Few things are as enthralling as a good mystery. If you’re looking for great mystery books for 6th graders, this is the list for you. On this list of 6th grade mystery books, you’ll find different kinds of mysteries. There are cozy mysteries, murder mysteries, spy adventure mysteries, and many more options to match your mystery book preferences.
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20 Best Mystery Books for 6th Graders
Here are 20 of the best mystery books for 6th graders:
The Amelia Six
Published: June 1, 2021
Six clever girls are invited to spend a night in Amelia Earhart’s home because of their achievements in STEM (specifically flying and aeronautics). Although all big-time Earhart fans, each of the girls is different. The girls are hosted by Birdie, one of the Ninety-Niners who is the museum’s caretaker. Also in the house are Edna, the housekeeper; Collin, Birdie’s nephew; and Perry, the chef. Things are going smoothly until the girls realize that Birdie has been drugged and Amelia Earhart’s famous aviator goggles — which must be retrieved by the Smithsonian the next day(!) — have gone missing. Everyone’s a suspect, and suddenly these girls have to band together if they want to get out alive.
Finally, Something Mysterious
Published: April 14, 2020
Paul Marconi has always thought that Bellwood was a strange town, but also a boring one. Not much for an eleven-year-old to do. Fires are burning nearby, Paul’s parents are obsessed with winning a bratwurst contest, and his best friend, one of the founding members of their only-child detective club, the One and Onlys, is about to acquire a younger sister, sort of undoing their whole reason for existing. But then! Hundreds of rubber duckies have appeared on the lawn of poor Mr. Babbage without any explanation. Finally! There is something that Paul and his friends can actually investigate.
Coop Knows the Scoop
Published: July 7, 2020
When a dead body is found in Coop’s small town, he and his best friends, Justice and Liberty, are intrigued and want to help solve the mystery. But the stakes get even higher when Coop’s grandfather is accused of murdering the victim (who turned out to be Coop’s missing grandma!). Can Coop get the scoop on this mystery and save his grandfather before it’s too late?
Nothing Is Little
Published: July 19, 2022
Eleven-year-old Felix is the smallest kid in school, thanks to a pituitary hormone deficiency, and he doesn’t mind it too much. When he finds out that his biological dad was also short, he becomes very curious about who his bio father is and starts an investigation to find him using the few clues he has. Unfortunately, not everyone who’s missing wants to be found. This is an engaging mystery with a great emotional arc.
Chester Keene Cracks the Code
Published: July 5, 2022
Chester Keene loves his routines. On Mondays to Thursdays, he goes to the bowling alley after school, and on Fridays, he plays laser tag. What no one else knows is that Chester gets secret messages from his (he’s sure) spy father. But one day, a rambunctious, spontaneous classmate named Skye brings him a new clue about a puzzle they need to solve together, and soon the two kids start working on the mystery together. This one is better on audio as it starts off a bit slowly, but Chester is such a lovable protagonist (and is likely autistic).
City Spies
Published: March 10, 2020
Twelve-year old Sara Martinez is a hacker bouncing from foster home to foster home in Brooklyn, New York. After getting arrested for hacking into the NYC foster care system to expose her foster parents as criminals, she meets a man named Mother who is not a lawyer but convinces her to take on her case. Mother somehow wins and Sara gets released only to join a team of kid spies operating out of a base in Scotland. This series is my favorite middle grade series and is the perfect mix of adventure and mystery.
The Jules Verne Prophecy
Published: June 27, 2023
Owen is in Paris with his mom for the summer studying the popular French writer Jules Verne when he becomes the center of several weird coincidences, ending with a never-before-seen Jules Verne book ending up in his possession. Suddenly, he and his new friends are being tailed by dangerous people who want the book back. This is a high-energy mystery with plenty of chases around Paris, perfect for fans of Paris. The audiobook is excellent, with captivating sound effects.
Spy School
Published: March 6, 2012
Like many kids, Ben Ripley imagines life as a secret agent would be pretty awesome — so when he learns he’s been recruited to the C.I.A.’s top secret Academy of Espionage, it sounds too good to be true. And it is. From the moment he arrives — and ends up in the middle of an enemy attack — Ben finds Spy School is going to be far more difficult, dastardly and dangerous than he expected. Even worse, he soon discovers that he hasn’t been recruited to become a top agent; instead, he’s been brought in as bait to catch a devious double agent. Now, Ben needs a crash course in espionage so that he can catch the mole, prove his worth — and get the girl. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be a very fun — and very funny — ride. This is a fun series, but parents should know that there are guns involved!
Book Scavenger
Published: April 12, 2016
For twelve-year-old Emily, the best thing about moving to San Francisco is that it’s the home city of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, book publisher and creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger (a game where books are hidden in cities all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles). Upon her arrival, however, Emily learns that Griswold has been attacked and is now in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold himself, and might contain the only copy of his mysterious new game.
Escape from Mr. Limoncello’s Library
Published: June 25, 2013
Kyle Keeley is the class clown and a huge fan of all games—board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the construction of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot as one of twelve kids invited for an overnight sleepover in the library, hosted by Mr. Lemoncello and riddled with lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route!
The Swallowtail Legacy (Book 1)
Published: February 15, 2022
This is the first book in a cozy mystery series featuring twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch, who is summering with her stepdad, sister, and stepbrothers on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. In this installment, she’s working as a research assistant to a family friend and ends up investigating a murder mystery with links to her own life and family. I really like this series, especially since the protagonist has a disability that is rarely represented.
