Vrinda Bachchan
From the classic detective adventures of Sherlock Holmes or Agatha Christie’s famous character of Hercule Poirot to the never-ending delight Lieutenant Columbo has brought to its audience, murder mysteries have always piqued the interest of audiences. With Netflix, we have had the opportunity to watch an array of movies belonging to this beloved genre and while most of them were more recent, a few were also from the 50s and 60s. Regardless of your taste, we’ve tried to put together movies ranging from wonderful, gripping classics to modern crime thrillers in one single place. So take a seat, turn off the lights and enjoy this list of really good murder mysteries on Netflix.
20. Shimmer Lake (2017)
A film narrated backward, ‘Shimmer Lake’ begins on a Friday and culminates on the previous Tuesday. A bank robbery that occurs on Friday has Andy as the prime suspect who is on the run with all the stolen money. Andy’s brother Zeke is one of the four men pursuing Andy. The said bank is owned by a judge who has been murdered in his own house and there has been an explosion in a meth lab that has killed the wife and son of another accomplice in the robbery. Complicated with a lot of plot twists and given the reverse chronological storyline, ‘Shimmer Lake’ has a lot of loose ends along with the brain-wrecking thrill that you can’t miss. Oftentimes, ‘Shimmer Lake’ has been ranked alongside movies such as ‘Pulp Fiction’ for its gritty portrayals.
19. Badla (2019)
An official Hindi remake of the 2017 Spanish thriller ‘The Invisible Guest’, ‘Badla’ is a low-budget film starring one of the biggest stars in the history of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan. Supporting him with her strong performance is Taapsee Pannu, who plays the role of a successful entrepreneur who has been charged with the murder of the man she has been having an extramarital affair with. Pannu’s character, Naina Sethi, gets her personal lawyer to hire a defense lawyer called Badal Gupta (Bachchan).
When Gupta speaks to Naina about the case, he keeps on insisting that she is hiding something from him. Naina, on the other hand, sticks to the story that the entire thing was a setup to make it look like she is actually the killer. The film is built up well, but the resolution given is laughable, to say the least. The two leading characters repeating the same dialog over and over again makes the film boring in certain places despite the running time clocking in at a modest 118 minutes. The best thing about the film is the performances of the two leading actors.
18. Murder Mystery (2019)
Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler are comedy legends, and thus there was a huge buzz all around the world of entertainment when it first came to light that they would be working together on a Netflix original film. The result of their collaboration is ‘Murder Mystery‘, which, besides being a hilarious comedy, also tackles a murder case. Sandler plays the character of a cop, Nick Spitz, and Aniston plays his murder mystery enthusiast wife, Audrey. When they take a trip to Europe to rejuvenate their marriage, Audrey and Nick come across a man on their flight who invites the couple to spend some time with him on his family yacht. They readily agree and go on to meet many famous people on the ship. However, soon their happy trip comes to a screeching halt when a rich billionaire gets murdered on the yacht. Their problems keep worsening when Nick and Audrey are themselves suspected of committing the murders.
The film is one of the most popular 2019 releases of Netflix. Though the story and the humor are both pretty mediocre, it is the performances by the two leading actors which will keep you hooked to the film. Both Aniston and Sandler have impeccable comic timing and use their prowess to the full effect.
17. Handsome: A Netflix Murder Mystery Movie (2017)
Los Angeles homicide detective Gene Handsome has a knack for connecting the dots and solving murders. What he does not have is his own life in order. When Handsome moves into a new house, he goes to meet the pretty neighbor and is also introduced to the neighbor’s babysitter Heather. The very next day, Handsome finds out that Heather has been killed and dismembered, her body dumped outside the home of a washed-up actor. It’s from there that Handsome has to piece together the truth of what happened to the babysitter. But Handsome is saddled with kind of a useless team and he has to do most of the heavy-lifting to solve this crime. The dark comedy movie, directed by Jeff Garlin (who also plays the lead role), is hilarious and perfect for light watching when you don’t want to be too absorbed in a plot-heavy head-scratcher film. The murder is not that convoluted and the resolution is pretty predictable but viewers should watch it for the laughs.
