Detective and mystery stories Books for Kids
360 books in detective and mystery stories. Every book rated for reading level and content intensity.
Detective and mystery stories books for kids span a wider readiness range than parents usually expect. The same genre category contains gentle picture books and high-intensity middle-grade novels — Lexile and grade-level scores measure text complexity, not what's actually in the story. A detective and mystery stories title appropriate for a confident 8-year-old reader could still cover themes a sensitive 12-year-old isn't ready for.
Across HootRated's 360 detective and mystery stories titles, books span Grade 1–8. About 78% are rated Gentle or Mild — safe picks for sensitive readers and kids reading ahead of their emotional readiness. 1% sit at the Intense or Very Intense end. Average content intensity is 2/5.
Use the intensity badges (green → red, low → high) to filter by emotional readiness rather than just age. For deeper detail on how we rate, see our rating methodology.
Dinosaur alert!
Carolyn Keene
Dinosaur alert!
Carolyn Keene
Grave matters
Patricia H. Rushford
Grave matters
Patricia H. Rushford
The Gold Mine Mystery
Bob Wright
The Gold Mine Mystery
Bob Wright
Without a trace
Patricia H. Rushford
Without a trace
Patricia H. Rushford
Dying to win
Patricia H. Rushford
Dying to win
Patricia H. Rushford
Over the edge
Patricia H. Rushford
Over the edge
Patricia H. Rushford
Mysteries according to Humphrey
Betty G. Birney
Mysteries according to Humphrey
Betty G. Birney
Unbroken
Paula Morris
Unbroken
Paula Morris
The Brain full of holes
Martin Chatterton
The Brain full of holes
Martin Chatterton
Dead man's bluff.
Roderic Jeffries
Dead man's bluff.
Roderic Jeffries
The Quiet Woman
Harry Carmichael
The Quiet Woman
Harry Carmichael
Voices in an empty room
Philip Loraine
Voices in an empty room
Philip Loraine
The Provence puzzle
Vincent McConnor
The Provence puzzle
Vincent McConnor
Sebastian (super sleuth) and the stars-in-his-eyes-mystery
Mary Blount Christian
Sebastian (super sleuth) and the stars-in-his-eyes-mystery
Mary Blount Christian
The case of the treetop treasure
E. W. Hildick
The case of the treetop treasure
E. W. Hildick
The case of the four flying fingers
E. W. Hildick
The case of the four flying fingers
E. W. Hildick
The case of the fantastic footprints
E. W. Hildick
The case of the fantastic footprints
E. W. Hildick
Yellowthread Street
William Leonard Marshall
Yellowthread Street
William Leonard Marshall
The death in the willows
Richard Forrest
The death in the willows
Richard Forrest
The moment of truth
Blom, K. Arne
The moment of truth
Blom, K. Arne
Petrella at Q
Michael Francis Gilbert
Petrella at Q
Michael Francis Gilbert
The witnesses.
Anne Holden
The witnesses.
Anne Holden
Case load-maximum
E. Richard Johnson
Case load-maximum
E. Richard Johnson
Rollo and Tweedy and the Case of the Missing Cheese
Laura Jean Allen
Rollo and Tweedy and the Case of the Missing Cheese
Laura Jean Allen
It looks alive to me!
Thomas Baum
It looks alive to me!
Thomas Baum
Big Max in the mystery of the missing moose
Kin Platt
Big Max in the mystery of the missing moose
Kin Platt
The mystery of King Karfu
Doug Cushman
The mystery of King Karfu
Doug Cushman
Destination Unknown
Agatha Christie
Destination Unknown
Agatha Christie
Stamp twice for murder
Betty Cavanna
Stamp twice for murder
Betty Cavanna
Murder has your number
Hugh Garner
Murder has your number
Hugh Garner
The flaw
Antonis Samarakis
The flaw
Antonis Samarakis
The Blakeley ghost
Valerie Weldrick
The Blakeley ghost
Valerie Weldrick
The verdict of you all
Henry Wade
The verdict of you all
Henry Wade
Over the high side
Nicolas Freeling
Over the high side
Nicolas Freeling
The mushroom cave
Robert J. Rosenblum
The mushroom cave
Robert J. Rosenblum
The man who lost his wife
Julian Symons
The man who lost his wife
Julian Symons
Danger on the air
Elizabeth Steel
Danger on the air
Elizabeth Steel
Clive and the missing finger
Sarah Garland
Clive and the missing finger
Sarah Garland
Dreamland Lake
Richard Peck
Dreamland Lake
Richard Peck
Jane Martin, dog detective
Eve Bunting
Jane Martin, dog detective
Eve Bunting
Terror in Cairo
Annette Smith
Terror in Cairo
Annette Smith
The face of the crime.
