Philosophical Crime Fiction
Explore the best philosophical crime fiction books that blend thrilling mysteries with deep existential questions. Discover thought-provoking novels where crime meets philosophy.
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The Name of the Rose
by Umberto Eco
ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME • A spectacular best seller and now a classic, The Name of the Rose catapulted Umberto Eco, an Italian professor of semiotics turned novelist, to international prominence. An erudite murder mystery set in a fourteenth-century monastery, it is not only a gripping story but also a brilliant exploration of medieval philosophy, history, theology, and logic. In 1327, Brother William of Baskerville is sent to investigate a wealthy Italian abbey whose monks are suspected of heresy. When his mission is overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths patterned on the book of Revelation, Brother William turns detective, following the trail of a conspiracy that brings him face-to-face with the abbey’s labyrinthine secrets, the subversive effects of laughter, and the medieval Inquisition. Caught in a power struggle between the emperor he serves and the pope who rules the Church, Brother William comes to see that what is at stake is larger than any mere political dispute–that his investigation is being blocked by those who fear imagination, curiosity, and the power of ideas. The Name of the Rose offers the reader not only an ingeniously constructed mystery—complete with secret symbols and coded manuscripts—but also an unparalleled portrait of the medieval world on the brink of profound transformation.
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Mysteries of Eleusis
by Margaret Anne Doody
A series of thefts (some comic, some sinister) puzzles Athens early in 329 BC. Stephanos has become publicly betrothed to Smikrenes' daughter in the autumn of 330, and the couple wed in Gamelion. Meanwhile, Aristotle has settled down into a sexual relationship with the slave Herpyllis. Stephanos is getting his life in order and he tries to establish his political position as an Athenian by giving a dinner party. However, the happiness of his marriage is hampered by some vexations lawsuits: one from a neighbour of his in-laws in the Hymettos property, another from the father of the girl he was once supposed to marry. Connection with Smikrenes, whose land his own child or male children will inherit, causes Stephanos to take more interest in Eleusis. The series of thefts seem to have some connection with a little shop that makes statuettes of Demeter and Kore. Stephanos and Philomela decide to become initiates of Demeter and Aristotle is persuaded to join them. Their connection with the Mysteries allows them the chance to observe some phenomena that don't add up. In the end they are able to pin some important thefts and a murder to personages closely connected with the Mysteries. The climax comes in September 329 BC, during the celebration of the Mysteries at Eleusis.
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Aristotle Detective
by Margaret Doody
Set in Athens, 332 BC. In the midst of unrest, an eminent citizen is murdered and suspicion falls upon young Philemon and his cousin Stephanos.
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Aristotle and the Secrets of Life
by Margaret Anne Doody
With a varied cast of travellers, Stephanos and Aristotle set sail across the Aegean to the sacred island of Delos, to Mykonos and on to Asia Minor. Soon they will be investigating murder and conspiracy, but first they have to survive life on the high seas where storms and piracy honour no man.
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Critique of Criminal Reason
by Michael Gregorio
"Sherlock Holmes himself would struggle to keep up with the master sleuth Gregorio brings to life." ---Booklist (starred review)
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The Oxford Murders
by Guillermo Martinez
Two mathematicians must join forces to stop a serial killer in this spellbinding international bestseller A paperback sensation in Argentina, Spain, and the United Kingdom, The Oxford Murders has been hailed as "a remarkable feat" (Time Out London) and its author as "one of Argentina's most distinctive voices" (The Times Literary Supplement). It begins on a summer day in Oxford, when a young Argentine graduate student finds his landlady-an elderly woman who helped crack the Enigma Code during World War II -murdered in cold blood. Meanwhile, a renowned Oxford logician receives an anonymous note bearing a circle and the words "the first of a series." As the murders begin to pile up and more symbols are revealed, it is up to this unlikely pair to decipher the pattern before the killer strikes again.