16. 1922 (2017)
This film, as the most recent on this list, welcomes one more Stephen King novel to the big screen. Set in 1922 Nebraska, Wilfred James is a farmer living in a conflicted marriage with his wife Arlette, with whom he has a 14-year-old son. After arguing over a land recently inherited which leads to conversations of divorce he decides to murder his partner and convinces his son to help him with this savage task. This story of murder contains exceptional performances by its cast and lingering suspense giving the dark and mysterious drama a fascinating approach and exploration.
15. Unknown Origins (2020)
A mind-boggling Spanish murder-mystery thriller, ‘Unknown Origins’ follows a series of murders that witnesses the perpetrator utilizing superhero origin stories as his modus operandi. The film portrays how the murderer overdoses a victim with steroids mimicking the Hulk while ripping out another’s heart and wrapping his body in a metallic suit, much like Iron Man. Initially, the detectives on the case believe they are too mature to take comics seriously. Still, once the knowledge gets too essential to ensure a proper conclusion, they begin seeking external help. That is when Cosme, a cop previously forced to turn in his resignation, brings in his son, Jorge, a comic book store owner and an expert on superheroes. The rest of the movie follows the detectives and Jorge as they battle a terrifying foe and race against time to capture the killer before he can strike again.
14. Raat Akeli Hai (2020)
‘Raat Akeli Hai’ translated to “The night is lonely,” sets a morbid tone from the beginning as the opening scene shows a lady and her driver traveling in a car before being hit from behind by a truck. A mystery man then approaches the vehicle and shoots the pair to death before burning their bodies with acid. The narrative subsequently does a 5-year jump, and the film begins its focus on the murder of a newly married landlord. Inspector Jatil Yadav, investigating the death, soon discovers that the family is unwilling to cooperate. Moreover, he senses an unnatural hatred and suspicion towards the landlord’s new wife, Radha. Realizing Radha to be his only lead in a hostile environment, Jatil befriends her and tries to extract information in whatever way possible. ‘Raat Akeli Hai’ is reputed for its twisty and complex plot that unravels beautifully into the climax, which is sure to shock even the most avid crime movie lover.
13. In The Shadow Of The Moon (2019)
A Netflix original film, ‘In The Shadow Of The Moon‘ is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jim Mickle who has also helmed projects like ‘Mulberry Street’ and ‘Cold In July’. The film centers around the life of police detective Thomas Lockhart who is in search of a serial killer. However, the way this serial killer operates is rather unique. He becomes active every nine years and then again vanishes into thin air without any trace whatsoever. The only problem Lockhart faces while investigating the case is that the evidence defies all scientific logic and reason. Is the killer operating with supernatural means? Or has he made some breakthrough scientific discovery? This is the question you will be asking yourself as you sit down to watch ‘In The Shadow Of The Moon’. However, do remember that the film might leave you with a sense of disappointment with the resolution of the plot. The cinematography is surely the best aspect of this film.
12. Dangerous Lies (2020)
Katie, a young and friendly caregiver to a wealthy man, Leonard, gets left all of his estate and property in his will after Leonard dies. Although initially reluctant to accept Leonard’s money, Katie is convinced by her husband to take the money since they deserve thanks for all they did for Leonard. Katie uneasily moves into Leonard’s big house, along with her husband. He starts acting strange and greedy for more money, even though they have already paid off their debts. Katie, and the detective heading the investigation into Leonard’s death both feel that Leonard did not die of natural causes and soon, Katie is questioning everything, even the trust she has for her husband. As the story moves ahead, Katie’s situation becomes more and more dangerous and she finds herself in serious jeopardy when a man claiming to be a real estate agent shows quite a keen interest in purchasing Leonard’s home. Jessie T. Usher and Camila Mendes star as Adam and Katie in this gripping murder suspense directed by Michael Scott.
