60 Best Middle-Grade Mysteries (Middle Grade Mystery Books) of 2022

For me, the best mid-tier mysteries are those that have more than one mystery as a plot. but I have to admit that a lot of great middle grade mystery books are also just about the mystery (at least it’s the central plot), and that’s fine too. For today’s list, I’ve included the best middle-grade mysteries, as well as a sprinkling of early readers (chapter books) aimed at younger readers. I’ve marked which ones are part of a series, so if your kids like series, you can get your hands on those selections.

You will also find that some of these books have a rich and complex plot that is completely rewarding in itself, with the mystery being a delightful added component.

You are reading: Middle grade mystery books

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60 Cozy and Adventurous Middle Grade Mysteries

Best Middle-Grade Mysteries

here are 60 of the best middle grade mysteries to read:

the six amelias

Published: June 30, 2020

Eleven-year-old Amelia Ashford, a millie to her friends (if she had any), doesn’t realize how many adventures await her when she gets the chance of a lifetime: an overnight stay at Amelia’s. Earhart’s childhood home with five other girls. she make five strangers. but millie’s mom is a pilot like the famous amelia, and millie would love to have something to write her about…if only she had her address.

Once at Amelia’s house in Atchison, Kansas, Millie stumbles upon a sample of Amelia’s famous flying goggles. She can’t believe her good luck as they are about to be relocated to a posh museum in Washington, DC. But her luck changes quickly when the glasses go missing and Millie was the last to see them. soon, her fingers are pointing in all directions and someone falls strangely ill. Suddenly, a fun night of scavenger hunts and candy takes a nosedive and the girls aren’t sure who to trust. With a blizzard raging outside and a house full of suspects, the girls have no choice but to band together. It’s up to Amelia Six to find the culprit and return the glasses to their rightful place. or the next body to collapse could be one of them.

finally, something mysterious

Published: April 14, 2020

paul marconi has always thought that bellwood was a strange town, but also boring. there wasn’t much to do for an eleven year old. there are fires burning nearby, paul’s parents are obsessed with winning a sausage contest, and his best friend, one of the founding members of his only-child detective club, is about to acquire a younger sister, kind of undoing his relationship. all reason to exist. but then! hundreds of rubber duckies have appeared on poor mr. babbage without any explanation. Finally! there is something that paul and his friends can investigate.

In the face of all these strange occurrences, Paul is convinced that finding out who deposited the ducks will finally make sense of what has become a world turned upside down. Soon the three friends have a long list of suspects, all with their own motives, but no clear culprit. When it all comes to a head in the town’s annual Bellwood sausage bonanza, Paul discovers that some things aren’t easy to explain and not all mysteries can be solved.

a perfect summer story about friends, amateur sleuths, and a bunch of rubber duckies.

murder at midnight

Published: December 1, 2011

A plot to overthrow King Claudius is brewing in the kingdom of Pergamontium. The scholar Mangus the magician, along with his clever and faithful new servant, Fabrizio, have been singled out as easy scapegoats for the traitor lurking within the king’s court. Together, these two unlikely partners must piece together clues to solve the mystery and prove their innocence before the stroke of midnight…or face death!

from zoe washington’s desk

Published: January 14, 2020

zoe washington isn’t sure what to write. What does a girl tell her father that she never knew, that she didn’t know about until her letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and that she has been in prison for a terrible crime?

a crime he says he never committed.

could marcus really be innocent? Zoe is determined to uncover the truth. even if it means hiding her letters and her research from the rest of her family. everyone else thinks that zoe is worried about doing a good job on her bakery internship and proving to her parents that she’s worthy of auditioning for the food network’s kids baking challenge.

But with bakery treats on one part of her mind and Marcus’s conviction weighing heavily on the other, this is one recipe Zoe doesn’t know how to balance. the only thing he knows is true: everyone lies.

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magnolia circle mystery

Published: August 3, 2021

What happens when two best friends face the worst summer in the world?

On the first day of vacation, ten-year-old ivy crowden falls down the stairs and breaks her leg. trapped in a cast, she is certain that the summer of hers is doomed. not even teddy, her neighbor and best friend, can cheer her up because she is dealing with her own pain: the loss of a beloved dog.

but when ivy witnesses a possible break-in from her living room window, her summer takes a sudden turn from meh to mysterious. who are the criminals could a classmate be involved? Y . . . uh oh a second mystery is hot on ivy’s heels. indicates the best friends, the best dog and the best chance to save the summer!

parker’s inheritance

Published: March 27, 2018

When candice finds a letter in an old attic in lambert, south carolina, she’s not sure if she should read it. she is addressed to her grandmother, who left the village in shame. but the letter describes a young woman. an injustice that happened decades ago. a mystery that surrounds the writer of it. and the fortune that awaits the person who solves the puzzle.

