13 of the Best Mystery Series on Netflix, Ranked — Perfect For Slashing Stress!
There's something so cozy about losing yourself in a mystery show as the days get shorter and the cold starts to settle in. From supernatural suspense to crime-solving heroes, there are tons of thrilling stories out there, and there's nothing better than being engrossed in a gripping Netflix mystery series from the comfort of your couch.
We love shows like Murder She Wrote, Bones and Castle as much as the next person, but sometimes we want to escape into a new show. Thankfully, there's no shortage of fabulously mysterious dramas on the streaming channel.
With that in mind, we've gathered 13 of our favorite Netflix mystery series. There's something for everyone — from the horror fan to the self-proclaimed detective to the feel-good whodunnit. Check out our ranking below and decide for yourself where your favorites belong on the list!
Best mystery series on Netflix
13. Manifest (2018 — 2023)
Have you ever been freaked out by a bit of turbulence when flying? After watching Manifest, you may just find yourself with a new anxiety to add to the list. The series follows a group of passengers who were taking a flight from Jamaica to New York and experience turbulence while up in the air.
Upon landing, those aboard the plane learn that five and a half years have actually passed, and all of them had been presumed dead since their initial "disappearance." Now, they must adjust to a life that had went on without them for nearly six years, while also dealing with mysterious visions known as "callings." Talk about freaky!
Click through to watch Manifest now.
12. Outer Banks (2020 — Present)
Outer Banks follows a group of teens dealing with the class divide in their titular North Carolina hometown. The leader of the pack, John B (Chase Stokes) leads his friends through a series of adventures in an effort to find out what truly happened to his missing father.
Add some hidden treasure into the mix and you've got the perfect recipe for a fun mystery series on Netflix that continues to please audiences season after season. The show is perfect for fans of mystery who might be looking for something a bit less dark.
Click through to watch Outer Banks now.
11. Stay Close (2021)
Three lives become intertwined in this British mystery series on Netflix. A suburban mother, Megan (Cush Jumbo), is haunted by her complicated past, while a documentary photographer mourns his wife and a detective remains stuck on a case he had nearly 17 years ago. All three characters are hiding secrets, and when someone from Megan's past confronts her with a shocking piece of news, their lives become intertwined.
Click through to watch Stay Close now.
10. Who Killed Sara? (2021 — 2022)
Who Killed Sara? is a Mexican mystery series following Alex (Manolo Cardona), who has spent the last 18 years of his life in prison for the murder of his sister. Knowing he wasn't the one responsible for the crime, he is determined to find the person behind the murder and get revenge on those who framed him.
Click through to watch Who Killed Sara? now.
9. Dark (2017 — 2020)
This German mystery series brings thriller and science fiction elements into the mix. When children begin to vanish from a fictional town, secrets begin coming to the surface, and four families find themselves at the center of unsettling conspiracies. The intense series even gets into time travel.
Click through to watch Dark now.
8. The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020)
Dani (Victoria Pedretti) is hired by a man to look after his niece and nephew at his grand estate when they fall into his care. Unbeknownst to her, the home holds many secrets and a dark history. Series creator Mike Flanagan is also the mastermind behind chilling Netflix shows like The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, The Midnight Club, and The Fall of the House of Usher.
Click through to watch The Haunting of Bly Manor now.
7. Pieces of Her (2022 — Present)
Toni Collette leads this Netflix mystery series as Laura, a mother with buried secrets. When she and her daughter, Andy (Bella Heathcoate), find themselves at a diner in which a shooting takes place, Laura eliminates the threat in a way Andy never imagined she could. As her mother's past begins to rise to the surface, Andy is forced to leave her, causing her to question more and more and find out the truth behind her mother's past.
Click through to watch Pieces of Her now.
6. How to Get Away With Murder (2014 — 2020)
Viola Davis stars as Annalise Keating, a brilliant defense attorney and professor teaching a course called "How to Get Away With Murder." She selects five students from her course to intern with her and assist with various cases.
Related: 15 Best Rom-Coms on Netflix, Ranked — Perfect for a Cozy Night In
Over the course of six seasons, the romance, murders and mayhem pile up, and the binge-worthy plots are guaranteed to keep you guessing. Davis became the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role.
Click through to watch How to Get Away With Murder now.
5. The Lincoln Lawyer (2022 — Present)
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo stars as Mickey Haller, a lawyer who works out of the back of his Lincoln, solving cases around Los Angeles after being sidelined due to an accident. The Netflix mystery series is based on the popular series of books of the same name by Michael Connelly. The books were previously adapted into a 2011 film starring Matthew McConaughey.
Click through to watch The Lincoln Lawyer now.
4. The Night Agent (2023 — Present)
The Night Agent stars Gabriel Basso as FBI agent Peter Sutherland. Sutherland acts as a Night Agent telephone operator, manning a phone that rarely brings him any action — until one night, it does.
Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan) is staying with her aunt and uncle when they're tragically killed by assassins. Given a phone number and a code word before their death, the number connects her to Sutherland and she gets rescued. However, this is just the beginning, as Rose and Peter's lives become intertwined, with Peter protecting those out to get Rose, while also working with her to discover a mole in the White House.
Click through to watch The Night Agent now.
3. Lupin (2021 — Present)
In Paris, Assane Diop's (Omar Sy) father was framed for the theft of a diamond necklace by his employer and died in a jail cell, leaving him adrift. Fast forward 25 years, and Assane, taking inspiration from a novel about gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, sets out to avenge his father's death by getting back at the wealthy family who made him suffer.
Click through to watch Lupin now.
2. The Sinner (2017 — 2021)
Bill Pullman stars as Harry Ambrose, a detective who dives into various crimes throughout the course of the series. The show begins when a mother, played by Jessica Biel, commits a violent attack with no motive or recollection of why she did it. Harry becomes obsessed with figuring out the reason why.
Click through to watch The Sinner now.
1. Mindhunter (2017 — 2019)
FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) lead a research project as part of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, speaking with imprisoned killers to learn about their motives and psychology in hopes of using the things they learn on future cases.
The stylish Netflix mystery series is set in the late '70s and is overseen by David Fincher, the mastermind behind mysterious movies like Se7en, Fight Club and Zodiac. And take heart, there are rumors that the show will return for a third season.
Click through to watch Mindhunter now.
Read on for more Netflix recommendations!
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