Top Crime Novels May 2026: Denise Mina, Horst Eckert, Susanne Kaiser
A curated list of the best crime novels for May 2026 features six titles, including classics and debuts. Denise Mina's "Die große Hitze" revives Philip Marlowe in 1930s Los Angeles, marking the first time a woman writes the iconic detective. Horst Eckert's "Die Praktikantin" follows a journalism intern uncovering a political scandal involving a German minister. Susanne Kaiser's "Witch Hunt" sees LKA investigator Obalski go undercover to combat online hate and a murder. Louise Hegarty's debut "Fair Play" deconstructs classic whodunit rules with meta-fiction. Pascal Garnier's "Mond gefangen in einem toten Auge" (posthumous) explodes tensions in a French retirement home. Len Deighton's "Berliner Spiel" (reissued) features spy Bernard Samson in Cold War Berlin. The list also includes works by Pascal Garnier (1949–2010) and Len Deighton (1929–), with translations by Hedda Pänke, Michael von Killisch-Horn, and Eva Bonné.
Key facts
- Denise Mina is the first woman to write a Philip Marlowe novel.
- Horst Eckert's thriller involves a journalist intern and a German minister.
- Susanne Kaiser's novel addresses online hate and deepfakes.
- Louise Hegarty's debut deconstructs golden age detective rules.
- Pascal Garnier's posthumous novel is set in a retirement home in southern France.
- Len Deighton's 'Berliner Spiel' is a reissued Cold War spy thriller.
- Translators include Hedda Pänke, Michael von Killisch-Horn, and Eva Bonné.
- The list includes works from 2026 publications.
Entities
Artists
- Denise Mina
- Horst Eckert
- Susanne Kaiser
- Louise Hegarty
- Pascal Garnier
- Len Deighton
- Philip Marlowe
- Else Laudan
- Hedda Pänke
- Michael von Killisch-Horn
- Eva Bonné
Institutions
- Kampa
- Heyne
- Septime
- Wunderlich
- dtv
- LKA
- Morgenpost
- Tagesschau
- Deutschlandfunk
Locations
- Berlin
- London
- Düsseldorf
- Weiden/Oberpfalz
- Munich
- Los Angeles
- Glasgow
- Südfrankreich
- Ostberlin
- Bavaria