So, with the help of Brandon, the quiet guy across the street, he begins to decipher the clues. The challenge will take you deep into Lambert’s story, filled with ugly deeds, unsung heroes, and great love. and deeper into their own families, with his own unspoken secrets. Will they be able to find the fortune and fulfill the promise of the letter before the answers go back to the past?

the farce of harlem

Published: January 31, 2017

observer. shade. fugitive.

harlem is home to all kinds of kids. jin watches life go by from her family’s cellar window. Alex wants to help those in need one shelter at a time, but she can’t tell anyone who she really is. Elvin lives in the cold and lonely streets of Harlem, surviving only after her grandfather was mysteriously attacked.

When these three strangers join forces to find out what happened to Elvin’s grandfather, their investigation leads them to an enigmatic artist whose missing masterpieces are worth a fortune, one who could save the neighborhood from the development of an ambitious politician who wants turn into harlem world, a ridiculous historical theme park. But if they don’t find the paintings soon, nothing in their beloved neighborhood will ever be the same…

In this remarkable story of daring and danger, debut novelist Natasha Tarpley explores how a community defines itself, the power of art to show the truth, and what it truly means to be home.

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me, frida and the secret of the peacock ring

Published: March 27, 2018

a room closed for 50 years.

a valuable peacock ring.

a mysterious brother-sister duo.

Paloma Márquez travels for the first time to Mexico City, the birthplace of her late father. She hopes that spending time in Mexico will help her unlock memories of their brief time together.

While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with an irresistible challenge: the siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Finding the ring means a great reward and thanks from all of Mexico. What better way to honor her father than to return a priceless piece of jewelry that once belonged to her favorite artist!

the newspaper club

Published: March 10, 2020

Nellie Murrow, the daughter of two (former) newspaper reporters, was named after one of the fiercest journalists who ever lived. When she moves to Sleepy Bear Creek, Maine, rumors of vandalism and attacks on the town’s only park keep her saddled up in the house.

some residents say the attacks are gang recruitment. others blame a homeless man spotted on the city’s hiking trails. But when Nellie thinks like a reporter, neither explanation makes sense. something is happening in the park, but what? all the fake news and rumors online are clouding the truth.

Nellie wants to reveal the story and escape the front lawn, but she can’t do it alone. She needs a whole club if she’s going to start The Cubs Report, the city’s first independent newspaper. creating a newspaper from scratch is going to be difficult; But for Nellie, making friends is even harder.

quick launch

Published: August 31, 2021

shenice lockwood, captain of the fulton firebirds, is hyper-focused as she approaches home plate. nothing can stop her from leading her team to the regional U-12 fastpitch softball championship. but her life has put obstacles in her way. Strike One: As the only all-brown-faced team, Shenice and the Firebirds have to work twice as hard to prove that black girls belong at bat. Strike Two: Shenice’s focus is affected when Ella’s great-uncle Jack Ella reveals that a crime that ended her career and ruined the family name may have been staged. . strike three: broken focus means mistakes on the field. and shenice’s teammates begin to wonder if she’s qualified as a captain. It’s up to Shenice to find out the truth about her family’s past, and fast, before the secrets put the Firebirds out of the game for good.

green glass house (series)

Published: August 26, 2014

it’s winter in greenglass house. The Squeaky Smuggler’s Inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers’ adopted son, plans to spend his vacation relaxing. but on the first frosty night of vacation, out of the blue, the guest doorbell rings. then it rings again. and again. Soon, Milo’s house is full of strange and secretive guests, each with a strange story that is somehow related to the labyrinthine old house. As objects disappear and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook’s daughter, must decipher clues and unravel the web of deepening mysteries to uncover the truth about Greenglass House and themselves.

one came home

Published: January 8, 2013

In the town of Placid, Wisconsin, in 1871, Georgie Burkhardt is known for two things: his uncanny marksmanship with a rifle, and his habit of speaking his mind clearly.

but when georgie blurts out something she shouldn’t, her older sister, agatha, flees with a pack of “pigeons” following the migration of homing pigeons. And when the sheriff returns to town with an unidentifiable body, dressed in Agatha’s teal dress, everyone assumes the worst. except george. Refusing to believe the facts that are laid (and coffined) before her, Georgie sets out on a journey to find her sister. She will track down every last clue and piece of evidence to bring Agatha home. However, even with resolute determination and Springfield’s trusty single shot of hers, Georgie is unprepared for what she faces on the western frontier.

the mystery of the london eye (series)

Published: February 12, 2008

ted and kat watched their cousin salim board the london eye. but after half an hour it landed and everyone flocked out except salim. Where could he have gone? how the hell could it have disappeared into thin air? Ted and her older sister Kat become investigative partners as the police are having no luck. Despite their thorny relationship, they overcome their differences to follow a trail of clues across London in a desperate attempt to find their cousin. And ultimately, it all comes down to Ted, whose brain works in a unique way, to find the key to the mystery. This is a chilling thriller that can’t be beat: a race against time.

goldie vance (series)

Published: October 5, 2016

move over nancy, harriet, & Veronica. There’s a new detective on the block!

