The 25 best Netflix mystery movies

Looking to stream a twisty whodunit? Your search is over.

On your next movie night, where do you turn if you want your spine chilled and your brain teased? Netflix has mysteries to suit any taste, from dark noir films to light-hearted comedies and deep psychological dramas.

Here are the 25 best mystery movies on Netflix (as of September 2024) that will sharpen your sleuthing skills.

7 Women and a Murder (2021)

In this playful Italian comedy-mystery, Susanna returns to her family's mansion for Christmas just before her father is found stabbed in his bed. The suspects include her judgmental Mama, her always-complaining aunt, her wheelchair-using grandmother, her little sister, the ill-mannered maid, and Papa's glamor-queen mistress.

With the phone lines cut and the snow piling up outside, the seven women start pointing fingers at each other, revealing each character's possible motive for murdering the old man. The film takes place almost exclusively in the same suite of rooms, like a stage farce, and the brief run time makes this a pleasant (if inconsequential) trifle. —Danny Horn

Where to watch 7 Women and a Murder: Netflix

Director: Alessandro Genovesi

Cast: Margherita Buy, Ornella Vanoni, Micaela Ramazzotti

Related: The 20 best crime movies on Netflix right now

Burning (2018)

This South Korean psychological drama can best be described, appropriately, as a slow burn. The film centers on Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in), a gig worker who reconnects with a classmate, Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), who asks her to feed her cat while she's away on a trip to Africa. She returns with a strange man named Ben (Steven Yeun), who is cryptic when asked about his life but eventually reveals his hobby to be arson.

Brimming with tension and compelling performances (especially by the charismatic Yeun), Burning is hypnotic as its central mystery gradually reveals itself, while being ambiguous enough to keep active viewers guessing. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch Burning: Netflix

Director: Lee Chang-dong

Cast: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo

Related: Steven Yeun talks candidly about race, casting, and a career that is heating up

Earthquake Bird (2019)

In 1980s Tokyo, Swedish expat Lucy Fly (Alicia Vikander) works as a translator for movie subtitles. Introverted by nature, she's brought out of her shell thanks to an intense romantic relationship with Teiji (Naoki Kobayashi), a handsome and secretive photographer. Lucy's friendship with an American woman, Lily (Riley Keough), turns toxic when she discovers that her beau and bestie have been seeing each other on the side — and when Lily goes missing, Lucy is the prime suspect in her murder.

This quietly contemplative thriller is based on the 2001 Susanna Jones novel, and your enjoyment will depend on your appetite for Vikander's complex, moody portrayal. —D.H.

Where to watch Earthquake Bird: Netflix

Director: Wash Westmoreland

Cast: Alicia Vikander, Riley Keough, Naoki Kobayashi

Related: Alicia Vikander is under investigation in trailer for noir thriller Earthquake Bird

Enola Holmes (2020)

This engaging coming-of-age story stars Millie Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes, the younger sister of famed detective Sherlock (Henry Cavill). Raised to be independent and observant, the teenager is a misfit in traditional Victorian society. When her mother goes missing, Enola embarks on an off-the-books adventure to solve a mystery, help a runaway lord, and prove that she can be just as accomplished and exceptional as her brother.

EW's critic sang praises for the film, writing that "While the mystery might be elementary (my dear, notably absent, Watson), the storytelling is winkingly subversive, proclaiming that a new and welcome game is afoot." —D.H.

Where to watch Enola Holmes: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Harry Bradbeer

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, Helena Bonham Carter

Related: Millie Bobby Brown on becoming a Victorian 'wild child' in Enola Holmes

Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

In this lively second outing, teenage sleuth Enola Holmes opens a detective agency but struggles to build a clientele in the shadow of her famous older brother Sherlock. When she's approached by a girl from a matchstick factory looking for her missing sister, Enola finds herself drawn into a complex puzzle involving blackmail, extortion, murder, and being mistaken for the guilty party. The fast-moving sequel is just as witty and entertaining as the original while deepening Enola's relationships with her supporting cast. —D.H.

Where to watch Enola Holmes 2: Netflix

Director: Harry Bradbeer

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, David Thewlis, Louis Partridge, Helena Bonham Carter

Related: Fan-favorite Louis Partridge steps up for more sleuthing with Millie Bobby Brown in Enola Holmes 2

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Modern mystery auteur Rian Johnson has whodunit again, crafting a mind-tickling follow-up to his brilliant Knives Out. In Glass Onion, the unflappable detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) attends a murder mystery party hosted by tech exec Miles Bron (Edward Norton) on a private island in the Aegean Sea. As the party turns deadly, Bron's frenemies turn on each other.

EW's critic writes that Johnson "has no shortage of ammunition for his rat-a-tat takes on pop-culture ephemera and the navel-gazing delusions of wealth and fame," plus the satirical send-up has a satisfying mid-movie twist, leading to a surprising and raucous finale. —D.H.