Lillian O'Donnell
The face of the crime.
Lillian O'Donnell
The mystery of Black Gut
Diana Walker
The mystery of Black Gut
Diana Walker
Nikos and the ikon
Terry Reid
Nikos and the ikon
Terry Reid
The household traitors
Blackburn, John
The household traitors
Blackburn, John
Agaton Sax and the diamond thieves
Nils-Olof Franzén
Agaton Sax and the diamond thieves
Nils-Olof Franzén
Davis Doesn't Live Here Any More
Jack Ripley
Davis Doesn't Live Here Any More
Jack Ripley
My God How the Money Rolls In
Jack Ripley
My God How the Money Rolls In
Jack Ripley
Alibi for a corpse
Elizabeth Lemarchand
Alibi for a corpse
Elizabeth Lemarchand
The black room
Colin Wilson
The black room
Colin Wilson
It's murder with Dover
Joyce Porter
It's murder with Dover
Joyce Porter
Gently where the birds are
Alan Hunter
Gently where the birds are
Alan Hunter
Main line kill
Roger Busby
Main line kill
Roger Busby
The hardliners
William Haggard
The hardliners
William Haggard
Crooked wood
Michael Underwood
Crooked wood
Michael Underwood
The Howard Hughes affair
Stuart M. Kaminsky
The Howard Hughes affair
Stuart M. Kaminsky
The murders at Impasse Louvain
Richard Grayson
The murders at Impasse Louvain
Richard Grayson
Pool of tears
John William Wainwright
Pool of tears
John William Wainwright
A stench of poppies
Roger Longrigg
A stench of poppies
Roger Longrigg
The Venus Fly-Trap
John William Wainwright
The Venus Fly-Trap
John William Wainwright
Browse all 360 detective and mystery stories books
- The Witch Hill murder
- Devil pony
- Grave doubts
- Maxie's mystery files
- Shamelady
- Night is a time to die
- The claws of God.
- A thirsty evil
- A pinch of snuff
- This fatal writ
- The fearful lovers
- Gideon's power
- Gideon's press
- King and joker
- Such a nice client
- The merciless ladies
- Night of the Chupacabra
- The case of the vanishing villain
- Besides the wench is dead
- Alive and dead
- Murderer's mansion =
- A gross carriage of justice
- War game
- Tell me now, and again
- High voltage
- Salvage job
- Kill Claudio
- Eyes of a stranger
- Deadly meeting
- All heaven in a rage.
- Aftershock
- Ellery Queen's murdercade
- The Euro-killers
- Incognito mosquito flies again!
- Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators in The Mystery of the Headless Horse
- The three investigators in The mystery of the singing serpent
- The Bloodhound Gang in the case of the secret message
- The Three Investigators in The case of the weeping coffin
- The man who came back
- Never hit a ghost with a baseball bat
- Rafael and the Raiders.
- The power killers
- The Barkley Street six-pack
- A presence in an empty room
- Going it alone
- Who'd want to kill old George?
- The shadow of the shaman
- Who did it, Jenny Lake?
- The sword that cut the burning grass
- Broomsticks over Flaxborough
- The village policeman
- The girl on the beach
- The sandman's eyes
- Mystery at school
- The Secret Seven and the case of the dog lover.
- The last cop out
- The last treasure
- P.J. Clover, private eye--the case of the borrowed baby
- Take a body
- The Purloined letter
- My Dog and the key mystery
- A wicked pack of cards
- Murder in pastiche
- Over the sea to death
- NYPD blue
- The peak beneath the moon
- The mystery of One Wish Pond
- The juror
- Young Cam Jansen and the library mystery
- Fall into Darkness
- Trouble takes the cake
- Motor City Blue (The Amos Walker Series #1)
- Angel Eyes (The Amos Walker Series #2)
- Murder at leisure.
