The. best mystery books for kids are engrossing and engaging, intriguing and interesting. In this roundup of the best middle grade mystery books, you’ll find an assortment of different kinds of mystery stories. Featuring amateur sleuths and kids who crack cases, the child protagonists of these novels take bold risks and put it all on the line to solve the puzzles that sit at the heart of great mysteries. Whether you’re looking for the best mystery series for kids, mystery books for twins, mystery books for 10 year olds, or mystery book for 12 years olds, there’s a great read in here for you.
(By the way, if you’re seeking mystery novels for older readers, check out our list of the best mystery books for teens.)
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And now for an epic list of the 25 best mystery books for kids!
Case Closed #1: Mystery in the Mansion by Lauren Magaziner
We kick off this list of the best mystery books for kids with Case Closed #1: Mystery in the Mansion. This book is sure to engage young readers in what’s the first book in a series. This interactive book asks its readership to pick a path, putting the investigating, including which witnesses to question and what to ask them, in the hands of the kids reading it. That makes for one fun book as hero Carlos takes on a case that his mom, a private eye, can’t solve since she’s sick. Join Carlos and his friends on this exciting adventure.
How to read it: Purchase Case Closed #1 on Amazon
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
The first in the titular Chasing Vermeer series, this novel has already become a modern classic. When Petra and Calder get approached by an eccentric old lady and a Vermeer painting goes missing, it’s up to them to track down the missing artwork. This book one of the best mystery books for kids and the first in a series.
How to read it: Purchase Chasing Vermeer on Amazon
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
If you haven’t read Chris Grabenstein’s Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, the first in a five-book series that make for great mystery books for tweens, what are you waiting for? I devoured this book in one day. Kyle is overjoyed to receive an invite to a lock-in sleepover at the town’s new library designed by renowned game maker Mr. Lemoncello. But in the morning, the kids invited to the event find they’re locked in the library. How will they get out? It will take a combination of team work, niche knowledge, and determination. Read it and see why this book has been a steady bestseller.
How to read it: Purchase Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library on Amazon
The Feather Chase by Shannon L. Brown
In The Feather Chase, the first book in the Crime-Solving Cousins Mysteries series, we meet heroines Jessica, a city girl, and Sophie, who prefers spending time exploring the Great Outdoors. When the two cousins, who are sharing a summer together, find a briefcase in the woods filled with feathers, it’s not long before they’re running for their lives when bad people show up. Can Jessica and Sophie team up and solve the mystery of the feather-filled briefcase? You’ll fall for these novels, which definitely count as some of the best mystery books for kids.
How to read it: Purchase The Feather Chase on Amazon
Framed! by John Ponti
This exciting middle grade mystery series for kids kicks off with the first installment, Framed!. Our endearing protagonist is Florian Bates, a super perceptive kid whose prowess for solving tiny mysteries—like discovering which Chinese restaurant has the best egg rolls—has him on the speed dial of the FBI’s Director. When a real crime comes along, Florian and his new friend, Margaret, have to collaborate with the FBI. Florian is uniquely talented at solving mysteries, but this might be his biggest case yet…
How to read it: Purchase Framed! on Amazon
Greenglass House by Kate Milford
This bestselling novel, the first in an excellent children’s mystery book series, won the prestigious Edgar Award for the Best Juvenile Mystery, and it’s not hard to see why. Both atmospheric and compulsively readable, Greenglass House is a fun read for parents, too. The Greenglass House in question is a notorious smugglers’ inn nestled deep in the snowy mountains. When first one suspiciously mysterious guest, then another, then another, shows up, Milo, the son of the inn’s owners, seeks to find out the truth, not only about the bizarre visitors, but about the house itself… The best mystery books for kids don’t get much better than the Greenglass saga.
How to read it: Purchase Greenglass House on Amazon
The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs
Seeking the best mystery books for 12 year olds? Check this one out. I read this book as part of my graduate MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and it was such a delight! With illustrations from Edward Gorey, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a gothic-inspired tale of young orphan Lewis Barnavelt, who discovers hidden secrets and intriguing mysteries in his quirky Uncle Jonathan’s house. This classic read was recently adapted as a feature film, a testament to its lasting power as one of the best mystery books for kids.
How to read it: Purchase The House with a Clock in Its Walls on Amazon
Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
Our heroine in this novel, one of the best mystery books for kids, is one you won’t soon forget; Aven Green was born without arms, a fact that brings her countless questions. When she moves with her family to the West, where her parents have recently purchased a struggling theme park, Stagecoach Pass, Aven braces herself for more questions. But, instead, she bonds with Connor, a classmate with a disability of his own. Together, Aven and Connor embrace their unique gifts while trying to solve a mystery at Stagecoach Pass. After you finish this powerful middle grade mystery novel, you’ll want to gobble the next one up ASAP. Fortunately, there’s already a sequel in the Life of a Cactus series.