Sixteen-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance lives in a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place. her mom, who divorced her dad years ago, works as a live siren at a downtown club. Goldie has an insatiable curiosity, which explains her dream of one day becoming the hotel’s in-house detective. When current detective Ella Charles comes across a case she can’t solve, she agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help in solving the mystery.

many points from me

Published: January 12, 2021

georgia rosenbloom’s father was a famous artist. the best known paintings of his were a series of asterisms, star patterns, that he created. One represented a bird, another himself, and another Georgia’s mother. There was supposed to be a fourth asterism, but Georgia’s father died before he could paint it. Georgia’s mother and her best friend, Theo, are sure the last asterism would have been from Georgia, but Georgia isn’t so sure. She’s not sure of anything anymore, not even if Theo is still her best friend.

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then georgia finds a sketch her father made of her. one with marked pencil tips on the back, like those on asterism paintings. Could this finally be proof that the last painting of hers would have been hers?

georgia’s search to prove her theory takes her on a tour of her upper west side neighborhood in new york city and to the metropolitan museum of art, which was almost a second home for georgia, where she had constantly visited her artists and favorite paintings with his father. but the sketch leads right back to where she’s always belonged: with the people who love her no matter what.

stand firm

Published: March 1, 2013

where is early’s father? he is not the type of father who would disappear. but he is gone. . . and he has left a lot of trouble behind.

As danger approaches early, her mother and brother have to flee their apartment. With nowhere else to go, they are forced to move to a city shelter. once there, he starts asking questions and looking for answers early. because his father has not disappeared without a trace. there are patterns and rhythms to what happened, and early might be the only one who can use them to track him down and get out of a very difficult place.

With her singular love of language and sense of mystery, Blue Balliett weaves a story that takes readers from the cold, snowy streets of Chicago to the darkest corner of the public library, on an unforgettable search for deeper truths. and a family reunion.

agatha strangely (series)

Published: June 28, 2018

Meet thirteen-year-old Agatha in a strange way: a bold and determined heroine, and the star of a stylish new detective series.

agatha oddlow has been a detective for as long as she can remember; he’s just been waiting for his first big case. And nothing is bigger than saving the city of London from some strange happenings.

With a scholarship to the prestigious st regis school, a country house in the middle of hyde park, a room full of beloved detective novels, and a secret key that gives her access to an entire hidden side of london, agatha is perfectly fine. prepared to solve the mystery of what is happening. but who can she trust when no one is who she seems…

the mysterious benedictine society (series)

Published: May 2, 2017

“Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” Dozens of children respond to this peculiar newspaper ad and then undergo a series of mind-boggling tests, which the readers carry with them. only four children, two boys and two girls, are successful. his challenge: to undertake a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To achieve this, they will have to go undercover at the Highly Enlightened Learning Institute, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they’ll find in the school’s hidden underground tunnels is more than your average school supplies. so if you’re talented, creative, or know morse code, they could probably use your help.

the case of the haunted history museum (museum mysteries series)

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Published: January 1, 2015

the capitol city natural history museum is haunted, or at least that’s what someone wants people to think. But Wilson Kipper, son of the museum’s chief paleontologist, knows better. when mysterious happenings turn from spooky to dangerous, the museum is forced to close its doors. Can Wilson and his friends get to the bottom of things, or is the Natural History Museum closed forever?

all the missing pieces

Published: May 26, 2020

maddy gaines sees danger everywhere she looks: at the bus stop, around the skating rink, in the woods, and (especially) by the sea. When Maddy meets a mysterious boy booby-trapping the North Carolina woods, she suspects he is Billy Holcomb, the boy who disappeared in the fall. As Maddy tries to uncover the truth about Billy Holcomb, ghosts from her own past surface, her best friend begins to slip away, and Maddy’s world tilts once again. Will she be able to put the pieces of her life back together, even if some of them are lost forever?

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when you reach me

Published: July 14, 2009

Shortly after a fight with her best friend, sixth grader Miranda starts receiving mysterious notes and doesn’t know what to do. her notes tell him that she must write a letter, a true story, and that she cannot share her mission with anyone. it would be easy to ignore the strange messages, except whoever leaves them has an uncanny ability to predict the future. If that’s the case, then Miranda has a big problem, because her notes tell her that someone is going to die, and it may be too late to stop it.

three times of luck

Published: May 10, 2012

Miss Moses Lobeau, a rising sixth grader, lives in the small town of Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, where everyone’s business is fair game and no secret is sacred. she made landfall in a hurricane eleven years ago, and ever since then she’s been making waves. Though she doesn’t hope to one day find “her mother upriver,” she has found a home with the Colonel, a cafe owner with a forgotten past, and Miss Lana, the fabulous cafe hostess. she will protect those she loves with every part of her strong will and tough attitude. So when a lawman comes to town asking about a murder, Mo and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson III, set out to uncover the truth in hopes of saving the only family Mo has ever known.

escape from mr. lemoncello’s library (series)

Published: June 25, 2013

When kyle learns that the world’s most famous game maker, luigi lemoncello, has designed the town’s new library and has closed invitation-only hours on opening night, he’s determined to be there! but the hard part isn’t getting into the library, it’s getting out. because when the morning comes, the doors are closed. Kyle and the other kids must solve all the clues and solve all the secret puzzles to find the hidden escape route!

