The Mask of DimitriosThe Mask of Dimitrios
Score Classic
What it's about
Mystery writer Charles Latimer sets out to reconstruct the career of the notorious Dimitrios, whose body lies in an Istanbul morgue, and is drawn into a shadowy web of assassination, espionage, drugs and treachery across the Balkans.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It's the classic story of an ordinary man out of his depth.
You'll love it if you liked
Epitaph for a Spy
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
The Day of the JackalGood to know
It's a classic spy thriller.
By the numbers
- Readers20 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller4 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #573 of the 623 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #872 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2844 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Gripping, Adventurous
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Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 924 ranked
Books of the 1930sTop 25 · 59 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 333 rankedQuick answers
Is The Mask of Dimitrios worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,844 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 56.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Mask of Dimitrios about?
Mystery writer Charles Latimer sets out to reconstruct the career of the notorious Dimitrios, whose body lies in an Istanbul morgue, and is drawn into a shadowy web of assassination, espionage, drugs and treachery across the Balkans.
How long does it take to read The Mask of Dimitrios?
About 6 hours (226 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Mask of Dimitrios?
If you liked it, try Epitaph for a Spy by Eric Ambler, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John le Carré or The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth.