Books like The Dollhouse Murders

If you liked The Dollhouse Murders, read All the Lovely Bad Ones, Wait Till Helen Comes, or Not Quite Dead Yet — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Dollhouse Murders by Betty Ren Wright (Mystery · grades 4–7)? It’s most often read for its themes of mystery, family, and ghosts. The 10 titles below are the closest matches in the ReadingList database — each scored on shared themes, shared award lists, 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 4–7 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

10 books similar to The Dollhouse Murders

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All the Lovely Bad Onesgrades 5–8
Shares themes of mystery, family, and ghosts, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list, and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Wait Till Helen Comesgrades 4–7
Shares themes of family and ghosts, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list (+2 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Not Quite Dead Yetgrades 7–12
Shares themes of mystery and family, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
The Reappearance of Rachel Pricegrades 7–12
Shares themes of mystery and family, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (7–12). Amazon →
The Ghost of Graylockgrades 5–8
Shares themes of mystery and ghosts, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list, and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
A Night Dividedgrades 5–8
Shares themes of family, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Diary of a Wimpy Kid950L
Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–7). Amazon →
Maniac Magee820L
Shares themes of family, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (4–7). Amazon →
Mick Harte Was Heregrades 5–8
Shares themes of family, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8). Amazon →
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH790L
Shares themes of family, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–6). Amazon →

Books like The Dollhouse Murders for younger readers (K–2)

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

  • Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of mystery, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (2–8).
  • The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner · 490L — Shares themes of mystery and family and overlapping grades (2–4).
  • Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary · 750L — Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (2–4).
  • Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume · 470L — Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list, and overlapping grades (2–5).
  • A Mischief of Mice by Christie Matheson · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery.

Books like The Dollhouse Murders for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Shares themes of family, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of family, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander · 750L — Shares themes of family, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L — Shares themes of family, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like The Dollhouse Murders for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor · 890L — Shares themes of family, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+3 more shared lists), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of family, both on the Iowa Children's Choice Award (ICCA) list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (3–6).
  • The Crossover by Kwame Alexander · 750L — Shares themes of family, both on the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–8).
  • The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley · 580L — Shares themes of family, both on the Mark Twain Readers Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (4–7).

Books like The Dollhouse Murders for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

  • How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and family and same genre (Mystery).
  • Refugee by Alan Gratz · 800L — Shares themes of family, both on the Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award list (+1 more shared list), and overlapping grades (5–9).
  • That's Not My Name by Megan Lally · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and same genre (Mystery).
  • The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow · grades 9–12 — Shares themes of mystery and same genre (Mystery).
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon · 1090L — Shares themes of mystery and family.

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

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