# Mystery books about mystery and detective stories

**33** mystery books that explore mystery and detective stories, drawn from the US-school assigned-reading canon. Sourced from Common Core exemplars, AP, IB, Cambridge, and 50 state ELA curricula.

**Genre:** Mystery  ·  **Theme:** mystery and detective stories
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/genre/mystery/theme/mystery-and-detective-stories
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.
**Primary source — Common Core ELA exemplars:** https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/appendix-b-text-exemplars-and-sample-performance-tasks.pdf

## Mystery mystery and detective stories reading list

- [A Haunting in Williamsburg](https://readinglist.school/book/a-haunting-in-williamsburg) by Lou Kassem _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1990)_
- [Alvin's Swap Shop](https://readinglist.school/book/alvins-swap-shop) by Clifford B. Hicks _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1976)_
- [Christina's Ghost](https://readinglist.school/book/christinas-ghost) by Betty Ren Wright _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1985)_
- [Closed for the Season](https://readinglist.school/book/closed-for-the-season) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 3–8 · pub 2009)_
- [Dead Man in Indian Creek](https://readinglist.school/book/dead-man-in-indian-creek) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 4–6 · pub 1990)_
- [Don't Look Behind You](https://readinglist.school/book/dont-look-behind-you) by Lois Duncan _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1989)_
- [Framed!](https://readinglist.school/book/framed) by James Ponti _(Grades 3–8 · pub 2016)_
- [Ghosts Don't Get Goose Bumps](https://readinglist.school/book/ghosts-dont-get-goose-bumps) by Elvira Woodruff _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1993)_
- [Good Girl's Guide to Murder](https://readinglist.school/book/good-girls-guide-to-murder) by Holly Jackson _(Grades 9–12 · pub 2019)_
- [Mystery at the Club Sandwich](https://readinglist.school/book/mystery-at-the-club-sandwich) by Doug Cushman _(Grades 3–8 · pub 2004)_
- [Nightmare Mountain](https://readinglist.school/book/nightmare-mountain) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 3–6 · pub 1989)_
- [One of Us Is Lying](https://readinglist.school/book/one-of-us-is-lying) by Karen M. McManus _(Grades 9–12 · pub 2014)_
- [Piggins](https://readinglist.school/book/piggins) by Jane Yolen _(Grades K–3 · pub 1987)_
- [Plague Year](https://readinglist.school/book/plague-year) by Stephanie S. Tolan _(Grades 9–12 · pub 1990)_
- [Scared Stiff](https://readinglist.school/book/scared-stiff) by Willo Davis Roberts _(Grades 3–6 · pub 1991)_
- [Skeleton Creek](https://readinglist.school/book/skeleton-creek) by Patrick Carman _(Grades 3–8 · pub 2009)_
- [Something Big Has Been Here](https://readinglist.school/book/something-big-has-been-here) by Jack Prelutsky _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1990)_
- [Spirit Seeker](https://readinglist.school/book/spirit-seeker) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1995)_
- [Tarot Says Beware](https://readinglist.school/book/tarot-says-beware) by Betsy Cromer Byars _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1995)_
- [Terror at the Zoo](https://readinglist.school/book/terror-at-the-zoo) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 3–6 · pub 1992)_
- [The Curse of the Blue Figurine](https://readinglist.school/book/the-curse-of-the-blue-figurine) by John Bellairs _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1983)_
- [The Dark and Deadly Pool](https://readinglist.school/book/the-dark-and-deadly-pool) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1987)_
- [The Haunting](https://readinglist.school/book/the-haunting) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–9 · pub 1998)_
- [The Man in the Woods](https://readinglist.school/book/the-man-in-the-woods) by Rosemary Wells _(Grades 9–12 · pub 1984)_
- [The Name of the Game Was Murder](https://readinglist.school/book/the-name-of-the-game-was-murder) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 3–8 · pub 1993)_
- [The Naturals](https://readinglist.school/book/the-naturals) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes _(Grades 9–12 · pub 2013)_
- [The Other Side of Dark](https://readinglist.school/book/the-other-side-of-dark) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1986)_
- [The Stalker](https://readinglist.school/book/the-stalker) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1985)_
- [The Stranger](https://readinglist.school/book/the-stranger) by Chris Van Allsburg _(Grades 3–5 · pub 1986)_
- [The Third Eye](https://readinglist.school/book/the-third-eye) by Lois Duncan _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1984)_
- [Truly Devious](https://readinglist.school/book/truly-devious) by Maureen Johnson _(Grades 9–12 · pub 2018)_
- [Twisted Summer](https://readinglist.school/book/twisted-summer) by Willo Davis Roberts _(Grades 6–8 · pub 1998)_
- [Whispers from the Dead](https://readinglist.school/book/whispers-from-the-dead) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–9 · pub 1989)_

---

_Generated from primary-source citations indexed on ReadingList.school. HTML view: https://readinglist.school/genre/mystery/theme/mystery-and-detective-stories._