Mystery
Read Mystery Classics in English
629 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 Plunderers: A Novel, The Plot That Failed; or, When Men Conspire and The Place of Dragons: A Mystery. 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 Double LifeA mysterious chest arrives, containing memoirs that reveal a startling secret: a man’s identity linked to a notorious criminal and hidden treasures scattered across Paris.
Level C1MysteryThe Double FourA peaceful life on a Somerset farm is shattered when Peter Ruff receives a mysterious summons from a secretive circle known as the Double Four, pulling him back into a dangerous wo…
Level C1MysteryThe Dorrington Deed-BoxA man returns to England burdened by a dark family mystery and a deadly encounter in Naples with the notorious Camorra.
Level C1MysteryThe Disappearing EyeA tangled web of love, wealth, and social ambition unfolds as Cannington, a penniless lord, navigates the affections of Lady Mabel and the mysterious Wentworth Marr, while secrets…
Level C1MysteryThe Disappearance of Lady Frances CarfaxA solitary woman vanished after leaving a Swiss hotel, carrying priceless jewelry and a mysterious financial trail.
Level C1MysteryThe Diamond ShipAt a lively Kensington Fancy Fair, a wealthy, enigmatic doctor known for his silent demeanor and obsession with precious gems captivates a circle of colorful characters.
Level C1MysteryThe Devil's PawIn the windswept Blakeney marshes, a chance meeting between a shrewd Labour MP and a conflicted barrister stirs questions of peace, power, and hidden alliances as mysterious guests…
Level C1MysteryThe Destroying AngelFacing a grim diagnosis with only months to live, a young lawyer confronts his shattered future and the bitter injustice of fate.
Level C1MysteryThe Dean's WatchTwo young musicians brave a harsh winter journey to Heidelberg, facing rivalry and mysterious warnings as they prepare for a crucial Christmas concert that could make or break thei…
Level C1MysteryThe Dead Letter: An American RomanceIn the Dead Letter office, a mysterious two-year-old letter addressed to John Owen captivates a cynical clerk, pulling him into a tangled web of secrets and forgotten connections t…
Level C1MysteryThe Dead AliveA young barrister, forced to rest after overwork, sets off for America to recover at a relative’s farm—only to find himself drawn into a quiet rural world hiding unexpected secrets…
Level C1MysteryThe Day of TemptationA shadowy plot unfolds as two men debate the dangers of an inexperienced girl’s arrival in London, revealing hidden secrets that threaten to upend their carefully guarded world.
Level C1MysteryThe Datchet DiamondsAmid whispered dances and chance encounters on a windswept pier, a gentle yet enigmatic man draws a young woman into a web of intrigue and hidden dangers, where diamonds and secret…
Level C1MysteryThe Darrow EnigmaA physician with a phenomenal memory crosses paths with a chemist whose mysterious ailment conceals a deeper intrigue tied to a captivating woman and groundbreaking scientific purs…
Level C1MysteryThe Dangerfield TalismanAt a tense card game, Eileen Cressage wrestles with mounting debts while a valuable talisman stirs hopes and suspicions among the players.
Level C1MysteryThe Damned Thing: 1898, From "In the Midst of Life"In a remote wilderness cabin, a coroner and locals gather around a mysterious death as a visiting writer prepares to testify about the strange, possibly supernatural circumstances…
Level C1MysteryThe DamnedA weary writer and his sister consider a month-long stay at a lonely widow’s sprawling Sussex mansion, where strange beliefs and unsettling influences threaten to disturb their liv…
Level C1MysteryThe D'Arblay mysteryOn a peaceful autumn day, a young medical graduate's quiet nature walk turns chilling when he discovers a mysterious face submerged in a woodland pond, plunging him into an unsettl…
Level C1MysteryThe Crow's Inn tragedyIn post-war London, a weary clergyman seeks legal advice as his troubled son, a war veteran haunted by his past and unable to find his place, spirals into debt and despair.
Level C1MysteryThe Crooked HouseA giant Frenchman arrives in London with a mysterious riddle that has taken him across countries, seeking answers hidden in society's shadows.
Level C1MysteryThe Crimson Cryptogram: A Detective StoryIn a gloomy London suburb, a struggling young doctor battles poverty and despair while waiting for his chance to prove himself—until a mysterious visitor arrives, sparking a chain…
Level C1MysteryThe Crimson BlindA struggling novelist faces ruin after guaranteeing his brother’s debts, risking everything he’s built—his home, art, and dreams—for a sum barely within reach.
Level C1MysteryThe Crime of Sylvestre BonnardOn a cold Christmas Eve, a solitary scholar finds comfort in his books and cat, until an unexpected visitor arrives, offering curious new volumes that challenge his quiet, studied…
Level C1MysteryThe Crime DoctorA daring young man risks everything to retrieve a stolen watch from a pickpocket, captivating a bold Home Secretary known for his unconventional methods and political reforms.
