Best movies like Arthur Hailey's Detective

A unique, carefully handpicked, selection of the best movies like Arthur Hailey's Detective Starring Tom Berenger, Annabeth Gish, Rick Gomez, Frank Whaley, and more. If you liked Arthur Hailey's Detective then you may also like: Waking the Dead, Whistling in Brooklyn, Winter Ridge, Our Fathers, Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise and many more popular movies featured on this list. You can further filter the list even more or get a random selection from the list of similar movies, to make your selection even easier.

Detective Sergeant Malcolm Ainslie, a Catholic priest turned distinguished investigator for the police, has agreed to hear the confession of a convicted serial killer sentenced to death in a just a matter of hours. What he promises to reveal to Ainslie is the truth behind the crimes and the reason he confessed to the one crime Ainslie doesn't even believe he committed. What unfolds between the two men is a serpentine trail into both men's pasts based on the bestseller from master storyteller Arthur Hailey.

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Waking the Dead

A congressional candidate questions his sanity after seeing the love of his life, presumed dead, suddenly emerge.

Whistling in Brooklyn

Radio crime show host "The Fox" finds himself on the trail of a serial killer while a suspect himself.

Winter Ridge

Tearing himself away from the bedside of his coma-bound wife, a police Sergeant investigates a series of age-related murders, only to discover that time can be far more destructive and cruel than the idealistic killer........

Our Fathers

In the '80s, priests and especially the Father Geoghan arrested for sexual abuse of minors. Cardinal Law, also indicted, and the diocese was aware of the actions of these men of the church and was kept secret for years, until the victims decide to seek redress.

Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise

Police Chief Jesse Stone now presides over the quiet, seaside village of Paradise, Massachusetts. When the facts don't add up in a brutal Boston-area murder case, Jesse opens an investigation filled with surprises, unlikely suspects and grave danger. Though it's widely believed the murder was committed by an incarcerated serial killer, Jesse suspects another killer is at large and is hell-bent on bringing him to justice.

Happy Face Killer

Serial killer Keith Jesperson murders at least eight women over a five-year span and taunts authorities with disturbing letters and scribbled confessions signed with a happy face.

The Eleventh Victim

Nancy Grace's THE ELEVENTH VICTIM is a taut suspense-thriller that follows Atlanta Assistant District Attorney Hailey Dean (Jennie Garth) as she tirelessly pursues the conviction of a serial killer. Just when her courtroom prosecution of the murderer begins, Haileys fiancée is killed in a seemingly unrelated crime. Shattered by her personal loss, she moves to New York City and begins a new career as a therapist. When her clients start to turn up dead, one by one with the murderer using the same M.O. as the Atlanta serial killer she put behind bars she is forced back into the dark world she left behind to help catch a cold-blooded killer who could very well make her his next target.

The Confession

A priest hears a murderer's confession but can't reveal the truth, even though his brother is being tried for the crime.

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog

London. A mysterious serial killer brutally murders young blond women by stalking them in the night fog. One foggy, sinister night, a young man who claims his name is Jonathan Drew arrives at the guest house run by the Bunting family and rents a room.

Along Came a Spider

After the harrowing death of his partner, detective and best-selling author Alex Cross has retreated to the peace of retirement. But when a brilliant criminal kidnaps a senator's young daughter, Alex is lured back into action. Teamed with the Secret Service agent assigned to protect the missing girl, Alex follows a serpentine trail of clues that leads him to a stunning discovery - the kidnapper wants more than just ransom.

The End of the Affair

During the 1940s, Maurice Bendrix, a writer recently discharged from the armed service, falls in love with Sarah Miles, whom he interviews for a book. Sarah is married, but she and Maurice eventually give in to their mutual attraction, leading to an affair that lasts several months. Maurice's jealousy, along with the bombing of London by the Germans, seemingly leads to the end of their relationship. However, the reasons are later revealed to be more complex.

Hangman

A homicide detective teams up with a criminal profiler to catch a serial killer whose crimes are inspired by the children's game, Hangman.

House of Mortal Sin

Also known as 'The Confessional', another of Pete Walkers's critiques of institutional hypocrisy, in which a troubled young girl goes to confession at the local church. Unfortunately, the sexually frustrated priest she confesses to becomes obsessed with her. At first, the priest stalks the girl, but later it is revealed that he will stop at nothing, including blackmail and murder, just to get close to her.

The Lodger

Follows a seasoned detective on the trail of a ruthless killer intent on slaughtering prostitutes along West Hollywood's Sunset Strip. It appears that the murderer's grisly methods are identical to that of London's infamous 19th century psychopath Jack the Ripper – a relentless serial killer who was never caught by police. To make matters worse, the detective soon notices the parallels between the crimes committed by the West Hollywood stalker and those of a serial murderer incarcerated years ago. Could the wrong man be behind bars?

