List of Crime and Mystery Movies

Poster with the outline of a man and woman back to back holding guns. Text: A global list: Movie Mysteries

A comprehensive list of crime and mystery movies from around the world.

  • Have you seen all of these?
  • Which are on your ‘to watch’ list?
  • Which are the best?
  • The worst?
  • Any we should add?

This list is frequently updated whenever we have time or watch new films. If you have any recommendations (from any country) please share in the comments!

If you liked this, don’t forget to check out our list of TV Mystery and Crime Shows as well!

**This article contains affiliate links

Genres

2Mystery is Secondary Theme
AAnime
CCrime / Police Procedural
DPrivate Eye
EEspionage
FFramed (Innocent person is framed and must clear his/her name)
FAFalsely Accused
HHorror
JJournalist
LLGBTQ
MMedical / Autopsy / Pathology
NDNancy Drew (aka Nosy Detectives – amateurs who have gotten involved in a crime)
N/ENo Known English Translation
PSignificant Criminal Psychology
RReality TV / Documentaries
SSupernatural (Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves)
SFSci-Fi (Time Travel, Robots, Futuristic)
TTreasure Hunt (The Search for Lost Treasures, Tomb Raiding, Pirate Treasures)
UUnaired (Coming Soon)
VVengeance / Revenge
WWuxia & Asian Fantasy (Dragons, Deities, Etc.)
YAYoung Adult
Countries: Belgium, Britain, China (Mainland), France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, United States

*Some shows may deal with difficult / adult subjects or may be graphic to watch. You should read online reviews and watch at your own discretion.

Incorporation into this list does not reflect the views or opinions of The Suitcase Detective; it’s not a recommendation or endorsement. Some shows on here are terrible in our opinion 😂 But taste varies, so here is a comprehensive list of those we’ve come across for your perusal!

Feel free to search the table according to:

  • Film Name (e.g., Maigret)
  • Country (e.g., Spain)
  • Genre (e.g., (YA)) – use parentheses
  • Description (e.g., 1920s – brings up some fun shows!)
 TitleDescriptionGenreCountry of Origin
Guilty of Mind A gifted criminal profiler, Fang Mu is asked to assist the police in solving a series of murders where blood has been drained from their body. Working together with Police Captain Tai Wei, Fang Mu tries to crack down the murder cases, but he unknowingly gets embroiled in a battle of wits (Source: MyDramaList)(C) , (P)China (Mainland)
Four Belongs to Abelmoschus movie posterThe Mystic Nine Side Story: Four Belongs to Abelmoschus'The Mystic Nine Tetralogy' is one in a set of four side-stories based in the same backdrop as 'The Mystic Nine'. The stories are independent, but each focuses on one of the key characters in the original show (Huo San Niang, Chenpi Ah Si, Lieutenant Zhang, and Er Yue Hong). They can be watched in no particular order and are often set as prequels. But they are better understood after seeing 'The Mystic Nine' first in order to be familiar with the characters and family history.

'Four Belongs to Abelmoschus' is the story of Chenpi Ah Si		(T)China (Mainland)
Tiger Bones Plum Blossom movie posterThe Mystic Nine Side Story: Tiger Bones Plum Blossom'The Mystic Nine Tetralogy' is one in a set of four side-stories based in the same backdrop as 'The Mystic Nine'. The stories are independent, but each focuses on one of the key characters in the original show (Huo San Niang, Chenpi Ah Si, Lieutenant Zhang, and Er Yue Hong). They can be watched in no particular order and are often set as prequels. But they are better understood after seeing 'The Mystic Nine' first in order to be familiar with the characters and family history.