the western game

Published: June 1, 1978

A strange chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for a reading of Samuel W. westing’s will And while no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger – and possible murderer – to inherit his vast fortune, the truth is that Sam Westing may be dead… but that won’t stop him. let him play one last game!

the million dollar race

Published: January 19, 2021

grant falloon isn’t just good on the track; he is close to breaking the 100m world record for his age group. So when the multi-billion dollar sneaker company Babblemoney announces an international contest to find the world’s fastest kid, he’s desperate to enter.

but not so fast. Nothing is that easy with the eccentric Fallon family. Turns out her maverick parents never got her a legal birth certificate. He can’t compete for the United States, so now if he wants to compete, he may have to invent his own country.

And even if that plan works, winning the gold will mean taking his best friend, and biggest competitor, Jay, out of the competition. As unexpected obstacles arise, Grant will have to ask himself not only if he can win, but what he’s willing to sacrifice for it.

lost summer

Published: March 29, 2016

It’s the first real summer since the accident that killed Cedar’s father and younger brother, Ben. Cedar and what’s left of his family return to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They’re settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in a costume, rides past on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost Theater Festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a concessions job at the festival, but she finds herself surrounded by mystery. the mystery of the tragic and too short life of the hollywood actress who haunts the halls of summerlost. and the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for the cedar.

holes

Published: June 26, 2018

stanley yelnats is under a curse. a curse that she began with her great-great-grandfather, a thief of rotten and dirty pigs, and that has followed generations of Yelnatses ever since. Now, Stanley has been wrongfully sent to a children’s detention center, Camp Green Lake, where boys build their character by spending all day, every day, digging holes exactly five feet wide and five feet deep. there is no lake at camp lago verde. but there are a lot of holes.

It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize there’s more to Camp Green Lake than enhancing character. the boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. but what could be buried under a dry lake? Stanley tries to unearth the truth in this darkly humorous, inventive tale of crime, punishment, and redemption.

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murder is rude

Published: April 21, 2015

daisy wells and hazel wong are best friends at deepdean school for girls and both have a penchant for solving mysteries. In fact, the outspoken Daisy describes herself as Sherlock Holmes, designating Wallflower as her personal Watson when they form their own (secret!) detective agency. the only problem? they have nothing to investigate.

But that changes once Hazel discovers the body of her science teacher, Miss Bell, and the body subsequently disappears. she and daisy are sure a murder must have happened, and they can think of more than one person with a motive.

Determined to get to the bottom of the crime, and prove it happened, before the killer strikes again, Hazel and Daisy must search for evidence, spy on their suspects, and use all the cunning, intrigue, and intuition they can. can gather. but will they make it? And can their friendship stand the test?

the emperor’s riddle

Published: May 2, 2017

mia chen is on what her mom calls a big adventure. she’s not sure what to do with this family trip to china and she didn’t want to leave her friends for the summer, but she’s excited about the prospect of exploring with ella lin’s aunt, the only adult she really has. understands it.

Then Aunt Lin disappears, just after her old nemesis, a man named Ying, comes to visit. Mia knows that years ago, when Aunt Lin and Ying were sent to the Fuzhou countryside to work as laborers, the two of them searched together for an ancient treasure, one that has yet to be found. She suspects that the shared history of hers could be related to Aunt Lin’s disappearance.

When Mia discovers an old map full of puzzles in Aunt Lin’s room, she quickly puts together her mission: find the treasure, find her aunt. Now, Mia, along with her older brother, Jake, must solve the clues to rescue the person she knows best in the world, and perhaps uncover a treasure greater than her wildest dreams.

linked

Published: July 20, 2021

link, michael and dana live in a quiet town. but she wakes up real quick when someone sneaks into the school and tears it apart with a swastika.

no one can believe it. how could a hate symbol like that end up in the middle of their school? who would do such a thing?

because michael was the first person to see it, he is the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular boys in school, everyone is looking to him to find out. And since Dana is the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone treats her more like an outsider than ever.

The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Michael and Dana get to the truth, the more they have to face, not only the crimes of the present, but also the crimes of the past.

the big green heist (series)

Published: May 27, 2014

jackson greene swears he’s stopped scheming. Later, school bully Keith Sinclair announces that he is running for student council president, against Jackson’s ex-friend, Gaby de la Cruz. Gaby wants Jackson to stay out of it, but she knows that Keith has “connections” with the director, which could win him the presidency regardless of the vote count.

so jackson puts together a great team: tech genius hashemi larijani. victor cho, funds. megan feldman, goddess of science. charlie de la cruz, reporter Together they devise a plan that will bring Keith down, earn Gaby’s respect, and ensure the election is done right. If they can pull it off, he will go down as the biggest con in the school, one that deserves the name of the Great Green Heist.

