Mystery
Read Mystery Classics in English
843 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 Pocket Island: A Story of Country Life in New England, Phineas Redux and Pharos, The Egyptian: A Romance. 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 B2MysteryRuth Fielding and the Gypsies; Or, The Missing Pearl NecklaceWhen a miller's errand goes mysteriously awry, quick-witted Ruth Fielding insists on rowing the dangerous river herself, setting off on a daring quest that may unravel the secrets…
Level B1MysteryRuth Fielding In the Saddle; Or, College Girls in the Land of GoldCollege girls Ruth, Helen, and Jennie embark on a daring horseback journey into the rugged Hualapai Range, blending friendship and adventure amidst the challenges of the wild land…
Level B2MysteryRuth Fielding Down East; Or, The Hermit of Beach Plum PointAs a fierce summer storm brews over a quiet riverside mill, Ruth Fielding senses more than just bad weather—a mysterious presence lurks nearby.
Level B2MysteryRuth Fielding At College; or, The Missing Examination PapersAs Ruth Fielding prepares to leave home for college, a mysterious adrift boat and the promise of missing examination papers set the stage for a thrilling puzzle.
Level C1MysteryRunning the Gauntlet: A NovelIn the bustling heart of London’s legal world, two brothers run a unique law firm: one caters to the city’s elite, the other defends the desperate criminals lurking in shadowy cour…
Level C1MysteryRun to Earth: A NovelIn the shadowy taverns of 19th-century London’s Ratcliff Highway, a seasoned sea captain and his cunning clerk navigate perilous trade and hidden dangers.
Level B1MysteryRoy Blakeley's Silver Fox PatrolA group of scouts discovers an old railroad car to transform into their secret meeting place, sparking their imaginations with mysterious secrets and thrilling adventures.
Level C1MysteryRound the Fire StoriesDive into a chilling collection where the grotesque and mysterious unfold by the fireside, centered around Lionel Dacre's eerie Parisian house filled with occult lore and dark expe…
Level B2MysteryRosalind at Red GateA mysterious telegram summons a stranger to a secluded house at Annandale, thrusting the narrator into a web of enigmatic troubles and unexpected duties.
Level C1MysteryRoom Number 3, and Other Detective StoriesIn a remote tavern shadowed by ancient woods, a young woman’s strange description of Room Number 3 clashes with chilling reality, drawing a deputy sheriff and coroner into a perple…
Level C1MysteryRoom 13Imprisoned and branded a mug, Johnny Gray endures harsh days in a grim Dartmoor prison, surrounded by hardened criminals and whispers of a master forger known as young Legge.
Level C1MysteryRomance IslandA sudden inheritance transforms a struggling journalist into a yacht owner, thrusting him into a world of wealth and mystery.
Level C1MysteryRoland Yorke: A Sequel to "The Channings"Under the eerie glow of a bright moon, a solemn crowd gathers in a cathedral town to witness the burial of a mysterious gentleman in a hastily dug grave at a crossroads—sparking wh…
Level B2MysteryRogues' HavenTwo boys caught poaching face a dangerous chase and an unexpected collision with a mysterious gentleman, Mr.
Level B2MysteryRogues and VagabondsStranded on a calm yet doomed ship far from help, survivors of the Bon Espoir face haunting isolation and a deadly secret as they await rescue that may never come.
Level B2MysteryRevenge!In a bitter marriage marked by relentless hatred, John Bodman plots a chilling scheme to murder his wife during their Alpine retreat, concealing deadly intent beneath the serene mo…
Level B1MysteryReuben Stone's discoveryLeft in charge of his father's struggling mill, a determined young miller faces mounting debts, suspicious rumors, and perilous challenges as he fights to save his family’s legacy…
Level C1MysteryRedlaw, the half-breed; or, The tangled trail. A tale of the settlementsIn a frontier town plagued by counterfeit money and stock theft, a determined group forms a vigilance committee to uncover the hidden criminals.
Level C1MysteryRed acesA young man’s passionate love turns to suspicion when he discovers his mysterious lover meeting secretly with an older man, revealing hidden secrets and testing the trust between t…
Level C1MysteryRed MoneyA tense house party near Abbot's Wood is stirred when gypsies, suspected of local burglaries, become the focus of suspicion and a daring fortune-telling outing.
Level C1MysteryRed Masquerade: Being the Story of the Lone Wolf's DaughterAt a dreary auction, a youthful art collector with a sharp eye for hidden treasures uncovers more than just dusty relics, drawn into a world where secrets and scandal mingle with p…
Level C1MysteryRecollections of a PolicemanA detective in London’s police force is tasked with uncovering a cunning gang of swindlers and forgers, navigating high society and hidden dangers to bring justice to a young victi…
Level C1MysteryRecalled to LifeA young woman awakens from a mysterious amnesia, haunted by a vivid memory of her father's murder and a shadowy figure escaping through a window.
Level C1MysteryRavensdene CourtAn expert in ancient books is invited to a remote Northumbrian manor to catalog a chaotic collection amassed over centuries.
