# Books about detective and mystery stories assigned in US schools

**14** books in the US-school assigned-reading canon explore _detective and mystery stories_. Sourced from state ELA standards, AP/IB syllabi, and Common Core exemplar lists.

**Grade span:** 2–12
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/theme/detective-and-mystery-stories
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## Authors who explore detective and mystery stories

- [Joan Lowery Nixon](https://readinglist.school/author/joan-lowery-nixon) (5 books)
- [Betsy Cromer Byars](https://readinglist.school/author/betsy-cromer-byars)
- [Dave Eggers](https://readinglist.school/author/dave-eggers)
- [Lois Duncan](https://readinglist.school/author/lois-duncan)
- [Mary Downing Hahn](https://readinglist.school/author/mary-downing-hahn)
- [Peg Kehret](https://readinglist.school/author/peg-kehret)
- [Rosemary Wells](https://readinglist.school/author/rosemary-wells)

## detective and mystery stories canon

- [Bigfoot](https://readinglist.school/book/bigfoot) by Hal George Evarts _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Dead Man in Indian Creek](https://readinglist.school/book/dead-man-in-indian-creek) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Don't Look Behind You](https://readinglist.school/book/dont-look-behind-you) by Lois Duncan _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Down the Rabbit Hole](https://readinglist.school/book/down-the-rabbit-hole) by Peter Abrahams _(Grades 2–8)_
- [Fake ID](https://readinglist.school/book/fake-id) by L. R. Giles _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Spirit Seeker](https://readinglist.school/book/spirit-seeker) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Tarot Says Beware](https://readinglist.school/book/tarot-says-beware) by Betsy Cromer Byars _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Terror at the Zoo](https://readinglist.school/book/terror-at-the-zoo) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 3–6)_
- [The Dark and Deadly Pool](https://readinglist.school/book/the-dark-and-deadly-pool) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Lifters](https://readinglist.school/book/the-lifters) by Dave Eggers _(Grades 3–8)_
- [The Man in the Woods](https://readinglist.school/book/the-man-in-the-woods) by Rosemary Wells _(Grades 9–12)_
- [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)_
- [The Other Side of Dark](https://readinglist.school/book/the-other-side-of-dark) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Stalker](https://readinglist.school/book/the-stalker) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8)_

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