How to read it: Purchase Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus on Amazon
Legend of the Star Runner: A Timmi Tobbson Adventure Book by J. I. Wagner
Especially good for reluctant readers, J. I. Wagner’s Timmi Tobbson Adventure Books are a great middle grade mystery series. With ample illustrations, interactive elements, and brief chapters, these books are perfect for readers with short attention spans and children struggling with text-only formats. Start with the first book, Legend of the Star Runner, and be ready to marathon read the other novels in what is for sure a can’t-miss-it series of the best mystery books for kids.
How to read it: Purchase Legend of the Star Runner on Amazon
The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan is a power author of exciting middle grade adventure stories (have you heard of Percy Jackson?), so it’s no surprise that his 39 Clues series is just as good. So far, this series includes more than ten installments. But you’ll want to start with the first book, The Maze of Bones. In this series starter, Amy and Dan are on a quest to solve the mystery left behind when their grandmother, Grace Cahill, dies. Instead of leaving a fortune to her descendants, Grace has left a series of 39 clues to uncover the truth about the Cahill family. These books are high-engagement with propulsive pacing, making them good fits for readers who find reading challenging. If you’re looking for the best mystery books for kids, and, in particular, mystery books for 10 year olds, you’ll want to pick this one up.
How to read it: Purchase The Maze of Bones on Amazon
Murder Is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens
Robin Stevens has crafted one of the best mystery series for kids, the Murder Most Unladylike books. In the opening volume, Murder Is Bad Manners, readers meet our spunky and spirited heroines, best friends Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, who attend Deepdean School for Girls. Daisy is an aspiring Sherlock Holmes and has recruited Hazel to be her personal Watson. Then a real crime happens—their science teacher is found dead—and Daisy and Hazel face new adventures, and new danger…
How to read it: Purchase Murder Is Bad Manners on Amazon
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
One of the new classics that definitely counts as one of the best mystery books for kids, The Mysterious Benedict Society is a great pick for precocious readers who like a literary challenge. Four kids are chosen by a competition to go undercover and infiltrate the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. Together, the new friends will rely on each other to solve the mysteries surrounding the Institute. With four installments in the series, the Mysterious Benedict Society books (which have recently been adapted for a Disney Plus original TV show) are intellectually absorbing and expertly plotted with lovable characters.
How to read it: Purchase The Mysterious Benedict Society on Amazon
The Mystery of the Disappearing Underwear by Nikki Young
One of the best mystery books for kids, The Mystery of the Disappearing Underwear is also a standalone story, so readers who don’t want to get involved in a long series will find this to be a good fit. Together, Harry and James form a secret agency to stay occupied during the summer. The first mystery to solve? Find what happened to Harry’s lucky underpants. But nosy neighbor Stacey wants to accompany the boys on their adventures, much to their chagrin. When an odd couple move into a creaky old house in the neighborhood, Harry and James join forces with Stacey to find out just who the newest residents of the street are—and what they’re up to.
How to read it: Purchase The Mystery of the Disappearing Underwear on Amazon
Mystery in Rocky Mountain Park by Aaron Johnson
Aaron Johnson’s National Park Mystery Series kicks off with Mystery in Rocky Mountain Park, where we meet our heroes to root for: Jake, Amber, and Wes. When Jake’s grandfather, a national park fanatic, died, he passed along clues to a mystery in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Park, leaving it up to Jake and his friends to solve the scavenger hunt. But there are foes gathering in the Park. Soon Jake and the others are dodging enemies while trying to complete the puzzle. These adventure-packed novels incorporate survival skills and natural history along with themes of friendship, family, and courage. It’s easy to see why the Johnson’s novels are some of the best middle grade mystery series.
How to read it: Purchase Mystery in Rocky Mountain Park on Amazon
The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Pseudonymous Bosch has published several books in the Secret series, which starts with The Name of this Book Is Secret. In this mystery story with a playful narrator, Max-Ernest and Cass investigate the Symphony of Smells, a box of vials, and its connection to the alleged disappearance of a magician. Bosch has crafted an ingenious formula of a core puzzle wrapped up in an interactive narration, which directly engages with the reader, definitely making them among the best mystery books for kids. Fans of Lemony Snicket will find these books to be a great companion read.
How to read it: Purchase The Name of this Book Is Secret on Amazon
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
In this absorbing novel, which definitely ranks as one of the best mystery books for tweens, Candice finds a letter in a dusty old attic that is addressed to her grandmother, who left their small South Carolina community in shame. But when Candice reads the letter, it speaks of a fortune that will go to whoever solves a puzzle centered around the history of the town. The deeper Candice and her friend, Brandon, get, the more they realize history isn’t always rosy. Sometimes it’s raw. And sometimes it’s racist. The Parker Inheritance deftly weaves together the past, the present, and the future with conversation-starting topics that makes readers grapple with the secret histories of our complicated society.
