is an annual mystery fiction guide book published by Takarajimasha. The guide book publishes a list of the top ten mystery books published in Japan in the previous year.
1988 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1988 (JICC Shuppankyoku. December, 1988)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1TrevanianThe Main2Scott TurowPresumed Innocent3P. D. JamesA Taste for DeathBob LangleyTraverse of the Gods5Andrew VachssStrega6Robert LittellThe Sisters7Michael Z. LewinLate Payments8William DiehlHooligans9Barbara VineA Dark-Adapted Eye10H. F. SaintMemoirs of an Invisible Man
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Yoichi Funado2Ryo Hara (ja)3Mikihiko Renjo4Joh SasakiEnglish translation: Zero Over Berlin5Soji Shimada6Futari Okajima (ja)7Yukito Ayatsuji8Rintaro Norizuki9Go OsakaYoshinaga Fujita
1989 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1989 (JICC Shuppankyoku. January, 1990)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Thomas HarrisThe Silence of the Lambs2Stephen HunterThe Day Before Midnight3Aaron ElkinsOld Bones4Elmore LeonardFreaky DeakyMichael Z. LewinOut of Season [UK title: Out of Time]6Nelson DeMilleWord of Honor7Craig ThomasThe Bear's Tears8Brian FreemantleCharlie Muffin San [US title: See Charlie Run]9Leonard WiseDoc's Legacy10Reginald HillChild's PlayRick BoyerThe Daisy Ducks
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Ryo Hara2Kaoru Kitamura3Soji Shimada4Joh Sasaki5Futari Okajima6Ikki Kazama (ja)Tatsuo Shimizu (ja)8Masaya Yamaguchi (ja)9Keiichiro Ryu10Ichi Orihara (ja)
1991 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1991 (JICC Shuppankyoku. January, 1991)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Umberto EcoThe Name of the Rose2Andrew VachssBlue Belle3James EllroyThe Black Dahlia4Stephen KingMisery5Christianna BrandBuffet for Unwelcome Guests6Ken GrimwoodReplay7Wilbur SmithThe Eye of the Tiger8Michael Z. LewinAnd Baby Will Fall9Patricia HighsmithEleven10William DiehlThai Horse
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Arimasa OsawaEnglish translation: Shinjuku Shark2Kaoru Kitamura3Yoichi Funado4Koshu Tani5Ryo Hara6Tatsuo Shimizu7Yukito Ayatsuji8Yoshinaga Fujita9Miyuki MiyabeEnglish translation: The Devil's Whisper10Soji Shimada
1992 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1992 (JICC Shuppankyoku. January, 1992)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1P. D. JamesDevices and Desires2Thomas H. CookFlesh and Blood3Shirley ConranSavages4Patricia HighsmithThe Cry of the Owl5Keith PetersonThere Fell A Shadow6Michael CrichtonJurassic Park7Bernard CornwellSea Lord [US title:Killer's Wake]Jim ThompsonThe Killer Inside Me9Robert R. McCammonStinger10George C. ChesbroBone
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Tatsuo Shimizu2Arimasa OsawaEnglish translation: The Poison Ape3Itsura Inami (ja)4Miyuki MiyabeEnglish translation: The Sleeping Dragon5Soji Shimada6Nanami Wakatake (ja)7Go Osaka8Kaoru Takamura (ja)9Kaoru Takamura10Kenji Takemoto (ja)
1993 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1993 (JICC Shuppankyoku. January, 1993)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Reginald HillBones and Silence2Lawrence BlockA Ticket to the Boneyard3Thomas H. CookStreets of Fire4Stephen KingIt5Ross ThomasTwilight at Mac's Place6Philip KerrMarch Violets7Nelson DeMilleThe Gold Coast8David MartinLie to Me9John GrishamThe Firm10Robert ReevesPeeping Thomas
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Yoichi Funado2Miyuki MiyabeEnglish translation: All She Was Worth3Kiyoshi Kasai (ja)4Mangetsu Hanamura (ja)5Kaoru Takamura6Alice ArisugawaYumehito Inoue (ja)8Masaya Yamaguchi9Hosei Hahakigi (ja)10Kaoru Takamura
1994 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1994 (Takarajimasha. December, 1993)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Mitchell SmithStone City2Scott TurowThe Burden of Proof3Stephen GreenleafBook Case4Dean KoontzWatchers5Colin DexterThe Way Through the Woods6Lawrence BlockA Dance at the Slaughterhouse7Keith PetersonRough Justice8Michael InnesLament for a Maker9David LorneSight Unseen10Peter LoveseyThe Last Detective
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Kaoru Takamura2Masaya Yamaguchi3Itsura Inami4Arimasa Osawa5Ramo Nakajima6Tomoko Kano (ja)Kaoru Kitamura8Go Osaka9Ichi Orihara10Yuichi Shimpo (ja)
