List of crime fiction writers

Crime fiction writers are authors of any subgenre of crime fiction, including detective, mystery or hard-boiled.

A–B

• Megan Abbott (born 1971, United States)
• Jirō Akagawa (born 1948, Japan)
• Boris Akunin (born 1956, Russia)
• Susan Wittig Albert (United States)
• Steve Allen (1921–2000, United States)
• Margery Allingham (1904–1966, England)
• Eric Ambler (1909–1998, England)
• Steve Anderson (born 1966, United States)
• Sarah Andrews (died 2019, United States)
• Gosho Aoyama (born 1963, Japan)
• Charlotte Armstrong (1905–1969, United States)
• Jake Arnott (born 1961, England)
• Gianluca Arrighi (born 1972, Italy)
• Taku Ashibe (born 1958, Japan)
• Isaac Asimov (1920–1992, United States)
• Pieter Aspe (1953–2021, Belgium)
• H. C. Asterley (1902–1973, England)
• Edward Atiyah (1903–1964, Lebanon)
• Edward Attard (born 1947, Malta)
• Yukito Ayatsuji (born 1960, Japan)
• Desmond Bagley (1923–1983, England)
• H. C. Bailey (1878–1961, England)
• Deb Baker (born 1953, United States)
• Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay (1899–1970, India)
• Ashok Banker (born 1964, India)
• Michael Bar-Zohar (born 1938, Israel)
• John Franklin Bardin (1916–1981, United States)
• Burl Barer (born 1947, United States)
• Robert Barnard (1936–2013, England)
• Nevada Barr (born 1952, United States)
• J. J. Barrie (born 1933, Canada)
• Earle Basinsky (1923–1963, United States)
• G. D. Baum (United States)
• William Bayer (born 1939, United States)
• Simon Beckett (born 1960, England)
• George Bellairs (1902–1982, England)
• Robert Leslie Bellem (1902–1968, United States)
• Edmund Clerihew Bentley (1875–1956, England)
• Earl Derr Biggers (1884–1933, United States)
• Mark Billingham (born 1961, England)
• Robert Bloch (1917–1994, United States)
• Lawrence Block (born 1938, United States)
• Deborah Blum (born 1954, United States)
• Ernest Borneman (1915–1995, Germany)
• Ernest Bramah (1868–1942, England)
• Paolo Brera (1949–2019, Italy)
• Simon Brett (born 1945, England)
• P. J. Brooke (Scotland)
• Fredric Brown (1906–1972, United States)
• Pat Brown (born 1955, United States)
• Ken Bruen (1951–2025, Ireland)
• John Buchan (1875–1940, Scotland)
• John Bude (1901–1957, England)
• James Lee Burke (born 1936, United States)
• Jan Burke (born 1953, United States)

C

• James M. Cain (1892–1977, United States)
• Paul Cain (1902–1966, United States)
• Andrea Camilleri (1925–2019, Italy)
• Bernard Capes (1854–1918, England)
• John Dickson Carr (1906–1977, United States)
• Jane Casey (born 1977, Ireland)
• Kathryn Casey (United States)
• Rajorshi Chakraborti (born 1977, India)
• Chan Ho-Kei (born 1975, Hong Kong)
• Jessie Chandler (born 1968, United States)
• Raymond Chandler (1888–1959, United States)
• Vikram Chandra (born 1961, India)
• Kate Charles (born 1950, United States)
• Leslie Charteris (1907–1993, England)
• James Hadley Chase (1906–1985, England)
• G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936, England)
• Lee Child (born 1954, England)
• Chin Shunshin (1924–2015, Taiwan)
• Agatha Christie (1890–1976, England)
• Carol Higgins Clark (1956–2023, United States)
• Mary Higgins Clark (1927–2020, United States)
• Paul Cleave (born 1974, New Zealand)
• Brian Cleeve (1921–2003, England)
• Ann Cleeves (born 1954, England)
• Harlan Coben (born 1962, United States)
• Liza Cody (born 1944, England)
• Max Allan Collins (born 1948, United States)
• Michael Collins (1924–2005, United States)
• Michael Connelly (born 1956, United States)
• John Connolly (born 1968, Ireland)
• Sheila Connolly (1950–2020, United States)
• Robin Cook (born 1940, United States)
• Patricia Cornwell (born 1956, United States)
• Anthony Berkeley Cox (1893–1971, England)
• Philip R. Craig (1933–2007, United States)
• Robert Crais (born 1953, United States)
• John Creasey (1908–1973, England)
• Michael Crichton (1942–2008, United States)
• Catherine Crier (born 1954, United States)
• Edmund Crispin (1921–1978, England)
• Freeman Wills Crofts (1879–1957, Ireland)
• Amanda Cross (1926–2003, United States)
• James Crumley (1939–2008, United States)
• Chris Culver (United States)

