# The Greatest Mystery Writer of All Time - Runoff Poll. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882 "2010-12-12T13:29:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/1 "2010-12-12T13:29:14Z")
Who is the greatest mystery writer of all time? Poll to follow (Your patience requested - this will take a while). This will be a single option poll, as I am asking your opinion on who was the greatest - not just a list of your favourites. Ponder as long as you wish. If you would like to debate criteria for ‘greatest-ness’, this would be a great place to do so. In the meantime, here is a handy list of the entrants, all linked to their entries on the Fantastic Fiction website. [Rennie Airth](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/rennie-airth/) [Neal Barrett, Jr.](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/neal-barrett-jr/) [Dave Barry](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/dave-barry/) [Earl Derr Biggers](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/earl-derr-biggers/) [Nicholas Blake](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/nicholas-blake/) [Lawrence Block](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/lawrence-block/) [Enid Blyton](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/enid-blyton/) [Christianna Brand](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/christianna-brand/) [Fredric Brown](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/fredric-brown/) [James M. Cain](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/james-m-cain/) [Stephen J. Cannell](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/stephen-j-cannell/) [John Dickson Carr](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/john-dickson-carr/) [Raymond Chandler](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/raymond-chandler/) [Leslie Charteris](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/leslie-charteris/) [G. K. Chesterton](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/g-k-chesterton/) [Agatha Christie](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/agatha-christie/) [Harlan Coben](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/harlan-coben/) [Wilkie Collins](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/wilkie-collins/) [Michael Connelly](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/michael-connelly/) [Colin Dexter](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/colin-dexter/) [Tim Dorsey](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/tim-dorsey/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/sir-arthur-conan-doyle/) [Trevor Ferguson](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/trevor-ferguson/) [Robert Ferrigno](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/robert-ferrigno/) [Bill Fitzhugh](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/bill-fitzhugh/) [G. M. Ford](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/g-m-ford/) [Dick Francis](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/dick-francis/) [Kinky Friedman](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/kinky-friedman/) [Erle Stanley Gardner](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/erle-stanley-gardner/) [Elizabeth George](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/elizabeth-george/) [Robert Goddard](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/robert-goddard/) [Graham Greene](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/graham-greene/) [Martha Grimes](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/martha-grimes/) [Dashiell Hammett](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/dashiell-hammett/) [Cynthia Harrod-Eagles](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/cynthia-harrod-eagles/) [Reginald Hill](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/reginald-hill/) [Tony Hillerman](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/tony-hillerman/) [P. D. James](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/j/p-d-james/) [M. M. Kaye](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/m-m-kaye/) [Jonathan Kellerman](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/k/jonathan-kellerman/) [Joe Lansdale](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/joe-r-lansdale/) [Emma Lathen](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/emma-lathen/) [John Le Carré](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/john-le-carre/) [Elmore Leonard](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/elmore-leonard/) [John D. MacDonald](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/john-d-macdonald/) [Ross MacDonald](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/ross-macdonald/) [Ngaio Marsh](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/ngaio-marsh/) [Ed McBain](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/ed-mcbain/) [Alexander McCall Smith](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/alexander-mccall-smith/) [Sharyn McCrumb](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/sharyn-mccrumb/) [Gregory McDonald](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/gregory-mcdonald/) [Walter Mosley](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/walter-mosley/) [Marcia Muller](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/m/marcia-muller/) [Carol O’Connell](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/o/carol-oconnell/) [Robert