Best Crime and Mystery for 7 and 8 year olds

Many of us will know the feeling: the race through each page, the urgency to find out who did what and why, the excitement and anticipation of solving a mystery. These are the feelings that get us HOOKED on books and make us readers for life.

Crime and mystery books are brilliant options for those who are beginning to read independently. They are often series that won't need to be read in any particular order, and feature curious investigators, brave spies and daring sleuths. While these stories have crime, they are rarely ever too scary for readers aged 7 and 8 – if anything, they help children feel empowered and find their own courage.

Drumroll, please, for our favourite crime and mystery series for 7 and 8 year olds...

Georgina Atwell

Toppsta

2025-04-28

2024-05-23

Best Crime and Mystery Series for 7 and 8 year olds

Agent Zaiba Investigates Series

We love a sleuth story with compelling characters and exciting mysteries. Each book in the detective mystery series follows main character Zaiba, her best friend Poppy and brother Ali as they get to the bottom of some very strange mysteries. From celebrity's missing dogs and teachers getting mysteriously poisoned to haunted houses and priceless lost artefacts, Zaiba solves any mystery that comes her way, like a true agent.

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Dotty Detective Series

Dorothy Constance Mae Louise, or Dot as she prefers to be called, loves fiendish puzzles, super-sour apple sherbets and running. Along with her best friend Beans and her dog McClusky, she forms the Join the Dots detective club. Her and her friends are always ready to solve a mystery, take on the school bullies and save the day – from stopping mean girls from sabotaging the school talent show to tracking down a missing puppy. The books are in short diary entries, including clues, selfies and Dotty’s thoughts and observations.

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Anisha, Accidental Detective Series

Anisha, Accidental Detective is a brilliantly funny detective series for readers 6+ by Serena Patel, with illustrations by Emma McCann. From a kidnapped bridegroom to a flooded school, Anisha is the accidental detective on hand to crack the toughest cases around and save the day. Follow Anisha and her friends as they solve mysteries at school and at home, saving her Aunty’s wedding, the school science fair and more.

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Meet the Maliks – Twin Detectives Series

Toppsta readers LOVE Planet Omar books, and its brilliant author Zanib Mian has also written Meet the Maliks, a hilarious black-and-white illustrated chapter book series about two twin detectives, for readers aged 7+. Maysa and Musa Malik are twins but they are total opposites, which, when you're a detective duo, tends to come in quite handy. In each book, Maysa and Musa work together to get to the bottom of any mystery that comes their way. They can uncover any cookie monster and even find friends gone missing.

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Rory Branagan (Detective) Series

Highly illustrated in black-and-white on every page, this funny detective comedy-crime series is the perfect jumpstart to independent reading. Meet Rory Branagan – he eats bad guys for breakfast. Well, not ACTUALLY. But he IS the best detective in town, together with his sausage dog best friend Wilkins Welkin and his Accomplice, Cassidy 'the Cat' Callaghan. Each book is packed with imagination and adventure, mystery and comical surprises as Rory and his band of coworkers leap into crime-fighting adventure in each book, from rescuing dogs to fighting off dinner ladies and other lethal creatures.

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Pierre the Maze Detective Series

In every book, Pierre the Maze Detective has a new case to solve, and each double-page spread shows a new illustration of an intricate, magical maze. Readers have to trace their way through each maze, spot the clues and solve the extra mystery challenges along the way. And no worries, a page of answers with the routes through the mazes and other solutions is included at the end of the book.

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The Case of The... Series

We'd say this black-and-white illustrated detective mystery series is Scooby Doo meets Pamela Butchart and is perfect for newly independent readers aged 7+. The books follow the unlikely detectives, Riz, Olly, Drew and Anton, as they uncover Snoops Bay's strangest mysteries. From destroying dastardly brainwashing inventions to unmasking pirate ghosts, this team of problem-solvers is afraid of nothing!

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Max the Detective Cat Series

This is a great cosy detective chapter book series for readers aged 7+ who love cats, adventure and a bit of mystery! In each book, a fluffy white cat called Max, who also is Chief Mouse Hunter at London's Theatre Royal, must get to the bottom of some seriously strange mysteries. And he also travels to solve mysteries... from ghosts at Halloween to cases of cat kidnapping in the city of lights!

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More to explore

Agent Weasel by Nick East (Hachette)

Alice Eclair by Sarah Todd Taylor (Nosy Crow)

Artie Conan Doyle Mysteries by Robert J. Harris (Floris)

Dragon Detective Series by Gareth P. Jones (Little Tiger)

Dotty Detective by Clara Vulliamy (HarperCollins)

Hugh Dunnit by Guy Bass and Lee Cosgrove (Andersen)

Kate on the Case by Hannah Peck (Bonnier)

Lori and Max by Catherine O'Flynn (Firefly)

Major and Mynah by Karen Owen and Louise Forshaw (Firefly)

Mariella Mystery Series by Kate Pankhurst (Hachette)