If you’re a fan of mystery novels then you know it’s almost impossible to put one down once you start reading. The twists and turns are always exciting and the best books will keep you guessing until the end. Throughout the history of the entertainment industry, many of these books have become so popular that they were eventually adapted into movies. However, there are still plenty of books that we think would really benefit from being brought to the big screen. While there’s no secret that each medium has its pros and cons, the best stories tend to do well regardless of the format. Continue reading to see our list of 10 mystery books that should be made into movies.
1. The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong
Originally released in South Korea in 2016, The Good Son follows a 25-year-old man who wakes up to find his mother dead in her apartment – only to find out that he’s actually the person who killed her. The book is full of drama and suspense and it has all of the makings of a successful movie. Keep in mind, this book does not have any connection to the 1993 movie of the same name starring Elijah Wood and Macauley Culkin.
2. My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
My Sister, The Serial Killer is Oyinkan Braithwaite’s debut novel, and what an introduction it was. The novel centers around a Nigerian nurse named Korede who begins to suspect that her younger sister, Ayoola, is a serial killer. Ayoola has killed three of her boyfriends but insists that it was in self-defense every time. Initially believing her sister, Korede helps Ayoola dispose of the bodies and clean up the scene. However, when Ayoola begins dating a man Korede cares about, she starts to fear for his safety. Although this isn’t your typical mystery novel, it will certainly keep you guessing. It also lends itself well to the big screen and there are lots of people who would love to see it brought to life as a film.
3. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
As a New York Times Best Seller, Lock Every Door already has a fan base full of people who are eager to see the book be made into a movie. The book is about a young woman who gets a job as a house sitter in an apartment building in New York City. She eventually learns that several other house sitters in the building have mysteriously vanished. As she starts to dig deeper into these mysteries, she finds evidence to suggest that the owners of the building are involved in some kind of satanic cult. This book has found a great balance between mystery and science fiction and it has a very intriguing story. At one point in time, there was talk of a TV series based on the book, but it’s unclear if that project is still in the works.
4. When No One Is Watching By Alyssa Cole
When No One is Watching certainly isn’t your typical mystery book. While it’s not based on a specific true story, it is a great example of how sometimes everyday things can be more terrifying than things that come from deein people’s imaginations. The book is set in Brooklyn and follows a Black woman named Sydney and her white neighbor, Theo. In addition to being full of suspense, it also incorporates important themes such as class and racism. As gentrification creeps into their neighborhood, Sydney does her best to fight against the influx of white suburbanites who are moving into the area. Along the way, she meets Theo, but it doesn’t take long for Sydney to realize that everything isn’t quite like it seems. As a movie, When No One is Watching would take viewers on a wild ride, and it would be nice to see how visuals could accompany an already awesome story. According to Book Page, the book has been described as a cross between Get Out and The Rear Window, which were both great movies.
5. Night Film by Marisha Pessl
Night Film was released in 2013 and it didn’t take long for it to earn a spot on the New York Times Best Seller’s list. The book is about a journalist who begins looking into the mysterious death of a young woman who was the daughter of a reclusive filmmaker. As you can probably guess, the journalist quickly finds himself dealing with much more than he bargained for. Although the book received lots of favorable reviews, it also received criticism for the author’s attempt to include images of fictionalized websites and articles. While the inclusion of these visuals didn’t necessarily work well for the book, they would probably translate better in a movie. Since the book is almost a decade old, there are some elements that may need to be updated a bit, but overall the story has aged very well.
6. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie’s work, this is one book you might want to check out. Ruth Ware draws on many classic elements found in Christie’s work to tell the story of a travel journalist named Lo who has been assigned to spend a week on a luxury cruise in order to write a piece about the experience. The trip gets off to a great start, and Lo is enjoying the beautiful ship and everything it has to offer. However, one evening she witnesses what she believes to be a woman being thrown overboard. Her suspicious begin to rise when she realizes that no passengers have been reported missing and the ship has continued to sail along as usual. The Woman in Cabin 10 has a captivating story and it’s unpredictable. As a movie, it would be great to see the mystery unfold before our eyes.
7. Dear Daughter By Elizabeth Little
There are lots of stories out there about people being convicted of crimes they swear they didn’t commit, but Dear Daughter puts a unique spin on that story. This novel focuses on a young socialist named Janie Jenkins who was once at the top of the popularity food chain. Good looking, wealthy, and smart, it seemed as if nothing could bring her down. However, that changed when her mother was murdered and she was convicted of the crime. 10 years later when Janie is released from prison due to a technicality, she is ready to clear her name by tracking down her mother’s real killer. Throughout the book, though, viewers will find themselves questioning Janie’s innocence as she continues on her quest to find answers. Dear Daughter has everything it needs to be a great movie and it will easily appeal to a wide range of viewers. Surprisingly, it doesn’t appear that has been any talk about bringing it to the big screen yet, but it seems like it’s only a matter of time.
8. Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage
Master manipulation is a skill that can take people several years to build. However, Hanna has already developed it at just seven years old. Although Hanna seems sweet and innocent in the eyes of her father, she has a completely different side when dealing with her mother. Hanna will stop at nothing to get under her mother’s skin and her antics go far beyond silly childish games. Hanna’s mother starts to realize that her daughter is truly a dangerous threat, but Hanna’s father is unable to see the situation for what it is. Hanna’s behavior eventually gets to the point where her mother knows that Hanna needs to be removed from the house. The book has an intense back and forth between mother and daughter, and readers will find themselves trying to understand the reason behind Hanna’s ridiculous behavior. Baby Teeth is an awesome book, and we feel that the story will be equally as awesome as a movie.
9. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
The Family Upstairs was released in 2019 and it quickly become a hit. In the book, a woman named Libby discovers the identity of her birth parents shortly after she turns 25. At the same time, she also learns that she has inherited her birth parents’ abandoned mansion. Little does she know, however, the house contains secrets so dark that she never could’ve imagined them. On the surface, this book may seem like your typical haunted house story, but the truth is that it’s so much more than that. This book lends itself to lots of scares that would probably look really awesome on screen.
10. Ghoster By Jason Arnopp
Over the last several years, the concept of ghosting has become more and more prevalent and that’s something this book explores in a very interesting way. After being ghosted by her boyfriend, a woman named Kate discovers that her boyfriend’s phone has been left in his apartment. Against her better judgment, she decides to go through it and that’s when strange things start happening. Kate quickly realizes that this isn’t your typical case of ghosting and she’s dealing with something much deeper. Ghoster is fun as a book, but it might be even better as a movie.mystery
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