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the book scavenger (series)

Published: June 2, 2015

For twelve-year-old emily, the best thing about moving to san francisco is that it’s the hometown of her literary idol: garrison griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation book scavenger. in cities across the country and the clues to finding them are revealed through puzzles). however, upon her arrival, emily learns that griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game she was about to release. Then, Emily and Ella’s new friend James discover a strange book, which they come to believe is by Griswold himself, and may contain the only copy of Ella’s mysterious new game.

In a race against time, Emily and James race from track to track, desperate to discover the secret that lies at the heart of Griswold’s new game, before those who attacked Griswold come after them too.

framed: a mystery of t.o.a.s.t (series)

Published: August 23, 2016

Meet the only kid on the fbi director’s speed dial and on the most wanted lists of various international criminals, all thanks to his theory of all little things in this hilarious start to a new undergrad mystery series. medium.

so you’re only halfway through your homework and the fbi director keeps texting you for help… what do you do? save your rating? or save the country?

if you’re florian bates, find a way to do both.

florian is twelve years old and just moved to washington. she is learning how to use toast, which represents the theory of all little things. it’s a technique she invented to solve life’s little mysteries like: where to sit on the first day of school or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls.

but when he shows it to his new friend margaret, they discover a mystery that is not little. In fact, it’s huge, involving the National Gallery, the FBI, and a notorious crime syndicate known as the Eel.

Can Florian decipher the clues and finish his homework in time to help the FBI solve the case?

ocdaniel

Published: April 12, 2016

Daniel is the stand-in bettor for the Erie Hills Elephants. which really means he is the water boy. he spends soccer practice arranging water glasses perfectly and hoping no one notices. in reality, he spends most of his time hoping no one will notice his strange habits, he calls them zaps: avoiding writing the number four, for example, or turning a light switch on and off dozens of times. He hopes no one will notice that he’s crazy, especially his best friend Max and Raya, the prettiest girl in school. his life gets weirder when another girl at school, unkindly called psycho sara, notices him for the first time. she not only notices it: she seems to look through it.

then daniel gets a note: “i need your help,” he says, signed, fellow star child, whatever that means. And suddenly Daniel, an absolute nobody at school, is swept up in a mystery that could change everything for him.

the best worst summer

Published: May 4, 2021

this is going to be the worst summer for peyton. her family just moved and she had to leave her best friend behind. she is alone she is bored until . . . she finds a box buried in her backyard, with a message: I’m so sorry. please forgive me. things are about to get interesting.

in 1989, it’s going to be the best summer ever for melissa and jessica. they have two whole months to mess around and explore, and they’re even going to bury a time capsule! But when a girl’s family secret begins to unravel, it’s clear things may not go exactly as planned.

In alternating chapters, from Peyton today to Melissa three decades earlier (a time without cell phones, social media, and camera film that took days to develop, but also a lot of freedom), beloved author Elizabeth Eulberg recounts the story of a mystery that two sets of memorable characters will never forget.

all the grays on greene street

Published: June 4, 2019

soho, 1981. twelve-year-old olympia is an artist, and in her neighborhood, that’s normal. His father and his business partner, Apollo, revive old paintings, while his mother makes intricate sculptures in a corner of her loft, leaving Ollie to roam the streets of New York with his best friends, Richard and Alex, drawing whatever he wants. caught your attention. . then everything falls apart. Ollie’s dad disappears in the middle of the night, leaving only a cryptic note and instructions to destroy it. her mother has gone to bed and does not get up. apollo is hiding something, alex is acting strange, and richard has questions about the mysterious stranger he saw outside. and someone keeps calling, looking for a lost piece of art. . . Olympia knows that her dad is the key, but first she has to find it and time is running out.

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davis footer is probably crazy

Published: March 3, 2015

footer davis is on the case when two children go missing after a fire in this humorously honest novel that’s full of southern flair.

here are a few things that are true about the davis footer:1. she has a BB gun named louise.2. walruses scare her.3. Her mother has bipolar disorder.

but wants you to know it’s no big deal. she’s just a mom, and usually she’s fine, except sometimes when she doesn’t take her pills. but right now, the most important thing for the footer is what happened to those kids at abrams farm. Look, there was a fire there a few nights ago, and those kids haven’t been seen since. sure they burned. What footer and peavine, that’s the best friend of hers, want to know who started the fire?

from the mixed files of mrs. basil e. frankweiler

Published: November 1, 1970

in this newbery medal winner from e.l. Konigsburg, when Claudia Kincaid, from the suburbs, decides to run away, she knows she doesn’t just want to run away from somewhere, she wants to run away somewhere, somewhere that’s comfortable, beautiful, and preferably stylish.

