Mysteries (2009)
Mysteries allow the reader to become involved in solutions to unknown events through clues. Often involving crimes, mysteries can include puzzle elements and logical solutions, which are gradually revealed by the hero or heroine through a mixture of intelligence, ingenuity, interpretation of evidence, and sometimes luck
The Postcard by Abbott, Tony.
Thirteen-year-old Jason finds an old postcard at his recently-deceased grandmother's house that leads him on an adventure blending figures from an old, unfinished detective story with his family's past.
Down the Rabbit Hole : an Echo Falls Mystery (Echo Falls Mystery series) by Abrahams, Peter, 1947-
Like her idol Sherlock Holmes, eighth-grader Ingrid Levin-Hill uses her intellect to solve the murder of an eccentric local woman in her hometown of Echo Falls.
The Rope Trick by Alexander, Lloyd.
Motivated by her quest to learn a legendary rope trick, the magician Princess Lidi and her troupe embark on a journey through Renaissance Italy that intertwines adventure, love, and mystery.
Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator (Gilda Joyce series) by Allison, Jennifer.
During the summer before ninth grade, intrepid Gilda Joyce invites herself to the San Francisco mansion of distant cousin Lester Splinter and his thirteen-year-old daughter, where she uses her purported psychic abilities and detective skills to solve the mystery of the mansion's boarded-up tower
The Last Treasure by Anderson, Janet, 1946-
Thirteen-year-old Ellsworth leaves his father to visit the relatives he has never met and eventually joins forces with Jess, his distant cousin, to uncover family secrets and search for their ancestor's hidden treasure.
The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen by Anderson, M. T.
Katie, Lily, and Jasper attach their flying Gyroscopic Sky Suite to the Moose Tongue Lodge and Resort, where they mingle with other child heroes found in books, and where they become embroiled in a mystery involving lederhosen-clothed quintuplets and a screaming ventriloquist.
The Game of Sunken Places by Anderson, M. T.
When two boys stay with an eccentric relative at his mansion in rural Vermont, they discover an old-fashioned board game that draws them into a mysterious adventure.
The Man Who was Poe by Avi, 1937-
In Providence, R.I., in 1848, Edgar Allan Poe reluctantly investigates the problems of eleven-year-old Edmund, whose family has mysteriously disappeared and whose story suggests a new Poe tale with a ghastly final twist.
Midnight Magic by Avi, 1937-
In Italy in 1491, Mangus the magician and his apprentice are summoned to the castle of Duke Claudio to determine if his daughter is indeed being haunted by a ghost.
Murder at Midnight by Avi
Falsely accused of plotting to overthrow King Claudio, scholarly Mangus the magician, along with his street-smart servant boy, Fabrizio, face deadly consequences unless they can track down the real traitor by the stroke of midnight.
The Traitors' Gate by Avi, 1937-
When his father is arrested as a debtor in 1849 London, fourteen-year-old John Huffman must take on unexpected responsibilities, from asking a distant relative for help to determining why people are spying on him and his family.
Windcatcher by Avi, 1937-
While learning to sail during a visit to his grandmother's at the Connecticut shore, eleven-year-old Tony becomes excited about the rumors of sunken treasure in the area and starts following a couple who seem to be making a mysterious search for something.
Wolf Rider by Avi, 1937-
After receiving an apparent crank call from a man claiming to have committed murder, fifteen-year-old Andy finds his close relationship with his father crumbling as he struggles to make everyone believe him
The Ring of Fire by Baccalario, P.D.
our seemingly unrelated children are brought together in a Rome hotel where they discover that they are destined to become involved in a deep and ancient mystery involving a briefcase full of artifacts that expose them to great danger.
The Calder Game by Balliett, Blue
When seventh-grader Calder Pillay disappears from a remote English village--along with an Alexander Calder sculpture to which he has felt strangely drawn--his friends Petra and Tommy fly from Chicago to help his father find him.
