Mystery
Read Mystery Classics in English
383 mystery books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best mystery classics to read in English as a learner?
The best mystery classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with The Chink in the Armour, The Childerbridge Mystery and The Chief Legatee. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
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Level C1MysteryThe Burglars' Club: A Romance in Twelve ChroniclesAmidst financial ruin and a loaded revolver, a desperate merchant encounters a charming burglar who disrupts his solitary vigil with unexpected wit and intrigue—unveiling a tale wh…
Level C1MysteryThe Burglar's Fate, and The DetectivesIn a thriving frontier town, four young men commit a crime that leads to their downfall, while a determined detective unravels the truth in a gripping account of real-life justice…
Level C1MysteryThe Bungalow Boys in the Great NorthwestTwo adventurous brothers return to their serene Maine valley, now transformed and strangely tame after past dangers, but old mysteries and new visitors hint that excitement—and per…
Level C1MysteryThe Bronze Hand: 1897In a tense Baltimore on the brink of civil war, a mysterious woman seeks help from a curious lodger after a frightening encounter, drawing him into a web of danger, loyalty, and se…
Level C1MysteryThe Broken ThreadA strikingly graceful girl in black captures the attention of two Cambridge undergraduates during a lively seaside stroll, but when her cherished dog is attacked, an unexpected con…
Level C1MysteryThe Bride of the Tomb, and Queenie's Terrible SecretOn the eve of her wedding, the radiant Lily Lawrence is found dead in her bridal gown, clutching a jeweled dagger—an apparent suicide that shatters a wealthy family and ignites a w…
Level C1MysteryThe Brass BowlUnder the guise of an idle adventure, Daniel Maitland—a wealthy bachelor known as "Mad Maitland"—navigates the restless nightlife and exclusive bachelor apartments of the city, whe…
Level C1MysteryThe Box with Broken SealsTwo secret agents arrive in Chicago to investigate a mysterious box with broken seals, suspecting a cunning bluff hides crucial documents.
Level C1MysteryThe Borough TreasurerIn a quiet town filled with ancient buildings and bustling businesses, a new invention and a mysterious visitor set the stage for a tense game of secrets and blackmail.
Level C1MysteryThe Bond of BlackIn the heart of London’s glittering nightlife, a man recounts a hidden, sinister world of love, sacrifice, and secret malice that defies belief—revealing a mysterious society lurki…
Level C1MysteryThe Bomb-Makers: Being Some Curious Records Concerning the Craft and Cunning of Theodore Drost, an Enemy Alien in London, Together with Certain Revelations Regarding His Daughter EllaIn wartime London, the daughter of a cunning German agent moves through the vibrant world of theatre and espionage, her friendships threatening to unravel dangerous secrets.
Level C1MysteryThe Blotting BookIn a perfectly appointed Sussex Square home, Mrs.
Level C1MysteryThe Black Police: A Story of Modern AustraliaIn the bustling streets of Auckland, a young pioneer is drawn into the mysterious death of an explorer in Queensland, setting him on a path through Australia's shadowy frontier whe…
Level C1MysteryThe Black ParrotA mysterious stranger arrives at a remote tropical hotel, carrying a striking cockatoo and secrets as deep as the surrounding jungle.
Level C1MysteryThe Black BagAlone and financially strained in rainy London, artist Philip Kirkwood faces the shadow of despair but resolves to prove his worth.
Level C1MysteryThe Black AbbotAt Fossaway Manor, a noble lord fiercely denies the haunting of the Black Abbot, yet whispers of a ghost stir fear among the servants, while secrets and mysterious visitors hint at…
Level C1MysteryThe Bishop's SecretIn the exclusive ecclesiastical society of a small English cathedral city, a determined spinster and a domineering social bully stir intrigue and power plays.
Level C1MysteryThe Bishop murder caseWhen a chilling series of murders grips New York, brilliant amateur detective Philo Vance abandons scholarly pursuits to unravel the eerie "Bishop" case, uncovering a dark mystery…
Level C1MysteryThe Big Bow MysteryA baffling murder occurs in a locked room with no apparent way in or out, challenging both detective and reader to unravel a puzzle filled with humor, vivid characters, and an inge…
Level C1MysteryThe BetrayalA fierce storm batters a remote coastal village as a reluctant lecturer battles loneliness, hunger, and unsettling hospitality.
Level C1MysteryThe Best Ghost StoriesExplore the eerie allure of ghost stories that tap into our deepest superstitions and mysteries beyond science, where every creak in the dark hints at the unknown and the afterlife…
Level C1MysteryThe Benson murder caseWhen a shocking murder rattles New York’s elite, the enigmatic Philo Vance steps in, using his unique analytic mind to unravel the baffling clues behind the Benson case, marking hi…
Level C1MysteryThe Bells of San JuanIn the dusty town of San Juan, ancient bells carry secrets of conquest, passion, and intrigue through the desert air.