Level B2MysteryRaspberry JamAunt Abby defies social conventions to witness a mind-reading spectacle in Newark, sparking a clash with her cautious niece Eunice.
Level B2MysteryRancho Del Muerto, and Other Stories of Adventure: by Various Authors, from "Outing"A paymaster and his cautious clerk arrive at a sinister Arizona ranch haunted by past murder and shadowed by a ruthless proprietor.
Level C1MysteryRamshackle HouseOn a crumbling Chesapeake estate, spirited Pen Broome battles neglect and decay while managing her father's failing homestead, confronting simmering tensions and the relentless dem…
Level B2MysteryRalph, the Train Dispatcher; Or, The Mystery of the Pay CarRalph, a sharp young train dispatcher, teams with veteran fireman Fogg to unravel the suspicious activities of three mysterious men targeting the Overland Express.
Level B2MysteryRalph Raymond's HeirA mysterious man buys a rare poison from a small drugstore, sparking a tense pursuit by a street-smart boy hired to uncover the stranger’s identity and motives.
Level A2MysteryRainbolt, the Ranger; or, The Aerial Demon of the MountainAs an emigrant train departs Omaha, two men conspire in secret, setting the stage for a thrilling mystery involving a shadowy figure known as the Aerial Demon of the Mountain.
Level C1MysteryRaffles: Further Adventures of the Amateur CracksmanA down-on-his-luck writer answers a mysterious ad for a male nurse to care for an elderly gentleman, stepping into a world of secrets and unexpected adventures that blur the line b…
Level B2MysteryRadio Boys Loyalty; Or, Bill Brown Listens InTwo ingenious friends enter a prestigious technical school where their skills and loyalty are tested against hazing and rivalry.
Level C1MysteryR. Holmes & Co.: Being the Remarkable Adventures of Raffles Holmes, Esq., Detective and Amateur Cracksman by BirthOn a scorching August night, a mysterious figure stealthily climbs fire escapes, sparking curiosity and suspense.
Level C1MysteryQuintus Oakes: A Detective StoryOn a scorching summer evening, an unexpected hero saves a young girl from a burning building, only to vanish into the bustling streets of Broadway.
Level C1MysteryPriscilla's SpiesA celebrated schoolboy athlete and scholar embarks on a summer fishing trip in the wild west of Ireland, where his impeccable reputation and leadership may soon be tested beyond th…
Level C2MysteryPrince ZaleskiA troubled prince retreats to a shadowed palace filled with ancient relics and eerie mysteries, where a trusted friend visits to unravel a dark labyrinthine plot.
Level C1MysteryPresent at a Hanging and Other Ghost StoriesWhen a mysterious peddler vanishes after visiting a suspicious old man’s isolated farm, a local minister encounters an eerie apparition that leads to a chilling discovery beneath a…
Level B1MysteryPoppy Ott's pedigreed picklesA clever boy convinces his skeptical friend to start a unique Pickle Parlor, betting that offering better pickles will win customers despite the odds.
Level B1MysteryPoppy Ott and the stuttering parrotWhen Jerry Todd and his friend Red encounter Poppy Ott, a scruffy boy living in a rickety wagon with a gruff old man claiming to be a detective, their summer adventure in the small…
Level B1MysteryPoppy Ott and the galloping snailTwo adventurous boys set out on a carefree hitchhiking trip through sun-baked highways and quiet countryside, only to find themselves mysteriously stranded on a deserted road with…
Level C1MysteryPolice!!!A man flees the New York police, his mind racing with thoughts on science, art, and society while pursued through the city.
Level C1MysteryPoison shadowsIn the glittering world of high society, a desperate countess schemes to secure a wealthy marriage for her stubborn ward, entangling love, money, and deception along the Belgian co…
Level C1MysteryPocket Island: A Story of Country Life in New EnglandTwo unlikely partners—a cunning Polish peddler and a roaming Micmac Indian—form a smuggling alliance, using a haunted, trap-laden island with a secret sea cave to hide their illici…
Level C1MysteryPhineas ReduxIn the heated aftermath of a turbulent general election, political rivalries ignite as parties vie for control amid shifting alliances and bitter battles over power.
Level C1MysteryPharos, The Egyptian: A RomanceA mysterious visitor arrives bearing an urgent message from Cyril Forrester, a man caught between sanity and supernatural experience tied to his late Egyptologist father's legacy.
Level B2MysteryPhantom of the ForestTrapped in a relentless snowstorm, a group stumbles upon a mysterious, brutally maimed body on a remote mountain road—one that defies explanation and hints at a deadly legend haunt…
Level C1MysteryPeter Ruff and the Double FourA seemingly ordinary supper party at Daisy Villa conceals the beginnings of a gripping tale where appearances deceive and hidden identities spark a mystery that will change lives f…
Level C1MysteryPerlycross: A Tale of the Western HillsIn the tranquil village of Perlycross, a devoted curate and a battle-hardened squire navigate the delicate balance of duty, faith, and friendship in a changing world.