'Tiger Bones Plum Blossom' is the story of the new heir to the Xie family (assisted by Lieut. Zhang)		(T)China (Mainland)
The Mystic Tomb: Ganges Killing the TreesThe Mystic Tomb: Ganges in the Trees'The Mystic Nine Tetralogy' is one in a set of four side-stories based in the same backdrop as 'The Mystic Nine'. The stories are independent, but each focuses on one of the key characters in the original show (Huo San Niang, Chenpi Ah Si, Lieutenant Zhang, and Er Yue Hong). They can be watched in no particular order and are often set as prequels. But they are better understood after seeing 'The Mystic Nine' first in order to be familiar with the characters and family history.

'Huo San Niang' is the story of Er Yue Hong		(T)China (Mainland)
The Mystic Nine Side Story: Flowers Bloom in February Movie PosterThe Mystic Nine Side Story: Flowers Bloom in February 'The Mystic Nine Tetralogy' is one in a set of four side-stories based in the same backdrop as 'The Mystic Nine'. The stories are independent, but each focuses on one of the key characters in the original show (Huo San Niang, Chenpi Ah Si, Lieutenant Zhang, and Er Yue Hong). They can be watched in no particular order and are often set as prequels. But they are better understood after seeing 'The Mystic Nine' first in order to be familiar with the characters and family history.

'Flowers Bloom in February' is the story of Er Yue Hong		(T)China (Mainland)
Qing Shan Hai Tang Movie PosterThe Mystic Nine: Qing Shan Hai TangDescription not yet available. It appears to be yet another side-story to 'The Mystic Nine' period of films. Potentially a prequel, but still likely best seen after watching the 'Mystic Nine' for familiarity with the characters and background. (T)China (Mainland)
Bang RenTomb of the Sea: Bang Ren (Side Story)The 'Sand Puzzle' (aka 'Tomb of the Sea' series spawned three 'side stories' similar to the Mystic Nine Tetralogy. They are best seen after 'Sand Puzzle'.

Ban Ren -- Wu Shan Ju and Huo You Xin visit Wu's family home to demand an explanation for her employee's sudden death. Instead both Wu and the manager Bai She are suddenly infected with a mysterious illness. They turn to Wu Xie for help. With his assistance and advice they end up at a mysterious cave searching for a cure.
(T) , (N/E)China (Mainland)
Ran GuTomb of the Sea Side Story: Ran Gu The 'Sand Puzzle' (aka 'Tomb of the Sea' series spawned three 'side stories' similar to the Mystic Nine Tetralogy. They are best seen after 'Sand Puzzle'.

A servant of the Yin family, Luo Cha, is near-death and inflected with a hex. Wu Xie sends Luo Cha to his family home for help. There Luo Cha meets the temporary owner Huo Dao Fu and his assistent Kan Jian. Together, Huo and Kan use a method involving the burning of bones, but unexpectedly uncover the secrets from 18 years ago. 		(T) , (N/E)China (Mainland)
Tomb of the Sea Side Story: Hua MeiThe 'Sand Puzzle' (aka 'Tomb of the Sea' series spawned three 'side stories' similar to the Mystic Nine Tetralogy. They are best seen after 'Sand Puzzle'.

Hua Mei -- Wu Shan Ju is currently hiring new employees. Liu Sang, under the direction of Wu Xie, has come to apply for the job and look after Shan Ju. However, Liu Sang finds himself involved directly in one of Wu Shan Ju's oldest secrets: the mystery of a female portrait that cannot be removed from the outer walls of Wu Shan Ju.