Level C1MysteryThe Crime ClubA tense encounter unfolds aboard an ocean liner when Captain Melun is threatened by Sir Paul Westerham, a hardened baronet guarding a mysterious kit-bag.
Level C1MysteryThe Countess of Lowndes Square, and Other StoriesCynthia, once a countess married into wealth, now faces ruin after her father and husband die in debt.
Level C1MysteryThe Count's MillionsOn a stormy night in a grand Paris mansion, the servants whisper about their reclusive master—the wealthy Count—and his mysterious, uneventful life.
Level C1MysteryThe Cottage on the FellsA struggling barrister falls passionately for a mysterious woman living apart from society in a quiet seaside town, but shadows from her past threaten to keep them apart.
Level C1MysteryThe Corner HouseIn a glittering world of wealth and mystery, the enigmatic Countess Lalage captivates London society while a dark, shuttered house nearby hides secrets of a tragic past.
Level C1MysteryThe Copper HouseAmid the chaos of 1917 Stockholm, a mysterious figure known only as the "Man in the Whirlpool" manipulates the deadly game of war and espionage.
Level C1MysteryThe Convict's Farewell: with Advice to Criminals, before and after TrialA convict's heartfelt farewell reveals the tragic descent from a peaceful life to chains and exile, warning against the vices that lead to ruin.
Level C1MysteryThe Continental Classics, Volume XVIII., Mystery Tales: Including Stories by Feodor Mikhailovitch Dostoyevsky, Jörgen Wilhelm: Bergsöe and Bernhard Severin IngemannAt a high-stakes card party, a mysterious secret revealed by the enigmatic Count St.
Level C1MysteryThe Come BackAn adventurous young man known as Peter Boots sets out on a daring expedition to the wilds of Labrador, defying ominous family prophecies and the fears of loved ones.
Level C1MysteryThe Coil of CarneAmid the shifting sands and deadly tides of a remote western coast stands the grim gray house of Carne, built as a sanctuary in turbulent times.
Level C1MysteryThe Clue of the Twisted CandleA determined writer journeys through rain to his secluded Elizabethan home, where a mysterious visitor named Kara awaits.
Level C1MysteryThe Club of Queer TradesIn the labyrinthine streets of London, a secret society admits only those who have invented entirely new trades to earn their living.
Level C1MysteryThe Closed Book: Concerning the Secret of the BorgiasIn the sun-drenched streets of Florence, a passionate antiquary uncovers a mysterious medieval manuscript linked to a secret past.
Level C1MysteryThe Clock Struck OneA fearless young woman and a devoted doctor uncover unsettling connections between a mysterious Lady Burville and a reclusive guardian whose sudden illness follows a chilling churc…
Level C1MysteryThe Clique of GoldIn a meticulously kept Parisian house with a dubious reputation, strange cries echo from the fifth floor, hinting at a mysterious accident involving a young tenant.
Level C1MysteryThe Cleverdale Mystery; or, The Machine and Its Wheels: A Story of American LifeAt the picturesque Lake George, political ambition, family ties, and summer festivities intertwine as Belle Hamblin navigates love and loyalty amid a web of local power and mystery…
Level C1MysteryThe City of ComradesIn the shadowed corners of 1913 New York, a hesitant newcomer is drawn into a dangerous plot by a seasoned petty thief, promising an initiation into a world where trust is scarce a…
Level C1MysteryThe Circular StudyAn aging detective's dull routine is shattered when a frightened boy delivers a mysterious message about a strange crime in an old mansion.
Level C1MysteryThe Cinema MurderA young man returns to a bleak industrial town, drawn into a puzzling mystery linked to a photograph and a haunting presence in a refined yet unsettling home.
Level C1MysteryThe Childerbridge MysteryA self-made Australian millionaire prepares to return to his English roots with his grown children, but as they say farewell to their beloved station, an unexpected encounter by th…
Level C1MysteryThe Chestermarke InstinctA restless bank clerk trapped in monotonous routine longs for freedom and adventure, but when he contemplates his dull life, a mysterious instinct stirs—hinting at secrets lurking…
Level C1MysteryThe Chase of the RubyAfter receiving a mysterious letter about his uncle's death, Guy Holland returns from Africa to London, only to find himself entangled in a strange and unsettling inheritance that…
Level C1MysteryThe Charing Cross MysteryA keen young barrister on a late-night train observes two mysterious men discussing a portrait that sparks a decade-old secret.
Level C1MysteryThe Champdoce MysteryTravel through the French countryside reveals the imposing ruins of the Champdoce estate and its eccentric duke, whose pride and past cast a shadow of mystery and tension over his…