Chasing Vermeer by Balliett, Blue, 1955-
When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.
Wright Three by Balliett, Blue
Petra and Calder are drawn into another mystery when unexplained accidents and ghostly happenings occur in Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House.
The 100-year-old Secret by Barrett, Tracy, 1955
Xena and Xander Holmes, an American brother and sister living in London for a year, discover that Sherlock Holmes was their great-great-great grandfather when they are inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives and given his unsolved casebook, from which they attempt to solve the case of a famous missing painting.
Peeled by Joan Bauer
In an upstate New York farming community, high school reporter Hildy Biddle investigates a series of strange occurrences at a house rumored to be haunted.
The Red Blazer Girls: The Ring of Rocamadour by Beil, Michael
Catholic-schooled seventh-graders Sophie, Margaret, Rebecca, and Leigh Ann help an elderly neighbor solve a puzzle her father left for her estranged daughter twenty years ago.
The House with a Clock in its Walls (John Bellairs Mysteries series) by Bellairs, John.
A boy goes to live with his magician uncle in a mansion that has a clock hidden in the walls which is ticking off the minutes until doomsday.
The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Berlin, Eric.
Winston Breen loves solving puzzles; and when his sister uncovers a twenty-five-year-old scavenger hunt--which leads to a ring worth thousands of dollars--he and his family jump at the opportunity to solve it.
The Potato Chip Puzzle by Berlin, Eric
Winston Breen loves solving puzzles; and when his sister uncovers a twenty-five-year-old scavenger hunt--which leads to a ring worth thousands of dollars--he and his family jump at the opportunity to solve it.
Fiendish Deeds (The Joy of Spooking) by P.J. Bracegirdle
As eleven-year-old Joy Wells, proud resident of the nearly-abandoned town of Spooking, tries to stop construction of a water park in a bog she believes is home to a monster and the setting of her favorite horror story, a man with his own mysterious connection to Spooking will do anything to stop her.
Skeleton Man by Bruchac, Joseph, 1942-
After her parents disappear and she is turned over to the care of a strange "great-uncle," Molly must rely on her dreams about an old Mohawk story for her safety and maybe even for her life.
Masterpiece by Broach, Elise.
After Marvin, a beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for James, a human with whom he shares a house, the two new friends work together to help recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Shakespeare's Secret by Broach, Elise.
Named after a character in a Shakespeare play, misfit sixth-grader Hero becomes interested in exploring this unusual connection because of a valuable diamond supposedly hidden in her new house, an intriguing neighbor, and the unexpected attention of the most popular boy in school.
Grooves : a kind of mystery by Brockmeier, Kevin
After a seventh-grader discovers that the grooves in his Thigpen-brand blue jeans are encoded with a cry for help, he sets out to save the factory workers from greedy entrepreneur Howard Thigpen.
A Thief in the Theater (American Girl Mystery series) by Sarah Buckey
Kit, working as a reporter for the children's page of the "Cincinnati Register," goes to the local theater hoping to do an article on what goes on behind the scenes, and decides to do a bit of investigating on the side when the night's receipts are stolen.
The Fairy-tale Detectives (Sisters Grimm series) by Buckley, Michael.
Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother that they have always believed to be dead.
The Man with the Red Bag by Eve Bunting
Twelve-year-old Kevin, who is traveling with his grandmother on a sightseeing trip to different national parks and monuments, suspects that a man in his tour group might be carrying a bomb.
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
Detective Hercule Poirot has a wealth of suspects to choose from when a wealthy American is stabbed to death en route to Paris on the Orient Express.
Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers are gathered together on an isolated island by a mysterious host. They share the darkest secrets of their pasts, and then, one by one, they die.
Things Hoped For by Clements, Andrew, 1949-
Seventeen-year-old Gwen, who has been living with her grandfather in Manhattan while she attends music school, joins up with another music student to solve the mystery when her grandfather suddenly goes missing.
Half-Moon Investigations by Colfer, Eoin.