D–F

• Jordan Dane (born 1953, United States)
• Diane Mott Davidson (born 1949, United States)
• Carol Anne Davis (born 1961, Scotland)
• Dorothy Salisbury Davis (1916–2014, United States)
• Janet Dawson (born 1949, United States)
• Jeffery Deaver (born 1950, United States)
• Vicki Delany (born 1951, Canada)
• Lester Dent (1904–1959, United States)
• P. T. Deutermann (born 1941, United States)
• William Deverell (born 1937, Canada)
• Colin Dexter (1930–2017, England)
• Ranj Dhaliwal (born 1976/1977, Canada)
• Michael Dibdin (1947–2007, England)
• Eric Jerome Dickey (1961–2021, United States)
• Peter Dickinson (1927–2015, England)
• S. S. Van Dine (1888–1939, United States)
• Doris Miles Disney (1907–1976, United States)
• Stacy Dittrich (born 1973, United States)
• Stephen Dobyns (born 1941, United States)
• R. B. Dominic (United States)
• Tim Dorsey (born 1961, United States)
• John E. Douglas (born 1945, United States)
• Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930, Scotland)
• John Dunning (1918–1990, United States)
• Umberto Eco (1932–2016, Italy)
• Edogawa Rampo (1894–1965, Japan)
• Martin Edwards (born 1955, England)
• Åke Edwardson (born 1953, Sweden)
• Mark Ellis (born 1953, Wales)
• James Ellroy (born 1948, United States)
• Sven Elvestad (1884–1934, Norway)
• Loren D. Estleman (born 1952, United States)
• Janet Evanovich (born 1943, United States)
• Stanley Evans (born 1931, Canada)
• Diane Fanning (born 1950, United States)
• Charles Finch (born 1980, United States)
• Paul Finch (England)
• Shamini Flint (born 1969, Malaysia)
• R. Barri Flowers (born 1956, United States)
• Pascale Fonteneau (born 1963, Belgium)
• Dick Francis (1920–2010, Wales)
• Ron Franscell (born 1957, United States)
• Antonia Fraser (born 1932, England)
• Tana French (born 1973, Ireland)
• Kinky Friedman (1944–2024, United States)
• Gayleen Froese (born 1972, Canada)
• Jacques Futrelle (1875–1912, United States)

