Collider argues that five older mystery novels still feel effective because their suspense, characters and styles remain compelling rather than merely historically important.

– ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ (1955): Patricia Highsmith makes readers sympathise with Tom Ripley, who murders his way into a wealthy man’s identity and escapes without punishment or remorse.
– ‘The Big Sleep’ (1939): Raymond Chandler’s plot contains famously unresolved threads, but its enduring appeal lies in detective Philip Marlowe’s witty, weary hard-boiled narration.