It’s amazing to think that up until the 1940s, nobody had thought of setting a mystery in any time other than the present day.
That’s no longer the case. Now, fictional detectives—both amateur and professional—solve crimes in practically every era of human history.
And the limitations, quirks, and culture of the past add a flavor to the investigations that makes them all the more addictive.
So if you're like us and you can't get enough, here are eight historical crime novels to transport you through time.
Death Comes as the End
Published in 1945, the Queen of Crime’s rare departure from the drawing rooms of middle class England is widely acknowledged to be the first historical mystery.
Dame Agatha was married to a great archaeologist, Sir Max Mallowan, and often accompanied him on his expeditions, so it’s no surprise that Death Comes as the End is set in Ancient Egypt.
A dark tale of familial jealousy that takes place in the city of Thebes around 2000BC, it centres on a wealthy farmer and his potentially murderous new concubine. It was written with the help of renowned Egyptologist Stephen Glanville, a family friend.
The Borrowed
Set in Hong Kong from 1963 to 2014, Chan Ho-Kei’s epic novel tells the story of master detective Inspector Kwan.
For half a century, Kwan has lived in the shadows of the Chinese territory’s giant skyscrapers, quietly and diligently solving crimes. Around him, immense political upheavals have seen power in Hong Kong shift from imperialist Britain to communist China.
Now Kwan is dying and looking back on his life in the hope of solving one last case.
Made up of six interlocking novellas that combine Golden Age-style whodunits with exploration of historic events, this is a breathtakingly ambitious work that satisfies both as a crime novel and as social commentary.
The Chinese Nail Murders
An early pioneer of historical detective fiction, Dutch diplomat and sinologist Van Gulick began writing his superb detective series set in China’s Tang Dynasty (around 700CE) in the 1950s.
The central character is the tough and irascible Judge Dee, an examining magistrate. Dee is aided in his investigations by a cast of eccentric characters, including the perpetually worried Sergeant Hoong, reformed conman Tao Gan, and Ma Joong and Chiao Tai, a pair of former highwaymen with insatiable appetites for fighting, wine, and women.
In this, one of Van Gulick’s best, our team find themselves in the freezing north of China, investigating a beheading, a jewel theft, and the disappearance of a young girl.
Death Ex Machina
Australian writer Corby’s witty mysteries are set in Athens c.545 BCE, and feature husband and wife detective team Nicolaos and Diotima (the Nick and Nora Charles of the Ancient World).
In this, the fifth book in the series, our two sleuths are called in to investigate an apparent haunting at the site of the forthcoming theatrical festival of Dionysius. The pair haven’t been on the job long when an actor is found hanging from a backstage winch.
And that doesn’t look like the work of a ghost to Nicolaos and Diotima. With suspects galore and acts of sabotage mounting, the threat to the great production becomes ever less spectral and more real.
Amusing and packed with fascinating details about life in Ancient Greece, this is a great introduction to a wonderfully witty series.
The Scent of Death
A modern master of the historical crime novel, Taylor has picked up awards across the globe, including the prestigious Cartier Diamond Dagger. This standalone mystery from 2013 won Taylor the Ellis Peters Prize.
Set in New York during the American War of Independence, our detective is Edward Savill, an English clerk tasked by the British Crown with assessing the compensation claims of loyalists who have lost property and land in the conflict.
His investigations into the claims take him deep into the underbelly of the great city—a place of secrets and murder.
Viper's Dream
Bronx-born US writer Lamar lives and works in Paris. He won the Ellis Peters Prize in 2024 for this gritty neo-noir set in Jazz Age Harlem.
Populated by sharply drawn gangsters, corrupt cops, drug lords, streetwise kids, and a memorable femme fatale in the shape of singer YoYo DeVray, Lamar’s work has drawn comparison with Chester Himes, Colson Whitehead, and the Godfather novels of Mario Puzo.
The Death Maze
The second in Franklin’s highly regarded 12th century mystery series featuring Adelia Aguilar sees the medieval anatomist called in to investigate the murder of Rosamund Clifford, mistress of King Henry II of England.
The chief suspect is Henry’s jealous wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Determined to prove the Queen’s innocence, the resourceful Adelia finds herself battling not only a lethal assassin, but also trying to find her way through the apparently impenetrable labyrinth that surrounds Rosamund’s home.
A fast-paced page-turner with a plot that has more turns than the death maze itself.
The Silver Pigs
Davis has written 20 mysteries featuring Roman Imperial Agent Marcus Didius Falco. This is the first in the series, originally published in 1989.
In it, Falco finds himself on a case during a time of great turmoil (the novel is set in 70CE, the infamous Year of the Four Emperors). Our sleuth is hired by a senator to investigate the killing of his niece.
Soon he’s on the trail of a band of ruthless thieves who have made off with several “silver pigs”—massive lead ingots filled with silver. The investigation takes him all the way to Britain, on the wild outer fringes of the Empire.
Here he finds savage death, deep-rooted corruption, and, unexpectedly, love.