Twelve-year-old online detective school graduate Fletcher Moon--who suffers the nickname "Half Moon" because of his small stature--helps solve crimes for classmates and others in his Irish town, but things start to go wrong when he is asked to find a reportedly stolen lock of a pop star's hair and ends up an arson suspect.
Face on the Milk Carton (Janie Johnson series) by Cooney, Caroline
A photograph of a missing girl on a milk carton leads Janie on a search for her real identity.
The Ghost of Cutler Creek (series) by DeFelice, Cynthia C.
When Allie is contacted by the ghost of a dog, she and Dub investigate the surly new boy at school and his father, who may be running a puppy mill, to see if they are involved.
The Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys series) by Dixon, Franklin W.
After a dying criminal confesses that his loot has been stashed "in the tower," the Hardy boys make an astonishing discovery
The London Eye Mystery by Dowd, Siobhan.
When Ted and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim.
Change-Up by Feinstein, John
While covering the World Series, teen reporters Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol uncover some inconsistencies in the life story of a popular, new pitcher and begin to investigate.
Cover-up by Feinstein, John.
Two teenagers learn that every player on a professional football team--which is supposed to play in the Super Bowl--has failed their drug test and the owner has covered up the results, and now they must find a way to prove it.
Last Shot : A Final Four Mystery by Feinstein, John.
After winning a basketball reporting contest, eighth graders Stevie and Susan Carol are sent to cover the Final Four tournament, where they discover that a talented player is being blackmailed into throwing the final game.
Vanishing Act by Feinstein, John.
Eighth-grade sports reporters Susan Carol and Stevie reunite at the U.S. Open tennis championships where they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a top Russian player.
The Big Splash by Jack Ferraiolio
Matt Stevens, an average middle schooler with a glib tongue and a knack for solving crimes, uncovers a mystery while working with "the organization," a mafia-like syndicate run by seventh-grader Vincent "Mr. Biggs" Biggio, specializing in forged hall passes, test-copying rings, black market candy selling, and taking out hits with water guns.
Assassin (Lady Grace Mysteries series) by Finney, Patricia, 1958-
Thirteen-year-old Lady Grace Cavendish, favorite maid of honor of Elizabeth I, must solve a murder mystery and clear the name of her betrothed
The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson
On the payroll as an assistant to her coroner father, seventeen-year-old Cameryn Mahoney uses her knowledge of forensic medicine to catch the killer of a friend while putting herself in terrible danger.
The Thief Lord by Funke, Cornelia
Orphaned brothers Prosper and Bo, having run away from their cruel aunt and uncle, decide to hide out in Venice where they fall in with the Thief Lord, a thirteen-year-old boy who leads a crime ring of street children.
Eleven by Giff, Patricia Reilly
When Sam, who can barely read, discovers an old newspaper clipping just before his eleventh birthday, it brings forth memories from his past, and, with the help of a new friend at school and the castle they are building for a school project, his questions are eventually answered.
Chase by Haas, Jessie.
Phin Chase, an orphaned stable boy in Pennsylvania in the aftermath of the Civil War, must go on the run to save his life after accidentally witnessing the murder of a mine boss by a secret society of Irishmen known as the Sleepers.
The House on the Gulf by Haddix, Margaret Peterson.
A sixteen-year-old boy arranges a housesitting job for the summer, but he starts acting strangely after his family moves in, and his sister begins to suspect they are not supposed to be there.
Closed for the Season by Mary Downing Hahn
When thirteen-year-old Logan and his family move into a run-down old house in rural Virginia, he discovers that a woman was murdered there and becomes involved with his neighbor Arthur in a dangerous investigation to try to uncover the killer.
The House of Dies Drear by Hamilton, Virginia, 1936-2002.
An African-American family tries to unravel the secrets of their new home, which was once a stop on the Underground Railroad
Scat by Carl Hiaasen
Nick and Marta are both suspicious when their biology teacher, the feared Mrs. Bunny Starch, disappears, and try to uncover the truth despite the police and headmaster's insistence that nothing is wrong.
