Murder mystery shows are a beloved staple of crime TV, which have become as integral to the small screen as classic sitcoms or soap operas. It’s telling that the two most anticipated releases on Netflix in 2025 involve a murder mystery head-to-head, between the third instalment of Rian Johnson’sKnives Outfranchise and the movie adaptation of Richard Osman’sThe Thursday Murder Club. This genre is now more popular than ever, with thebest murder mystery moviesin particular high demand on streaming. It’s not all about feature-length releases, though, as serial murder mysteries often prove to be the most engrossing.
Even more than their cinematic equivalents, thebest murder mystery showstend to keep you guessing until the very end. No one watches a good mystery series expecting toguess the killer right away, as misdirection and suspense are part of the fun. Here, we’re specifically focusing on shows that conceal their culprits up to their climactic conclusions, archetypal “whodunnits” that nail the most common tropes of murder mystery shows down to a tee. While there are plenty of different kinds of series in this bracket, they all allow us to indulge in the macabre delights of their deadly puzzles.
Starring John Turturro and Riz Ahmed alongside Poorna Jagannathan, ofNever Have I EverandDeli Boysfame,The Night Ofis a treat for fans of murder mysteries and legal thrillers alike. Although much of this intricate and wickedly smart miniseries takes place in the context of a criminal trial with one principal murder suspect, it’s secretly a mystery drama masquerading as a legal procedural.
The unexpected turns it takes in search of the truth leave us enthralleduntil the final half hour of the series. Before that moment, the interplay between Turturro’s defense lawyer, Ahmed’s college student accused of murder, and Bill Camp’s detective immerses us fully in the troubling world of their characters.
Another miniseries worthy of watching in one binge-sitting, Mare of Easttown takes us through the travails of Kate Winslet’s Marianne “Mare” Sheehan, a homicide detective in the titular Pennsylvania town.We go through Sheehan’s personal battles with her, as well as her struggle to solve two different and seemingly unrelated murders, in a beautifully tempered narrative that surprises us beyond the scope of a typical murder mystery.
Mare of Easttown’s limited series, single-narrative format lends itself to the cinematic visual realism of this highly unorthodox murder mystery.
The show’s creator, Brad Ingelsby, understandably sees givingMare of Easttowna season 2 challengethat’s likely beyond the realms of immediate possibility, meaning it should remain as a one-off limited series for the foreseeable future. But, if anything, this single-narrative format lends itself to the cinematic visual realism of this highly unorthodox murder mystery.
ABritish murder mysteryseries that somehow passed most viewers by when it was first released a decade ago,And Then There Were Nonefaithfully adapts Agatha Christie’s bestselling novel utilizing some of the UK’s best acting talent. Charles Dance and Miranda Richardson star alongside New Zealand actor Sam Neill to deliver the version of this story Christie’s fans had wanted for decades.
Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot moviesmight be getting all the attention, but this BBC production is the best screen rendering of Agatha Christie’s work in the 21st century, and doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Its sequel series haven’t quite lived up to the dizzying standard it set, butAnd Then There Were Noneis a must-watch for any fans of classic mysteries.
Arguably the most successful contemporary murder mystery series,True Detectiveseason 1 is already a television classic.The show employs thrilling, meticulously paced storylines inspired by true crime to create a truly compelling watch. It’s hard to compareTrue Detective’s other seasonsto the first one considering how perfect the show’s debut was, but each one of them had its qualities.
True Detective’s best episodestend to come towards the end of its seasons, but each of its steps towards revealing a killer across an eight-episode narrative is as authentic as they are thrilling. Season 1 remains the standout set of episodes in this incomparable anthology series, with creator Nic Pizzolatto on writing duties andItdirector Cary Joji Fukunaga at the helm.
For fans ofThe Breakthroughand other Nordic noir crime dramas,The Chestnut Manis definitely the show to watch next. Probably the best murder mystery series ever produced in Scandinavia, this series brilliantly blends elements of grisly horror with gritty police procedural TV. But its real genius lies in its knack for suspense, as well as plot twists absolutely no one saw coming.
The Chestnut Manhas belatedly – but quite rightly – been renewed for a second season, so now is the perfect time to discover its first six episodes.The show doesn’t shy away from following the well-worn path of other detective murder mysteries, but it does so with such skill and authority that it’s hard to imagine a further season not doing the same.
Twin Peaksis quite simply one of the best TV shows of all time, in addition to being thebest show made by celebrated filmmaker David Lynch. The only reason it isn’t sitting right at the top of this list is that it’s hard to categorize the series as a murder mystery. It certainly has one foot in the genre, and definitely keeps us guessing about who the perpetrator of Laura Palmer’s murder might be. YetTwin Peaksalsooffers so much more than could be contained within a single genre.
The elements of supernatural horror and unsettling social commentary, depicted with Lynch’s trademark surrealist undertones, makeTwin Peaksa story to experience more than a puzzle to solve. We do get an answer as towho killed Laura Palmer, but we’re left with so many more questions than when we started watching.
Along withTwin Peaks, it’s hard to defineThe White Lotusas a murder mystery show, too. More than anything, the series isa satire about wealthy elites within the conceit of a murder that has taken placeon a luxury island resort. Nevertheless, it more than deserves its place on this list, as many fans see each season of the show as a murder mystery to be solved, even if creator Mike White doesn’t.
Given thatThe White Lotusseason 3 includes more twiststhan ever, it’s safe to say that the legacy of this innovative series in the pantheon of great murder mystery shows is secured. We might ultimately watch the show for what the characters do and say in between the first and last episode of each season, but we still want to know who did it.
Only Murders in the Buildingfeels like the culmination of a major revival for the murder mystery genre over the past decade. Combining the comic genius of Steve Martin and Martin Short and the charisma of Selena Gomez with an unbridled enthusiasm for the genre itself, the show has captured the imaginations of both serial mystery lovers and relative newcomers in their millions.
Along with some clever plotting and sharp comedy writing,the series taps into the recent surge in the popularity of crime fiction and non-fiction alikewith its self-aware references to true crime podcasting and murder mystery genre tropes. WithOnly Murders in the Building’s season 5 production now wrapped, the show continues to go from strength to strength, as more and more fans produce speculative theories about the murder teased at the end of the previous season’s finale episode.
For those who enjoy thepsychological thriller showMindhunterbut want a replacement that’s a little more focused on the murder mystery at the heart of its plot, you’re able to’t go wrong with the four-season anthology seriesThe Sinner. This dark, disturbing detective show thrives on wrongfooting its audience, while Bill Pullman’s characterization of Harry Ambrose makes him one of the best murder mystery protagonists ever to appear on television.
This series is one for mystery fans who aren’t afraid to get stuck into the dark motivations that lie behind murder cases, and don’t mind a jump-scare. Each season explores a different case, always from the perspective of Harry Ambrose.
As much as modern murder mystery shows have innovated in the genre, making it almost unrecognizable in certain aspects from what it once was,certain classics simply can’t be surpassed.Murder, She Wrote, starring Angela Lansbury in her most iconic role as writer-turned-detective Jessica Fletcher, is surely the mostclassic murder mystery showof them all.
What’s more, unlike most of its contemporaries, the series still more than holds up today, with its adaptation of literary tropes, pioneering realism, and deft injection of comic relief setting the benchmark for virtually every murder mystery show that followed it. As popular asMurder, She Wrotewas in its heyday, its classic episodes still keep younger generations guessing, with the streaming age having done little to dent its appeal.
