10 Mystery Novels Turned Movies That'll Keep You Guessing 'Til the End

1. "The Secret in Their Eyes"

Original Book: El secreto de sus ojos

Author: Eduardo Sacheri

Argentina, 1974. The nation broils, but Benjamin, a retired legal counselor, is boiling over a cold case. A brutal murder of a young woman, Liliana, never truly resolved. Was it passion, politics, or something more perverse? As the narrative flits between past and present, two obsessions intertwine: Benjamin's unspoken love for his superior, Irene, and the chase for the elusive murderer. The climax? A remote farmhouse, a revelation, and revenge served chillingly cold.

2. "In the Heat of the Night"

Original Book: In the Heat of the Night

Author: John Ball

Mississippi, the '60s. A wealthy industrialist is found dead, and the immediate suspect? Virgil Tibbs, a black detective from Philly, simply because he's out of place. Working with a prejudiced sheriff, the unlikely pair navigate racial tensions to solve the murder. Plantations, diners, and back alleys – every corner whispers a clue. But in a town where the past overshadows the present, can justice ever truly prevail? By the dawn's early light, Sparta reveals its true colors.

3. "The Ninth Gate"

Original Book: El Club Dumas (The Dumas Club)

Author: Arturo Pérez-Reverte

Dean Corso, a rare book dealer, embarks on a quest to authenticate a satanic tome purported to summon the devil. Three copies exist, but only one is genuine. As he traverses Europe, deciphering enigmatic illustrations and encountering ominous collectors, the line between reality and the occult blurs. Gothic mansions, secret societies, and rituals – the path to the Ninth Gate is treacherous. But is the devil in the details or the journey itself? In the world of forbidden books, sometimes knowledge is the deadliest sin.

4. "The Third Man"

Original Book: The Third Man

Author: Graham Greene

Holly Martins, a pulp fiction writer, meanders into a post-WWII Vienna, seeking his friend Harry Lime. Dead? How? A car accident claims another victim, or so it seems. But as Martins delves deeper into the cobblestone streets and shadowy alleyways, he confronts a conspiracy of diluted penicillin and war's opportunistic vultures. The iconic ferris wheel scene? A conversation between friends, layered with betrayal. And in the sewers beneath, Vienna's underbelly hides more than just rats.

5. "The Name of the Rose"

Original Book: Il nome della rosa (The Name of the Rose)

Author: Umberto Eco

An Italian monastery, 1327. Monks drop dead, one by one, in mysterious circumstances. Enter Brother William of Baskerville and young novice Adso, tasked with unraveling the string of deaths. At the heart? A forbidden book, Aristotle's second book of Poetics, believed to be lost. As the labyrinthine library reveals its secrets, a power struggle emerges, pitting reason against religion. In the end, fire consumes all, but the pursuit of knowledge remains an eternal flame.

6. "Zodiac"

Original Book: Zodiac

Author: Robert Graysmith

San Francisco, late '60s. The Zodiac Killer strikes, leaving cryptic ciphers and taunting letters. Through the eyes of Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist with an obsession, we descend into the maze of unsolved clues and dark alleys. Interviews, code-cracking, and close encounters – the hunt is relentless. But who is behind the masked terror? Decades pass, suspects emerge and fade, yet the elusive Zodiac remains just out of reach. In the shadows of the Golden Gate, some stories resist a full stop.

7. "Winter's Bone"

Original Book: Winter's Bone

Author: Daniel Woodrell

Ree Dolly, 17, has a mission: find her missing father amidst the bleak Ozarks landscape or lose her family home. The local law? No help. The tight-lipped community hides a secret, and as Ree probes further, she faces threats and intimidation. Meth labs, hostile kinfolk, and the unforgiving winter – the odds stack high. Yet, when the waters of a cold lake reveal a haunting truth, Ree's resolve stands unshaken. For in the heartland of America, blood ties run deep but truth runs deeper.

8. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Original Book: Män som hatar kvinnor (Men Who Hate Women)

Author: Stieg Larsson

Enter Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist with a tainted reputation, commissioned to solve a decades-old mystery on a secluded island. Who vanished? Harriet Vanger, the scion of an industrialist family. Joining forces with Lisbeth Salander, an enigmatic hacker with a past as dark as her tattoos, they dig deep into the Vanger family secrets. An old photograph, biblical verses, and a trail of grotesque murders – the duo is on it. But beware! In the frigid Swedish heartland, some secrets are better left buried.

9. "Kiss the Girls"

Original Book: Kiss the Girls

Author: James Patterson

Young women are disappearing. Enter Alex Cross, a detective-psychologist, determined to find his niece amongst the abducted. The mastermind? A "collector" of exceptional women, weaving a web of horror in his underground lair. With the help of a survivor, Cross plunges into the heart of darkness. Amidst the southern swamps and derelict cabins, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues. Yet, when the hunter becomes the hunted, who will have the last laugh?

10. "Before I Go to Sleep"

Original Book: Before I Go to Sleep

Author: S.J. Watson

Christine wakes, every day, with no recollection of her past. A car accident, they said, damaged her memory. But can you trust 'they'? Each day, she pieces together fragments from a hidden journal. "Don't trust Ben," one entry warns. As days fold into one another, Christine discovers a harrowing truth about her husband and the accident. Who's the villain? Well, as with all dark memories, the truth lies just below the surface.