11. In For a Murder (2021)
‘In For a Murder’ takes place in the peaceful town of Podkowa Lesna in Poland and revolves around Magda Borowska, a stay-at-home mother who adores crime stories. Although the film portrays her as a typical housewife dealing with everyday issues, Magda feels quite bored in her surroundings and longs for some excitement. That excitement arrives in the form of a horrifying surprise when her dog, Mela, leads her to a dead body lying near the city hall. With the local police officer, Inspector Jason “Jacek” Sikora, being Magda’s childhood friend and admirer, she keeps looking for ways to barge in on the investigation. What’s more interesting is that the movie draws parallels between Jason’s meticulous detective work and Magda’s social engineering, which together leads to a fantastic climax. Very much in the vein of typical Agatha Christie novels, ‘In For a Murder’ provides a rare treat for lovers of old-school murder mysteries.
10. Hold The Dark (2018)
In December 2004, naturalist Rusell Core is summoned to a remote Alaskan village by a grieving mother whose son she says has been taken away by a pack of wolves. A total of three kids have disappeared from the Alaskan village. Core, not believing this to be the work of wolves, anyway tracks the pack but is unwilling to shoot them. When he returns to the village, he finds that the woman hosting him is nowhere to be found and her son’s frozen body is recovered from inside the house itself. The boy’s father, a war soldier, returns from Iraq and is devastated, goes on a killing spree as he hunts for his child’s murderer. Core struggles to keep up with the enraged, psychotic father and the missing mother, but he teams up with a police officer to try and stop the husband and wife from spreading more carnage. The pace of the movie is slow and ominous, but that’s justified given the kind of dark story the film tells. For viewers who like their murder mysteries as dark and spooky as they come, ‘Hold The Dark’ would be an intense watch.
9. Perdida (2018)
Pipa, a tough policewoman, investigates the disappearance of her friend from 14 years ago, upon the insistence of her mother. 14 years ago, Pipa’s friend Cornelia went missing and was eventually declared dead after the extensive search for her showed up nothing in police files. But Cornelia’s mother never believed her daughter dead and asks Pipa to re-open the case and investigate again. As Pipa starts tracking a trail long gone cold, she finds herself in more danger than she had anticipated, eventually uncovering a darker plot operating on a much larger scale than she had imagined. Following the clues, Pipa does get to the bottom of the truth of what happened to her friend Cornelia, but what she finds is far more disturbing (and complicated) than a simple murder of a teenage girl. The Argentinian film, ‘Perdida’, shows appropriate balance and gravitas when dealing with the dark subject matter. While the plot is engaging, it’s something most viewers will be able to guess halfway through the movie.
8. The Woman in The Window (2021)
Based on the eponymous 2018 novel by A. J. Finn, ‘The Woman in The Window,’ revolves around Child psychologist Anna Fox, who develops a severe case of agoraphobia after separating from her husband. Restricted to her apartment, Anna takes to observing the neighbors and notices a new family moving in across the street. She eventually befriends Jane Russell as well as her son, Ethan, while the latter seems to hint that his father is abusive. Hoping to catch Mr. Russell in the act, Anna keeps spying on the family until she notices Jane’s husband stabbing her to death in the living room. Although she calls the police, her world comes crashing down around her when a different woman appears on the scene and claims to be the real Jane Russell. Believing that something fishy might be afoot, she presses hard to get to the bottom of the matter. Still, with reality crumbling into dust around her, Anna becomes increasingly unsure of the line between fact and imagination.
7. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
A standalone sequel to the 2019 film ‘Knives Out,’ ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ or simply ‘Glass Onion’ revolves around Miles Bron (Edward Norton), a billionaire who co-founded the technology company Alpha, and his guests on the eponymous private island in Greece during the COVID pandemic. Famous detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) arrives there as well. Although Bron didn’t invite Blanc to his island, he lets him stay there. When Duke Cody, a video game streamer, men-right activist, and close friend of Bron, is poisoned and killed, it falls on Blanc to find the murderer. A worthy sequel to the 2019 film, ‘Glass Onion’ is a celebration of classic murder mysteries and received mostly positive reviews from the critics, with many of them including it in their list of best films of 2022.
