Dust off your detective’s cap and check out these engrossing, befuddling locked room mysteries
If the room was locked, how did the perpetrator get in and out? That’s the essence of a “locked room” mystery – how can a crime, seemingly simple, defy all possible explanation? The fun, as listeners, is navigating the twists and turns that lead you to an inevitable, mind-blowing conclusion.
One of the most interactive forms of listening, this content is like an escape room, only you can take it wherever you go. Whether you’re in your car, running on the treadmill, or just lounging in your room twirling your invisible mustache, you can play the twin roles of detective and unwitting bystander.
With your thinking cap firmly on, check out these six locked room mysteries, some of the finest current and classic examples of the subgenre. And once you’ve cracked these cases, we’ve got tons more to choose from at Audible.
Discover an Early Locked Room Classic with Agatha Christie
Discussing locked room mysteries without mentioning the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, would be a crime in its own right.
And Then There Were None is not only one of the most popular mystery titles of all time – it’s also one of the most celebrated. Ask any mystery writer (including a few on this list) and they’ll probably cite this Christie masterpiece as inspiration.
Ten strangers are lured to a mansion. Nine, eight, seven … one by one, they begin to die. As a brutal storm rages outside, it’s up to the remaining guests to figure out who the culprit is, not just for justice’s sake, but for their own.
If just this synopsis is enough to give you the chills, wait until you dive into this master class in mystery storytelling!
Travel to the Scottish Highlands with Lucy Foley
Another example of an archetypal locked room Murder Mystery audiobook – with a contemporary twist – is Lucy Foley’s The Hunting Party. “Everyone’s invited. Everyone’s a suspect,” reads the tagline, a classic setup for some carefully wrought suspense.
In an idyllic cabin in the Scottish Highlands a group of old school chums gather for a hunting party. Only a day after they arrive, a blizzard seals them indoors. A couple days later one of them is dead. Similar in style to Agatha Christie, The Hunting Party is a richly detailed guessing game, narrated by an ensemble cast that breathe life – and motives – into the various suspects.
Brace for Stormy Weather with John Grisham
If the perfect crime is possible, it may take place during the perfect storm.