Death Run by Jack Higgins
A mafia banker with access to a large number of criminal accounts is willing to give evidence in exchange for help retiring from the mob, but when spy John Chase assists him, he puts his fifteen-year-old twins, Rich and Jade, in the line of fire.
Sure Fire by Jack Higgins
Resentful of having to go and live with their estranged father after the death of their mother, fifteen-year-old twins Rich and Jade soon find they have more complicated problems when their father is kidnapped and their attempts to rescue him involve them in a dangerous international plot to control the world's oil.
SilverFin : A James Bond Adventure (Young Bond series) by Higson, Charles, 1958-
Young James Bond attends school at the prestigious Eton boarding school, and teams up with Red to investigate the mystery of the disappearance of a boy, Alfie Kelly, Red's cousin, allegedly linked to a madman with a plot for global domination
Time Stops for no Mouse : a Hermux Tantamoq Adventure (series)by Hoeye, Michael.
When Linka Perflinger, a jaunty mouse, brings a watch into his shop to be repaired and then disappears, Hermux Tantamoq is caught up in a dangerous search for eternal youth as he tries to find out what happened to her.
The Falconer’s Knot by Hoffman, Mary
Silvano and Chiara, teens sent to live in a friary and a nunnery in Renaissance Italy, are drawn to one another and dream of a future together, but when murders are committed in the friary, they must discover who is behind the crimes before they can realize their love.
Following Fake Man by Holmes, Barbara Ware.
During his summer in Maine, twelve-year-old Homer, together with his new friend Roger, is determined to find the truth about himself, his long-dead father, and a mysterious costumed man.
The Falcon's Malteser : a Diamond brothers mystery (Diamond Brothers Mystery Series) by Horowitz, Anthony, 1955-
Tim Diamond, a poor-minded detective, is entrusted with a package worth five million dollars, until the owner of the package is murdered, and it is up to Tim and his brother, Nick, to outwit every crook in town who is trying to get the money.
A Samurai Never Fears Death: A Samurai Mystery by Hoobler, Dorothy
Returning home to investigate the possible connection of his family's tea shop with smugglers, Seikei, now a samauri in eighteenth-century Japan, becomes involved in murder at a local puppet theater and saving the life of his sister's accused boyfriend.
Seven Paths to Death: A Samurai Mystery by Hoobler, Dorothy
Samurai Seikei and Judge Ooka, his foster-father, search for seven men who have seven parts of a map tattooed on their backs, but when they put the pieces of the map together, Seikei and Judge Ooka learn of a dangerous location.
The Star of Kazan by Ibbotson, Eva.
Annika, a twelve-year-old foundling in late nineteenth-century Vienna, inherits a trunk of costume jewelry, and soon afterwards a woman claiming to be her aristocratic mother arrives and takes her to live in a strangely decrepit mansion in Germany.
Emil and the Detectives by Kastner, Emil
On his first real train journey, traveling down to his grandmother in Berlin, Emil Tischbein is robbed of all his money and gathers together a group of boys his own age to tail the thief.
The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew series) by Keene, Carolyn.
Nancy rescues a child from a bad fall and then gets involved in a search for a missing will.
The Stranger Next Door by Kehret, Peg
A clever cat's heroism helps two twelve-year-old boys become friends after their families, one of which is in a witness protection program, move to neighboring houses in Hilltop, Washington.
Trapped by Kehret, Peg
When his owner finds an illegal animal trap in the woods, Pete the cat faces grave danger as he tries to help his human friends find the culprit who set the trap
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by Konigsburg, E. L
Claudia Kincaid and her brother run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in order to teach their parents a lesson and embark upon a mystery involving a priceless work of art and the strange old woman who sold the piece to the museum.
The Mystery of the Martello Tower by Lanthier, Jennifer
In their attempts to solve the mystery of their father's disappearance, Hazel and her brother, Ned, find themselves involved with a trio of art thieves and uncover some disturbing family secrets.
