Watch the Best Mysteries on HBO Max Before They Go Away

If you’re a mystery-lover, it might be worth the HBO Max subscription cost. From every angle of the genre, from shadowy social situations to supernaturally infused investigations to criminal procedurals, the streaming platform has us covered. Also, HBO has a terrible habit of removing huge swaths of content with little notice, so you’ll want to check these out before it’s too late. Here are some of the best mystery series on HBO Max.

What are the best mystery series on HBO Max?

You could throw a rock and hit a great mystery series on HBO Max. Of course, it seems that every angle of the genre is their specialty, including those that aren’t just procedural investigations. Even the White Lotus sets us up nicely for a mystery, though whether it qualifies as a mystery series is debatable. Still, you’ll know HBO is one of the best for the genre because nearly all of our picks aren’t just streaming on HBO Max, but were produced by HBO (or in collaboration with HBO partners) and originally aired on HBO. 

The Wire (2002)

This might be a push into the crime and cop drama world, but there’s plenty of spying and rooting out the rat in this, so to speak. Plus, The Wire is an excellent show, and you don’t need us to push too hard to find a reason to put it on any list. Created by David Simon, The Wire is set in Baltimore and explores the world of narcotics from both sides of crime, including users, dealers, and law enforcement. The show is maybe one of the best ensemble series ever, and it centers on institutional dysfunction rather than your typical crime drama.

There’s a reason this series is known as one of the best TV shows of the 21st century, so again, we have no problem putting it on the list even if the mystery element might not be at the forefront of the series. Don’t worry, though. It’s there.

True Detective (2014)

We’re not sure there’s been a better mystery series than True Detective season one. While the other seasons of this anthology series are well worth watching, the first season is hard to beat and keeps us just on the tail of a killer in the Louisiana bayou. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are in peak form as a pair of detectives hunting a murderer who has haunted them for nearly two decades. The most recent season took us to the polar night of a fictional town in Alaska. The upcoming 5th season, set to air sometime in 2027, is, if speculation is correct, set in the Jamaica Bay area of New York City. 

The Night Of (2016)

After a night spent partying with a woman he picked up, Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed) becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation when she’s found brutally murdered in her apartment the next morning. With no clear recollection of what happened the night before, Nasir panics, runs from the police, and ultimately ends up in custody. As mounting evidence points to his guilt, a determined lawyer (John Turturro) steps in to defend Naz.

Big Little Lies (2017)

This psychological thriller follows the intertwined lives of a group of women — Madeline Mackenzie (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste Wright (Nicole Kidman), Jane Chapman (Shailene Woodley), Renata Klein (Laura Dern), and Bonnie Carlson (Zoë Kravitz) — living in Monterey, California. From the outside, the town looks idyllic in every way, but secrets begin to unravel, culminating in a murder at the local elementary school. The series jumps back and forth in time, piecing together the story bit by bit until we uncover exactly what happened. There are currently two seasons available for streaming, but there’s been recent big news about the third season.

Sharp Objects (2018)

If you were a fan of Gone Girl and immediately rushed to read all of Gillian Flynn’s books, the wait for a Sharp Objects adaptation felt excruciating. Dark Places sadly received an abysmal adaptation, which this writer is still grieving. Fortunately, Sharp Objects makes up for that loss. The series stars Amy Adams as Camille Preaker, an intelligent but troubled reporter who returns to her quiet hometown to cover the brutal murders of two young girls.

The Outsider (2020)

Supernatural elements meet investigative procedure in this miniseries adapted by Richard Price from Stephen King’s novel. The story begins with the gruesome murder of a young boy, which initially seems like a straightforward case. Things get stranger when DNA evidence points to an everyman and Little League coach Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman) with a solid alibi — in fact, he wasn’t even in the same town at the time of the murder. Detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) and private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo) are forced to question everything they know about who — or what — might be behind not just this death, but others as well.

The Undoing (2020)

Based on the 2014 novel You Should Have Known, this limited series stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Fraser, a well-to-do Manhattan therapist, and Hugh Grant as her husband Jonathan, a respected oncologist. Grace keeps running into a beautiful young woman named Elena, and things start to get strange when Elena’s body is discovered, and Jonathan becomes the primary suspect. This is a classic, twisty whodunnit that’s perfect for a binge. The series pieces together truth from fiction at a pace that sometimes sacrifices plot, but it was still the most-watched show on HBO in 2020, a testament to its ability to hook viewers.

Perry Mason (2020) 

If you liked the original Perry Mason detective series from the late 1950s, then you’ll probably enjoy this one. Even if you somehow missed the classic show, you’ll still find an interest in this one if you’re a mystery fan, particularly if you’re a fan of period mysteries with fantastic acting and cinematography. Based on the short stories by Erle Stanley Gardner, the 1930s Los Angeles-set series follows the famed defense attorney Perry Mason (a fantastic Matthew Rhys), who is hired for a sensational child-kidnapping case, one with far-reaching consequences.

Mare of Easttown (2021)

From writer and creator Brad Ingelsby comes this gripping American crime drama starring Kate Winslet in one of the best performances of her career. Set in a fictional suburb of Pennsylvania, the series follows police detective Marianne “Mare” Sheehan as she investigates the murder of a teenage mother. As the case unfolds, Mare also struggles to keep her own life from collapsing around her.

The Staircase (2022)

Released in 2022, The Staircase is a gripping true crime series based on the real events surrounding the death of Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of a staircase. The 16-year judicial battle places her husband, Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), at the center of the case, but director Antonio Campos (The Devil All the Time) opens up the story through three interweaving timelines. If you’ve seen the documentary, you’ll probably know how it ends, but for newcomers and those familiar with the case alike, this is a fantastic ride that keeps us on the edge the whole way through.

Task (2025)

Created by Brad Ingelsby (Mare of Easttown) for HBO, Task is one of the bleakest crime shows we’ve seen in a while. It’s also absolutely excellent. Starring Mark Ruffalo (in one of his best roles, if you’re asking us), the series centers on a former priest turned FBI agent, Tom Brandis, who is tasked with putting together a task force to combat the violent robberies taking place across the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia. 

How we picked the best mystery series on HBO Max

The streaming platform is a great place to find just about any crime or thriller series you’re looking for, and that includes mystery. We narrowed our selections to shows that are especially fun to unravel as viewers, whether told from the perspective of the accused, the investigators, the reporters, or the families caught in the fallout. Aside from a bit of personal bias (we loved these shows when they first aired), we also considered which series elicited the strongest responses from both fans and critics.