15 Best Mystery Movies Streaming On Netflix Right Now

Not all mystery movies are murder mysteries. Sometimes a whodunnit is about who’s guilty of a big theft or some other crime, and sometimes the mystery isn’t about a crime at all. Audiences were as captivated about discovering the identity of Rosebud in “Citizen Kane” as they were the secret behind the murders in “Psycho.”

A mystery movie just means there’s an unknown of some kind at play, something awaiting discovery by characters and viewers alike. In the right hands, that mystery element makes for a fun, compelling, and/or thrilling time at the movies, and the fifteen films below are all examples of that.

The films below run the gamut from thrillers to comedies, from grounded to supernatural or sci-fi, and all of them engage audiences on a journey of discovery. Keep reading for a look at the best mystery movies on Netflix right now.

Kelly (Denise Richards) is a popular highschooler from a very wealthy family just outside Miami, and the community is rocked when she accuses her guidance counselor (Matt Dillon) of sexual assault. A second teen (Neve Campbell) makes an accusation, sparking a wicked ball of lies, double crosses, and murder begins rolling forward.

Surprise twists simply for the sake of it rarely work — they’re basically like empty jump scares — as viewers can tell it’s just filmmakers being lazy. “Wild Things” delivers more deliciously lurid twists than a sexy pretzel factory, and every single one of them lands with both precision and perfection. Director John McNaughton and writer Stephen Peters concoct something magical here with a wonderfully sleazy and sweaty puzzle box guaranteed to leave a smile on your face all through the end credits. (Do yourself a favor and ignore the three sequels, though, as they can’t touch this wildly entertaining original.)

The filmmaking is top-notch, but it’s ultimately the cast that sells the numerous setups and reveals. Richards is the snobby mean girl, Campbell is the shy outcast, and Dillon is the cool, caring counselor who’s maybe also a sleazebag? Kevin Bacon is the detective sniffing around the case, Theresa Russell is Kelly’s alcoholic mom, and Bill Murray is the small-time attorney who sees a potential windfall in the making.

Gloria (Anne Hathaway) has seen better days. She’s an unemployed alcoholic recently dumped by her boyfriend, so she heads back to her hometown in shame and desperation. Things only get worse when a giant, Godzilla-like monster starts terrorizing Seoul, Korea — and it’s all Gloria’s fault.

The mystery unfolding in writer/director Nacho Vigalondo’s brilliant, fun, and incisive “Colossal” is two-fold. First, what’s the connection between Gloria and the raging monster on the other side of the planet? And second, how can she hope to resolve it before even more people get hurt? The result is as unexpected of a genre mashup as you’re likely to find as laughs, thrills, and emotional beats come together beautifully.

It’s far from her more high-profile roles, but Hathaway is fantastic as a damaged person capable of both pissing us off and making us care. Jason Sudeikis is equally strong playing a bit outside his usual sandbox with an equally complex character, and their relationship — even with the kaiju shenanigans — makes for a memorably grounded and relatable film well-deserving of the label “cult classic.”

Ruth (Melanie Lynskey) heads home after a rough day at work hoping only to relax, but that dream goes out the window when she discovers that her place has been burgled. Soon she and her oddball neighbor (Elijah Wood) are investigating the crime wholly unprepared for the answers they find.

Macon Blair’s feature debut as a director might have an unwieldy title, but “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore” is a smooth ride into comically quirky crime. It’s a black comedy filled with misfortune, poor choices, and, eventually, death — lots of death! — but there’s also an unexpected heart to the friendship at its core.

Lynskey and Wood are pitch perfect together. They’re strangers who become friends, and even as the world around them reveals itself as home to all manner of criminals and killers, that core truth becomes the film’s prevailing theme. Being alone is fine, but having someone by your side throughout the madness of life can sometimes make all the difference.

A small village in an extremely rural part of Alaska loses three of its children to a nearby wolf pack. Russell (Jeffrey Wright) is hired to hunt the wolves, but he discovers there’s far more to the story than he was initially told.

Jeremy Saulnier will likely never top the masterpiece of tension and intensity that is “Green Room” — a film that easily made the cut on our list of the most disturbing movies — but his other efforts are (so far) still all bangers. Of those three other features, it’s “Hold the Dark” that’s arguably his most confounding and mysterious. What looks to be a pretty simple setup instead morphs into an existential look at our place as animals in a world where we think we’re above such things.

Wright gives a compelling performance as a man on a mission who’s confronted by inexplicable behaviors and happenings well outside his understanding. Alexander Skarsgard, Riley Keough, and James Badge Dale add to the onscreen pedigree with characters whose motivations and desires aren’t always as clearcut as Russell wants them to be resulting in an increasingly strange slow burn thriller.

A young boy is told to avoid his local convenience store on a certain day. A decade earlier, a man sees his best friend gunned down at the store and becomes obsessed with the store’s past and future. The place has been home to several deaths, all connected to the same date, but will anyone discover the truth in time?