Shadows in the Water by Kathryn Laskey
The two sets of Starbuck twins use their telepathic powers and the aid of some endangered dolphins to help their father catch a gang dumping toxic waste in the Florida Keys.
The Thieves of Ostia (Roman Mystery series) by Lawrence, Caroline.
In Rome in the year 79 A.D., a group of children from very different backgrounds work together to discover who beheaded a pet dog -- and why.
Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Liu, Cynthea
Twelve-year-old Chinese American girl Paris Pan, who wants to fit in with the seemingly friendly girls at her new school, takes a dare to spend the night in a scary woods that is reputedly haunted by the ghost of a girl who died there years earlier.
The Merchant of Death (Pendragon series)by MacHale, D. J.
Fourteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon, having learned he is a Traveler--someone who can ride "flumes" through time and space, is soon off to the alternative dimension of Denduron where he teams up with Loor, a girl his age from the warrior-territory of Zadaa, in an attempt to save the gentle Milago people from slavery.
The Fall of the Amazing Zalindas by Mack, Tracy.
The ragamuffin boys known as the Baker Street Irregulars help Sherlock Holmes solve the mysterious deaths of a family of circus tightrope walkers
The Mystery of the Conjured Man by Mack, Tracy
The ragtag group of orphan boys known as the Baker Street Irregulars faces shady characters and seemingly real ghosts when they assist the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, in investigating the mysterious death of Greta Berlinger during a seance.
Hannah’s Winter by Meehan, Kierin
Hannah and her new friend Miki discover an ancient message in the stationary shop and set out to solve the mysterious riddle that could change both their lives forever.
The Witches of Dredmoore Hollow by McKenzie, Riford
Elijah, a nearly twelve-year-old boy growing up on a farm in rural New England in 1927, makes the shocking discovery that his mother is a witch when two strangely glamorous aunts arrive, who are suspiciously interested in his first chin whisker, to spirit him away to Moaning Marsh.
The Traitor King by Mitchell, Todd.
When ten-year-old Darren and his family show up at their family reunion and find their Uncle Will missing, Darren and his sister go in search of clues to discover what happened.
How to Disappear Completely and Never be Found by Nickerson, Sara.
With a swimming medal, the key to a mansion, and a comic book about a half-man/half-rat as her only clues, a twelve-year-old girl seeks the true story of her father's mysterious death four years earlier near an island in the Pacific Northwest.
Steel Trapp : The Challenge by Pearson, Ridley.
On a two-day train trip to enter his invention in the National Science Competition in Washington, D.C., fourteen-year-old Steven "Steel" Trapp, possessor of a remarkable photographic memory, becomes embroiled in an international plot of kidnapping and bribery that may have links to terrorists.
The Westing Game by Raskin, Ellen.
The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.
The Maze of Bones (39 Clues series) by Riordan, Rick.
Amy and Dan, members of the powerful Cahill family, try to uncover the thirty-nine clues which will reveal the secrets of their lineage and find out what really happened to their parents.
Megan’s Island by Willo Davis Roberts
First, eleven-year-old Megan is astonished when her mother insists on taking her and her younger brother up to the lake cottage a week before school is out; then they find mysterious strangers following them.
Pawns by Willo Davis Roberts
After her mother's death and her father's suicide, fourteen-year-old Teddi finds some stability when she moves in with Mamie, her good-hearted next door neighbor--until the arrival of a woman claiming to be the pregnant wife of Mamie's son who recently died in a plane crash.
Twisted Summer by Willo Davis Roberts
Fourteen-year-old Cici hopes for a romantic summer at the beach but instead finds herself trying to solve a murder which had occurred there the previous year.
The View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
Rob admits having seen a murder, but no one believes him--except the murderer.