B. Parker](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/robert-b-parker/) [George P. Pelecanos](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/george-p-pelecanos/) [Ellis Peters](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/ellis-peters/) [Edgar Allan Poe](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/edgar-allan-poe/) [Zelda Popkin](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/zelda-popkin/) [Douglas Preston](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/douglas-j-preston/) [Ellery Queen](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/q/ellery-queen/) [Ian Rankin](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/ian-rankin/) [Ruth Rendell](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/ruth-rendell/) [Peter Robinson](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/peter-robinson/) [Richard Paul Russo](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/r/richard-paul-russo/) [Lawrence Sanders](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/lawrence-sanders/) [John Sandford](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/john-sandford/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/dorothy-l-sayers/) [Georges Simenon](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/georges-simenon/) [Dan Simmons](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/dan-simmons/) [Rex Stout](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/rex-stout/) [Josephine Tey](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/josephine-tey/) [Trevanian](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/trevanian/) [Andrew Vachss](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/v/andrew-h-vachss/) [Donald Westlake](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/donald-e-westlake/) [Randy Wayne White](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/randy-wayne-white/) [Kate Wilhelm](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/kate-wilhelm/) [Don Winslow](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/don-winslow-2/) [Stuart Woods](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/stuart-woods/) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/2 "2010-12-12T13:32:19Z")
That **Runoff Poll** , he’s such a good writer. A real pageturner every time. However, I think it’s spelled _Ranulph Powell_. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/3 "2010-12-12T13:49:27Z")
I think you need to define “greatest” – most prolific/well-known? I’d go for Agatha Christie. Did the most to invent/change/direct the genre? Conan Doyle. Best mystery writer whose works would be considered great just as literature (ignorning the fact that they’re mysteries)? Dorothy Sayers … ’ ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/4 "2010-12-12T14:00:24Z")
I thought it was more interesting to leave the determination of what constitutes “greatest” to the individual voter. All of those things you mention are valid, but which is the most important to you? It could also be based on body of work - Poe didn’t write that many mysteries, but they are outstanding classics of the genre. Agatha Christie wrote a lot of mysteries, but how many of them are outstanding classics, in your opinion? In my opinion, not that many. All in all, I thought the discussion of ‘why X is the greatest?’ is as interesting, if not more interesting, than the results of the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/5 "2010-12-12T16:23:29Z")
I voted for Agatha because she made an impact on the genre that no other author has or had. I think that Ed McBain was excellent but in a different way and I loved his books before he jumped the shark. Colin Dexter is superb also. To be honest I didn’t recognise many of the names though I consider myself to be reasonably well read and was very surprised to see Enid Blytons name included as I know her only as a very good childrens author. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/6 "2010-12-12T16:57:51Z")
Well, the names all came from the ‘Nominations’ thread that ran last week. I’m not certain how serious the nominator of Enid Blyton was, but on reflection the ‘…of adventure’ series and the ‘Famous Five’ were among the first mysteries I ever read, so I included her on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/7 "2010-12-12T17:06:37Z")
I guess I missed the “nominations” thread, because I would have nominated Micky Spillane. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/8 "2010-12-12T17:45:25Z")
What, no Franklin W. Dixon? This poll is a sham! ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/9 "2010-12-12T21:16:28Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I guess I missed the “nominations” thread, because I would have nominated Micky Spillane. I’m sorry about that - I would never have thought of him on my own, and yet, he certainly deserves a place on that list. **Bryan Ekers** I actually thought about Franklin W. Dixon and Carolyn Keene; they had been nominated (though, again, I don’t know how seriously the nomination was intended.) Certainly they were a huge influence on me and lots of other kids. I finally decided against them because they were not just pen names of one author, they were pen names of the publishing house/editors and were in fact 7 or 8 different writers over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/10 "2010-12-12T22:30:17Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > I thought it was more interesting to leave the determination of what constitutes “greatest” to the individual voter. All of those things you mention are valid, but which is the most important to you? > > It could also be based on body of work - Poe didn’t write that many mysteries, but they are outstanding classics of the genre. Agatha Christie wrote a lot of mysteries, but how many of them are outstanding classics, in your opinion? In my opinion, not that many. > > All in all, I thought the discussion of ‘why X is the greatest?’ is as interesting, if not more interesting, than the results of the poll. Agatha Christie’s _The Murder of Roger Ackroyd_, _Murder on the Orient Express_, and \*And Then There Were None \*each have unforgettable ground-breaking plot twists which have become too recognisable to be imitated. In Asimov’s introduction to his mystery series _Tales of the Black Widowers_ he states that he found it difficult to think of a plot twist since Agatha Christie had virtually used every possible variation already. So my vote for Dame Agatha. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/11 "2010-12-12T23:18:14Z")
Interesting that most of the voters so far are supporting people who did most of their writing before 1960 or so. It’s early yet, but there’s already a bunch of votes for Christie, Doyle, Stout, Sayers, Tey. I could be convinced on either Dame Agatha or Sir Arthur … but I voted for a current writer, Sharyn McCrumb. Her books are not as consistently great as I’d like, but when she’s on, she’s really something. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/12 "2010-12-12T23:27:50Z")
I don’t know how I can vote, so many of my favorites. I’m torn between Ed McBain, who has a truly awesome body of work, and whose police procedurals paved the way for NYPD Blue and so many other police shows. I’ve felt I actually knew his 87th Precinct cops. And the other is Ruth Rendell, also truly awesome (aka Barbara Vine). That is one. twisted. lady. who also has a respectable detective series. (I feel I know those characters, too.)…I realize Agatha Christie was the originator of many classic plotlines but I find her work dated and tedious…OK, I’m going to vote now… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/13 "2010-12-13T11:40:27Z")
> [@Damfino](#): > > Agatha Christie’s _The Murder of Roger Ackroyd_, _Murder on the Orient Express_, and \*And Then There Were None \*each have unforgettable ground-breaking plot twists which have become too recognisable to be imitated. In Asimov’s introduction to his mystery series _Tales of the Black Widowers_ he states that he found it difficult to think of a plot twist since Agatha Christie had virtually used every possible variation already. > > So my vote for Dame Agatha. Not to mention _Mousetrap_ and _The Mirror Crack’d_ (and a few personal faves such as _Crooked House_ and _Curtain_). The writing isn’t stellar but oh, the twists. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/14 "2010-12-13T13:34:45Z")
Very tough to choose among Christie, Chandler, and Hammett, but I voted for Hammett, since of those three, he’s the one I go back and re-read most often. _The Maltese Falcon_, of course, stands as a pinnacle of the genre, but the Continental Op series and the Thin Man books are also very strong. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/15 "2010-12-13T14:48:50Z")
Wilke Collins did it first and has never been topped. Equalled, maybe, but never bettered. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/16 "2010-12-13T15:47:11Z")
When pushed to chose one, I went with Sayers, but I’ll bet Christie or Doyle will take the lead. (Checks bar graph on poll – yep!) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/17 "2010-12-13T15:56:56Z")
Wow, I’ve read mystery’s all my life. I don’t recognize half the names on this poll. For me it’s a close tie between Dick Francis and John Sanford. I’ve read a lot of Rex Stout, Christie, and Robert Parker. There’s so many styles of mystery. Sanford is violent and bloody. Dick Francis is british and refined. Both are great in their genre. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/18 "2010-12-13T16:02:06Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Wilke Collins did it first and has never been topped. Equalled, maybe, but never bettered. Haven’t read Collins, but surely Poe’s 1841"The Murders in the Rue Morgue" precedes Collins’s 1850 _Antonina_? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/19 "2010-12-13T18:40:44Z")
I’m gonna go with Robert Parker for singlehandedly reviving the tough-detective as something other than a retro retarded action hero with his Spenser novels. Smart, tough and witty along with pretty much invincible is a hard combo to beat, and frankly, I don’t think the other writers do. Rex Stout would have been my other choice … but Nero Wolfe was very much of his time, until the 1970s, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882/20 "2010-12-13T20:39:11Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Not to mention _Mousetrap_ and _The Mirror Crack’d_ (and a few personal faves such as _Crooked House_ and _Curtain_). The writing isn’t stellar but oh, the twists. Absolutely. Could keep adding names. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-mystery-writer-of-all-time-runoff-poll/563882.md?page=2)