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Quick answer: If you liked An Inspector Calls, read J. B. Priestley's Time and the Conways and Dangerous Corner, then The Mousetrap, And Then There Were None and Death of a Salesman. All are tight plays or mysteries about guilt, class and what a family hides.
J. B. Priestley's 1945 play is set in 1912, when an inspector arrives at a wealthy family's dinner party to question them about the death of a young woman. It is short, tense and a favourite in schools. The books below offer similar plays and mysteries about secrets, responsibility and class.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time and the Conways | J. B. Priestley | Adult | more Priestley |
| Dangerous Corner | J. B. Priestley | Adult | secrets at a dinner party |
| The Mousetrap | Agatha Christie | Adult | longest-running play |
| And Then There Were None | Agatha Christie | Adult | the great mystery |
| Murder on the Orient Express | Agatha Christie | Adult | Poirot classic |
| Death of a Salesman | Arthur Miller | Adult | family tragedy |
| The Crucible | Arthur Miller | Adult | hysteria and accusation |
| A View from the Bridge | Arthur Miller | Adult | jealous tragedy |
| A Doll's House | Henrik Ibsen | Adult | marriage and freedom |
| Pygmalion | George Bernard Shaw | Adult | class and speech |
| The Importance of Being Earnest | Oscar Wilde | Adult | comic farce |
| An Ideal Husband | Oscar Wilde | Adult | scandal and blackmail |
| Blithe Spirit | Noel Coward | Adult | comic ghost play |
| Rope | Patrick Hamilton | Adult | thriller play |
| Gas Light | Patrick Hamilton | Adult | psychological thriller |
1. Time and the Conways by J. B. Priestley
A family's happiness is shown at two points in time. Poignant and clever.
Best for: more Priestley.
2. Dangerous Corner by J. B. Priestley
A chance remark unravels a group's lies. Quick and gripping.
Best for: secrets at a dinner party.
3. The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie
Guests at a guesthouse are snowed in with a killer. A classic West End puzzle.
Best for: longest-running play.
4. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers on an island are killed one by one. The best-selling mystery of all time.
Best for: the great mystery.
5. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Poirot investigates a murder on a snowbound train. Clever and famous.
Best for: Poirot classic.
6. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Willy Loman's dreams collapse. A major American play.
Best for: family tragedy.
7. The Crucible by Arthur Miller
A small town is torn apart by witchcraft accusations. Tense and political.
Best for: hysteria and accusation.
8. A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller
A longshoreman's obsession ruins his family. Short and powerful.
Best for: jealous tragedy.
9. A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen
Nora leaves her husband and home. A landmark drama.
Best for: marriage and freedom.
10. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
A professor teaches a flower girl to speak like a lady. Funny and sharp.
Best for: class and speech.
11. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
Two men invent false identities. Witty and quick.
Best for: comic farce.
12. An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
A politician faces blackmail. Witty and moral.
Best for: scandal and blackmail.
13. Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward
A writer is haunted by his first wife. Light and clever.
Best for: comic ghost play.
14. Rope by Patrick Hamilton
Two students murder a friend for sport. Tight and chilling.
Best for: thriller play.
15. Gas Light by Patrick Hamilton
A husband tries to make his wife doubt her sanity. The source of the term gaslighting.
Best for: psychological thriller.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with An Inspector Calls: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For more Priestley choose Time and the Conways or Dangerous Corner. For mysteries pick Agatha Christie. For serious drama read Arthur Miller or A Doll's House. For comic social satire try Wilde, Shaw or Coward. For thrillers read Rope or Gas Light. Plays are meant to be seen as well as read, so check for local productions or recorded stage versions. An Inspector Calls is a standard text in many British schools, and study guides can help with themes, but the play also rewards a first reading with fresh eyes. If you are studying the play, a performance helps. Look for a recording of a stage production, which makes the inspector's questions and the family's reactions clearer. If you are reading for pleasure, pair it with a Christie mystery for a classic puzzle evening. Because the play is short, it can be read aloud in a group, with each person taking a role.
Related: Inspector Morse Books In Order Printable List · Inspector Lynley Books in Order Printable List
Frequently Asked Questions
What is An Inspector Calls about?
An inspector questions a wealthy family about their part in a young woman's death.
Who wrote it?
J. B. Priestley.
When was it first performed?
1945, in the Soviet Union, and then in London in 1946.
When is it set?
In 1912.
Is it a mystery?
Yes, with a twist ending.
How long is it?
It is a short three-act play, around 60 pages.
Is it taught in schools?
Yes, widely in the UK.
What should I read next?
Try And Then There Were None or Time and the Conways.
What are the main themes?
Social responsibility, class, generational divides and guilt.
Does the play have a twist?
Yes, a late reveal changes how the audience sees the inspector and the family.
Who is Inspector Goole?
The mysterious inspector who questions the Birling family and exposes their secrets.