There has been a resurgence of the closed-circle paradigm, obvious tributes to the “masters” and wholly new interpretations of the subgenre. Several contemporary authors adopt Christie’s and Doyle’s characters outright, setting them on new puzzling adventures. Others are at least somewhat modeled on them and their abilities, even as they cross genres and play with conventions.

For this month, I am listing titles old and new that capture the essence of closed-circle mysteries or that expand them into new terrain. The balance of contemporary examples have shifted toward amateur detectives and away from the former exceptional “super sleuths.”

	No Exit - Taylor Adams A college student, stranded by a blizzard at a rest stop, has to spend the night with four complete strangers while figuring out which one kidnapped the little girl locked in a van outside.
	The Decagon House Murders - Yukito Ayatsuji A mystery club's members are picked off one-by-one during a trip to a rockbound island known for its violent past.
	The Crooked Hinge - John Dickson Carr This ninth Dr. Fell mystery by a master of the genre combines mistaken identity, an automaton, and a missing toy.
	And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie Probably the most well-known closed circle mystery. Ten strangers are invited to a private island by a mysterious host and are eliminated in unique, choreographed ways.
	The Unwedding - Ally Condie After her own marriage collapses, Ellery goes alone to a secluded resort where she becomes embroiled in a murder mystery involving a wedding party.
	The Hunting Party - Lucy Foley Old resentments lead to an eruption of violence at the annual reunion of college friends as they gather at an isolated Scottish estate.
	Snow-Blind - Ragnar Jonasson A rookie policeman assigned to an isolated Icelandic fishing village is unprepared for a community of tight-lipped strangers with a killer loose among them.
	An Unwanted Guest -Shari Lapena A weekend retreat at a lodge deep in the Catskills turns deadly when the guests begin dying and a blizzard arrives.
	Bloodhounds - Peter Lovesey Inspector Diamond is asked by a group of mystery lovers to solve the murder of one of their own and locate the missing rare stamp that was in his possession.
	The Murder Wheel - Tom Mead While trying to exonerate his client, a young lawyer is drawn into a complex conspiracy and becomes implicated in two "impossible" crimes.
	The Murder at World's End - Ross Montgomery A viscount and a selected group seal themselves up to survive the apocalypse, but when a murder occurs, it is up to a feisty octogenarian and an unlikely sidekick to unmask the perpetrator.
	Nine Perfect Strangers - Liane Moriarty Nine people gather at a remote health resort run by a charismatic owner whose methods may produce results. but also may prove extremely dangerous.
	The Sanatorium - Sarah Pease Elin travels to a former sanatorium-turned-hotel to celebrate her brother's engagement but has to put her detective skills to work when his fiancée disappears and a storm approaches.
	With a Vengeance - Riley Sager Anna's revenge plan includes luring the six people who hurt her family onto a luxury train to confess, but it doesn't include the murder of one of its passengers.
	The Tokyo Zodiac Murders - Soji Shimada Kiyoshi Mitarai tackles a 40-year-old Japanese mystery using all his talents as an astrologer, fortuneteller, and self-styled detective.
	Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin Stevenson Ernest's family reunion at a ski resort is disrupted by a dead body, but since each member has previously committed murder, all of them are prime suspects.
	The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle - Stuart Turton Aidan's efforts to identify the Evelyn's murder are complicated by the fact that every morning he wakes up on the same day in the body of a different guest.
	Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six - Lisa Unger Three couples on a weekend getaway awaiting a storm hunker down in a spooky cabin when buried secrets bubble up to the surface.
	The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware A journalist covering a cruise starts in sunshine and luxury but soon turns dark as the weather worsens and she witnesses a terrifying crime.
	The Author's Guide to Murder - Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White Three veterans of the genre collaborate on this mystery/literary satire involving a historic castle, a puzzling death, and three visiting author suspects.

Summaries sourced from publisher's materials.

My 2 Cents - Locked Room vs. Closed Circle Mysteries

Locked Room or Closed-Circle?

Prototypical closed-circle mysteries feature a small group of suspects in an isolated or temporarily cut-off setting. Locked-room mysteries, by contrast, center on a seemingly impossible crime committed in a sealed space or where there is a single obvious—but innocent—suspect. To succeed, these plots require exceptional ingenuity and a credible solution that does not leave readers feeling cheated or misled.

Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is cited as the first locked-room tale, and other famous classics include The Hollow Man by John Dickson Carr and “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Looking for some modern examples of the classic “locked room” or “impossible” mystery to add to your reading list?

The Final Problem - Arturo Pèrez-Reverte

The Vanished Man - Jeffrey Deaver

The Paradox Hotel - Rob Hart

DVDs in Our Collection:

And Then There Were None

Clue

Girl with a Dragon Tattoo

Gosford Park

Haunting in Venice

Knives Out

Murder on the Orient Express

Shutter Island

Hop on the Holds List

The Calamity Club – Kathryn Stockett

Hollow Bones – Jodi Picoult

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel – Lucy Foley

The Disappearers – Marlon James

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt – Ben Reeves

Quote of the Month:

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” - Arthur Conan Doyle

Bookish News and Links:

Want personalized recommendations? Fill out a questionnaire to get a customized list sent directly to your email: https://gpl.org/services/reade...

Love Lists? Here are some more links to visit:

This article on the BBC website talks about the appeal of locked room mysteries.

CrimeReads is a part of LitHub, covering all types of mysteries, thrillers, suspense, and true crime.

TV Tropes has this extensive article about Locked Room mysteries in visual media.

The Invisible Event is a site dedicated to classic detective fiction, especially "impossible" crimes.

Adaptation News: Upcoming movies and shows based on books:

Netflix will release their seven-episode series of East of Eden, based on John Steinbeck's book on 10/1

The adaptation of Colleen Hoover's Verity - in theaters 10/2

Stephen King's Carrie will be remade into an eight-part series, released on Prime Video starting 10/7

Other Mommy based on the horror novel Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman - in theaters 10/9/26

A new movie version of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility will arrive in U.S. theaters on 10/16

Wicker based on a short story by Ursula Wills - in theaters 10/23/26

Recent Reads

I have recently finished reading What Lies Between Us by John Marrs and The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (for the GPL Thrilling Realms book group). I also just finished listening to Darker Days by Thomas Olde Heuvelt.

I am currently reading Pictures of You by Josh Malerman and Kiss, Slay, Replay by Rachel Harrison, and I am also listening to the audiobook of We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough.

Do you prefer your mysteries solved by an uncanny genius professional or a hapless amateur?- Let me know: [email protected].

Until next time: Be safe, be well, and be well-read!

Joelle

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So, who am I, anyway? I am a resident of West Groton, with a husband, four mostly-grown children, a fluffy Samoyed, and a kitten - all of which keep my vacuum well-employed. I am currently working part-time at the Groton Public Library and writing monthly reviews for Booklist Magazine. In a former life, I was a Director of PR/Marketing at a high-tech consulting firm. My BA is in Psychology, but most of my time was spent in college earning a Concentration in the Novel. That is all to say that I make no claims at being an expert of any kind, and my thoughts, opinions. and mistakes are solely my own. I am just a person whose passion for books has continued to grow from the moment I was first able to clutch and gnaw on them. I have been devouring them ever since.