With these weeks connected with midwinter, there’s nothing as pleasing than curling up with the fire with a superb novel — and for example a good secret novel, because they somehow apparently keep you the warmest. Plus, what that has a new season connected with Sherlock starting this week, your appetite for more murders, indicators, and suspicious persons might just be piqued. After the jump, check out 50 essential secret novels (and spy novels, and crime fiction — the genre tends to acquire a little blurry) that may bring color in your cheeks and set your head ticking. Usual guidelines apply: one book by any granted author, and all options subjective — add your own personal favorites in the comments and keep the list of basics growing.
Hound of the Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle
Actually, you should read this as all the Sherlock Holmes reports, but choices have to be made. This you are a classic among classics given it manages to be both a fantastic story and a very interesting take upon Holmes and Watson’s dynamic, wherein the former disappears and also the latter deduces. Holmes is best at deducing.
Actually, you should read this as all the Sherlock Holmes reports, but choices have to be made. This you are a classic among classics given it manages to be both a fantastic story and a very interesting take upon Holmes and Watson’s dynamic, wherein the former disappears and also the latter deduces. Holmes is best at deducing.