1995 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1995 (Takarajimasha. December, 1994)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Scott SmithA Simple Plan2Don WinslowA Cool Breeze on the Underground3Donald E. WestlakeDancing Aztecs4R. D. WingfieldFrost at Christmas5Nelson DeMilleThe General's Daughter6Andrew VachssShella7Minette WaltersThe Ice House8Stuart WoodsGrass Roots9Michael ConnellyThe Black Ice10Akif PirinçciFelidaeLiza CodyBucket Nut
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Masaya Yamaguchi2Joh Sasaki3Kaoru Takamura4Mangetsu Hanamura5Itsura InamiItsura Inami7Jiro AsadaNatsuhiko KyogokuEnglish translation: The Summer of the Ubume9Toru Shirakawa (ja)10Rintaro Norizuki
1996 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1996 (Takarajimasha. December, 1995)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Minette WaltersThe Sculptress2Robert R. McCammonBoy's Life3Lawrence BlockThe Devil Knows You're Dead4Michael ConnellyThe Concrete Blonde5Anthony Berkeley CoxThe Second Shot6Scott TurowPleading Guilty7John GardnerMaestro8Dan SimmonsCarrion Comfort9Patrick RuellThe Only Game10Jean VautrinBilly-Ze-Kick
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Yuichi Shimpo (Whiteout (2000 film))2Yoshinaga Fujita3Yoichi Funado4Natsuhiko Kyogoku5Ryo Hara6Iori Fujiwara (ja)7Kaoru Kitamura8Katsufumi Umehara (ja)9Natsuhiko Kyogoku10Hideaki SenaEnglish translation: Parasite EveArimasa OsawaJ'Lit | Publications : The Angel's Fangs | Books from Japan
1997 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1997 (Takarajimasha. December, 1996)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1John DunningBooked to Die2James EllroyWhite Jazz3Peter LoveseyThe Summons4Dick FrancisCome To Grief5James CrumleyThe Mexican Tree Duck6Joe R. LansdaleTwo-Bear Mambo7Michael ConnellyThe Last Coyote8P. D. JamesOriginal Sin9Lorenzo CarcaterraSleepers10John le CarréOur Game
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Seishu Hase2Yuichi Shimpo3Keigo Higashino4Miyuki Miyabe5Toru Shirakawa6Jiro Asada7Natsuhiko Kyogoku8Arata Tendo (ja)9Arimasa Osawa10Yasuhiko Nishizawa (ja)
1998 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1998 (Takarajimasha. December, 1997)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1R. D. WingfieldA Touch of Frost2Joel Townsley RogersThe Red Right Hand3Stephen KingThe Green Mile4Minette WaltersThe Scold's Bridle5Jeffery DeaverA Maiden's Grave6Robert GoddardInto the BlueThomas Sigismund StriblingClues of the Caribbees8Stephen HunterDirty White Boys9Donald E. WestlakeGood Behavior10John DunningThe Bookman's Wake
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Natsuo KirinoEnglish translation: Out2Yusuke KishiJ'Lit | Publications : The Black House | Books from Japan (Black House (film))3Hiroko Minagawa4Natsuhiko Kyogoku5Seishu Hase6Baku Yumemakura7Natsuhiko Kyogoku8Hosei Hahakigi9Riku Onda (ja)10Arimasa Osawa
1999 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 1999 (Takarajimasha. December, 1998)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Theodore RoszakFlicker2Thomas H. CookThe Chatham School Affair3Stephen HunterBlack Light4Elizabeth FerrarsDon't Monkey with Murder5Charles PalliserThe Quincunx6Ian RankinBlack and Blue7Helen McCloyShe Walks Alone8Douglas KennedyBig PictureRobert GoddardPainting the Darkness10Dennis LehmanThe Getbacks of Mother SuperiorJames EllroyAmerican Tabloid
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Kaoru Takamura (Lady Joker)2Go Osaka3Miyuki Miyabe4Fuyumi OnoShiki5Yusuke Kishi6Ryoichi Kano (ja)7Hikaru Okuizumi8Toichiro Kujira (ja)9Keigo HigashinoEnglish translation: NaokoReito Nikaido (ja)
2000 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2000 (Takarajimasha. December, 1999)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Stephen HunterPoint of Impact2Jeffery DeaverThe Bone Collector3Thomas H. CookBreakheart Hill4Leo BruceCase for Three Detectives5Richard StarkComeback6Carol O'ConnellJudas Child7Thomas H. CookMortal Memory8John le CarréThe Tailor of Panama9Ian RankinLet it BleedThomas Sigismund StriblingBest Dr. Poggioli Detective Stories
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Arata TendoJ'Lit | Publications : The Eternal Child | Books from Japan 2Keigo HigashinoEnglish translation: Journey Under the Midnight Sun3Harutoshi Fukui (ja)4Koushun TakamiEnglish translation: Battle Royale5Natsuo Kirino6Yuichi Shimpo7Hideo Okuda (ja)8Kaoru Kitamura9Masayuki Shuno (ja)10Takayoshi Honda (ja)