G–H

• Leighton Gage (1942–2013, United States)
• Stephen Gallagher (born 1954, England)
• Erle Stanley Gardner (1889–1970, United States)
• (born 1965, Italy)
• Anthony Gilbert (1889–1973, England)
• Michael Gilbert (1912–2006, England)
• Kenneth Giles (died 1974, England)
• Steven Gore (United States)
• Ed Gorman (1941–2016, United States)
• Sue Grafton (1940–2017, United States)
• Caroline Graham (born 1931, England)
• Ann Granger (born 1939, England)
• Anna Katharine Green (1846–1935, United States)
• John M. Green (born 1953, Australia)
• Graham Greene (1904–1991, England)
• Bryan Gruley (born 1957, United States)
• Robert van Gulik (1910–1967, Netherlands)
• Elizabeth Gunn (United States)
• Batya Gur (1947–2005, Israel)
• Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961, United States)
• Cyril Hare (1900–1958, England)
• Kent Harrington (United States)
• Margie Harris ( 1930s, United States)
• Havank (1904–1964, Netherlands)
• Monika Hausammann (1974, China)
• Mo Hayder (1962–2021, England)
• J. M. Hayes (United States)
• Elizabeth Haynes (England)
• He Jiahong (born 1953, China)
• Tim Heald (1944–2016, England)
• Peter Heck (born 1941, United States)
• Georgette Heyer (1902–1974, England)
• Carl Hiaasen (born 1953, United States)
• Keigo Higashino (born 1958, Japan)
• George V. Higgins (1939–1999, United States)
• Patricia Highsmith (1921–1995, United States)
• Reginald Hill (1936–2012, England)
• Tony Hillerman (1925–2008, United States)
• John Buxton Hilton (1921–1986, England)
• Chester Himes (1909–1984, United States)
• Elisabeth Sanxay Holding (1889–1955, United States)
• Victoria Houston (United States)
• Dorothy B. Hughes (1904–1993, United States)

I–L

• Ibn-e-Safi (1928–1980, Pakistan)
• Francis Iles (1893–1971, England)
• Arnaldur Indriðason (born 1961, Iceland)
• Michael Innes (1906–1994, Scotland)
• Kōtarō Isaka (born 1971, Japan)
• Ira Ishida (born 1960, Japan)
• Shirley Jackson (1916–1965, United States)
• P. D. James (1920–2014, England)
• Peter James (born 1948, England)
• J. A. Jance (born 1944, United States)
• Quintin Jardine (born 1945, Scotland)
• Marshall Jevons ( 1970s, United States)
• Bimal Kar (1921–2003, India)
• H. R. F. Keating (1926–2011, England)
• Carolyn Keene ( 1970s–1980s, United States)
• Jürgen Kehrer (born 1956, Germany)
• Faye Kellerman (born 1952, United States)
• Jonathan Kellerman (born 1949, United States)
• Harry Kemelman (1908–1996, United States)
• Michael Kenyon (1931–2005, England)
• Simon Kernick (born 1967, England)
• Kim Young-ha (born 1968, South Korea)
• Laurie R. King (born 1952, United States)
• Natsuo Kirino (born 1951, Japan)
• Kenzo Kitakata (born 1947, Japan)
• Kazuhiro Kiuchi (born 1960, Japan)
• Andrew Klavan (born 1954, United States)
• Ronald Knox (1888–1957, England)
• William Kent Krueger (born 1950, United States)
• Natsuhiko Kyogoku (born 1963, Japan)
• Lori L. Lake (born 1960, United States)
• Joe R. Lansdale (born 1951, United States)
• Shulamit Lapid (born 1934, Israel)
• Gaylord Larsen (born 1932, United States)
• Stieg Larsson (1954–2004, Sweden)
• David Lassman (England)
• Emma Lathen ( 1960s, United States)
• John le Carré (1931–2020, England)
• Stephen Leather (born 1956, England)
• Vanessa Leggett (born 1968, United States)
• Dennis Lehane (born 1965, United States)
• Anthony Lejeune (1928-2018, England)
• Donna Leon (born 1942, United States)
• Elmore Leonard (1925–2013, United States)
• Gaston Leroux (1868–1927, France)
• Ira Levin (1929–2007, United States)
• Paul Levine (born 1948, United States)
• Ted Lewis (1940–1982, England)
• Laura Lippman (born 1959, United States)
• Steven Long (1944–2022, United States)
• E. C. R. Lorac (1894–1958, England)
• Gabrielle Lord (born 1946, Australia)
• Gayle Lynds (United States)