How to read it: Purchase The Parker Inheritance on Amazon
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen
If you read Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief and want more of this irresistibly spirited heroine, you’re in luck; currently, there are more than a dozen Sammy Keyes books, making for a potentially bingeable reading experience. It all starts with The Hotel Thief. Here we meet Sammy Keyes, who witnesses a burglary in progress at the old folks’ home where she lives with her grandmother. But the thief saw Sammy, too. And Sammy’s cranky neighbor Mrs. Graybill has decided that Sammy is an enemy. What else could go wrong? Plenty, as you’ll see in these highly readable, fun and funny novels, for sure some of the best mystery books for kids.
How to read it: Purchase Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief on Amazon
The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
No list of the best mystery book for kids would be complete without Nancy Drew. This popular children’s mystery book series—which counts more than 160 books in total—is just as popular as ever. It all kicks off with the first book, The Secret of the Old Clock, in which we meet our famous heroine, amateur sleuth Nancy Drew. Still refreshing, still absorbing, still cozy, The Secret of the Old Clock endures for a whole new generation to love, for sure one of the best middle grade mystery books.
How to read it: Purchase The Secret of the Old Clock on Amazon
Shadow Jumper by J. M. Forster
In this poignant story, Jack is allergic to the sun. He only leaves his house at dusk, when he can safely jump among rooftops shrouded in shadows. But when his condition worsens and his father, a scientist, disappears, it will be up to Jack and his friend Beth to find his missing dad. Readers who want to be emotionally engaged as well as intellectually involved will enjoy this gripping mystery, the first in a must-read middle grade mystery series.
How to read it: Purchase Shadow Jumper on Amazon
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham
Powerhouse legal thriller and mystery writer John Grisham tries his hand at children’s fiction with his Theodore Boone series. Starring the crafty and capable thirteen-year-old aspiring lawyer Theo Boone, these books have all of Grisham’s signatures that make him so popular with adult crime fiction readers: twisty plots, everyman heroes, and engrossing stories. In this series opener, Theo knows who really committed the killing at the center of a murder trial that everyone is talking about. Can he help serve justice to the murderer? And can he stay alive while doing so? Readers will rip through this excellent novel, one of the best mystery books for tweens.
How to read it: Purchase Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer on Amazon
To Catch a Thief by Martha Brockenbrough
This exciting standalone mystery book for kids is set in the small seaside town of Urchin Beach where Amelia MacGuffin lives with her family, friends, and lovable stray dog who just might find his forever home with her. But then one day, someone steals the dragonfly staff that is central in the community’s Dragonfly Day Festival, which brings tourists and is central to the town’s economy, including Amelia’s own family, who counts on the foot traffic at their Pacific General Store. Amelia takes it upon herself to, well, to quote the book’s title, catch a thief. You won’t be able to put this one down.
How to read it: Purchase To Catch a Thief on Amazon
Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio
The quirky illustrations in this book match its quirky hero and quirky story. Warren the 13th fulfills many roles at his family’s vast hotel, which is rumored to house the treasure known as the All-Seeing Eye. But before he can find the All-Seeing Eye, Warren has to solve several other puzzling mysteries surrounding the creaky old inn that’s full of secret passageways and dark corners. Author and illustrator Tania del Rio has crafted an immersive world that you’ll want to revisit in the first novel’s sequels.
How to read it: Purchase Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye on Amazon
Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket is of course best known for A Series of Unfortunate Events, but his mystery book series called All the Wrong Questions is just as irreverent, idiosyncratic, and metafictional. Get started with Who Could That Be at This Hour?, in which a young Lemony Snicket recalls his apprenticeship with the Volunteer Fire Department (from the Series of Unfortunate Events universe). But you don’t need to be familiar with those books to enjoy these ones and the great adventures Snicket has as a kid. Any child who’s ever wanted to crack a case will enjoy these witty mystery novels with a dark sense of humor.
How to read it: Purchase Who Could That Be at This Hour? on Amazon
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
One of the best mystery books for kids, The Westing Game won the Newbery Medal. It’s just as good a read today as it was when it was first published in 1978. Sixteen people gather to hear the reading of the will of Samuel W. Westing, who leaves behind in his wake a puzzle for his heirs. Together in pairs, the sixteen beneficiaries have to solve who murdered Westing. The prize is Westing’s $200,000,000 fortune and taking control of the late billionaire’s company. With clever plotting, twists galore, and knives out, The Westing Game is still compelling for modern readers.
How to read it: Purchase The Westing Game on Amazon
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
We close out this list of the best mystery books for kids with Ben Guterson’s Winterhouse trilogy. It all begins with the first novel in the series, Winterhouse. Both an Edgar Award and Agatha Award finalist, Winterhouse stars orphan Elizabeth Somers, who is packed off to live at the Winterhouse Hotel, which is run by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. At Winterhouse, Elizabeth discovers a series of secrets and a mystery she is uniquely suited to solve. To do so, Elizabeth will have to investigate her own past and interrogate her family history to break the curse on Winterhouse.