- The sticking point!
- Night-world.
- These cliffs are dangerous.
- Faking it
- Linda Craig, the palomino mystery
- Mystery of the laughing dinosaur
- The A-team #1
- Dangerous Games
- The withered man.
- The Slipperdown chant
- Murder in the walls.
- Alibi
- The sack man and the grave
- A killing freeze
- Libby shadows a lady
- Mystery of the Emerald Buddha
- Lionel and the spy next door
- The secret of the Strawbridge Place
- The case of the Somerville secret
- Bernie and the Bessledorf ghost
- Guilt trip
- Sebastian (super sleuth) and the Egyptian connection
- Soon be free
- The yellow line.
- White poppy
- The Allingham case-book.
- Relative strangers
- On the right track
- The raptor's claw
- A stranger and afraid
- Plot counter-plot
- The scorpion's tail
- Invisible Green
- Black aura
- The dog food caper
- The Easter mystery
- The hidden box mystery
- Otley victorious.
- A pigeon among the cats
- The green ripper
- Miss Seeton Sings
- Black as he's painted.
- Maigret and the apparition
- Monday the rabbi took off
- Wait for what will come
- Doris Fein, the mad samurai
- Facing the dark
- Was it murder?
- The birthday murder
- The Greene murder case
- Don't mention Moon to me
- A lively game of death.
- A weed among the roses
- Voices from the haunted house
- Hawkeye Collins & Amy Adams in The mystery of the phony Frankenstein & other mysteries
- The Strasbourg legacy
- Too late! Too late! the maiden cried
- A demon in my view
- The French powder mystery
- Hawkeye Collins & Amy Adams in The case of the clever computer crooks & other mysteries
- The adventure of the three Garridebs ; The adventure of the Mazarin Stone
- Ghost light on Graveyard Shoal
- The vanished one
- Saloni and the green-eyed killer
- The Monster of Florence
- Murder on the Orient Express
- Third Degree (Mollie Fox Mystery, No 3)
- Tightrope
- Sign of Four
- Maxie Paint N Marker Bk
- Detective Arthur in the case of the mysterious stranger
- Alice Whipple
- Painted Statue
- The Man Who Couldn't Be
- Master of Murder
- Stranger
- The Key Word
- Lost in Merlin's Castle
- Rouse the demon
- Case of Natty Nat
- The Mystery of the Vanishing Treasure
- The Great Muppet Caper
- The New Windmill Book of Mystery Stories of the Nineteenth Century
- Brotherly Love (East End Murders S.)
- The stolen trophy (Wishbone mysteries)
- Cam Jansen and the scary snake mystery
- The Mystery of Mr. Nice
- T Witches Display
- The mystery of the hairy tomatoes
- The runaway racehorse
- T*witches Display
- Family Reunion
- The Sting of the Scorpion
- T.R. Goes to School (T.R. Bear Series)
- Gilda Joyce, psychic investigator
- Mystery of the Russian
- Young Cam Jansen and the spotted cat mystery
- Cam Jansen and the Green School Mystery
- Cry woof
- Encyclopedia Brown and his best cases ever
- Mysteries according to Humphrey
- Scooby-Doo and the Thanksgiving Terror
- The buried biscuits
- High trail to danger
- The Mansion of Secrets
- Poirot investigates
- Signed, sealed, delivered
- A night to remember
- Stories of Detection & Mystery (Fiction)
- York Notes
- The Case of the Exploding Plumbing and Other Mysteries (Encyclopedia Brown)
- The dark stairs
- The case of the missing movie
- The Mystery of the Flaming Footprints
- The Mystery at Peacock Hall
- Run
- T*A*C*K secret service
- The Amazing Bubble Gum Caper
- Last Seen on Hopper's Lane
- Spellcaster (Twistaplot, No 15)
- The Shadow Nose
- Tack Against Time
- The Adventures of the Red Tape Gang
- Susannah and the Poison Green Halloween
- Please Write...I Need Your Help!
- The case of the secret message
- The Smoking Gun (Point Crime S.)
- Trouble on wheels
- Wolf Stalker
- Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Corn Popper (Cam Jansen Adventure)
- The Yellow Yacht (A to Z Mysteries (Turtleback))
- Spider Kane and the Mystery at Jumbo Nightcrawler's
- Secrets on 26th Street (American Girl History Mysteries)
- Who stole the Wizard of Oz?
