Traditional murder mysteries are circulating the streaming services withSee How They Run,Enola Holmes, and the recently releasedGlass Onion.In the spirit of the whodunit narrative, it’s common to subvert viewers' expectations, but none more so than the supernatural kind.
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The best supernatural whodunits use the paranormal to unsettle and subvert audiences' expectations, providing suspense and thrills to go beyond the typical techniques of discovering the culprit of a murder. From lifting the veil to the ghostly realm inThe Lovely Bonesto discovering secrets of a double life inWhat Lies Beneath, these supernatural whodunits leave you guessing until the last moment!
‘The Lovely Bones’ (2009)
Peter Jackson’s visceral mystery film,The Lovely Bones, follows young Susie (played bySaoirse Ronan) who refuses to move on after she has been murdered. Watching over her family in a dreamlike reality, her father (played byMark Wahlberg) begins to suspect her killer is closer than they thought.
Adapted from the book of the same name byAlice Sebold, Jackson did what he does so well, creating a world that balances reality and fantasy.Similar to Jackson’s previous work,The Frighteners,The Lovely Bones’delicate take on a whodunit brings the victim from beyond the grave into the mystery.
‘The Autopsy of Jane Doe’ (2016)
Before directingScary Stories to Tell in the Dark,André Øvredaldirected the chilling and unique whodunitThe Autopsy of Jane Doe. It followsBrian Coxas a coroner and his sonEmile Hirschas they receive an unusual Jane Doe found at the site of a grisly crime scene. While they go through their standard procedure, they start to experience paranormal activity that increasingly gets worse.
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This is an unusual film to call a whodunit, but the question in this mystery still remains the same – how and why did she die? As the clues mount up the mystery gets larger until the climactic end. The supernatural happenings are accentuated when the father and son are trapped in the antiquated morgue with the palpable Jane Doe.
‘Mirrors’ (2008)
Well-known horror directorAlexandre Ajadirected this mystery film that starsKiefer Sutherlandas Ben, an ex-detective who starts working the night shift as a security guard at an old burned-out department store. It isn’t long after he starts his shifts that the mirrors around the building start showing him disturbing visions.
Many horror movies have used mirrors as a way of scaring the audience, using their own reflection as a possible threat.Mirrorsuse reflective surfaces to build a mystery about who or what is killing people in Ben’s life. Being an ex-detective, his instincts set in quickly and the truth behind the building reveals a dark history that leads to a paranormal twist.
‘The Skeleton Key’ (2005)
Set in New Orleans, Caroline (Kate Hudson) gets a new job looking after a stroke patient, Ben (John Hurt). With his wife Violet (Gena Rowlands) getting older, Caroline moves into the old plantation-style home full-time. While living there, Caroline starts to think that what happened to Ben wasn’t from natural causes. Delving into the world of magic, Caroline has to open her mind to supernatural possibilities.
Hudson’s skeptical character tries to rationalize the events that take place as she unravels the mystery of the previous occupants of the house. Not only does this mystery involve supernatural elements but brings New Orleans history into focus as the twists and turns finally reveal the owner’s big plans for Caroline.
‘Oculus’ (2013)
BeforeMike Flanagandirected the incredibly popularThe Haunting of Hill House, he directed this mind-bending mystery thriller.OculusstarsKaren GillanandBrenton Thwaitesas siblings Kaylie and Tim, who witness their parents' deaths as children. Kaylie is convinced that the antique mirror from their home harbors a supernatural presence that has been killing for generations.
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Another mystery around a supernatural object, this whodunit focuses on the siblings reliving the mystery of what happened in the house on the night that their parents died. Kaylie is convinced it was the mirror, but Tim isn’t so sure. Subverting the audience’s expectations the mirror meddles with reality and creates hallucinations making this whodunit more complicated and mysterious.
‘The Ring’ (1998)
This classic supernatural whodunit is the original Japanese film that was adapted for English audiences in 2002. Directed byHideo Nakatawho also didDark Water, this spine-chilling mystery follows Reiko played byNanako Matsushimaas she investigates a tape that is linked to a stream of teenage deaths.
ThisJapanese horror is a classic among fansand is often touted as one of the best horror movies of all time. It also makes it into the best supernatural whodunits thanks to the mystery surrounding Sadako’s vengeful spirit at the core of Reiko’s investigation. Leading her down a supernatural path,The Ringuses an unusual device, a VHS tape, to kick off its chilling conclusion.
‘The Gift’ (2000)
Sam Raimi’sThe Gifthas an all-star castwithCate Blanchett,Katie Holmes,Keanu Reeves,Hilary Swank,Greg KinnearandGiovanni Ribisi. This typical whodunit switches to the supernatural when Annabelle (Blanchett) uses her psychic abilities to find the killer of a local socialite, Jessica (Holmes).
With an incredible cast and director,The Giftshowcases the abilities of Annabelle’s visions as she tries to find the murderer. Being less about the supernatural for the majority of the film, the drama of the suspects and their personal lives are unveiled to Annabelle, leaving the biggest supernatural element of the mystery as a twist ending.
‘The Night House’ (2021)
Before 2022’sHellraiser,David Brucknerdirected this slow-burn mystery film. When Beth (Rebecca Hall) suddenly loses her husband, her life starts to spiral. The sad story turns into a supernatural whodunit when Beth not only starts to experience paranormal activity but is convinced that her husband had a deadly secret life.
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The twists, turns and creepy encounters Beth experiences make this horror film unique and unexpected. Her obsession with figuring out the secrets her husband kept and the added weirdness of a secret replica house he built, make her suspect his death may not have been so simple or based on tangible reality.
‘Crimson Peak’ (2015)
Prolific directorGuillermo del Torohas been very active with the recent release of his stop-motion version ofPinocchio. However, his gothic macabre style of filmmaking was truly highlighted inCrimson Peak. The traditional ghost story is set in a mansion that takes on a life of its own whenMia Wasikowska’sEdith Cushing marriesTom Hiddleston’sThomas Sharpe. Moving into the shared home of his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain), Edith starts to uncover a disturbing secret through the ghosts of the house.
This supernatural mystery shows a love story paralleled by the ghostly tale being told. Already believing in the paranormal, Edith is the viewer’s perfect conduit to uncover the mystery of Thomas’s previous wives and their untimely deaths – although the answer may not be as simple as it initially seems.
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Directed by the greatRobert Zemeckis,What Lies BeneathstarsMichelle PfeifferandHarrison Fordas married couple Claire and Norman. When their daughter leaves for college, Claire starts noticing strange activity around the house.
What Lies Beneathis a whodunit with twists and turns and the added bonus of a few jump-scares. With an incredible cast, Zemeckis perfectly brings the supernatural element into a classic story of an empty nester whose focus shifts from motherhood to being a wife again - however, this shift comes with some dark secrets.
