Faye Kellerman (born 1952)
* Jonathan Kellerman (born 1949)
* Nora Kelly (born 1945)
* Harry Kemelman (1908–1996)
* David Kessler (born 1957)
* Karen Kijewski (born 1943)
* Laurie R. King (born 1952)
* Natsuo Kirino (born 1951)
* Kenzo Kitakata (born 1947)
* Kazuhiro Kiuchi (born 1960)
* Minerva Koenig (born 1960)
* Carl Kosak (pseudonym: K. C. Constantine) (born 1934)
* William Kent Krueger (born 1950)
* Ken Kuhlken
* Michael Kurland (born 1938)
* Natsuhiko Kyogoku (born 1963)
* Lori L. Lake (born 1960)
* Virginia Lanier (1930–2003)
* Gaston Leroux (1868–1927)
* Paul Levine (born 1948)
* Will Levinrew (1881–1951)
* Paul Levinson (born 1947)
* Beverly Lewis
* Laura Lippman (born 1959)
* S. E. Lister (born 1988)
* Peter Lovesey (born 1936)
* Dennis Lynds (1924–2005)

## M–Q

* John D. MacDonald (1916–1986)
* Marianne Macdonald (born 1934)
* Philip MacDonald (1900–1980)
* Ross Macdonald (1915–1983)
* Charlotte MacLeod (1922–2005)
* Michael Mallory (born 1955)
* Stephen Marley
* Margaret Maron (1938–2021)
* Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982)
* Edward Marston (pseudonym for Keith Miles)
* Sujata Massey (born 1964)
* Seicho Matsumoto (1909–1992)
* Peter May (born 1951)
* Ed McBain (1926–2005)
* James McClure (1939–2006)
* Sharyn McCrumb (born 1948)
* Val McDermid (born 1955)
* Gregory Mcdonald (1937–2008)
* Michael McGarrity (born 1939)
* Mary McMullen (1920–1986) (pseudonym for Mary Reilly)
* Zygmunt Miłoszewski (born 1976)
* Gladys Mitchell (1901–1983)
* Kirk Mitchell (born 1950)
* Miyuki Miyabe (born 1960)
* Christopher G. Moore (born 1952)
* John Mortimer (1923–2009)
* J. E. Preston Muddock (1843–1934)
* Marcia Muller (born 1944)
* Margaret Murphy (born 1959)
* Beverle Graves Myers (born 1951)
* Fuminori Nakamura (born 1977)
* Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (born 1933)
* Jo Nesbø (born 1960)
* Katherine Neville (born 1945)
* Etsuko Niki (1928–1986)
* Lisa de Nikolits
* Kyotaro Nishimura (1930–2022)
* Asa Nonami (born 1960)
* Rintaro Norizuki (born 1964)
* Suzanne North (born 1945)
* Joyce Carol Oates (born 1938)
* T. Lynn Ocean
* Rodica Ojog-Brașoveanu (1939–2002)
* Kido Okamoto (1872–1939)
* Baroness Orczy (1865–1947)
* Go Osaka (born 1943)
* Arimasa Osawa (born 1956)
* Otsuichi (born 1978)
* Bernadette Pajer
* Sara Paretsky (born 1947)
* Barbara Parker (1946/1947–2009)
* Robert B. Parker (1932–2010)
* Hayford Peirce (1942–2020)
* Louise Penny (born 1958)
* Anne Perry (pseudonym for Juliet Hulme) (1938–2023)
* Elizabeth Peters (pseudonym for Barbara Mertz) (1927–2013)
* Ellis Peters (pseudonym for Edith Pargeter) (1913–1995)
* Nancy Pickard (born 1945)
* Catherine Louisa Pirkis (1841–1910)
* Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)
* Barbara Corrado Pope (born 1941)
* Bill Pronzini (born 1943)
* Ellery Queen (pseudonym for Frederic Dannay and Manfred Lee), also wrote as Barnaby Ross
* Patrick Quentin (pseudonym for Hugh Wheeler and Richard Wilson Webb), also wrote as Quentin Patrick and Jonathan Stagge
* Qiu Xiaolong (born 1953)