Level C1MysteryThe Bellamy trialA red-headed writer takes her first assignment inside a packed courtroom buzzing with reporters and curiosity.
Level C1MysteryThe Beetle: A MysteryA desperate man, denied shelter in a cold world, confronts harsh rejection and hidden cruelty as he seeks refuge in London's grim casual wards—uncovering a mystery where appearance…
Level C1MysteryThe Beckoning Hand, and Other StoriesAt the Ambiguities Theatre, a casual meeting sparks a mysterious tale filled with intrigue and unexpected connections.
Level C1MysteryThe BandboxAn American writer in London longs for home but finds himself drawn into a mysterious adventure when he crosses paths with a shadowy figure at a crowded steamship booking office.
Level C1MysteryThe Bag of DiamondsIn a fog-shrouded London street, a policeman stumbles upon a mysterious trio carrying an injured, bearded man near a doctor's surgery, where secrets and danger lurk in the shadows…
Level C1MysteryThe AvengerA tense midnight confrontation unfolds when a distinguished woman unexpectedly intrudes into Herbert Wrayson's apartment, armed with a mysterious key and a hidden agenda.
Level C1MysteryThe Avalanche: A Mystery StoryIn post-earthquake San Francisco, Price Ruyler senses a hidden secret behind his wife's sudden change in temperament and guarded past, revealing a tangled mystery beneath the city'…
Level C1MysteryThe Ashiel mysteryAs Sir Arthur Byrne battles a mysterious illness and seeks healing at the spa town of Vichy, he becomes captivated by the enchanting widow Mrs.
Level C1MysteryThe Apple of DiscordA longstanding feud between two powerful families in an Ohio village threatens to erupt into new conflict when Colonel Kendrick suspects his rival, Peter Bolton, of plotting someth…
Level C1MysteryThe Angel of TerrorA man convicted of murder faces a life sentence, but doubts linger over the testimony that sealed his fate.
Level C1MysteryThe Amethyst CrossIn the tranquil Thames-side garden, a young couple’s blossoming love faces the harsh realities of social and financial obstacles.
Level C1MysteryThe Amethyst BoxOn the eve of a wedding at a lavish Newport villa, a deadly Venetian poison vanishes from an exquisite amethyst box, sparking fear and suspicion among the guests.
Level C1MysteryThe Amateur InnA wealthy man returns to his ancestral New England farm to build a grand estate, stirring resentment among the local villagers.
Level C1MysteryThe AmateurAmid a fierce February storm, a sharp-eyed reporter and sleuth boards a ship bound for London, tasked with uncovering the truth behind a mysterious widow’s disappearance and the cu…
Level C1MysteryThe Allen House; Or, Twenty Years Ago and NowA dedicated doctor braves a relentless storm to save a feverish baby, revealing the weight of duty amid life's harsh choices and lingering regrets.
Level C1MysteryThe Albert Gate Mystery: Being Further Adventures of Reginald Brett, Barrister DetectiveWhen a mysterious crime unfolds at an Albert Gate mansion housing Turkish dignitaries and secretive diamond experts, barrister-detective Reginald Brett is drawn into a web of intri…
Level C1MysteryThe Air PirateIn a world where air piracy once threatened the skies, the Chief Commissioner of the British Air Police confronts a new, urgent mystery that could unravel the fragile peace of tran…
Level C1MysteryThe Agony ColumnIn sweltering London on the brink of war, an American man becomes captivated by the mysterious personal notices in the newspaper’s Agony Column, where secret messages of love, intr…
Level C1MysteryThe Affair at the Semiramis HotelWhen the elusive Mr.
Level C1MysteryThe Adventures of Jimmie DaleIn the heart of New York’s elite St.
Level C1MysteryThe Abandoned RoomIn a gloomy ancestral mansion, a young woman senses a sinister presence as her reclusive uncle grows fearful before his mysterious death, while her troubled cousin drifts into a da…
Level C1MysteryThat Mainwaring AffairIn the sweltering offices of a New York brokerage, Hugh Mainwaring prepares to finalize a will that will shift loyalties and fortunes within his estranged English-American family—s…
Level C1MysteryThat Affair Next DoorOn a quiet Gramercy Park night, a mysterious visit to an empty house sparks suspicion and intrigue.
Level C1MysteryTerror keepIn the eerie confines of Broadmoor Asylum, the infamous John Flack, a genius criminal confined for nine murders, has penned a vast encyclopedia of crime—an obsession that could unl…
Level C1MysteryTeresa of Watling Street: A Fantasia on Modern ThemesIn the bustling heart of London's financial district, a determined young specialist steps into a powerful bank's directors' parlour, poised on the brink of a life-changing opportun…