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6. The Weekend Away (2022)
Directed by Kim Farrant, ‘The Weekend Away’ tells the story of Beth (Leighton Meester), an American currently living in London. She flies to Croatia to spend the weekend with her best friend Kate (Christina Wolfe). Although Beth is married to Rob, Kate insists that the other woman should have a one-night stand with one of the men they meet at a club. The following morning, Beth wakes up to discover that she can’t recall everything she did the previous day. She starts to really panic when she realizes that Kate has disappeared. Beth tries to contact Rob and the police and tell them about her missing friend, but they initially don’t seem to be much concerned about it. But after Beth finds Kate’s belongings, the police start an official investigation. Soon enough, Kate’s body is found, and Beth discovers that her husband and best friend were having an affair.
5. I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House (2016)
‘I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House’ is a supernatural/ horror murder mystery directed by Osgood Perkins and starring Ruth Wilson in the lead. Lily is hired as a live-in caregiver to an elderly novelist suffering from dementia and she suspects that the author’s house is haunted. Lily sees and feels another presence in the house that is trying to communicate with her. When she finds her employer’s unfinished draft of a horror story, it becomes clear that the protagonist in the book, Polly, was a real person that the author knew and not fiction. As Polly’s ill-fated story unravels, so does Lily’s sanity and the movie ends in an eerie double death after Lily finds out the horrible truth about what happened to Polly and who killed her. This film is quite spooky and is full of subtly placed scares that will keep your heart rate up. It is a double treat for lovers of horror and mystery.
4. The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
Based on the 2003 book of the same name by Louis Bayard, ‘The Pale Blue Eye’ tells the story of the retired detective Augustus Landor (Christian Bale), who is asked to investigate the death of Cadet Leroy Fry at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in October 1830. The killer murdered Fry by hanging him and then seemingly removed his heart. Landor secretly recruits a cadet named Edgar Allan Poe to help him with the investigation. As the bodies of animals are found with their hearts also missing, Landor and Poe deduce that their killer must be a practitioner of black magic. Soon, another cadet is found dead, and this time the victim’s genitals are missing along with his heart.
3. A Fall From Grace (2020)
Crystal R. Fox, Tyler Perry, and Phylicia Rashad star in this murder mystery directed and produced by Tyler Perry. When Grace Waters is accused of murdering her husband, her lawyer does not believe that things are adding up and launches a dangerous investigation of her own. Will the novice attorney risk her own life to get to the truth and win an acquittal for her gentle, kind, and law-abiding client, or will she give up on Grace like everyone else? You will have to watch this compelling thriller to know that. ‘A Fall From Grace‘ features some strong performances by its cast and a few twists that you may not see coming at all.
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2. The Most Assassinated Woman In The World (2018)
‘The Most Assassinated Woman In The World’ is a French film about a theatre actress who is well-known for portraying roles that are tragically (and brutally) killed onstage. The actress, Paula, has to deal with a stalker and the haunting memories of her dark past. She finds a friend, lover, and confidante in a smitten journalist named Jean. As they get closer, Paula reveals to Jean the nightmarish memories she has of the night her sister was killed by the same man who raped her too, and how he had escaped getting caught. She says she often felt like he was still somewhere close, like a threatening presence always watching. The movie is quite awesomely engaging and will keep you from looking at your phone during the entirety of its runtime. The tragic story of Paula culminates in a heart-wrenching and shocking act of crime, one that will stay with you for a long time afterward. Anna Mouglalis plays the beautifully tortured and compelling Paula.
1. Lost Girls (2020)
A distraught mother, relentless in her search of her missing daughter, ends up shedding light on several unsolved murders of young female escorts, all victims of the Long Island Serial Killer, who remains unidentified to this day. The murderer got his nickname from his signature act of dumping the bodies of sex workers near the South Shore barrier islands of Long Island. Inspired by a real serial killer case, the film ‘Lost Girls’ does not provide a resolution because the killer was never caught. But it’s a hard-hitting, intense watch that all fans of the genre will appreciate.
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