The best mystery books the reader can solve by themselves

This is one of my favorite mysteries of all time. It set the model for me in writing my own mystery. I love that it is, in fact, solvable by the reader if you’re observant enough to pick up the clues and clever enough to put them together. The best part, though, is that despite this being a murder mystery, the characters are likeable and relatable. At its heart it’s about people trying to be happy and finding ways to thrive, and coming together to help each other be better versions of themselves. This is a great mystery, yes, but part of its greatness is highlighting the power of community.

This book is more than just one puzzle: it’s a whole sequence of them, and they’re all solvable by the readers. There are no hiding answers or clues, and no tricking the reader by refusing to tell the whole story. It opens its magnificent doors to the ready minds of the readers. I also appreciate that this is a book without a villain—it shows that not every story needs a villain. Sometimes the best conflict comes from solving the puzzle.

Agatha Christie is a marvel of mystery writing. Any of her books are solvable, with the right knowledge. She is not one to hide her clues but confounds her readers anyway. This book I chose because it was one of the books I was able to solve before the ending, which felt great. There is power in reading a tricky mystery and solving it, as it made me feel smart and kept me engaged the whole time. I appreciate that Christie doesn’t lie to her readers and hides no clues. When you solve one of her books, you have earned the joy that comes with it.

Dragons, castles, fairy tales, and mystery…this book has all my favorite things! We follow Elodie, a young actress (or mansioner) who becomes apprenticed to Sherlock Holmes in Dragon form. That alone was enough to hook me; I love seeing the mystery play out, and it is solvable, though in, perhaps, a different way than other mystery stories. My favorite thing about this book, though, is how it turns classic fairy tale tropes on their head. From this story, I learn not to assume and that villains can come in all different forms.

This book is a complex mystery revolving around a boy accused of a terrible crime, a boy who is currently unable to speak. It is solvable, as the protagonist is the detective character, though not every detail may be known until the explanation. What I love about this book are the difficult issues handled well for young readers, the excellent friendship between the protagonist and his sister, and the wisdom about interpersonal relationships and emotions that carries this novel into depths not usually seen in a young reader’s mystery. One observation about shame and anger continues to ring in my mind, reminding me that emotions seen on the surface often have deeper roots.