What books are similar to The Man in the Woods?

The 10 closest matches to The Man in the Woods by Rosemary Wells on ReadingList include Fake ID, One of Us Is Lying, Plague Year, Whispers from the Dead, and Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Each is scored on shared themes (mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.

Are books like The Man in the Woods reading-level appropriate?

Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.

How does ReadingList choose similar books?

Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Books like The Man in the Woods

If you liked The Man in the Woods, read Fake ID, One of Us Is Lying, or Plague Year — the closest matches in our database, matched on shared themes, shared award lists, and reading level.

Looking for books like The Man in the Woods by Rosemary Wells (Mystery · grades 9–12)? It’s most often read for its themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories. 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 9–12 reader. See how we judge text difficulty on our methodology page.

Reading the whole similar-books list? Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Try it on audio — free. Kids who struggle with the print versions often finish the assigned books by listening.

Listen free on Audiblestarts instantly

New members only · many assigned titles are included with the membership. As an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases and membership trials at no extra cost to you.

Why each is a match

Amazon links below are affiliate links — as an Amazon Associate, ReadingList earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Fake IDgrades 9–12: Shares themes of detective and mystery stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
One of Us Is Lyinggrades 9–12: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Plague Yeargrades 9–12: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery). Amazon → books like this →
Whispers from the Deadgrades 6–9: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Good Girl's Guide to Murdergrades 9–12: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
The Hauntinggrades 6–9: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (6–9). Amazon → books like this →
Truly Deviousgrades 9–12: Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
Daughter of the Starsgrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
How to Survive Your Murdergrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →
That's Not My Namegrades 9–12: Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12). Amazon → books like this →

Books like The Man in the Woods for younger readers (K–2)

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

Piggins by Jane Yolen · grades K–3 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and same genre (Mystery).
Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrahams · grades 2–8 — Shares themes of detective and mystery stories and same genre (Mystery).
In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Schwartz · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Mystery), and the same era (1980s).
Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick · grades K–3 — Same genre (Mystery).
Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood · grades K–3 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list and the same era (1980s).

Books like The Man in the Woods for elementary readers (grades 3–5)

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

Dead Man in Indian Creek by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Christina's Ghost by Betty Ren Wright · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Tarot Says Beware by Betsy Cromer Byars · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories and same genre (Mystery).
Terror at the Zoo by Peg Kehret · grades 3–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories and same genre (Mystery).
The Name of the Game Was Murder by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 3–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories and same genre (Mystery).

Books like The Man in the Woods for middle school (grades 6–8)

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

Don't Look Behind You by Lois Duncan · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
The Other Side of Dark by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Dead Man in Indian Creek by Mary Downing Hahn · grades 4–6 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
Spirit Seeker by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories, both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, and same genre (Mystery).
The Dark and Deadly Pool by Joan Lowery Nixon · grades 6–8 — Shares themes of mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories and same genre (Mystery).

Books like The Man in the Woods for high school & teens (grades 9–12)

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

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, same genre (Mystery), and overlapping grades (9–12).
Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (1980s).
Middlemarch by George Eliot · grades 11–12 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (11–12).
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson · grades 7–12 — Same genre (Mystery) and overlapping grades (7–12).
Say Goodnight, Gracie by Julie Reece Deaver · grades 9–12 — Both on the Virginia Readers' Choice list, overlapping grades (9–12), and the same era (1980s).

Common questions

What books are similar to The Man in the Woods?: The 10 closest matches to The Man in the Woods by Rosemary Wells on ReadingList include Fake ID, One of Us Is Lying, Plague Year, Whispers from the Dead, and Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Each is scored on shared themes (mystery and detective stories and detective and mystery stories), shared award lists, genre, and reading level (grades 9–12), and links to the curricula, states, and grades where it is assigned in US schools, with primary sources.
Are books like The Man in the Woods reading-level appropriate?: Yes — every match is a reading-level match, not just a topical one, scored on Lexile and grade band (grades 9–12), so the picks stay grade-appropriate. See how ReadingList judges text difficulty on the /standard methodology page.
How does ReadingList choose similar books?: Matches are ranked by shared themes, shared award and reading-program lists (two books picked for the same state award were chosen by the same committees for the same readers), same genre, comparable Lexile and grade band, and publication decade — computed from cited public curriculum data, not editorial opinion or AI-generated summaries.

Book data last updated 2026-09-05. Matches are computed from each book’s cited attributes — see the methodology.

← Back to The Man in the Woods