*Some believe this fits better after Reunion because Wu Xie seems to be unfamiliar with Liu Sang in that series. So we are placing it here. 		(T) , (N/E)China (Mainland)
Fa Yi Qin Ming Zhi Che Wei You HunPart of the Medical Examiner Dr. Qin series(C) , (M) , (N/E) (P) China (Mainland)
Medical Examiner Dr. Qin: Death Redemption (YouTube)The background of the story moved from Longfan City to Qingjiang City, telling that Qin Ming, a forensic doctor who is also a best-selling author, came to Qingjiang City to participate in the sale of new bookmarks, and encountered the gold medal Zhang Jingya, the richest man in Qingjiang Zhang Fu Guo, commissioned to investigate the cause of Zhang ’s mother ’s death many years ago, found that Zhang Fuguo ’s study was killed, and at the same time involved the enmity and resentment of Zhang ’s adopted sons Yang Zhi Yuan and Zhang Jing Ya and Zhang Xiao Peng. Who was killed by Zhang Fu Guo? What secrets are hidden between Zhang and his sisters. (Source: MyDramaList)(C), (M), (P)China (Mainland)
Royal Medical Examiner movie posterRoyal Medical ExaminerThe story takes place during the historical Ming Dynasty. Late one evening, the cries of a baby were suddenly heard in Lin'an County Cemetery and two corpses lie in a grave one on the other. Murder is clear, but the means not so much and a local medical examiner Song Shao is called in to investigate. What's wrong with the city hot springs and why is a pregnant mother lying dead on his autopsy table. These questions and more drive Song Shao, his apprentice, the commissioner, and Shao's wife to dive into this dark and dangerous investigation.(C) , (M) China (Mainland)
Death Chasing Movie PosterDeath ChasingAs women begin disappearing off the streets, Criminal Investigation Officer Shen Ke notices ties linking the victims that suggests a serial killer is on the lose. How have the women vanished without any evidence left behind? What is the connection with vintage items? Why these women? These are the questions Shen Ke must answer as she steps ever closer to finding her murderer. (C)China (Mainland)
Dr QIn Blood Red WeddingMedical Examiner Dr Qin: Blood Red WeddingTwo highly ceremonial wedding homicides are connected to a wedding murder from fifteen years ago. The highly similar death of the three brides puzzles Qin Ming and the others, but he finds out that the murders are the same, and this has become the breakthrough point of the three deaths. (Source: MyDramaList)(C), (M), (P)China (Mainland)
Dr. Qin Medical Examiner: Fatal Novel With Longfan City as the story background, it mainly tells that the successive murders in Longfan City are exactly the same as the killing method of a suspense novel serialized on the Internet. "Slow, doubt" is based on the crime. When all the clues point to Qin Ming high school classmate Fang Chi (Feng Li), Qin Ming's first love Han Yue (Yang Zitong) also seems to be in danger. (Source: MyDramaList)(C), (M), (P)China (Mainland)
Post Mortem ExaminerTen years ago all members of the Feng family were executed on the emperor's order. When three bodies are found cut into pieces and thrown away in the night, Forensic Medical Examiner Song Shao quickly learns the cases are related. Why are the men dead and who is getting revenge? Song's search puts him on the heels of a missing girl in a story of revenge, betrayal, and heartbreak

*Prequel to Royal Medical Examiner		(C), (M)China (Mainland)
Royal Medical ExaminerThe story takes place during the historical Ming Dynasty. Late one evening, the cries of a baby were suddenly heard in Lin'an County Cemetery and two corpses lie in a grave one on the other. Murder is clear, but the means not so much and a local medical examiner Song Shao is called in to investigate. What's wrong with the city hot springs and why is a pregnant mother lying dead on his autopsy table. These questions and more drive Song Shao, his apprentice, the commissioner, and Shao's wife to dive into this dark and dangerous investigation. *Sequel to Post Mortem Examiner(C), (M)China (Mainland)
Yin Yang Master: Dream of EternityWhen a demonic serpent reawakens, the Yin-Yang Masters must solve a murder mystery and protect their realms from a dark conspiracy at the royal court. (Source: Netflix)(S), (W)China (Mainland)
A Case of a Missing CatRoyal Guard Zhan Xiong Fei has recently returned to Beijing after studying abroad in England and is anxious to be promoted to a higher ranking. While an excellent detective, Xiong Fei has developed a reputation for not listening to orders and taking "unnecessary" risks in the course of his investigation. With one major case left to go before reaching his goal, Xiong Fei suddenly finds himself exiled to Qionglu County -- an area so peaceful the "birds don't poop." Xiong Fei is troubled to hear that they haven't had a single mystery in ten years. . . except one small, teensy, tiny little crime - "The Case of the Missing Cat." The case promises to threaten the county's upstanding reputation and put them at risk of losing the competition for an annual tax break. To avoid such catastrophe's the magister assigns the case to his son Bao Xiaobao and XiongFei with orders to solve it in three days. But it appears the missing cat case is more intricate than they initially assumed as murder suddenly enters the equation. . . is it possible this is the big case XiongFei needs? (C)China (Mainland)
https://amzn.to/3t4AdZ9When a demonic serpent reawakens, the Yin-Yang Masters must solve a murder mystery and protect their realms from a dark conspiracy at the royal court.(S), (W)China (Mainland)
Galileo Suspect XA male body is discovered. He is strangled to death where his face pulverized beyond recognition and fingers burned to a crisp. Utsumi Kaoru is assigned to the case. The police face great difficulty in cracking the case. Thus, she seeks advice from brilliant physicist Yukawa Manabu, aka Detective Galileo.