Where to watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr.

Related: How Janelle Monáe perfected her 'rich bitch' accent for Glass Onion

Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie (2017)

At the start of Handsome, an actor introduces himself to the audience, explaining that he plays the murderer in this movie. That's your cue that this comedy-mystery is more about the laughs than the chills. Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm) wrote, directed, and stars in this silly cop spoof, which also includes Natasha Lyonne, Amy Sedaris, and Steven Weber (as the murderer). When a babysitter is dismembered and arranged on a suburban lawn, Garlin's Detective Handsome leaps into action, questioning eccentrics and generally not making a lot of progress. —D.H.

Where to watch Handsome: Netflix

Director: Jeff Garlin

Cast: Jeff Garlin, Natasha Lyonne, Amy Sedaris, Steven Weber

Related: Natasha Lyonne tries to solve a murder in first teaser for Rian Johnson's Poker Face

In For a Murder (2021)

High-spirited housewife Magda (Anna Smolowik) takes the dog for a walk and stumbles across a corpse in this Polish film. The dead woman is wearing the necklace of Magda's best friend, who disappeared mysteriously 15 years ago, setting our protagonist on a new path as an amateur detective. Running rings around police inspector Jacek (Pawel Domagala), she starts interrogating suspects and following leads, uncovering all kinds of dangerous suburban secrets. The mystery plot doesn't quite manage to cohere, but Smolowik's confidence and pluck make this film an entertaining watch. —D.H.

Where to watch In For a Murder: Netflix

Director: Piotr Mularuk

Cast: Anna Smołowik, Pawel Domagala, Szymon Bobrowski

Related: The 24 best thriller movies on Netflix right now

In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

If you're in the mood for a genre mash-up, In the Shadow of the Moon adds a time-travel twist to the serial killer procedural. Following an impossible set of simultaneous murders, Philadelphia police officer Thomas Lockhart (Boyd Holbrook) chases a suspect (Cleopatra Coleman) into a subway station, where she reveals that she knows personal information about him. She’s then hit by an incoming train, but nine years later, Lockhart’s investigation into a set of copycat crimes leads him to the same woman, who hasn't aged. This intriguing puzzle-box plot is rewarding for viewers willing to leap into the unknown. —D.H.

Where to watch In the Shadow of the Moon: Netflix

Director: Jim Mickle

Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Michael C. Hall, Cleopatra Coleman, Bokeem Woodbine

Related: The 25 best action movies on Netflix

Inheritance (2020)

After her wealthy father's death, Manhattan DA Lauren Monroe (Lily Collins) inherits a secret that her dad never told anyone: There’s a prisoner (Simon Pegg) who he’s kept chained underground for 30 years. Before she sets him free, Lauren wants answers to who this man is and why was he kept here. The captive spins her a story and shows her evidence of her father's misdeeds, but a skeptical Lauren digs deeper to uncover an even more complicated and damning history. —D.H.

Where to watch Inheritance: Netflix

Director: Vaughn Stein

Cast: Lily Collins, Simon Pegg, Connie Nielsen, Chace Crawford, Patrick Warburton

Related: Simon Pegg is radically jacked after transformation for Inheritance film

Lost Girls (2020)

When a young sex worker goes missing on Long Island's South Shore, the police don't put much effort into finding her — but her mother, Mari (Amy Ryan), refuses to let the case go cold. Mari's tireless pursuit of the truth finally forces the authorities to act, leading to the discovery of four female bodies along the parkway. Based on the Gilgo Beach serial killings, Lost Girls demands attention for all victims. —D.H.

Where to watch Lost Girls: Netflix

Director: Liz Garbus

Cast: Amy Ryan, Gabriel Byrne, Thomasin McKenzie, Lola Kirke

Related: Netflix's Lost Girls seeks justice for victims of an unsolved crisis

Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)

In this follow-up to the hit British TV series Luther, the eponymous police detective (Idris Elba) is in lock-up for bending the rules a bit too often. When a terrifying serial killer (Andy Serkis) that he couldn't catch taunts him with a recording of a grisly murder, the ex-cop has to break out of prison and bring the sadistic creep to justice. Longtime fans of the show will appreciate this faithful continuation, which pushes Luther to the edge of his abilities as he navigates London's underworld on the other side of the law. —D.H.

Where to watch Luther: The Fallen Sun: Netflix

Director: Jamie Payne

Cast: Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis, Dermot Crowley

Related: How Luther: The Fallen Sun sets up future John Luther films

Missing (2023)

Always-online teenager June Allen (Euphoria's Storm Reid) throws a party while her mom (Nia Long) is vacationing in Columbia, but then she doesn't come back. Missing is an inventive techy thriller that takes place entirely on computer, phone, and tablet screens, as June uses the tools available to her — social media, TaskRabbit, TikTok, Street View — to figure out what happened and bring her mom home. That may sound gimmicky, but trust EW’s critic when they say "The movie rarely feels forced or claustrophobic; it's just a whizzing, cannily of-the-moment spin on a familiar genre, reupped for the Genius Bar age." —D.H.