## R–Z

* Ian Rankin (born 1960)
* Ellen Raskin (1928–1984)
* Satyajit Ray (1921–1992)
* Jean M. Redmann (born 1955)
* Arthur J. Rees (1872–1942)
* Ruth Rendell (1930–2015)
* Craig Rice (pseudonym for Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig) (1908–1957)
* Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876–1958)
* J. D. Robb (pseudonym for Nora Roberts) (born 1950)
* Lynda S. Robinson (born 1951)
* Peter Robinson (born 1950)
* James Rollins (born 1961)
* Audrey Roos (1912–1982) (pseudonym Kelley Roos; co-author with husband William Roos)
* William Roos (1911–1987) (pseudonyms William Rand and Kelley Roos; the latter in collaboration with his wife Audrey Roos)
* Barnaby Ross (pseudonym for Ellery Queen)
* Kate Ross (1956–1998)
* S. J. Rozan (born 1950)
* Garry Ryan
* Ryukishi07 (born 1974)
* Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957)
* Mark Schweizer (born 1956)
* Sandra Scoppettone
* Will Scott (1893−1964)
* Lisa Scottoline (1956–2019)
* Lisa See
* Soji Shimada (born 1948)
* Celestine Sibley (1917–1999)
* Georges Simenon (1903–1989)
* Elizabeth Sims (born 1957)
* Marilyn Singer (born 1948)
* Karin Slaughter (born 1971)
* Julie Smith (born 1944)
* Lemony Snicket (born 1970)
* Donald J. Sobol (1924–2012)
* Maris Soule (born 1939)
* Ross H. Spencer (1921–1998)
* Julia Spencer-Fleming (born 1961)
* Mickey Spillane (1918–2006)
* Dana Stabenow (born 1952)
* Manning Lee Stokes (1911–1976)
* Rex Stout (1886–1975) the Nero Wolfe series
* John Straley (born 1953)
* Edward Stratemeyer (pseudonyms include Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon) (1862–1930)
* Sarah Strohmeyer
* George Szanto (born 1940)
* Mitzi Szereto
* Akimitsu Takagi (1920–1995)
* Katsuhiko Takahashi (born 1947)
* Tetsuo Takashima (born 1949)
* Bernard J. Taylor
* Josephine Tey (1896–1952)
* Jim Thompson (1906–1977)
* Masako Togawa (1931–2016)
* Camilla Trinchieri (1942)
* James Twining (born 1972)
* Arthur Upfield (1890–1964)
* Andrew Vachss (1942–2021)
* Jack Vance (1916–2013)
* Janwillem van de Wetering (1931–2008)
* Robert van Gulik (1910–1967)
* Elaine Viets
* Mark Haddon
* Minette Walters (born 1949)
* Ronald J Watkins (born 1945)
* Hillary Waugh (1920–2008)
* Martha G. Webb (1943–2021)
* Charlie Wells (1923–2004)
* Patricia Wentworth (1878–1961)
* Frank Atha Westbury (1838–1901)
* Jeri Westerson (born 1960)
* Donald Westlake (pseudonyms include Richard Stark) (1933–2008)
* Collin Wilcox (1924–1996)
* Margaret Wetherby Williams (pseudonym: Margaret Erskine) (1901–1984)
* Anne Wingate (pseudonyms include Lee Martin) (1943–2021)
* Leslie Wolfe (born 1967)
* L. R. Wright (1939–2001)
* Willard Huntington Wright (pseudonym: S. S. Van Dine) (1888–1939)
* Seishi Yokomizo (1902–1981)
* Hideo Yokoyama (born 1957)
* Margaret Yorke (1924–2012)
* Shuichi Yoshida (born 1968)
* Kyusaku Yumeno (1889–1936)