1. **"The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith** This is the first book in a series about Mma Precious Ramotswe, who starts her own detective agency in Botswana. It's a charming and well-written book with intriguing mysteries and a wonderful sense of place. 2. **"In the Woods" by Tana French** This is the first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series. The story revolves around a detective with a tragic past who is trying to solve a murder that's eerily similar to a case from his childhood. 3. **"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson** This Swedish mystery-thriller novel is the first in the Millennium series. It combines elements of mystery, suspense, and financial intrigue. 4. **"Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty** This book is a compelling blend of mystery and domestic drama, where the 'whodunit' aspect is skillfully entwined with a story about friendship and motherhood. 5. **"The Cuckoo's Calling" by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)** The first in a series featuring private investigator Cormoran Strike, this novel is a compelling whodunit with well-developed characters and intricate plotting. 6. **"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn** A thrilling whodunit that revolves around a husband suspected of his wife's disappearance. The book is renowned for its unexpected twists and profound exploration of complex characters. 7. **"Magpie Murders" by Anthony Horowitz** This book is a modern homage to the golden age of whodunit mysteries. It's a book within a book, featuring both a classic murder mystery and a contemporary mystery about the author of the first. 8. **"The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley** The first book in a series about Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old amateur sleuth with a passion for chemistry and a knack for stumbling upon murders in her quaint English village.