Everyone loves a good detective story. In addition to the popular detectives of yesteryear – Nancy Drew, Trixie Beldon and the Hardy Boys – we now have some brilliant contemporary equivalents who crack codes, solve mysteries, and catch the criminals while the grown-ups miss all the clues! Here are some of our favourite contemporary detective stories for ages 7-12.

Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt

Friday Barnes is a genius codebreaker and when she catches some bank robbers, she uses her reward money to attend an exclusive boarding school.; there she finds even more mysteries to uncover.

This brilliant, funny series has ten books so far and avid readers are looking forward to number eleven's release in February 2023.

For ages 8 and up.

Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White

Perfect for summer reading, this is the first in a series about the Sinister-Winterbottom twins, who solve mysteries at bizarre summer holiday destinations. In this book the destination is a terrifying waterpark where the owner has disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

Bestselling YA author, Kiersten White has written a fun, ghoulish series with book two arriving in mid-February 2023.

For ages 10 and up.

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Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery by Renee Treml

Sherlock Bones lives in a museum and, as it happens, is also the skeleton of a tawny frogmouth bird, but that doesn’t stop him from solving mysteries with his best friend, Watts, the dead parrot. This delightful graphic novel series has Bones and Watts discovering facts about the natural world and solving mysteries at the same time.

There are currently three books in the series with more exciting adventures to come.

For ages 7 and up.

The Underdogs Catch a Cat Burgler by Kate & Jol Temple

At the Underdog Detective Agency they are on a mission to catch Dogtown’s elusive cat burgler. But not without a lot of puns, butt jokes and maybe some help from a scruffy street cat.

This is the first in an illustrated junior series of four books that are both hilarious and fun.

For ages 7 and up.

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Truly Tan by Jen Storer

When Tan moves to the country with her family she finds all sorts of mysteries that require the sharp mind of a great detective. Luckily, Tan is an excellent detective and as she and her three sisters solve the mystery of a ghostly presence, she writes in her diary of their escapades.

This is the first in an exciting detective series set in country Australia.

For ages 8 and up.

Ruby Redfort: Look Into my Eyes by Lauren Child

A genius codebreaker recruited by MI5 for her talents, Ruby Redfort is a 13 year-old child prodigy with a sassy repartee and a range of novelty t-shirts.

This is a highly addictive series of six books featuring Ruby and her dangerous, but utterly thrilling adventures.

For ages 10 and up.

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The Detective's Guide to Ocean Travel by Nicki Greenberg

Set on a glamorous ocean liner in the 1920s, this novel features four kids who must solve the mystery of how a leopard could jump into a swimming pool wearing an incredible diamond and jump out the other end with the jewel gone.

This is an utterly delightful mystery that will have readers perplexed. The second book in the series, set in New York City, is also available.

For ages 9 and up.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Four orphaned children solve a series of tests to win the opportunity to go undercover at the behest of Mr Benedict at an elite boarding school. They are tasked with discovering the truth behind the mysterious behaviour of some of its residents.

Reynie, Kate, Sticky and Constance are all remarkably smart and resourceful, capable of solving any number of puzzles and mysteries. This is the first in a four-book series, which has now been made into a popular TV series on Disney Plus.

For ages 10 and up.

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

This is a hugely popular mystery series about Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, who set up their own detective agency at the Deepdean School for Girls.

With eleven books in the series and a spin-off series just started, there is much to love about this odd couple pair of detectives and their many exciting adventures in glamorous settings all over the world.

For ages 9 and up.

Dead Good Detectives by Jenny McLachlan

Sid and Zen love hanging out in the graveyard, but when they accidentally summon the ghost of a 300-year-old pirate it opens the door to a magical inn full of lost souls who want to be saved.

The first in a new horror-filled detective series, these kids are going to need to figure out how to help the ghosts and save their own souls.

For ages 8 and up.

Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

This series about Sherlock Holmes’ equally talented younger sister, Enola, is great fun and features plenty of nineteenth century settings. In the first book, Enola’s mother has disappeared and she travels to London to search for her, but gets sidetracked by the kidnapping of a handsome young man who needs rescuing.

There are eight books in this highly addictive series and two Netflix movies so far.

For ages 10 and up.