2001 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2001 (Takarajimasha. December, 2000)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Jim ThompsonPop. 12802Seamus SmythQuinn3Thomas HarrisHannibal4Scott TurowPersonal Injuries5Lawrence NorfolkLemprière's Dictionary6Michael ConnellyBlood Work7Thomas H. CookInstruments of Night8Dennis LehaneDarkness, Take My Hand9Richard North PattersonEyes of a Child10Jeffery DeaverThe Coffin Dancer
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Tsumao Awasaka (ja)2Hideo YokoyamaMotive (EQMM May 2008) and other stories3Go Osaka4Yumehito Inoue5Kazuichi Iijima (ja)6Riku OndaYoichi FunadoEnglish translation: May in the Valley of the Rainbow8Yasuhiko Nishizawa9Toshiyuki Tajima (ja)10Harutoshi Fukui
2002 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2002 (Takarajimasha. December, 2001)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Boston TeranGod is a Bullet2R. D. WingfieldNight FrostJames EllroyThe Cold Six Thousand4Donald E. WestlakeThe Ax5Thomas H. CookPlaces in the Dark6Anthony Berkeley CoxJumping Jenny [US title: Dead Mrs. Stratton]7Jill McGownThe Stalking Horse8Stephen KingThe Stand9Dorothy L. SayersGaudy Night10Dennis LehaneMystic River
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Miyuki MiyabeEnglish translation: Puppet Master2Hideo Okuda3Masaki Yamada4Ryuichi Kasumi (ja)5Keigo Higashino6Arimasa OsawaJ'Lit | Publications : Guide into Darkness | Books from Japan 7Futaro Yamada8Kazuaki TakanoOtaro Maijo10Go Osaka
2003 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2003 (Takarajimasha. December, 2002)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Jeremy DronfieldThe Locust Farm2T. Jefferson ParkerSilent Joe3Seamus SmythRed Dock4Paul HalterThe Fourth Door5Jim ThompsonA Hell of a Woman6Gerald KershThe Oxoxoco Bottle and other stories7Eric GarciaAnonymous Rex8Anthony Berkeley CoxThe Layton Court Mystery9Jean VautrinGroom10Michael SladeRipper
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Hideo Yokoyama (Half a Confession)2OtsuichiEnglish translation: Goth: A Novel of Horror3Masaya Yamaguchi4Arimasa Osawa5Bunzo Uchiumi (ja)6Yuri Mitsuhara (ja)Eighteenth Summer (EQMM December 2004) and other stories7Mikihiko Renjo8Hitoshi Karasawa9Taku Ashibe10Kiyoshi Kasai
2004 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2004 (Takarajimasha. December, 2003)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Sarah WatersAffinity2Michael GilbertDeath in Captivity [US title: The Danger Within]3Robert R. McCammonSpeaks the Nightbird4Richard North PattersonSilent Witness5Donald E. WestlakeThe Hook6Joe R. LansdaleA Fine Dark Line7William LandayMission Flats8Helen McCloyThe Singing Diamonds and Other Stories9Theodore SturgeonThe Man Who Lost the Sea and other stories10Percival WildeP. Moran, Operative
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Shogo Utano (ja)J'Lit | Publications : When the Cherry Blossoms Fall, I'll Think of You | Books from Japan 2Harutoshi Fukui3Kotaro Isaka4Hideo Yokoyama5Natsuo KirinoEnglish translation: Grotesque6Kotaro Isaka (A Cheerful Gang Turns the Earth)7Hideo YokoyamaEnglish translation: Seventeen89Mikihiko Renjo10 J'Lit | Publications : Wild Soul | Books from Japan
2005 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2005 (Takarajimasha. December, 2004)
+ InternationalRankAuthorTitle1Sarah WatersFingersmith2Jeffery DeaverThe Vanished Man3TrevanianIncident at Twenty-Mile4Dan BrownThe Da Vinci CodeJames CrumleyThe Final Country6A. H. Z. CarrThe Trial of John Nobody and other stories7Richard North PattersonDark Lady8Minette WaltersThe Shape of Snakes9Connie WillisTo Say Nothing of the Dog10Christopher PriestThe Prestige
+ JapaneseRankAuthorTitle1Rintaro NorizukiJ'Lit | Publications : The Gorgon's Look | Books from Japan 2Kotaro IsakaJ'Lit | Publications : The Foreign Duck, the Native Duck and God in a Coin Locker | Books from Japan 3Hajime Amagi (ja)4Toshihiko Yahagi (ja)5Jun Saito (ja)6Yusuke KishiJ'Lit | Publications : The Glass Hammer | Books from Japan 7Yukito Ayatsuji8Shusuke Shizukui (ja)9Hideo YokoyamaJ'Lit | Publications : Initial Response | Books from Japan 10Taku AshibeEnglish translation: Murder in the Red Chamber
2006 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! 2006 (Takarajimasha. December, 2005)