Mystery moviesare the closest things we have to interactive films. Any whodunit worth its salt will lay out the clues and provide the audience with just the right amount of information so that viewers can piece together the solutions right alongside the gumshoe working the case. It’s like playing a point-and-click game without getting carpal tunnel, and the best moments are when you put the puzzle together right before the parlor room scene shows you exactly how smart you are. We’ve put together a list of the best whodunit movies on Netflix to help keep your eyes sharp and your mind in peak condition.
For more recommendations, check out our list of the bestshowsandmovies on Netflixacross all genres.
Disclaimer: These movie are available on US Netflix.
Editor’s note: This article was updated February 2025 to include Lost Girls.
‘Lost Girls’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 73% | IMDb: 6.2/10
Lost Girls
Based onRobert Kolker’s bookLost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery,Lost Girlsis set on the South Shore barrier islands of Long Island and follows the investigation into the murders of young sex workers fronted by activist Mari Gilbert (Amy Ryan). A selection at the 2020Sundance Film Festival,Lost Girlsis a touching drama made all the more affecting when considering it is based on a true story. As the film progresses, tears will flow, with the climax ofLost Girlsready to live long in your mind far beyond the rolling of the credits. -Jake Hodges
Watch on Netflix
‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 7.1/10
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Writer and directorRian Johnson(Poker Face) brings us another entry in hisAgatha Christie-styleKnives Outmystery series starringDaniel Craig(No Time to Die) as the eccentric Southern detective. Like the first film,Glass Onionfeatures an ensemble cast of amazing actors but shifts the setting to the private island of a tech billionaire hosting the annual gathering of his inner circle. The suspect list includes the talents ofKathryn Hahn(Agatha All Along),Leslie Odom Jr.(Central Park), andEdward Norton(Asteroid City), to name a few, but the standout role in the film is played byJanelle Monáe(We the People), who delivers such a multifaceted performance that it almost eclipses the excitement of piecing together the case. This spectacular follow-up to Johnson’s first foray into the detective genre is a brilliant display of filmmaking with a clever message.
‘Enola Holmes’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% | IMDb: 6.6/10
Enola Holmes
Based on the novel series byNancy Springer,Enola HolmesfollowsMillie Bobby Brown(Stranger Things) as the youngest sibling of the famousSherlock Holmes(Henry Cavill), who strikes out to solve a mystery of her own — the case of her missing mother. In addition to being a wonderfully intricate mystery, the film is a delightful coming-of-age story that explores Victorian-era London through a lens that the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories never could — that of a precocious young woman fighting against the patriarchal standards of the time. Brown perfectly captures the spirit of a bright young teen learning to navigate the world on her own as she forges a new path forward. It’s a performance that quickly and enthusiastically endears the audience to Enola.
‘Enola Holmes 2’ (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 6.8/10
Enola Holmes 2
Enola Holmes 2goes off-book, placing theNancy Springercharacter not in an adaptation of the novels but in a real event in London’s history: the 1880s Matchgirls' strike.Millie Bobby Brown(Damsel) reprises her role as the titular fourth-wall-breaking teen detective, and this time, she’s teaming up with brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill) to solve the mystery of a mysterious illness sweeping across a match factory. Brown and Cavill are a perfect match in this film, their on-screen dynamics matching their off-screen statuses as the story balances the flexible eagerness ofEnola’s fledgling detective agencywithSherlock’ measured but often rigid thinkingfrom years of detective work that allows the characters to influence one another and grow together.
‘The Pale Blue Eye’ (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 63% | IMDb: 6.6/10
The Pale Blue Eye
Christian Bale(The Dark Knight) leads thisgothic mystery set in the 1800sas a disgraced former detective brought in to discreetly investigate a disturbing death on a military base.The Pale Blue Eyeadapts the popularLouis Bayardnovel, and directorScott Cooper(Antlers) takes a big leap as he brings the dark thriller to life with a stunning cast and a haunting atmosphere that keeps the viewer on edge throughout. Bale’s detective Landor feels like a Sherlock archetype with a bit more bite, especially as he bounces off his designated Watson,Harry Melling(The Old Guard), who takes on the role of a youngEdgar Allan Poe. This film has all the tenets of a classic mystery film but elevates the story with a few big twists that push it into a whole new genre by the end.
‘7 Women and a Murder’ (2021)
Rotten Tomatoes: 60% | IMDb: 5.4/10
7 Women and a Murder
Italian directorAlessandro Genovesi(My Big Gay Italian Wedding) presents a remake of the timeless French comedic mystery8 Womenthat is bright, quick-witted, and fun.7 Women and a Murderfollows a group of family members and mansion servants who find themselves trapped in a house after the patriarch of the family is murdered. The aesthetic and tone of the film are reminiscent of aPoirotnovel mixed withClue, but instead of a quirky detective mucking about, you have a free-for-all suspicion fest between the ladies as they try to find the murderer without being next on the list. Not to bring the dubs vs. subs argument into this article, but I would recommend watching in the original Italian to get the most out of the timing and emotions of the performances.
‘A Simple Favor’ (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% | IMDb: 6.8/10
A Simple Favor
Comedy DirectorPaul Feig(Bridesmaids) steps into the shadows of his mind to deliver a dark thriller starringAnna Kendrick(Alice, Darling) andBlake Lively(Gossip Girl) that has enough twists and turns it could flip a car.A Simple Favorfeatures Kendrick as a mommy blogger trying to track down an alluring woman she bonds with at her kid’s school after her sudden disappearance. The film keeps the intrigue of the originalJessica Sharzernovel while expertly utilizing Feig’s charming style of directing character interactions — it’s a perfect combination that plays well on-screen as the audience has to get attached to Kendrick and Lively’s characters pretty quickly before this rollercoaster of a story drops them into the first big loop.
‘Disappearance at Clifton Hill’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 78% | IMDb: 5.4/10
Disappearance at Clifton Hill
Disappearance at Clifton Hillis an award-nominated thriller that uses the citizen sleuth trope to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. The film captures anoir vibeas it follows a young woman, played byTuppence Middleton, who returns to her Canadian hometown after inheriting a rundown motel in Niagara Falls. The drama starts when she starts to uncover clues about a kidnapping she witnessed as a child that spurs her to try uncovering the truth about this traumatizing incident. DirectorAlbert Shincreates a delightfully dark atmosphere with unsettling symbolism scattered throughout. The story doesn’t hold your hand throughout the mystery, allowing viewers to analyze the puzzle alongside the main heroine.
‘Murder Mystery’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 43% | IMDb: 6.1/10
Murder Mystery
Now, let’s do a silly one! ComedianAdam Sandler(Uncut Gems) once again teams up withJennifer Aniston(The Morning Show) for the first time sinceJust Go With It,and they are electric together as they play a married couple in a rut that gets framed for a murder.Murder Mysterylampoons the classic tropes of the genre while giving Sandler and Aniston room to play together as they reforge their bonds in the flames of dangerous car chases, gun shots, and running from the heat of the law. But they’re not the only hotties in this film — the supporting cast is also fire! They’re surrounded by talents likeLuke Evans(Fast & Furious 6),Gemma Christina Arterton(The King’s Man), andJohn Kani(Black Panther).
