Mystery
Read Mystery Classics in English
1,288 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.
- 1,288
- books
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 B2MysteryThe Betrayal of John FordhamHaunted by a shadowy crime he can’t fully recall, John Fordham faces a grim fate as he wrestles with guilt, love, and a relentless enemy determined to destroy him and the family he…
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 B2MysteryThe Beautiful White DevilIn the sultry heat of Hong Kong, a group of colorful characters gather in a smoky billiard room, setting the stage for a mysterious tale where chance encounters and whispered secre…
Level B2MysteryThe Bartlett MysteryAt a lavish New York club, a high-society dinner with mysterious theater tickets spirals into chaos, drawing in Detective-Inspector Clancy to untangle secrets hidden beneath glitte…
Level B2MysteryThe Barrel MysteryIn the grimy shadows of New York’s East Side, a shocking discovery—a man’s body stuffed into a barrel—unleashes a tense investigation that exposes dark secrets and ruthless assassi…
Level B2MysteryThe Banner Boy Scouts on a Tour; or, The Mystery of Rattlesnake MountainFour brave Boy Scouts face eerie sounds and a half-open door at a closed feed store, sparking a thrilling mystery tied to a recent robbery.
Level B1MysteryThe Banner Boy Scouts in the AirTwo adventurous Boy Scouts explore a newly opened airport, dreaming of flight and discovery.
Level A2MysteryThe Banner Boy Scouts MysteryWhen Ken Armstrong’s little sister, Betty, vanishes from their usual haunts, he embarks on a desperate search through neighbors’ homes and nearby parks, uncovering unsettling clues…
Level B1MysteryThe Banner Boy Scouts Afloat; or, The Secret of Cedar IslandA troop of adventurous Boy Scouts embarks on a thrilling summer cruise to mysterious Cedar Island, uncovering secrets and facing perils that test their courage and loyalty in the w…
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 B2MysteryThe Babbington case; Or, Nick Carter's strange questIn the dead of night, a man enters a locked estate with a woman but emerges alone—leaving behind puzzling footprints in fresh snow.
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 B2MysteryThe Automobile Girls at Palm Beach; Or, Proving Their Mettle Under Southern SkiesFour adventurous young women arrive at vibrant Palm Beach, ready to explore automobiles, sailing, and social intrigues under the southern sun.
Level B2MysteryThe Automobile Girls at Chicago; Or, Winning Out Against Heavy OddsTwo young women on a train overhear a sinister conspiracy to ruin powerful men financially, thrusting them into a dangerous web of ambition, revenge, and secret schemes.
Level B1MysteryThe Auto Boys' VacationFour boys face a baffling mystery of a stolen car and a murdered dog while uncovering secrets on a lonely country road, testing their courage and friendship during a summer vacatio…
Level B2MysteryThe Auto Boys' MysteryFour boys camping by a remote lake stumble upon an abandoned clubhouse harboring secrets tied to a stolen fortune and dangerous men.
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 B2MysteryThe Arctic legionsIn the harsh Arctic wilderness, a tense standoff unfolds between Corporal Conroy and the cunning half-breed hunter Yeyik, as they navigate survival amid a relentless migration of m…
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 B2MysteryThe Apartment Next DoorIn the shadowed streets by the river, a young man with a secret is tailed by a mysterious pursuer, while nearby, a restless woman longs to play her part in a world at war—until the…
Level B2MysteryThe Apaches of New YorkDive into the gritty underworld of early 20th-century New York, where gangsters, corrupt politicians, and weary street musicians collide.
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 B2MysteryThe Amateur CracksmanA desperate man, ruined and dishonored, confronts Raffles, a composed and enigmatic figure, seeking help—or perhaps revenge—in a foggy London night.
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 B2MysteryThe Adventures of the Eleven Cuff-Buttons: Being one of the exciting episodes in the career of the famous detective Hemlock Holmes, as recorded by his friend Dr. WatsonWhen the earl’s priceless cuff-buttons vanish, a bald visitor bursts into Holmes’s London flat seeking help.
Level C1MysteryThe Adventures of Jimmie DaleIn the heart of New York’s elite St.
Level B2MysteryThe Adventure of the Red CircleA mysterious lodger, shrouded in secrecy and isolation, puzzles a worried landlady with his silent presence and cryptic printed notes.
Level B2MysteryThe Adventure of the Dying DetectiveWhen Sherlock Holmes falls mysteriously ill with a deadly, contagious disease, his friend Dr.
Level B2MysteryThe Adventure of the Devil's FootHolmes retreats to the eerie Cornish moors for rest, only to face a chilling local mystery known as "The Cornish Horror.
Level B2MysteryThe Adventure of the Cardboard BoxOn a scorching August day, Sherlock Holmes deciphers a puzzling letter that sets him on a trail of a strange and terrible chain of events, revealing his uncanny ability to read sub…
Level B2MysteryThe Adventure of the Bruce-Partington PlansIn a fog-shrouded London, a mysterious death on the Underground draws the attention of an extraordinary mind who connects the threads of national secrets and unseen dangers.