Challenge your inner investigator with these unmissable features
Whether the board game Clue dominated your youth or you’re deeply immersed in current true-crime series, a whodunit holds a unique power to fascinate. The joy of assembling the puzzle pieces, scrutinizing each possible perpetrator, and striving to crack the case prior to the final revelation is unbeatable. Mystery films offer the chance to hone your detective abilities and satiate your investigative spirit, all from the coziness of your home.
Ranging from time-honored whodunits to contemporary psychological thrillers, the genre encompasses everything from cheerful comedic mysteries to intensely chilling horror, ensuring there’s something for every movie enthusiast. As you curate your watchlist for the season, these movies complement comforting autumnal movies, eerie Halloween staples, and even the most hair-raising horror films impeccably. After all, what better way to spend a movie night than trying to solve a murder? Below, you’ll discover a selection of the finest murder mysteries available, including enduring classics such as Rear Window and recent Netflix offerings like Thursday Murder Club.
Thursday Murder Club (2025)
netflix
If you lean toward mysteries that are less intense, the Thursday Murder Club on Netflix is a must-add to your lineup. Drawing inspiration from the acclaimed series of mystery novels, this charming British whodunit centers around a band of retired senior amateur detectives (known as the Thursday Murder Club) who stumble upon an authentic murder demanding resolution. Featuring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and Ben Kingsley in leading roles, this criminal comedy offers a lighter mystery experience, devoid of graphic violence or unsettling psychological depths, yet equally enthralling.
WATCH
Gosford Park (2001)
©USA Films/Courtesy Everett Collection
During a hunting retreat at a grand estate in the English countryside, attended by affluent and renowned guests, a murder occurs. Taking place in the 1930s, Gosford Park boasts an exceptional cast—including Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Ryan Philippe, and Michael Gambon—and exudes a Downton Abbey-esque ambiance, enhanced by a deadly mystery. This historical drama showcases vintage elegance, British high society, and the essential whodunit narrative that maintains suspense until the very conclusion.
WATCH
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Rear Window (1954)
Paramount Pictures//Getty Images
Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window from 1954 is considered a foundational masterpiece of the murder mystery category. Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, this landmark film centers on a photographer convinced he’s spotted a murder from his apartment. Stewart’s character watches through his window, attempting to piece together a potential crime, while Grace Kelly takes on the role of his captivating partner. Combining mystery with elements of romance, Rear Window is still hailed as a pioneering and compelling murder mystery.
WATCH
Basic Instinct (1992)
Sunset Boulevard//Getty Images
As a mix of murder mystery and erotic thriller, Basic Instinct is a well-deserved classic. Sharon Stone portrays Catherine Tramell, an author of crime novels who emerges as the leading suspect in the slaying of a rock star. As Detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas) investigates, she leads him on a dangerous journey to locate the actual perpetrator. The suspenseful, convoluted, and surprising storyline is undeniably seductive, but the enigmatic Catherine Tramell keeps the audience captivated and guessing until the very end—complete with ice picks, unexpected turns, and, of course, that unforgettable leg-crossing scene.
WATCH
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Bettmann//Getty Images
Sidney Lumet’s 1974 Murder on the Orient Express presents the first cinematic rendition of Agatha Christie’s celebrated mystery novel. After a wealthy passenger turns up dead on the opulent train, Detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) must interview an exclusive list of suspects, each harboring secrets. Featuring a star-studded cast—including Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, and Anthony Perkins—the film provides a gripping story enhanced by lavish period scenery. Elegant and filled with unexpected developments, this murder mystery is a significant entry in the genre.
WATCH
A Simple Favor(2018)
In one of cinema’s most stylish murder mysteries, Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick team up. The pair portrays Stephanie, an overeager vlogger, and Emily, an influential fashion PR executive, respectively. Dressed in stunning outfits from major fashion icons like Christian Louboutin and Ralph Lauren, they find themselves tangled in passion, greed, and death. The plot: When Emily’s remains are pulled from Lake Michigan, Stephanie takes it upon herself to connect the threads.
WATCH
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Brick (2005)
The “loner seeks vanished beauty” trope is so prevalent in crime dramas that it practically qualifies as its own genre (examples include Under the Silver Lake, Inherent Vice, The Nice Guys, and Body Double). But arguably, Rian Johnson’s 2005 creation, Brick, stands out as the most exceptional among a sea of similar stories. Here, Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes on the role of Brendan, a high school student determined to uncover the circumstances surrounding his former girlfriend’s death.
WATCH
Candyman (1992)
While Candyman is, on the surface, a terrifying supernatural horror movie, it fundamentally houses a horrific murder mystery at its core. Centered on a student who is investigating the urban legend of The Candyman—a Black man (Tony Todd) with a hook for a hand who murders anyone who calls his name—the film explores themes of racial disparity and historical animosity as the tragic destiny of the man behind the myth comes to light.
WATCH
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Gone Girl (2014)
David Fincher adapted Gillian Flynn’s best-selling crime novel into a feature film, assigning Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck the task of embodying the menacing personalities of married couple Amy and Nick Dunne. Presented in two parts, this dark marvel of psychological intrigue shows Nick turning into the leading suspect in his wife’s brutal murder.
WATCH
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
In the Heat of the Night, regarded as one of the greatest classics ever made, stars a young Sidney Poitier as Philly Detective Virgil Tibbs, whose Southern trip starts with an unjust, racially biased murder charge and ends with the skilled detective solving the death of a wealthy industrialist despite the incompetence, prejudice, and overt racism he is forced to tolerate.
WATCH
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Knives Out (2019)
Serving as a modern cinematic interpretation of the board game Clue (with a special nod to the outstanding adaptation from the ’80s), Rian Johnson’s Knives Out directly engages the sleuth within each of us. Harlan Thrombey has been found dead with a knife in his study on the third floor, and everyone is a suspect. This is a delightful whodunit from the start, underscored by dramatic melodies, up to its conclusion set to the Rolling Stones, setting it apart from the competition.
Equally worthwhile is its 2021 sequel, Glass Onion, which relocates the murder mystery to Greece and boasts a cast of A-list celebrities, including Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, and Kate Hudson.
WATCH