Mystery books for 9+

Can the Breakfast Club Investigators find the Phantom Thief and save Asim from being blamed? A gentle mystery with short chapters and lots of energetic illustrations. 

This rip-roaring page turner about a group of strongminded young sleuths is reminiscent of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series. Bursting with intrigue and excitement, it is ideal for confident young readers who enjoy traditional, wholesome adventure tales.

This gripping, thrill-packed, time slip adventure whisks readers away to Egypt, both ancient and modern, and is full of fascinating historical detail lived in the first person.  

A collection of exciting, action-packed mystery stories from 13 brilliant contemporary authors – all with a summer theme. A perfect summer holiday read. 

Matthew has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Can he help an investigation into the abduction of a child, perhaps without even leaving his house? A captivating read, combining a compelling whodunit with an engaging protagonist.

A magical story told across three different centuries, aboutfriendship, loss, ghosts – and lots of spiders.

When a dead giant falls from the sky and squishes their village, two trainee witches find themselves caught up in the hunt for a killer in a land where their suspects could squash them with just a footstep. 

Can Herbert Lemon help Violet find her parents? Supernatural elements and a steampunk feel combine to make this a fun, mystery-filled adventure with lots of spine-tingling twists and turns.

When Lena’s older brother goes missing, she knows she must find him. But what secrets will she uncover? A gripping mystery set in contemporary India, with themes of family expectations and the importance of the arts.  

Can Hannah and her new friends find the missing gold medals at the Olympic Games? A satisfying mystery, celebrating sport and friendship across the borders. 

High-Rise Mystery is the perfect ​‘whodunnit’. As the two girls sift through red herrings and reveal a series of tower block secrets, short snappy sentences and sparkling dialogue will keep readers turning the pages. A mystery as hot as the summer heatwave in which it’s set!

Archie Blake can pick locks. And when a diamond necklace goes missing and his dad is arrested, it’s down to Archie and his unusual skills to prove his dad’s innocence. An action-packed thriller with many knife-edge moments, this is a real page turner.

11-year-old Alice is quite nervous when she starts at Pebblewood, the formidable coastal boarding school that her late mum and her beloved gran both went to as girls.

When war is declared in 1939, Bletchley Park becomes a hive of covert activity and Robyn is tasked with looking after the homing pigeons. Suspecting there is a spy in their midst, she is determined to uncover the truth in this thrilling mystery adventure.

When Jonno discovers a dead body at school, he and fellow classmates Daniel and Lydia launch their own murder investigation. This extremely funny murder-mystery tale will keep readers guessing to the very end.

Can Agatha and Lenny find out who is behind the very strange happenings at school before time runs out and they face oblivion?

Ted likes the weather, he also likes statistics and routine but his life is thrown into disarray when his Aunt Gloria and cousin Salim arrive, like a hurricane, to stay in London en-route to a new life in New York.

Hal doesn’t want to join his uncle on the Highland Falcon as it makes its way to Scotland – but when he meets Lenny, a stowaway train enthusiast and the driver’s daughter, the two embark on a thrilling adventure to find missing jewels and identify the culprit. Ideal for independent readers who love a good old-fashioned mystery.

Can Wesley and his friends find out why his neighbour died – in nine nights? A mystery full of twists and turns, with cracking dialogue. 

When mysterious uncle Calvin rescues Laura Marlin from her gloomy life in an orphanage, she can’t believe her luck! But she soon realises that her Cornish paradise is full of mysteries…

An exciting magical mystery and adventure story about the Kuri, legendary wildcat of Linger Island. 

A perfect middle-grade introduction to murder mysteries with a captivating neurodivergent hero.

Can Clem find her dad, leader of the Spider Gang, in London’s criminal underworld? A rollicking mystery adventure set in 1951.

In book four of The Sinclair’s Mysteries, Sophie and Lil’s fledgling detective agency is making ripples across London. A tightly woven and engaging adventure, The Midnight Peacock is full of characters you can’t help but root for.

On a cold, midwinter day, 13-year-old Maya spots a man holding a gun. She doesn’t know exactly what’s going on – but the man looked right at her, and she’s been in danger ever since. A fast-paced story with nail-biting action and a heart-racing finish.

There’s been a rather shocking murder at Deepdean School for Girls – but luckily, young detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are on the case!

This collection has twelve different mysteries told by twelve fantastic authors, and there’s a range of motives and solutions to the crimes. There really is something for every mystery lover.

Can Lizzie and Belle solve an attempted murder in eighteenth-century London? A cracking mystery inspired by real Black historical figures.