Were this list in ranked form, 2018’s “The Warning” would probably be sitting in the 15th spot. It’s a good one, but its ambiguity, looseness, and resolution will leave more demanding viewers wanting far more. The rest of us, though, will find enough mystery here to enjoy for 90 minutes.

The main character is a mathematician afflicted with schizophrenia, and the shooting sees him drop his meds in favor of a swirling theories, conspiracies, and worries centered on numbers. Ages, dates, and more become fodder for his spiraling grip on reality leading to a realization about his own fate.

Nick (Adam Sandler) is a cop, Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) is a hairdresser, and they’re a happily married couple who’ve always regretted not getting to honeymoon in Europe. He surprises her for their 15th anniversary with a belated trip, but after crossing paths with a generous billionaire (Luke Evans), they find themselves caught up in mystery, intrigue, and murder.

Sandler made an enviable, four-picture deal in 2014 with Netflix that’s since been re-upped more than once. The results are a mixed bag quality-wise — here are our picks for the best of the bunch — with some of the features being pretty abysmal, but one of the clear winners is 2019’s “Murder Mystery.” It broke streaming records, per Netflix’s own internal metrics, but more importantly, it’s also a really fun time.

The film is a reunion for Sandler and Aniston, who previously co-starred in the comedy hit “Just Go with It,” and the pair have an easy chemistry that aids the banter throughout. It’s all played light, but the laughs and action beats come frequently enough as the unlikely duo race to clear their name and find a killer.

Enola (Millie Bobby Brown) is the youngest member of the Holmes family, but she might just be the most headstrong. When her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) disappears, Enola sets off to find her, despite efforts by both Sherlock (Henry Cavill) and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) to caution her otherwise.

There’s no shortage of adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective stories — just look at our ranked list of 70 different Sherlock Holmes feature films — but Hollywood has also stepped out on occasion with an oddball Sherlock tale. We’ve seen him as a teenager (“Young Sherlock Holmes”), as a fraud (“Without a Clue”), and as the lesser sibling (“The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother”), and now as a supporting player to his teenaged sister in “Enola Holmes.” Cavill is still terrific in the role, though, and he makes our list of the best Sherlock Holmes actors.

Netflix’s own homegrown “Stranger Things” star plays the sharp, inquisitive Enola with an abundance of energy, charm, and charisma making it the most compelling performance of her still young career. She’s witty, physically capable, and prone to breaking the fourth wall on occasion. It’s a terrific gateway Sherlock Holmes film for young viewers and a fun time, so it’s no surprise that it also landed a sequel.

Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) was orphaned as a child and taken in by a man named Varrick (Woody Harrelson) who raises her and trains her to be an assassin. She’s one of the best, but her latest mission triggers some concerns that result in her being poisoned. With barely a day to live, she sets out to find the person responsible.

There’s nary an original thought to be found in “Kate,” as it weaves together threads from “La Femme Nikita,” “Gloria,” “The Professional,” and more, but that doesn’t stop it from being a sharp and entertaining tale of bloody revenge. Similarly, the mystery isn’t actually that difficult to solve, but the fun here for viewers is all about the journey.

Director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan crafts a stylish and attractive action film that delivers where it counts and ensures a thrilling, exciting ride. Winstead excels with both personality and action chops (assisted with editing and stunt performers, obviously), and she headlines numerous set pieces combining violent bloodshed, visual grace, and some fresh fight choreography.

It’s the early 20th century, and a cadet has been found hanging outside a prestigious military academy. A retired detective (Christian Bale) is brought in, and he partners with a young cadet named Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling) on the investigation. Mutilations and more murders soon follow.

There’s something inherently fascinating about putting real historical figures as characters in a fictional tale that speaks to their legacy in some way. Think H.G. Wells in “Time After Time” or Nikola Tesla in “The Prestige.” Dropping Poe, arguably the creator of the detective mystery as we know it, into a murder mystery like “The Pale Blue Eye” is an engaging and intriguing setup.

The film is a grim slow burn — you should expect nothing else from director Scott Cooper — but both Bale and Melling do strong work as an unlikely pair investigating an increasingly odd mystery. This is Bale’s third time working with Cooper, but only two of those features made our list of the actor’s best films. Fans should check out 2012’s “The Raven” which also features Poe attempting to solve a string of serial murders.

Azad (Shah Rukh Khan) is a well-respected warden who unexpectedly takes a passenger train hostage with the help of his female prisoners. He secures a hefty payout and immediately passes it on to the nation’s farmers in need. Soon he’s executing another daring abduction with an altruistic motive, but what’s really behind his actions?

It can be a sight to behold when Indian cinema goes big, and fans of “War” and “RRR” will appreciate the epic combination of set pieces and plot twists that “Jawan” throws their way. The film kicks off as a crime thriller that shifts into a Robin Hood-like adventure overflowing with hidden identities and secret revelations. It’s a hugely entertaining ride and part of the recent rise of Indian cinema in North American theaters.