Claudia knew that she could never achieve the traditional way of fleeing… so she decided not to flee from somewhere, but to somewhere. And so, after careful planning, she and her younger brother, Jamie, escaped, straight into a mystery that made headlines!

liar and spy

Published: August 7, 2012

The first day Georges (s says nothing) moves into a new apartment in Brooklyn, he sees a sign taped to a door in the basement: Spy Club Meeting Today! so he is safer with his twelve-year-old neighbor. He and Georges quickly become allies and fellow spies. His homework? following the mysterious mr. x, who lives upstairs. But as Safer’s requests become more and more demanding, Georges begins to wonder: how far is too far for your only friend?

wild lake rescue

Published: April 27, 2021

everyone knows that twelve-year-old madison “madi” lewis is not allowed to bring home any more animals. After saving hairless mice, two birds, a rabbit, and a stray cat that ended up destroying the front porch, Madi’s parents decide that if they find one more stray animal in the house, she won’t be allowed to meet Jane Goodall anytime soon. gala event.

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But when Madi and her two best friends, Aaron and Jack, rescue cubs from beavers whose mother was murdered, they find themselves at the center of a local conspiracy that is endangering beavers and their habitats. As Madi and her friends race to discover the threat looming over the beavers, Madi must test her skills as an Animal Whisperer, both to raise the orphaned beavers and to stay out of trouble long enough.

the strangers (greystone secrets series)

Published: April 2, 2019

What makes you you?

the greystone guys thought they knew. Chess has always been the protector of his younger siblings, Emma loves math, and Finn does what he does best: act silly and be adored. They have been a happy family, just the three of them and their mom.

But that all changes when reports of three kidnapped children reach the children of Greystone, and they are shocked by the striking similarities between themselves and these complete strangers. the other children share his same first and middle names. They are of the same age. they even have identical birthdays. who exactly are these strangers?

Before chess, emma and finn can question their mother about it, she suddenly embarks on a business trip and leaves them in the care of mrs. Morales and her daughter, Natalie. But the puzzling clues left behind lead to complex codes, hidden rooms, and a dangerous secret that will turn her world upside down.

most unladylike murder: a wells & wong mystery

Published: June 6, 2019

daisy and hazel are finally back at deepdean, and the school is gearing up for a very exciting event: the fiftieth anniversary.

Plans for a weekend of celebrations are underway. But all is not well, because in the detectives’ long absence, Deepdean has changed. Daisy has lost her crown to a fascinating new girl, and many of the detective society’s former allies are now her sworn enemies.

The girls then witness a shocking incident in the nearby woods, a crime they’re sure is related to the anniversary. As the fathers descend on Deepdean, grudges, rivalries, and decades-old secrets begin to surface, and soon Deepdean’s future hangs in the balance.

Can the girls solve the case and save their home?

squeak

Published: February 4, 2020

When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she is recovering from a broken arm she sustained when she fell off a balance beam. and kept in moving boxes under her clothes and gymnastics trophies is a secret she’d rather forget.

Mia’s change of scenery brings day camp, new friends, and time with her beloved grandmother. But Gram is convinced that someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm. Is it sabotage or is Grandma’s thinking affected by the stroke she suffered months ago? Mia and her friends set out to investigate, but can they uncover the truth in time to save Grandma’s farm? And will that discovery empower Mia to confront the secret she’s been hiding and find the courage she never knew she had?

In a captivating story rich in friendship, science, and summer fun, a young girl finds her voice as she navigates the joys and challenges of growing up.

lemons

Published: May 2, 2017

lemonade liberty witt’s mom always told her: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But Lem can’t make lemonade with her new life in Willow Creek, California, the bigfoot capital of the world, where she’s forced to live with a grandfather she never knew after her mother passes away. She then meets eleven-year-old Tobin Sky, the CEO of Bigfoot Detectives Inc., who is the only Bigfoot investigator in her small town. After inviting Lem to be his assistant for the summer, they embark on an epic quest to capture a shot of the elusive beast on film. But along the way, Lem and Tobin end up discovering more than they ever could have imagined. and lem realizes that she might be able to make lemonade with her new life after all.

drew leclair has a clue

Published: March 1, 2022

drew leclair knows what it takes to be a great detective. He has pored over the cases solved by his heroine, criminal profiler Lita Miyamoto. he tracked down the graffiti artist at school and even solved the mystery of his neighbor’s missing rabbit. But when his mom leaves for Hawaii with the school counselor, Drew is shocked. how did he miss all the clues?

drew is determined to keep her family life a secret, even from her best friend. But when a cyber bully starts posting embarrassing rumors about other students at school, it’s only a matter of time before Drew’s secret is out.

Armed with her notebooks full of observations about her classmates, Drew knows what she has to do: profile all the bullies in her grade to find the culprit. but being a detective is more complicated when the suspects can be your friends. Will draw solve the case if it means losing the people he cares about the most?

goldfish boy

Published: February 28, 2017

mathew corbin suffers from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. he hasn’t been to school in weeks. his hands are chapped and bleeding from cleaning. he refuses to leave his bedroom. To pass the time, he watches his neighbors from his bedroom window, taking mundane notes about his habits as they move down the cul-de-sac.

When a little boy who lived next door goes missing, it becomes clear that Matthew was the last person to see him alive. Suddenly, Matthew finds himself at the center of a high-stakes mystery, with every one of his neighbors a suspect. Matthew is the key to finding out what happened and potentially saving a child’s life…but can he do it if it means exposing his own secrets and leaving the safety of his home?

