I love writing lists of must-read books because there are truly so many you must read, but this list is comprised of several that I love. They range from the 12th century to the 20th century, and I’ve broken them down into five general categories. But honestly, some of them could fall under more than one. (Also, I wanted to include Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind, but I couldn’t decide what category it falls under. It doesn’t move fast enough to be a thriller, though there are a few thrills, and it doesn’t really have much mystery. It could be horror, because it has some upsetting parts, but it’s so slow-moving, but not in a bad way. So I am giving it its own category right here: Historical Fiction with Not Very Good Adaptations, lol.) If you love genre mashups, or are interested in learning about more fun books that like to mix it up, check out 4 Great Mystery and Thriller Books That Blend Genres, 15 Fantasy Mystery Books for Readers Craving a Historical Whodunit, or take a quiz to find out which genre mashup is your next perfect read!