Where to watch Missing: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Will Merrick, Nicholas D. Johnson

Cast: Storm Reid, Nia Long, Megan Suri, Ken Leung

Related: Nia Long applauds today's entertainers for 'demanding diversity in a way that my generation really couldn't'

Murder Mystery (2019)

On a long-promised late honeymoon in Europe, police officer Nick (Adam Sandler) and hairdresser Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) strike up a friendship with a stylish nobleman (Luke Evans), who impulsively invites them to a party on his billionaire uncle's yacht. The couple meet a half-dozen colorful suspects before the mayhem begins, starting with the uncle's death by stabbing and later encompassing a shooting, a poisoning, and even a blow-dart killing purely for style points. As usual, Aniston and Sandler are immensely likable, blundering amiably through a choice selection of mystery clichés. —D.H.

Where to watch Murder Mystery: Netflix

Director: Kyle Newacheck

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton

Related: Adam Sandler's Murder Mystery tops Netflix's most-viewed titles of 2019 list

Murder Mystery 2 (2023)

Returning for a second film, Nick and Audrey Spitz have started their own detective agency but can't attract any clients. The streetwise Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar) from the first movie invites the Spitzes to his wedding on a private island and, naturally, everything goes pear-shaped. The prince is kidnapped and held for ransom, and for some reason, everyone has to go to Paris for some pretty scenery to run around in. Once again, the featherweight plot is just an excuse to enjoy the lead actors' charisma and comic timing. —D.H.

Where to watch Murder Mystery 2: Netflix

Director: Jeremy Garelick

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Strong, Adeel Akhtar

Related: Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler are living their best lives on the set of Murder Mystery 2

Oldboy (2003)

Just seeing the title Oldboy is enough to send shivers down the spine of those who have seen Park Chan-wook's gruesome revenge tale. After being kidnapped and held captive in a hotel room for 15 years, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is unexpectedly released and tries to get to the bottom of who was responsible for his imprisonment. A chaotic — and violent — series of twists and turns leads to a horrifying revelation that rocks Dae-su's world. "The brio and glee that Korean bad-boy filmmaker Park Chan-wook brings to the gaudy psycho-shockeroo Oldboy is undeniable, even impressive," writes EW's critic. —K.J.

Where to watch Oldboy: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Park Chan-wook

Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung

Related: How the iconic Oldboy hallway fight influenced a generation of Hollywood action

The Pale Blue Eye (2022)

When a student at West Point in the 1830s is found hanging from a tree with his heart cut out, the authorities call for investigator Augustus Landor (Christian Bale). Arriving on campus, Landor finds an unlikely partner in Edgar Allen Poe (Harry Melling), a young cadet with an uncanny understanding of the macabre.

The central victory of this period mystery is the winning performances, with EW’s critic writing, "The movie is mostly a study in how good its two main actors can be: Melling's Poe, wearing his tell-tale heart on his sleeve, seems to melt something in Bale, whose dour detective becomes almost playful in his presence." —D.H.

Where to watch The Pale Blue Eye: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Scott Cooper

Cast: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton

Related: Dudley did right: Harry Melling on his evolution from Harry Potter to Edgar Allan Poe

Reptile (2023)

Benicio Del Toro heads this slow-burn noir as police detective Tom Nichols, an experienced cop who's looking into the murder of a young realtor. Justin Timberlake plays the victim's boyfriend, and other suspects include an ex-husband, a vengeance-minded neighbor, and a shady real estate conglomerate. The somewhat overwrought soundtrack brings extra tension to what would otherwise be routine procedural scenes, pervading the film with an ever-present gloom. Then there’s Alicia Silverstone as Tom's wife Judy, who lightens the tone with warmth; the movie could have used a lot more of her charm. —D.H.

Where to watch Reptile: Netflix

Director: Grant Singer

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake, Eric Bogosian, Alicia Silverstone

Related: Benicio Del Toro and Alicia Silverstone have 'electric' reunion in first look at thriller Reptile

Shimmer Lake (2017)

A clever piece of clockwork plotting, Shimmer Lake unfolds in reverse chronological order, telling the story of a small-town bank robbery gone terribly wrong. Sheriff Zeke Sikes (Benjamin Walker) leads the investigation, which includes his twitchy brother Andy (Rainn Wilson) as a suspect. We follow the case backward from Friday to Tuesday, piecing together a complex, darkly comic misadventure involving a mixed bag of eccentric sleuths and clueless co-conspirators. It all makes sense once the final twist is revealed, but the film requires careful attention to follow its winding (or unwinding?) plot. —D.H.