Double Check by Rose, Malcom
Sixteen-year-old forensic investigator Luke Harding and his laser-equipped robot Malc, rush to learn the truth when Luke is tipped-off that teenage death row inmate Everton Kohter, whose execution is only days away, is innocent.
Lost Bullet by Rose, Malcom
Recently qualified as a forensic investigator, sixteen-year-old Luke Harding is assigned to the slums of London, where he and his robotic sidekick Malc investigate a doctor's murder.
The Nina, the Pinta, and the Vanishing Treasure by Santopolo, Jill.
Amateur sleuth Alec and his sidekick Gina investigate when the Christopher Columbus exhibit disappears from the museum.
The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer
When twelve-year-old Gabe tries to hide his uncle's death from the local authorities, he is not prepared for what happens when this secret is discovered.
Canned by Alex Shearer
Fergal Banfield, an eccentric lad who collects cans, is surprised to find some unexpected--and even alarming--things in a few of his treasures, and when he meets Charlotte, another collector, they begin an investigation that leads them into dangerous territory.
Endymion Spring by Skelton, Matthew.
Having reluctantly accompanied his academic mother and pesky younger sister to Oxford, twelve-year-old Blake Winters is at loose ends until he stumbles across an ancient and magical book, secretly brought to England in 1453 by Gutenberg's mute apprentice to save it from evil forces, and which now draws Blake into a dangerous and life-threatening quest.
Sherlock Holmes is Missing by Alex Simmons and Bill McCay
Archie Wiggins and a few of his friends investigate the disappearance of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes after Archie was kicked out of the Baker Street Irregulars, a gang that often assisted Holmes.
Cryptid Hunters by Smith, Roland, 1951-
Twins, Grace and Marty, along with a mysterious uncle, are dropped into the middle of the Congolese jungle in search of their missing photojournalist parents.
I.Q. Independence Hall by Roland Smith
Quest and his stepsister Angela are thrust into the dangerous world of the American Secret Service and the Israeli Mossad when they learn Angela's real mother was a former Secret Service agent who was killed by a terrorist group.
The Case of the Missing Marquess (An Enola Holmes Mystery series) by Springer, Nancy.
Enola Holmes, much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, must travel to London in disguise to unravel the disappearance of her missing mother
The Mysterious Case of the Allbright Academy by Stanley, Diane
Eighth-grader Franny and her friends investigate why most of the students at their exclusive boarding school are brilliant, beautiful, and perfectly behaved
Montmorency : Tief, Liar, Gentleman? (series) by Updale, Eleanor.
In Victorian London, after his life is saved by a young physician, a thief utilizes the knowledge he gains in prison and from the scientific lectures he attends as the physician's case study exhibit to create a new, highly successful, double life for himself.
Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief (Sammy Keys Mystery series) by Van Draanen, Wendelin.
Thirteen-year-old Sammy's penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she involves herself in the investigation of a robbery at the "seedy" hotel across the street from the seniors' building where she is living with her grandmother.
Ghosts in the Gallery by Wallace, Barbara Brooks
When eleven-year-old Jenny arrives at her grandfather's house but is not recognized as one of the family because of a servant's intrigue, the young orphan endures a difficult fate.
The Twin in the Tavern by Wallace, Barbara Brooks, 1922-
A young orphan, afraid of being sent to the workhouse, finds himself at the mercy of the unsavory owner of a tavern in Alexandria, Virginia, while he tries to solve the mystery surrounding his past and a missing twin.
The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Wright
A dollhouse filled with a ghostly light in the middle of the night, and dolls that have moved from where she last left them, lead Amy and her mentally handicapped sister to unravel the mystery surrounding grisly murders that took place years ago.
Students generally have free choice when selecting titles within a genre. Students should try to choose books at their individual reading level – not too difficult or too easy. The titles above are suggestions available in the school library. Content is generally appropriate for middle school students. Reading levels vary. The final decision regarding the appropriateness of a particular book for an individual student rests with the student, his/her parents and teacher.
Book descriptions from Follett Titlewave