M

• John D. MacDonald (1916–1986, United States)
• Ross Macdonald (1915–1983, United States)
• Shane Maloney (born 1953, Australia)
• Henning Mankell (1948–2015, Sweden)
• Petros Markaris (born 1937, Greece)
• John Marquand (1893–1960, United States)
• Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982, New Zealand)
• William Marshall (1944–2003, Australia)
• Edward Marston (born 1940, Wales)
• Jan MÃ¥rtenson (1933–2026, Sweden)
• Faith Martin (England)
• Seichō Matsumoto (1909–1992, Japan)
• Peter May (born 1951, Scotland)
• Ed McBain (1926–2005, US)
• James H. McClure (1939–2006, England)
• Val McDermid (born 1955, Scotland)
• Dennis McDougal (1947–2025, United States)
• Iain McDowall (Scotland)
• Adrian McKinty (born 1968, Northern Ireland)
• Clive Leo McNeir (England)
• Michele McPhee (born 1970, United States)
• Lee Mellor (born 1982, England)
• Nicholas Meyer (born 1945, United States)
• Milton Scott Michel (1916–1992, United States)
• Margaret Millar (1915–1994, Canada)
• Zygmunt Miłoszewski (born 1976, Poland)
• Denise Mina (born 1966, Scotland)
• Kanae Minato (born 1973, Japan)
• Dreda Say Mitchell (born 1965, England)
• Gladys Mitchell (1901–1983, England)
• Miyuki Miyabe (born 1960, Japan)
• Gwen Moffat (born 1924, England)
• Rick Mofina (Canada)
• Christopher G. Moore (born 1952, Canada)
• David Morrell (born 1943, Canada)
• Mark Morris (born 1963, England)
• John Mortimer (1923–2009, England)
• Patricia Moyes (1923–2000, England)
• Marcia Muller (born 1944, United States)
• Clare Munnings (United States)
• Margaret Murphy (born 1959, England)
• Susan Murphy-Milano (died 2012, United States)

N–Q

• Magdalen Nabb (1947–2007, England)
• Fuminori Nakamura (born 1977, Japan)
• Jo Nesbø (born 1960, Norway)
• Beverley Nichols (1898–1983, England)
• Kyōtarō Nishimura (1930–2022, Japan)
• Asa Nonami (born 1960, Japan)
• Jamyang Norbu (born 1949, Tibet)
• Rintaro Norizuki (born 1964, Japan)
• Malla Nunn (born 1963, Australia)
• Joyce Carol Oates (born 1938, United States)
• Marie O'Connor (born 1974, Ireland)
• Rodica Ojog-Brașoveanu (1939–2002, Romania)
• Kido Okamoto (1872–1939, Japan)
• Celil Oker (1952–2019, Turkey)
• Go Osaka (born 1943, Japan)
• Arimasa Osawa (born 1956, Japan)
• Otsuichi (born 1978, Japan)
• Rodrigues Ottolengui (1861–1937, United States)
• Sara Paretsky (born 1947, United States)
• Edith Pargeter (1913–1995, England)
• Robert B. Parker (1932–2010, United States)
• Surender Mohan Pathak (born 1940, India)
• James Patterson (born 1947, United States)
• Hayford Peirce (1942–2020, United States)
• Don Pendleton (1927–1995, United States)
• Louise Penny (born 1958, Canada)
• Anne Perry (1938–2023, England)
• Ellis Peters (1913–1995, England)
• Mike Phillips (born 1941, British Guiana)
• Scott Phillips (born 1961, United States)
• Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849, United States)
• Nicholas A. Price (United States)
• Bill Pronzini (born 1943, United States)
• Lisa Pulitzer (born 1962, United States)
• Ellery Queen (United States)
• Qiu Xiaolong (born 1953, China)