Khan plays dual roles here, and that’s all part of the unfolding mystery as to who’s who and why they’re doing what they’re doing. Is it occasionally convoluted? Absolutely, but that’s part of the enthusiastic charm, both here and with these big Indian action epics in general, as over the top action beats share the screen with beautifully choreographed dance numbers.

A young couple (Maddie Hasson, Marco Pigossi) arrive at a remote, lakeside house they’ve rented for the evening only to discover that it’s been double-booked. Another couple (Andra Nechita, Alex Roe) has also arrived, so they decide to share the large house. But then things get really weird and uncomfortable.

“Bone Lake” is the kind of unsubtle title you’d expect to see on an erotic thriller from the 1990s — nearly half of the titles on our list of the best erotic thrillers come from that decade — and it lives up to its name with sexual antics and violent thrills. The mystery here comes down to what’s going on and who’s ultimately responsible. Are both couples who and what they claim? Are the items found behind locked doors suggestive of what’s to come?

The film lulls you in with a dysfunctional couple outshined by a slicker, sexier version of themselves. As the house’s secrets suggest a history of violence and erotic adventures, the truth is revealed alongside some bitter truths and violent twists. Watch it in the dark, and enjoy the ride.

Eight friends reunite the night before a wedding, and both old interests and old grudges can’t help but surface. Both are magnified when Forbes (David Thompson), now a tech guy, arrives with a gadget that lets people swap bodies. Who’s who, and what are they up to?

“It’s What’s Inside” mashes together two well-worn tropes — friends reuniting and the body swap — into a twisty, tense, energetic thriller that explores human character with a sci-fi slant. Lies, misdirection, and deception are easier when you’re hiding behind someone else’s face, and the film has fun with characters whose behavior shifts with their skin.

Two people are dead before the night’s over, but the mystery is less about who’s responsible than who will end up taking the blame. Equally in question is the realization that some people aren’t interested in swapping back into their actual bodies, and that allows for uncertainty in the minds of characters and viewers alike.

A serial killer dubbed Heart Eyes has left dead lovers in various cities over the last few Valentine’s Days — and this year he’s come to Seattle. Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) are mistaken for a couple by the killer, and they’re forced to stay together to stay alive.

People don’t often think of them in this light, but many slashers are also mysteries. (Almost half of the titles on our list of the best slasher movies of all time are whodunnits.) “Heart Eyes” belongs in that giallo-inspired, “Scream”-like category and earns that double bill, as a masked killer works his way across the city. Who’s the killer? Are they working alone? Why do they hate love?!

Director Josh Ruben is a filmmaker with an eternal glint in his eye, as evidenced by his feature directorial debut, “Werewolves Within,” and that mischievous bent helps make this film a fun time. The kills are gory, the cast is having a good time, and the set pieces are attractively shot making for an entertaining slasher.

Laura (Keira Knightley) is a journalist invited by a billionaire (Lisa Loven Kongsli) to join her on yacht trip to Norway where she’ll be announcing the transfer of her fortune to charity. The journey is interrupted by a mysterious woman, a murder, and the truth behind it all.

Fans of “Death on the Nile” and “Death and Other Details” will appreciate “The Woman in Cabin 10” delivering another murder mystery set aboard a luxury cruise. The film, based on Ruth Ware’s bestselling novel, pairs its mystery with a gaslit protagonist whose suspicions and accusations lack support from anyone around her.

It’s familiar enough plotting in the grand scheme, but viewers are in good hands throughout as co-directors Simon Stone and Farhan Rana Rajpoot craft an attractive and appealing thriller. Knightley does good work standing up for her convictions, and she’s bolstered by a terrific supporting cast including Guy Pearce, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kaya Scodelario, and Hannah Waddingham.

Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) is a tough man to follow as evidenced by his shrinking flock at Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, but who among them is responsible for his murder? Two men are investigating — one is the new deacon (Josh O’Connor) and prime suspect, and the other is renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig).

Murder mystery fans have been eating well in recent years thanks, in part, to the success of Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” in 2019. Netflix jumped at the chance to take ownership of two sequels with “Glass Onion” (also available on Netflix) hitting the streamer in 2022. Both films feature charismatic, eclectic casts brought together by murder and Blanc’s insightful mind. But while the former uses the mystery to comment on class, “Wake Up Dead Man” takes a softer, more introspective approach and gives some of Benoit’s heavy lifting to Deacon Jud.

That pairing sees the two men split the detective work while allowing each more time for explorations of faith, grace, and compassion. They may seem like odd bedfellows for a murder mystery, but they play well with the more grounded human emotions of fear, greed, and anger. The first film may still be the most satisfying as a murder mystery, as evidenced by our ranking of the Knives Out franchise, but this is a beautifully thoughtful movie.