Books like Down the Rabbit Hole

If you liked Down the Rabbit Hole, read Tarot Says Beware, The Name of the Game Was Murder, or Closed for the Season — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes and reading level.

Looking for books like Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams (Mystery · grades 2–8)? It’s most often read for its themes of mystery, murder in fiction, and detective and mystery stories. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, genre, and reading level, and each linked to the curricula, states, and grades where it’s assigned, with primary sources.

These are reading-level matches, not just topical ones — so the picks stay grade-appropriate for a grades 2–8 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to Down the Rabbit Hole

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Why each is a match

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Tarot Says Bewaregrades 3–8
Shares themes of detective and mystery stories and murder, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
The Name of the Game Was Murdergrades 3–8
Shares themes of detective and mystery stories and murder, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Closed for the Seasongrades 3–8
Shares themes of murder, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–8). Amazon →
Hannah Sharpe, Cartoon Detectivegrades 3–6
Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
Not Quite Dead Yetgrades 7–12
Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
Terror at the Zoogrades 3–6
Shares themes of detective and mystery stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (3–6). Amazon →
The Dollhouse Murdersgrades 4–7
Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
The Reappearance of Rachel Pricegrades 7–12
Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
The Westing Game750L
Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (5–7). Amazon →
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyergrades 4–6
Shares themes of murder, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →

Books like Down the Rabbit Hole for younger readers (K–2)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps K–2— same scoring, different audience.

  • The Apothecary by Maile Meloy · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery and overlapping grades (K–3).
  • Adopted by an Owl by Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
  • Arnie, the Doughnut by Laurie Keller · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).
  • Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, overlapping grades (2–8), and the same era (2000s).

Books like Down the Rabbit Hole for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 3–5— same scoring, different audience.

  • When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead · 750L — Shares themes of mystery, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of mystery, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • The Apothecary by Maile Meloy · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of mystery, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 5–8 — Shares themes of mystery and overlapping grades (5–8).

Books like Down the Rabbit Hole for middle school (grades 6–8)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 6–8— same scoring, different audience.

  • Under the Surface by Diana Urban · grades 7–12 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (7–12).
  • When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead · 750L — Shares themes of mystery, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).
  • Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine · grades 3–7 — Shares themes of mystery, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (3–7).
  • The Apothecary by Maile Meloy · grades 2–8 — Both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass · grades 4–8 — Shares themes of mystery, both on the Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association) list, and overlapping grades (4–8).

Books like Down the Rabbit Hole for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

Closest matches whose grade range overlaps 9–12— same scoring, different audience.

Book data last updated 2026-07-07. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

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