Memory

Dr. Taylor Biggs is haunted by a past that's not his own. A hallucinatory drug gives him the power to see visions of vicious crimes, visions made all that more disturbing when he discovers that the murderous memories may belong to the father he never knew . Biggs's mother, whose own failing memory makes her powerless to help him unravel his family history.

Saw II

When a new murder victim is discovered with all the signs of Jigsaw's hand, Detective Eric Matthews begins a full investigation and apprehends Jigsaw with little effort. But for Jigsaw, getting caught is just another part of his plan. Eight more of his victims are already fighting for their lives and now it's time for Matthews to join the game.

Silent Night

The police force of a remote Midwestern town search for a killer Santa Claus who is picking off citizens on Christmas Eve.

True Confessions

A cop clashes with his priest brother while investigating the brutal murder of a young prostitute.

Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980

After 6 years of brutal murders, the West Yorkshire Police fear that they may have already interviewed The Ripper and let him back into the world to continue his reign of terror upon the citizens of Yorkshire. Assistant Chief Constable of the Manchester Police, Peter Hunter, is called in to oversee the West Yorkshire Police's Ripper investigation and see what they could have missed.

Charismata

As a rookie detective struggling to find acceptance in a police department defined by a culture of bullying and intolerance, things go from bad to worse when the chief suspect in a series of brutal ritualistic murders takes a personal interest in her. A game of cat and mouse ensues which sees Rebecca’s grasp on reality beginning to spiral out of control, leading to a terrifying climax where she needs to fight for her sanity, her life and maybe even her soul.

The Fatal Hour

When a police officer is murdered, Captain Street looks to Mr. Wong to catch the killer. Prime Suspect: Frank Belden Jr., whose father is a businessman well known for both his success and dishonesty. Mr. Wong faces increasing danger and is nearly executed himself as the investigation develops in treachery and complexity. As Mr. Wong follows the trail of dead bodies, he uncovers a jewel smuggling ring on the San Francisco waterfront and a case much larger than the death of a police officer.

Living with the Dead

A man begins to have disturbing visions of dead people, among whom are his mother and victims of a local serial killer. All telling their story of how they died, and how their murderer is still out there. The detective investigating the murders looks to him for help in solving the case.

The Shadow on the Window

Three delinquents murder a prosperous farmer at an isolated farm house. One witness to the crime - the dead man's secretary - is then taken hostage. The other witness - her young son - is thrown into state of shock. Can he recover soon enough to help the police - and his father - rescue his mother before it's too late?

Dot.Kill

Charlie Daines is a morphine-addicted detective on the trail of a psychopath who is setting up murders and broadcasting them live on the internet. As he closes in on the killer, Charlie realises that he is to be the final victim.

The Man Who Cried Wolf

An actor plots "the perfect crime" by confessing to murders he didn't commit.

Tiger Claws II

Released five years after the first installment, Tiger Claws II finds Yeung's martial arts serial killer, Chong, busted out of jail by a team of heavies in the employ of gangster Dai Lo Fu and whisked across the country to San Fransisco's Chinatown. When NYC cop Tarek Richards learns of a rash of recent killings using Chong's distinctive M.O.— a claw-like mark across the face of the victim— he contacts his old partner, Linda Masterson, who is now living in L.A., for help. But Chong, as it turns out, has nothing to do with the murders. He's just being used by crime kingpin Lo Fu, who needs to combine his energy with Chong's to open some sort of time portal to provide vital supplies for the ancient Shaolin monks. In truth, though, Lo Fu greedily plans to use the portal to smuggle heavy modern artillery back and rule Qing Dynasty-era China himself.

Twist of Faith

A man confronts the trauma of past sexual abuse as a boy by a Catholic priest only to find his decision shatters his relationships with his family, community and faith.

Slash Dance

A female cop goes undercover as a dancer at an old theater to catch a serial killer who has been murdering women auditioning for a musical.

Tiger Claws

The police does not know what to do. They have to deal with a serial killer who aims at martial arts masters. One after another is killed in the same brutal way. This may be a chance for detective Linda Masterson to work on her first murder case. She gets the job and to her side an other martial arts specialist, Sgt. Tarek Richards. Now they need to find a tiger style master, because the killer obviously uses tiger style kung fu. Not a simple task, since tiger is a very ancient and rare style.

The Rosary Murders

A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest, who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police.

Confessions of a Serial Killer

After being arrested, a Texas man begins confessing to the brutal murder of over 200 women. He recounts his random selection of victims and his traveling companions, his friend and friend's sister. But the police can't be sure whether to believe him or not until he locates a body and shows them some polaroids. Based on the true story of Henry Lee Lucas.

The Canary Murder Case

A beautiful showgirl, name "the Canary" is a scheming nightclub singer. Blackmailing is her game and with that she ends up dead. But who killed "the Canary". All the suspects knew and were used by her and everyone had a motive to see her dead. The only witness to the crime has also been 'rubbed out'. Only one man, the keen, fascinating, debonair detective Philo Vance, would be able to figure out who is the killer. Written by Tony Fontana

Full Confession

A Catholic priest must convince a man to step forward to save the wrong person from being sent to the electric chair.