R–S

• Melanie Raabe (born 1981, Germany)
• Indra Soundar Rajan (1958–2024, India)
• Ian Rankin (born 1960, Scotland)
• Clayton Rawson (1906–1971, United States)
• Satyajit Ray (1921–1992, India)
• Kathy Reichs (born 1948, United States)
• Ruth Rendell (1930–2015, England)
• Osvaldo Reyes (born 1971, Panama)
• Craig Rice (1908–1957, United States)
• Lynda Suzanne Robinson (born 1951, United States)
• Peter Robinson (1950–2022, Canada)
• Elliott Roosevelt (1910–1990, United States)
• Karen Rose (United States)
• Caitlin Rother (born 1962, United States)
• Hemendra Kumar Roy (1888–1963, India)
• S. J. Rozan (born 1950, United States)
• Jane Rubino (United States)
• Ann Rule (1931–2015, United States)
• Craig Russell (Scotland)
• James Sallis (1944–2026, United States)
• C. J. Sansom (1952–2024, Scotland)
• Joh Sasaki (born 1950, Japan)
• Robin Sax (born 1972, United States)
• Dorothy L. Sayers (1893–1957, England)
• Sandra Scoppettone (born 1936, United States)
• Cathy Scott (born 1950s, United States)
• Will Scott (1893–1964, England)
• Lisa Scottoline (born 1955, United States)
• Sōji Shimada (born 1948, Japan)
• John Silvester (Australia)
• Georges Simenon (1903–1989, Belgium)
• Roger L. Simon (born 1943, United States)
• Dorothy Simpson (1933–2020, England)
• Elizabeth Sims (born 1957, United States)
• John Sladek (1937–2000, United States)
• Karin Slaughter (born 1971, United States)
• Aaron Smith (born 1976, United States)
• Alexander McCall Smith (born 1948, Scotland)
• Anthony Neil Smith (United States)
• Joan Smith (born 1953, England)
• Martin Cruz Smith (1942–2025, United States)
• Teresa Solana (born 1962, Spain)
• Mehmet Murat Somer (born 1959, Turkey)
• Suzy Spencer (United States)
• Julia Spencer-Fleming (born 1961, United States)
• Mickey Spillane (1918–2006, United States)
• Nancy Springer (born 1948, United States)
• Rex Stout (1886–1975, United States)
• Linda Stratmann (born 1948, England)
• Cecil Street (1884–1964, Gibraltar)
• Kalpana Swaminathan (born 1956, India)
• Leonie Swann (born 1975, Germany)
• Vikas Swarup (born 1960, India)
• Mitzi Szereto (England)

T–Z

• Akimitsu Takagi (1920–1995, Japan)
• Katsuhiko Takahashi (born 1947, Japan)
• Kazuaki Takano (born 1964, Japan)
• Tetsuo Takashima (born 1949, Japan)
• Andrew Taylor (born 1951, England)
• Josephine Tey (1896–1952, Scotland)
• Johan Theorin (born 1963, Sweden)
• Masako Togawa (1931–2016, Japan)
• M. J. Trow (born 1949, Wales)
• Margaret Truman (1924–2008, United States)
• James Twining (born 1972, England)
• Ahmet Ümit (born 1960, Turkey)
• Lisa Unger (born 1970, United States)
• Arthur Upfield (1890–1964, Australia)
• Andrew Vachss (1942–2021, United States)
• Nury Vittachi (born 1958, Sri Lanka)
• Edgar Wallace (1875–1932, England)
• Lew Wallace (1827–1905, United States)
• Minette Walters (born 1949, England)
• Wang Shuo (born 1958, China)
• Sarah Ward (England)
• Hillary Waugh (1920–2008, United States)
• Betty Webb (United States)
• Charlie Wells (1923–2004, United States)
• Patricia Wentworth (1877–1961, England)
• Jeri Westerson (born 1960, United States)
• Donald E. Westlake (1933–2008, United States)
• Janwillem van de Wetering (1931–2008, Netherlands)
• Ethel Lina White (1876–1944, England)
• Collin Wilcox (1924–1996, United States)
• Charles Willeford (1919–1998, United States)
• Daniel Woodrell (1953–2025, United States)
• Cornell Woolrich (1903–1968, United States)
• Dornford Yates (1885–1960, England)
• Yi KÅ­mch'ŏl (North Korea)
• Seishi Yokomizo (1902–1981, Japan)
• Hideo Yokoyama (born 1957, Japan)
• Shuichi Yoshida (born 1968, Japan)
• Yumeno KyÅ«saku (1889–1936, Japan)
• Helen Zahavi (born 1966, England)

See also

• Lists of authors
• List of mystery writers
• List of thriller authors