Where to watch Shimmer Lake: Netflix

Director: Oren Uziel

Cast: Benjamin Walker, Rainn Wilson, Rob Corddry, Adam Pally, Ron Livingston

Related: Rainn Wilson gets foul-mouthed in exclusive clip from crime film Shimmer Lake

A Simple Favor (2018)

Based on Darcey Bell's airport novel of the same name, A Simple Favor is a juicy mystery thriller that unravels like a yarn. Anna Kendrick stars as Stephanie, a single mother/vlogger who befriends a fellow mother, Emily (Blake Lively). After Emily suddenly disappears, Stephanie looks into it while forming a close relationship with Emily's husband, Sean (Henry Golding). EW's critic calls the film a "taut, absorbing, divinely chic ride," which offers Lively one of her best — and most stylish — roles to date. —K.J.

Where to watch A Simple Favor: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Paul Feig

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Andrew Rannells, Linda Cardellini, Rupert Friend, Jean Smart

Related: Anna Kendrick to reunite with Blake Lively and her fabulous pantsuits in A Simple Favor sequel

A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)

Liam Neeson searches for a pair of bloodthirsty kidnappers in A Walk Among the Tombstones, a grim thriller based on Lawrence Block's 1992 novel. High-end drug kingpin Kenny Kristo (Dan Stevens) paid a $400 thousand ransom to the men who abducted his wife, only for them to take the money and return her in pieces. Aching for revenge, Kristo hires Matt Scudder (Neeson), an ex-police detective and recovering alcoholic, to find the killers. Scudder's descent into the underworld takes him to dark places, but as EW's writer remarked, "No matter how ridiculous and ugly the story gets, Neeson is an endlessly compelling presence." —D.H.

Where to watch A Walk Among the Tombstones: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Scott Frank

Cast: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour, Boyd Holbrook

Related: Liam Neeson's 20 best performances, ranked

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Who (or what?) has been gobbling up all the vegetables in town? Inventor Wallace and his trusted dog Gromit are on the case in this cheeky stop-motion animated film that brought the beloved duo from Aardman Animations to the big screen. Working in pest control, Wallace and Gromit diligently try to track down the fearsome Were-Rabbit — and uncover his shocking identity. Evoking classic monster movies and painstakingly animated, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2006. —K.J.

Where to watch Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Directors: Nick Park and Steve Box

Cast: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter

Related: Wallace & Gromit jump into movies

Wild Things (1998)

This erotic thriller's central mystery is so complex that you'll still be puzzling it out as the credits roll. The film begins with two high school students (Denise Richards and Neve Campbell) accusing their guidance counselor (Matt Dillon) of rape. But reality is never as it seems in Wild Things, as a police sergeant (Kevin Bacon) uncovers an increasingly dizzying plot of deception and double (quadruple?) crossings. With, as EW's critic puts it, "a sweat-and-champagne atmosphere that sucks you right in," the film may often strain credulity but it's best enjoyed as an audacious slice of '90s entertainment. —K.J.

Where to watch Wild Things: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: John McNaughton

Cast: Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Theresa Russell, Denise Richards, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Robert Wagner, Bill Murray

Related: Pervy or priceless? Revisiting Wild Things on its 20th anniversary

The Woman in the Window (2021)

Anna (Amy Adams), an agoraphobic child psychologist, spends her days locked inside her home and gazing out the second-story window. She makes friends with Jane Russell (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who lives across the street, and soon after, she watches in horror as her neighbor is brutally stabbed. When Anna reports the crime, she's shocked to encounter a different woman claiming to be Jane Russell, and the woman’s family insists the changeling is the real thing. Anna's struggle to hang on to her sanity is sometimes over the top, but patient viewers are rewarded with a powerful shock ending. —D.H.

Where to watch The Woman in the Window: Netflix

Director: Joe Wright

Cast: Amy Adams, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger

Related: After years of delays, The Woman in the Window is ready for its Netflix release

The Wonder (2022)

In a remote Irish village in 1862, 11-year-old Anna (Kíla Lord Cassidy) has survived without eating for four months, an apparently miraculous occurrence that divides the town. Thus, a nurse (Florence Pugh) is summoned from England to watch the girl and determine whether this is a sacred event or a hoax. Inspired by the Victorian phenomenon of "the fasting girls," this tense drama is anchored by Pugh's reliably dynamic performance, who EW’s critic declared to be "pretty much perfectly cast, an actress with such a keen emotional presence that she tends to cut through pretense and triviality like a hot knife." —D.H.

Where to watch The Wonder: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Sebastián Lelio

Cast: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Niamh Algar, Ciarán Hinds

Related: The 25 best drama movies on Netflix

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.