Mystery and Detective Books for Kids

Go beyond Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown with these mysteries for kids.
Updated September 19, 2022
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The Westing game /
Raskin, Ellen
Paper Book
When an eccentric millionaire dies mysteriously, 16 very unlikely people are gathered together for the reading of the will--and what a will it is. A Newbery Medal-winning novel.
Harriet, the spy /
Fitzhugh, Louise
Paper Book
It's no secret that Harriet the Spy is a timeless classic that kids will love! Every day can be an adventure if you just look carefully enough! Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down everything she knows about everyone, even her classmates and her best...
Nate the Great /
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman
Paper Book
Join the world's greatest detective, Nate the Great, as he solves the mystery of the lost picture! Perfect for beginning readers and the Common Core, this long-running chapter book series will encourage children to problem-solve with Nate, using logical thinking to solve mysteries!  ...
The absent author /
Roy, Ron,
Paper Book
Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z! Kids love collecting the entire alphabet and super editions! With over 8 million copies in print, the A to Z Mysteries have been hooking chapter book readers on mysteries and reading for years. Now this classic kid...
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds
David A. Adler
Paper Book
"Reissued in 2007 by Viking"--T. p. verso.
The case of the missing marquess :
Springer, Nancy
Paper Book
When Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared--on her 14th birthday nonetheless--she knows she alone can find her. Disguising herself as a grieving widow, Enola sets out to the heart of London to uncover her mother's...
Liar & spy /
Stead, Rebecca.
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller from the author of the Newbery Medal winner When You Reach Me: a story about spies, games, and friendship.   The first day Georges (the S is silent) moves into a new Brooklyn apartment, he sees a sign taped to a door in...
Timmy Failure: Mistakes were made
Stephan Pastis
Paper Book
Want to aspire to greatness? Check out this edition of Timmy Failure's first adventure--featuring the bonus section "How to Draw Timmy and Total." He may be clueless, but the comically self-confident Timmy Failure is CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the...
The great cake mystery :
McCall Smith, Alexander,
Paper Book
THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY - Young Readers Fans around the world adore the bestselling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the basis of the HBO TV show, and its proprietor Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's premier lady detective.  In this charming series, Mma ...
Mac B., kid spy.
Barnett, Mac.
Paper Book
A thrilling, hilarious fully-illustrated spy adventure series, from the esteemed New York Times bestselling and multi-award-winning author Mac Barnett!A New York Times bestsellerAn Amazon Best Book of 2018Before Mac Barnett was an author, he was a kid.And while he...
Premeditated Myrtle /
Bunce, Elizabeth C.
Paper Book
A 2021 Edgar® Award Winner, Best Juvenile A BookPage Best Book of 2020: Middle Grade A Mighty Girl's 2020 Books of the Year Introducing Myrtle Hardcastle, your favorite new amateur detective: a wickedly smart twelve-year-old with a keen...
The body under the piano /
Jocelyn, Marthe.
Paper Book
Aggie Morton lives in a small town on the coast of England in 1902. Adventurous and imaginative but deeply shy, Aggie hasn't got much to do since the death of her beloved father... until the fateful day when she crosses paths with twelve-year-old Belgian immigrant Hector Perot and discovers a dead...
The Amelia Six :
Gray, Kristin L.
Paper Book
"A cozy whodunit that cheerfully affirms girls' and women's contributions to aerospace." --Kirkus Reviews "Comparisons with Nancy Drew and Sammy Keyes come to mind, but this satisfying mystery seems more like the works of Ellen Raskin, E.L. Konigsburg, and Gennifer...
The crown heist /
Hicks, Deron R.
Paper Book
In another "suspenseful mystery romp with art appreciation" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), Art and Camille head to London to find her estranged father, and soon find themselves embroiled in a heist involving a long-dead monarch.  Packed with fascinating facts about real places and pieces of...
The Case of the Missing Cheetah (Secret Spy Society)
Veronica Mang
Paper Book
"This book is a delight. Fun. Funny. And full of adventure." --AndreaBeaty, #1New York Timesbestselling author ofRosie Revere, Engineer The first book in a highly illustrated new chapter book series about three delightfully mischievous young girls and some of the most...
Alice Fleck's Recipes for Disaster
Rachelle Delaney
Paper Book
When Alice agreed to appear in a reality cooking show with her father, she had no idea she'd find herself in the middle of a mystery! Will Alice and her new friends be able to save the show? A light-hearted and funny middle grade novel for fans of Rebecca Stead and Lynda Mullaly Hunt. ...

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