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the girl with the elephant

Published: May 19, 2020

an elephant never forgets, but lexington willow can’t remember what happened before a tornado took her when she was a little girl. all she knows is that she landed it near an enclosure at a nebraska zoo; and there an elephant named nyah sheltered her from the storm. With no trace of her biological family, Lex grew up at the zoo with Nyah and his family of elephants; her adoptive father, roger; her best friend, a fisherman; and the wind whispering in her ear.

Now that he’s twelve, Lex is finally old enough to help out with the elephants. But during her first training session, Nyah sends her a telepathic image of the forest outside the zoo. Despite Wind’s protests, Lex decides to investigate Nyah’s message and finds herself swept up in an adventure involving ghosts, a lost treasure, and a puzzle that could hold the key to finding her family. As she searches for answers, Lex must muster the courage to leave the safe confines of her zoo to find out who she really is and why the tornado brought her here so many years ago.

tornado brain

Published: May 5, 2020

Things never seem to go as smoothly for thirteen-year-old Frankie as they do for her sister, Tess. Unlike Tess, Frankie is neurodivergent. In her case, that means she can’t stand being touched, is annoyed by loud noises, is easily distracted, hates changes in her routine, and has to go see a therapist while other kids are having fun. the beach. It also means that Frankie has trouble making friends. she had one, colette, but they’re not friends anymore. it’s complicated.

Then, just a few weeks before the end of seventh grade, Colette shows up unexpectedly on Frankie’s doorstep. the next morning, colette disappears. Now, after losing Colette yet again, Frankie is convinced her ex-best friend left behind clues only she can unravel, so she convinces her reluctant sister to help her unravel the mystery of Colette’s disappearance sooner. that it’s too late.

A powerful story of friendship, sisters, and forgiveness, Tornado Brain is a painfully honest portrait of a young woman trying to find a space to be herself.

kate the chemist – dragons vs unicorns (chapter book series)

Published: March 31, 2020

Kate, the chemist, is a ten-year-old girl who solves science problems. There’s no problem Kate can’t fix! When Ella’s best friend, Birdie, is cast as the main unicorn in Ella’s school musical Dragons vs. unicorns, and kate is chosen to be the assistant director, they agree that this will be the greatest musical of all time! kate is a natural assistant director; Like all good scientists, she’s smart and organized, but she also comes up with great ideas. But when things start to go wrong with the musical and Kate realizes someone is sabotaging the show, will her special scientific research skills help save the day and the show?

izzy newton and the smart squad: absolute hero (series)

Published: September 8, 2020

Science reigns supreme with this squad of young brainiacs. Join izzy newton and her friends on the first adventure in this fun new middle grade fiction series from national geographic kids.

a new school full of people and a crazy class schedule is enough to make izzy feel dizzy. It may be the first day of high school, but as long as her best friends Allie Einstein and Charlie Darwin are by her side, Izzy knows everything will be fine. However, the nervousness of the first day takes a frosty turn when Izzy’s old Marie Curie returns to town. Instead of a warm welcome, Marie turns her back on her old friend. Trouble mounts when the school’s air conditioner malfunctions and the temperature suddenly drops to near freezing. the adults seem to have no idea how to unfreeze the school. cold temperatures and an icy friendship? izzy has had enough of feeling like an absolute zero. she encourages the girls to use their brainpower and her scientific savvy to tackle the school’s chilling mystery…and hopefully fix a certain frozen friendship along the way. Will the girls succeed and become the heroines of Atom High School?

maizy chen’s last chance

Published: February 1, 2022

maizy has never been to last chance, minnesota. . . until now. Her mother’s plan is to stay for a couple of weeks, until her grandfather gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time at Last Chance (where she and her family are the only Asian-Americans) and at the Golden Palace, the restaurant she has been in her family for generations, she makes some discoveries. for example: you can tell a lot about someone by the way she orders food. and people can surprise you. sometimes in a good way, sometimes disappointingly. and the golden palace has secrets.

But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions she has. like, why are her mom and her grandma always fighting? who are the people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a beloved family treasure has gone missing and someone has left a racist note, Maizy decides it’s time to find the answers.

murder king

Published: March 2, 2006

Along with her best friend and reluctant sidekick, Meat, Herculeah Jones meets a famous mystery author, Mathias King, aka the Killer King. King’s novels reflect gruesome real-life murders, particularly One Cut of Life, which deals with an unsolved local stabbing. Some people believe that Mathias King is not making up the details, could he really be responsible for the crime? herculeah is sure she can find out. but meat seems too busy with his new girlfriend to give herculeah a hand. Can herculeah solve this mystery on her own, or will meat dating be this detective’s undoing?

the truth told by mason buttle

Published: January 23, 2018

Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are exacerbated by pain. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, was found dead in the Buttle family’s orchard.

an investigation drags on, and mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why lieutenant baird won’t believe the story mason has told about that day.

Both Mason and his new friend, Tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly harassed by the other kids in their neighborhood, so they create an underground shelter for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He is desperate to find out what happened to Calvin and eventually to Benny.

but will anyone believe him?

partners in crime (detective series or challenges)

Published: May 1, 2012

who did it?

When best friends darcy and norah have to create a fake business for a school assignment, they come up with a great idea: a detective agency! darcy loves mysteries and norah likes helping people, so she’s a perfect fit.

but then his fictional agency gets a real case. Someone is missing, and it’s up to Darcy and Norah to search for it. Unfortunately, there’s someone else out there who doesn’t want the two detectives causing any trouble. . . .

With the help of hidden clues, spy devices, and trusted friends, can Darcy and Norah solve the case in time?

high rise mystery

Published: March 12, 2020

The detective duo everyone is dying to meet! Summer in London is hot, the hottest on record, and there’s been a murder at the Tri: the high-rise home of know-it-all residents, Nik and Norva. Who better to solve the case? armed with curiosity, knowledge of the terrain and unlimited time, until the end of the summer holidays anyway. the first crime novel in a new mystery series from sharna jackson.

the great shelby holmes

Published: September 6, 2016

shelby holmes is not your average sixth grader. She’s nine years old, barely five feet tall, and the best detective her Harlem neighborhood has ever seen, always using logic and a bit of courage (which yes, some might call “bossy”) to solve the most difficult crimes. /p>

When eleven-year-old john watson walks downstairs, shelby finds something he’s previously missed: a friend. Quiet John isn’t sure what to make of Shelby, but he soon runs into his most trusted (read: only) partner in a dog-napping case that will take both their talents to crack.

nikki tesla and the ferret proof death ray

Published: July 9, 2019

“that the official record shows that I, nikki tesla, had no intention of destroying the world.”

there are so many times that a child can invent an instrument of global destruction without being punished. So when Nikki’s death ray accidentally blows up her room (if you can call a pet ferret with an itchy trigger finger an accident), she’s sent to the only place that can handle her. the genius academy is a school for the greatest brains in history. leo da vinci? charlotte darwin? bert einstein? all extraordinary. Yet even among her fellow prodigies, Nikki feels like an outsider thanks to a terrible secret she can’t let anyone find out. never.

But when her death ray is stolen, Nikki must stop worrying about fitting in and learn to be nice to her new classmates. Because it doesn’t take a genius to track down a thief around the world, outwit the authorities, and keep a fries-crazy ferret happy. she needs them all.

tangled in fate

Published: November 2, 2021

if you had told sloane osburn and amelia miller-poe that they would be hiding in their city cemetery from an evil mastermind, they would have had a hard time believing you. if you also told them that person intended to win a cache of long-lost jewels from them using nothing more than a slingshot and wicked aim, they would have been sure you were wrong. Finally, if you had told them that you would do all of this as friends… well, they would have been sure you needed medical attention.

either by chance (very, very good luck) or zemblanity (very, very bad luck), someone tricked their teacher into using their seventh grade class to investigate the mystery of their town’s lost treasure. From there, things have escalated. quickly. now, the girls are stuck hiding behind a tombstone, dodging acorns (who knew acorns could be so threatening?), and only a few clues below those jewels.

It’s up to these enemies-turned-partners to uncover centuries-old clues to find the treasure at the end of this book before the mysterious person following them can get there first…

absolutely true

Published: November 4, 2014

Now that lovejoy’s real father has been injured by an ied in afghanistan and is having trouble finding work at home, the family moves from texas to tiny pumpkin falls, new hampshire, to take over lovejoy’s books, a bookstore in plight that has been in the family for a hundred years.

With two older brothers and two younger sisters clamoring for attention, her mom back in school, and everyone up to their eyeballs trying to keep the lovejoy books afloat, she really does feel more ignored than usual. she so she sets about uncovering the mystery of an undelivered letter that she finds trapped in a valuable autographed first edition of charlotte’s web, which subsequently disappears from the bookstore. What’s inside her envelope is truly driving, and her new pumpkin befriends her on a wild scavenger hunt around town, chasing clues that could spell danger.

the theft of the crown (the mysteries of the lost art)

Published: November 16, 2021

As dangerous as his adventures have been, Art has always been able to count on his best friend, Camille. now that camille finds her father estranged from her, art wants to be there for her, which means going to london. but her father, Camille’s history teacher, renowned for his expertise in British legends, is missing. When they visit his apartment, Art and Camille find a long-lost item that suggests the professor may be in trouble and solve a mystery related to London’s history.

Follow art and camille as they visit the tower of london, the national portrait gallery, and ride the “tube” in hopes of discovering the truth before it’s too late.

there they are: 60 best middle grade mysteries for you! If you’re into mid-tier mysteries, I’m sure you’ll find some new (or old) favorites on this list.

If you’d like a printable version of this list, subscribe to Middle Grade Reading on patreon to download a copy.

have you read any of these middle grade mystery books? which ones did you love? What mid-grade mysteries that aren’t on this list would you also recommend? I’d love to know!

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more list of books

  • action and adventure books for middle grades
  • the best books for middle grades set in small towns
  • the best funny books for middle grades

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