- Hank the Cowdog 12
- Hank the Cowdog 25
- In and Out of Love
- Fall into Darkness
- The graduation
- American gothic
- Mystery of the Forgotten Island
- Footsteps on the Stairs
- New Year's Evil
- Survival Run
- The mystery of the missing mascot
- The case of the floating crime
- Talon
- MURDER TO GO (Three Investigators Crimebusters, No. 2)
- The Mystery of the Screaming Clock
- The Three Investigators in the mystery of the missing mermaid (The Three Investigators)
- Bald Bandit
- The mystery of Pony Hollow
- The Whispering Statue
- The lotterie$
- Which witch is which
- Nate the Great goes down in the dumps
- Nate the Great and the musical note
- Magic Eye
- Winter's child
- The Ghost in the Mirror (Puzzle Adventures)
- Murder Unlimited (Whodunnits)
- Paying the price
- The Missing Mummy (To Z Mysteries, 13)
- The Panda Puzzle (To Z Mysteries, 16)
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
- It's up to us
- Mystery on the Docks
- Felicia Cartright and the Storm Scarred Mountain
- The Cradle Will Fall
- Harry and Hortense at Hormone High
- Dinosaur Cards (Games for Your Brain)
- A Case for Jenny Archer (Jenny Archer Chapter Books, 2)
- The case of the muttering mummy
- The Case of the Tour De Tricks and Other Mysteries
- Complex Cases
- Mystery in the Attic (Shadow Creek Ranch)
- The Court of the Stone Children
- Chessmen of Doom
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
- Inspector Rebus
- The Crow (After Dark 4)
- The Red Herring Mystery (Child's Play Library)
- The Springtime Ghost (Kate and Tracy Mystery)
- The Tricky Train-Ride Mystery (Kate and Tracy Mystery)
- The House on Winchester Lane
- The Springtime Ghost (Kate and Tracy Mystery)
- Christina's Ghost (Live Oak Mysteries)
- A Voice in the Night (Tom & Ricky Mystery 3 Series)
- The Case of the Fortunate Fortune Cookie
- Gateway to Mystery Stories
- Supergranny: The Character Who Came to Life (Supergranny Mystery Ser. : No. 5)
- Manitou Art Caper (Rocky Mountain Mysteries Series Number 2)
- Buried Secrets
- A tale etched in blood and hard black pencil
- Crime Story Collection
- Stories of Detection and Mystery
- An island of our own
- Found
- Stolen with style
- Death cloud
- Cryer's Cross
- The Adventures of Curtis & Grammy
- Steampunk Detective
- The painted war
- V for Violet
- Seagulls Don't Eat Pickles
- Case of the Somerville Secret
- Zombies Revisited
- Footprints Under the Window (Hardy Boys, Book 12)
- The Case of the Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies and 8 Other Mysteries (Can You Solve the Mystery?)
- Shadow on the snow
- Art Thieves
- The case of the locked box
- The Runaway Friend
- Sherlock Holmes is Missing!
- Scared to death
- Dinosaur Dig
- The Phantom Mudder (Jack Russell Dog Detective)
- Shelter
- Wild Song
- Plan
- The Maze
- Suspicion Island
- Cost of Living
- Dog Day Detectives
- The Beast of Seabourne
Questions parents ask about detective and mystery stories books
- What are the best detective and mystery stories books for kids?
- HootRated catalogs 360 detective and mystery stories children's books spanning Grade 1–8. Each is rated on reading level and content intensity. The picks above are sorted by quality signals — hook factor, discussion potential, and content appropriateness.
- Are detective and mystery stories books appropriate for sensitive readers?
- 282 books (78%) are rated Gentle or Mild — safe for sensitive readers. 4 (1%) are rated Intense or Very Intense. Average intensity is 2/5. Filter by intensity badge to match your child's emotional readiness.
- What reading level are detective and mystery stories books?
- Detective and mystery stories books in our catalog span Grade 1–8. The typical reading level lands around Grade 5. Reading level measures text difficulty — separate from content intensity, which measures emotional weight. The two often don't track together for gifted readers — the Gifted Kid Paradox.