6 Golden Age Mystery Books That Aged Badly (And 3 Still Worth Reading)

Over 100 years later, we’re still obsessed with the Golden Age of Mystery. It’s that period between World War I and World War II when murder mysteries really came into their own. Most people think of Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime, as well as her compatriots Dorothy L. Sayers and Margery Allingham, and other members of the Detection Club. Their works are considered traditional mysteries; not quite cozy, but definitely not hard-boiled detective novels either.

Hard-boiled detective novels were in their heyday with authors like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. Much of the standards of mystery and detective novels found their footing in that period. It was the time when Ronald Knox developed his “10 Commandments of Detective Fiction,” which were meant to keep mysteries fair. It was a good time to be a mystery writer and mystery fan.

While people still are reading and enjoying books from the Golden Age of Mystery, not all of them are equal. Many retain some of the harmful prejudicial feelings of the day, from racism, antisemitism, and homophobia. There are aspects in these books that might be shocking and unpalatable for a reader in the 21st century. Some elements may be an automatic DNF (Did Not Finish) for some readers. 

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All Access Members read on to see which classics to skip, which are still worth reading, and why.