After analyzing the case, Yukawa suspects that the true genius behind everything is Ishigami Tetsuya, the neighbor of the victim's ex-wife. Ishigami happens to be Yukawa's college friend whom he regards as a true mathematics genius.

Elaborate bluffs, false testimonials, loopholes in logic - all begin to appear in Detective Galileo's way as if intentionally placed as a challenge by someone with mathematical brilliance.		(C), (D)Japan
Galileo XX: Utsumi Kaoru Saigo no JikenThe story takes place before Utsumi is to set off to Oklahoma in the US for training where she arrests a murder suspect who insists that he's innocent. Faced with the prospect of making a wrong arrest, Utsumi works together with her colleague Toma to launch a re-investigation.(C), (D)Japan
Galileo (Episode Zero)The special is set 3 years prior to the drama series, with the story being related to a murder case that was partly referenced in the original show. Detective Kusanagi is looking to solve a murder mystery, and he gets back in touch with his former badminton teammate, the brilliant professor Yukawa Manabu.(C), (D)Japan
The Devotion of Suspect XA detective's murder investigation leads him to an old classmate who may know the truth behind the killing. *A Chinese re-telling of the first novel in the Japanese Mystery series "Detective Galileo" by Keigo Higashino. Other films include the Japanese "Galileo" series. (C), (D)China (Mainland)
용의자X (Perfect Number)Seok Ho was a child genius but now lives an average life as a high school math teacher. One day, Suk Go witnesses his new neighbor Hwa Sun murder her ex-husband. He calculates the perfect alibi for her crime and Hwa Sun even passes the polygraph test and the police have no choice but to let her go. However, the detective assigned to the case, Min Sun, detects something strange and is unable to drop Hwa Sun as his prime suspect. Korean version of the "Galileo" novel by Keigo Higashino. Other adaptations include 'Devotion of Suspect X' (China) and the Galileo shows (Japan)(C), (D)South Korea
The Night Beyond the Tricornered WindowShy bookstore clerk Kosuke Mikado has the ability to see ghosts and spirits, an ability he wishes he didn’t have, since what he sees usually terrifies him. Rihito Hiyakawa, an exorcist whose supernatural powers are as strong as his social graces are weak, don’t seem to fear anything, mortal or otherwise. When this odd couple gets together to solve the bizarre cases that come their way, their work methods may not be entirely safe for work.(D), (S)Japan

The titles below are still under construction – it takes time to get the photos, links, and description needed to input them into the table. We’re working throughout it in our spare time 🙄). Please let us know if any links are broken! We try to keep them up to date.

Belgium

Britain

China

  • Spirit Pact (D, S)
  • The Great Illusionist (C, W)
  • The Liquidator (C, P)

France

Germany

Ireland

Korea

  • Accidental Detective
  • Midnight Runners (C)
  • Vanished (C, P)

Russia

United States

Sweden

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