As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Browse by genre

30 Best Historical Crime & Mystery Books in the Ancient World

Historical crime and mystery fiction places investigations inside legal systems, communities and institutions shaped by their period. These books range from formal detective stories to murder mysteries and criminal conspiracies.

115 books 1 historical period

Browse this genre by historical period

Prehistory 3,200 BCE–43 CE 1 book Ancient World 2,200 BCE–628 CE 115 books American History 1607–1912 CE 12 books Asia & the Islamic World 221 BCE–1,997 CE 51 books Medieval Period 330–1,816 CE 202 books Renaissance & Early Modern Europe c. 1300–1789 CE 16 books Russian Empire & Revolution 1721–1922 CE 8 books Tudor & Stuart Britain 1485–1714 CE 64 books Georgian & Regency Britain 1714–1837 CE 25 books Age of Revolutions 1763–1848 CE 9 books Nineteenth-Century Europe 1815–1900 CE 87 books World War I & Interwar Era 1914–1939 CE 100 books World War II 1939–1945 CE 27 books Cold War and Post-war Era 1945–1991 CE 57 books

Recommended reading

30 Crime & Mystery books in Ancient World

Bestselling authors first, then star rating.