The Riverman

A series of interviews are conducted with convicted serial killer Ted Bundy in hopes of gaining insight into the Green River Killer who is terrorizing Seattle.

A Is for Acid

Dramatisation of the true story of the notorious 'acid bath murderer' John Haigh, who murdered women and disposed of their bodies in vats of acid in the 1940s. He was only caught when the gallstones of one of his victims failed to dissolve in the acid and were detected by the pathologist who examined the residue from the acid bath.

Donato and Daughter

Though emotionally estranged, a father and daughter team of Los Angeles police detectives must work together to stop a serial killer. Along the way, the two find themselves forced to deal with a number of painful secrets from their past.

Second Chances

A college professor is pursued by a stalker two years after her actions led to a young woman's death.

Dark Angel

Homicide detective Walter D'Arcangelo is the only link to a serial killer who preys on adulterous women. Walter must confront his past in order to prove himself innocent before more women are killed.

Mortal Sins

A thriller directed by Bradford May focusing on a catholic priest dealing with a serial killer's confession and a murder investigation.

Confessions of the Boston Strangler

This two-hour documentary special for Investigation Discovery sends viewers back to a time when no woman in Boston felt safe. The city finally felt a sigh of relief when, in a recorded confession, Albert DeSalvo admitted to his savage rampage and the first known serial killer in America was put behind bars. But decades later, compelling DNA analysis revealed that DeSalvo may not in fact have committed the crimes.

Gone but Not Forgotten

An Oregon woman vanishes. In her wake remains a single black rose & a note reading gone but not forgotten. Now a man stands accused: a private eye has gone missing: a detective knows more than she lets on: & a tough female attorney has entered a web of duplicity revenge & multiple murder.

Dead Aim

Ed Marinaro is Malcolm "Mace" Douglas, a street-tough detective who's out for justice-no matter what the cost. While investigating the mysterious suicidal heroin overdoses of four beautiful exotic dancers, Mace puts together the pieces of a deadly puzzle, infiltrating a violent ring of shadowy drug and weapons dealers, Mace methodically tracks a serial killer (Rick Washburn) with murderous ties to a ruthless foreign diplomat (Harry Goz). Mace won't stop until he gets some answers. The FBI and KGB have them, but now they're talking back with bullets.

Bundy and the Green River Killer

A police detective consults with incarcerated serial killer Ted Bundy to help him catch The Green River Killer. Based on terrifying true life elements which inspired Silence of the Lambs. In 1984, police in Washington State are investigating a spate of serial murders committed by a mysterious man known as The Green River Killer. With no leads to go on, the detective in charge of the case consults with psychologists in an attempt to get inside the mind of the killer. But when that doesn't produce a positive result and the killings continue, the detective realizes that the only way to understand what makes a serial killer tick is to meet one. So he visits the imprisoned Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers in American history.

The Apostate

A man of the cloth finds his faith challenged both by the death of one of his closest relatives and the aftermath of the crime in this thriller. When a man is murdered under mysterious circumstances, his brother, a Catholic priest (Richard Grieco), decides to start his own investigation with the help of his uncle, a detective, in hopes of tracking down the killer.

Time of Fear

Time of Fear is a taut psychological thriller thrusting an FBI agent and a grieving father into the dark world of a demented killer. FBI Agent Cheryl Hammer, arrives in a small California town to catch an elusive killer. Seeing no help forthcoming from the Sheriff, she turns to the only other person who can help her, Jack Barone, a grieving father whose daughter, Lisa, was the victim of a similar slaying ten years prior. The killer's clues are a perversion of Biblical punishments for sins: stoning, burning, decapitation. Jack and Agent Hammer turn to Father Patrick, a Catholic priest, for help. As the clock ticks down, a young female friend of Jack's is kidnapped and may become the next casualty. The harrowing rescue of the young woman opens the door to a dark history hidden below the surface, revealing the true identity of the killer and answering the mystery of who killed Jack's daughter.

The Hour of 13

1890, London, and a serial killer known as The Terror is murdering policemen. When gentleman thief Nicholas Revel unwittingly becomes the chief suspect, he must use his guile and wits to prove he’s not the killer; whilst also not getting caught for a jewel robbery he has just committed.

The Hunt For the BTK Killer

After 31 years at-large, detectives in Wichita, Kansas hone in on the serial killer known as BTK.

Confession

A wounded, bloodied man takes a priest hostage, hell-bent on confessing a vengeful truth before it is too late. The seemingly random encounter is soon revealed to be anything but as the two men’s lives are inextricably linked.

Hide

A Boston detective investigates the mummified remains of six women, based on a novel by Lisa Gardner.

The Confession of Max

After years of chasing a notorious serial killer nicknamed, "The Mistress Murderer," a tenacious police detective is told the infamous murderer has turned himself in, and in order to hear his true confession, he demands to tell his life story.

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