Boy Underwater
Published: January 1, 2018
Cymbeline Igloo (yes, really!) has NEVER been swimming, not ever. Not once. But how hard can it be? He’s Googled front crawl, and he’s found his dad’s old pair of trunks. He is totally ready. What he’s not ready for is the accident at the pool or how it leads his mum to a sudden breakdown. Now, with the help of friends old and new, Cymbeline must solve the mystery of why his mum never took him near water, and it will turn his whole life upside down
Not the Worst Friend in the World
Published: February 6, 2024
This is a 2024 release, but it’s too intriguing to leave off this list. 11-year-old Lou is a sixth grader at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School in Missouri where she’s just stopped being BFFs with Francie because of some horrible things she said. Her life gets more interesting when Cece passes Lou a note asking for help. Cece says she was kidnapped from her other parent by her dad. Lou, an avid Harriet the Spy fan, becomes concerned when she finds out the real truth behind Cece’s family, but can she save her new friend? Or is she doomed to be a bad friend forever? As soon as I cracked this one open, I couldn’t stop reading.
Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring
Published: March 27, 2018
Paloma Marquez is traveling to Mexico City, the birthplace of her deceased father, for the very first time. She’s hoping that spending time in Mexico will help her unlock memories of the too-brief time they spent together. While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with an irresistible challenge: The siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Finding the ring means a big reward — and the thanks of all Mexico. What better way to honor her father than returning a priceless piece of jewelry that once belonged to his favorite artist! But the brother and sister have a secret. Do they really want to return the ring, or are they after something else entirely?
Many Points of Me
Published: January 12, 2021
Georgia’s father was a renowned fine artist in New York before he died from cancer while only in his fifties. It’s been two years since he died, and her mom seems to be absorbed in managing his estate and trying to keep the family afloat financially. Georgia is still deeply grieving and dealing with several complicated feelings about her father, the world’s view of him, and her friendship with her oldest and best friend, Theo, who was also close to her dad.
Of her father’s works, he left the final painting series uncompleted at his death, because of his illness. When Georgia finds what she thinks is a sketch of that painting, she goes on a hunt for proof that the painting (which is of her) was really the last one in the series — hoping to confirm her father’s love for her in this way. This mystery in this book is captivating, but Georgia’s sadness is palpable throughout.
The Harlem Charade
Published: January 31, 2017
This is such a heartwarming, intriguing mystery! When the discovery of a painting thought to be lost coincides with the attempted murder of a man in Harlem, three kids are drawn together in sleuthing adventures.
Jin, Alex, and Elvin are completely different from each other and yet form a sweet friendship as they work to piece together the puzzle in this story. I especially loved how racially diverse the cast is, the emphasis on the power of art, and the strong sense of community fostered in this novel. The audiobook narration is equally fantastic, and this story kept me glued until the very end! Very memorable characters and setting!
Trouble at the Tangerine
Published: April 2, 2024
When a priceless necklace is stolen in Simon’s family’s latest apartment, clues indicate the thief might actually be another neighbor. Simon worries he’ll have to move again if the thief isn’t caught. He usually doesn’t go looking for trouble, but if retrieving the necklace means establishing home, Simon is willing to risk it. With the help of his neighbor Amaya, pet sitter, plant-waterer, and podcaster extraordinaire, Simon is determined to crack the case and finally put down roots.
Every Missing Piece
Published: May 26, 2020
Maddy Gaines is an anxious girl still coping with the grief of her father’s death — and also adjusting to her new stepfather. One day, Maddy sees on the news that a boy named Billy Holcomb has gone missing. Then several weeks after, she runs into another boy who looks a lot like Billy, except his hair is different and he’s taller than Billy was, and oh — his name is Eric.
Maddy would love to report her hunch to the sheriff, but she’s already reported so many false crimes in the past that she’s practically known as the girl who cried wolf. So she decides to watch and wait. While she’s waiting, she and Eric become friends. She’s also having some friend issues with her best friend, Cress, and finding it hard to love her dad and accept her stepdad, whom she’s really starting to care about as well. Will Maddy get to the bottom of the Eric/Billy situation? And will she find a way to open her heart despite her worries?
The Best Worst Summer
Published: May 4, 2021
The Best Worst Summer follows two sets of kids three decades apart. In the present, Peyton and her family have just moved from Minneapolis to a small town named Lake Springs, leaving her best friend and their summer soccer camp tradition behind. She’s having the worst summer! But her summer gains new life when she discovers a box of secrets: a cryptic note to a friend, half of a “best friends” necklace, a playlist and several other items. After making her first new friend in the library, Peyton is eager to get to the bottom of the time capsule mystery.
Meanwhile, in 1989, best friends Jessica and Melissa are planning the best summer ever! They even plan to bury a time capsule. Jessica is an adopted Korean girl — one of the only Asians in her small town — and Melissa’s mom is hiding some deep secrets about their family. When the secret unravels, the girls’ lives are forever changed. That is until Peyton finds their time capsule in the present. The story alternates between past and present as we read Melissa and Peyton’s perspectives.
Meet Me on Mercer Street
Published: April 2, 2024
Soon-to-be 6th grader Kacie Sithiwat finds that something in her neighborhood has changed when she returns from her summer holiday. Worst of all, her best friend, Nisha, is nowhere to be found. She also discovers that a new store has replaced Nisha’s family’s grocery store. This graphic novel isn’t your typical mystery, but readers will love following Kacie as she unravels what really happened with Nisha using her sketchbooks and observational skills.
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There they are: 20 of the best mystery books for 6th graders! Which of these books have you read and loved? Which ones are on your radar?
More Middle Grade Mysteries
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