I think 'The Night Circus' by Erin Morgenstern also fits. While it's more of a magical mystery, it has a very unique and strange setting. The circus that appears only at night and the competition between the two magicians within it are full of mystery. There are all kinds of strange and beautiful elements in the circus that keep you guessing as to how it all works and what the end result of the competition will be.
Then there's 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer. The area known as Area X is filled with all kinds of strange and unexplained phenomena. The mystery of what exactly is going on in Area X and why it has such a strange effect on those who enter is what makes this novel so engaging. It's full of biological oddities and psychological twists.
Sure. 'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer' by Patrick Süskind. It's a really weird and captivating mystery about a man with an extraordinary sense of smell who becomes a serial killer. The way Süskind describes scents and how they drive the protagonist is both strange and fascinating.
Sure. 'And Then There Were None' by Agatha Christie is a great start. It has a simple yet engaging plot where ten strangers are lured to an island and then start getting killed one by one. It's easy to follow and gets you hooked on the mystery genre.
I think 'The Westing Game' by Ellen Raskin is suitable for beginners. It's a mystery novel with a bit of a different feel, more focused on the puzzle - like nature of the mystery. Also, 'The Secret of the Old Clock' by Carolyn Keene is a good entry - level mystery. It has a young female detective, Nancy Drew, and the plot is full of intrigue but not overly complicated.
Another great one is 'The Crying of Lot 49' by Thomas Pynchon. It's full of strange symbols, odd characters, and a mystery that seems to keep expanding the more you read. Pynchon weaves a complex web of ideas and events that leave the reader constantly questioning what's really going on.
Sure. 'Nancy Drew' series is a great start for beginners. These books have been around for a long time and follow the adventures of Nancy Drew as she solves various mysteries. They are easy to read and have engaging plots. Another one is 'The Hardy Boys' series. The Hardy brothers are always getting into mystery - solving situations, and the stories are written in a way that's accessible for young readers new to the mystery genre. 'Encyclopedia Brown' is also good. Each story presents a small mystery that the super - smart Encyclopedia Brown has to solve, and it's a fun way to get into the world of mystery novels.
Sure. 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' is an early mystery novel. It was written by Edgar Allan Poe.
Sure. 'The Boring Mystery Case' is a bad one. It fails to create any sort of mystery atmosphere. The clues are just randomly scattered and don't lead to a logical conclusion. The main character who is supposed to solve the mystery is not very likable either.
Sure. 'Uzumaki' by Junji Ito is a great start. It's about a town obsessed with spirals. The story is full of strange and creepy events that will draw you in. Ito's art is very detailed and his unique take on horror in graphic novel form is easy to get into.
One great weird mystery novel is 'House of Leaves' by Mark Z. Danielewski. It has a really strange and complex structure that adds to the mystery. The story plays with the idea of a house that is larger on the inside than the outside, and the narrative is presented in a very unconventional way.
I would also recommend 'The Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris. This novel features the iconic characters of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling. The mystery of the serial killer known as 'Buffalo Bill' and the psychological cat - and - mouse game between Starling and Lecter make it a gripping read. It's not just a mystery but also a deep exploration of the human psyche.
Sure. 'The Maltese Falcon' by Dashiell Hammett. It's a classic noir - ish mystery set in the 1920s or so. The hunt for the valuable Maltese falcon statuette is full of twists and turns. Another one is 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins. Considered one of the first detective novels, it has a great mystery around the disappearance of the precious moonstone gem in a Victorian - era setting.