Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Hello readers!

I am excited to participate in the 20 Books of Summer this year, hosted by AnnaBookBel and Emma at Words and Peace. 20 Books of Summer is a fun reading challenge in which participants commit to reading either 10, 15, or 20 books over the summer months. There are no real rules about what to read, and swapping out picks to meet your reading goals is fine. You can follow along with others doing this fun challenge at #20BooksofSummer2025.

I’m hoping to read all 20 of my picks from June 1 to August 31st, which will be quite a feat given my abysmal posting schedule for 2025.

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My Selection Process for the 20 Books of Summer 2025

Usually, I have a more diverse selection of books, but I’m looking forward to reading my massive British Library Crime Classics collection, which will make up 10 out of my 20 picks this year.

I focused on picking books from the Golden Age of Mystery fiction, so you’ll see several of the genre’s giants—such as John Dickson Carr and Agatha Christie—dominating the list. I also included some of my favorite female authors: Ethel Lina White, Dorothy L. Sayers, and E.C.R. Lorac. They were household names during their publication heyday and have been painstakingly reissued for modern readers to enjoy.

However, there’s a smattering of new to me authors, such as Christopher St. John Sprigg, who wrote Death of an Airman, or, Ianthe Jerrold, who wrote The Studio Crime, features the lesser-known private detective John Christmas.

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The Books

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A Handy List of my #20booksofSummer2025 Selections

I’ll be linking back to this introductory post with reviews as they are posted throughout the summer. If you want to learn more about a particular book, please click on the title and you’ll be redirected to Goodreads to find out more.

1. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (1920)
2. The Layton Court Mystery by Anthony Berkeley (1925)
3. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers (1926)
4. The Studio Crime by Ianthe Jerrold (1929) | REVIEW
5. It Walks By Night by John Dickson Carr (1930)
6. Peril at End House by Agatha Christie (1932)
7. The Corpse in the Waxworks by John Dickson Carr (1932)
8. S.S. Murder by Q. Patrick (1933)
9. Death of an Airman by Christopher St. John Sprigg (1934) | REVIEW
10. Vultures in the Sky by Todd Downing (1935)
11. The Wheel Spins by Ethel Lina White (1936)
12. The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla by Stuart Palmer (1937)
13. Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie (1942)
14. Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand (1948)
15. Cat of Many Tails by Ellery Queen (1949) | REVIEW
16. Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac (1954) | REVIEW
17. Surfeit of Suspects by George Bellairs (1964)
18. The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons (1965)
19. The Knife Slipped by A.A. Fair (2016)
20. Two-Way Murder by E.C.R. Lorac (2021)

The Alternates

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I always have a few alternates picked out for challenges like this because often a book doesn’t work out or I need to substitute something due to time constraints.

1. The Secret of High Eldersham by Miles Burton (1930)
2. The 12:30 From Croydon by Freeman Wills Crofts (1934)
3. The Black Spectacles by John Dickson Carr (1939)
4. Checkmate to Murder by E.C.R. Lorac (1944)
5. Suddenly at His Residence by Christianna Brand (1946)

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Are any of my picks on your summer reading list?