# Books about mystery and detective stories assigned in US schools

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

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

## Authors who explore mystery and detective stories

- [Joan Lowery Nixon](https://readinglist.school/author/joan-lowery-nixon) (8 books)
- [Lois Duncan](https://readinglist.school/author/lois-duncan) (3 books)
- [Mary Downing Hahn](https://readinglist.school/author/mary-downing-hahn) (2 books)
- [Peg Kehret](https://readinglist.school/author/peg-kehret) (2 books)
- [Willo Davis Roberts](https://readinglist.school/author/willo-davis-roberts) (2 books)
- [Betsy Cromer Byars](https://readinglist.school/author/betsy-cromer-byars)
- [Betty Ren Wright](https://readinglist.school/author/betty-ren-wright)
- [Chris Van Allsburg](https://readinglist.school/author/chris-van-allsburg)

## mystery and detective stories canon

- [A Deadly Game of Magic](https://readinglist.school/book/a-deadly-game-of-magic) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8)_
- [A Haunting in Williamsburg](https://readinglist.school/book/a-haunting-in-williamsburg) by Lou Kassem _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Alvin's Swap Shop](https://readinglist.school/book/alvins-swap-shop) by Clifford B. Hicks _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Christina's Ghost](https://readinglist.school/book/christinas-ghost) by Betty Ren Wright _(Grades 4–6)_
- [Closed for the Season](https://readinglist.school/book/closed-for-the-season) by Mary Downing Hahn _(Grades 3–8)_
- [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)_
- [Framed!](https://readinglist.school/book/framed) by James Ponti _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Ghosts Don't Get Goose Bumps](https://readinglist.school/book/ghosts-dont-get-goose-bumps) by Elvira Woodruff _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Good Girl's Guide to Murder](https://readinglist.school/book/good-girls-guide-to-murder) by Holly Jackson _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Mystery at the Club Sandwich](https://readinglist.school/book/mystery-at-the-club-sandwich) by Doug Cushman _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Nightmare Mountain](https://readinglist.school/book/nightmare-mountain) by Peg Kehret _(Grades 3–6)_
- [One of Us Is Lying](https://readinglist.school/book/one-of-us-is-lying) by Karen M. McManus _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Piggins](https://readinglist.school/book/piggins) by Jane Yolen _(Grades K–3)_
- [Plague Year](https://readinglist.school/book/plague-year) by Stephanie S. Tolan _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Running Out of Time](https://readinglist.school/book/running-out-of-time) by Margaret Peterson Haddix _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Scared Stiff](https://readinglist.school/book/scared-stiff) by Willo Davis Roberts _(Grades 3–6)_
- [Skeleton Creek](https://readinglist.school/book/skeleton-creek) by Patrick Carman _(Grades 3–8)_
- [Something Big Has Been Here](https://readinglist.school/book/something-big-has-been-here) by Jack Prelutsky _(Grades 3–5)_
- [Spirit Seeker](https://readinglist.school/book/spirit-seeker) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Stranger with My Face](https://readinglist.school/book/stranger-with-my-face) by Lois Duncan _(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 Curse of the Blue Figurine](https://readinglist.school/book/the-curse-of-the-blue-figurine) by John Bellairs _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Dark and Deadly Pool](https://readinglist.school/book/the-dark-and-deadly-pool) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–8)_
- [The Haunting](https://readinglist.school/book/the-haunting) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–9)_
- [The Man in the Woods](https://readinglist.school/book/the-man-in-the-woods) by Rosemary Wells _(Grades 9–12)_
- [The Mysterious Matter of I. M. Fine](https://readinglist.school/book/the-mysterious-matter-of-i-m-fine) by Diane Stanley _(Grades 3–5)_
- [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 Naturals](https://readinglist.school/book/the-naturals) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes _(Grades 9–12)_
- [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)_
- [The Stranger](https://readinglist.school/book/the-stranger) by Chris Van Allsburg _(Grades 3–5)_
- [The Third Eye](https://readinglist.school/book/the-third-eye) by Lois Duncan _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Truly Devious](https://readinglist.school/book/truly-devious) by Maureen Johnson _(Grades 9–12)_
- [Twisted Summer](https://readinglist.school/book/twisted-summer) by Willo Davis Roberts _(Grades 6–8)_
- [Whispers from the Dead](https://readinglist.school/book/whispers-from-the-dead) by Joan Lowery Nixon _(Grades 6–9)_

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