13 Mystery and Thriller Books That Inspired Films
These books leapt from the page to the screen—and kept our hearts racing.
By
Aliza Polkes | Published Jul 17, 2018
Six Days of the Condor
By James Grady
The Thirty-Nine Steps
By John Buchan
![mystery-and-thriller-books-that-inspired-films_to-die-for mystery_and_thriller_books_that_inspired_films]()
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- Photo Credit: Still from "To Die For" (1995), via Columbia Pictures
To Die For
By Joyce Maynard
The Mr. Moto Novels Volume One
By John P. Marquand
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Dead Calm
By Charles Williams
The Detective
By Roderick Thorp
![mystery-and-thriller-books-that-inspired-films_mischief mystery_and_thriller_books_that_inspired_films]()
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- Photo Credit: Still from "Don't Bother to Knock" (1952), via 20th Century Fox
Mischief
By Charlotte Armstrong
Ride the Pink Horse
By Dorothy B. Hughes
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The Maltese Falcon
By Dashiell Hammett
![mystery-and-thriller-books-that-inspired-films_gone-baby-gone mystery_and_thriller_books_that_inspired_films]()
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- Photo Credit: Still from "Gone Baby Gone" (2007), via Miramax
Gone, Baby, Gone
By Dennis Lehane
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
By Stieg Larsson
Gone Girl
By Gillian Flynn
![mystery-and-thriller-books-that-inspired-films_the-big-sleep mystery_and_thriller_books_that_inspired_films]()
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- Photo Credit: Still from "The Big Sleep" (1946), via Warner Bros.
The Big Sleep
By Raymond Chandler