Mystery Genre Challenge

Mystery Genre Challenge

Calling all armchair detectives! The game is afoot, and we need your help to crack fifty new cases in this 52 Book Club Mystery Genre Reading Challenge! From the fog-drenched streets of Victorian-era London to quaint but murderous countryside villages, or isolated island resorts, this challenge is packed with secrets, suspense, and high-stakes sleuthing.

What is the Mystery Genre Challenge?

Mystery lovers, this challenge is for you! Welcome to our very first full-sized genre-specific challenge. This challenge is similar in premise to our annual 52 Book Club reading challenges, with a few key differences:

1) This challenge must be completed using one genre only. All books read for this challenge must be mysteries.

2) There is no timeline for completing this challenge. Take as long or as short as you like.

Our mystery challenge contains fifty different “cases” (we usually call them “prompts”). Match one mystery to each case for a total of fifty different books. Cases are related to different mystery elements and tell you what to look for in a book. For example, Case #28 is “A character wrongly accursed,” or Case #49 is “Suspects all gathered for a big reveal.”

This challenge has been divided into five different chapters: The Crime, The Detective, The Suspects, The Clues, and The Reveal. Each chapter contains ten cases (prompts). Cases are loosely connected to their chapter heading but can be completed in any order.

How does it work?

1) Follow The 52 Book Club on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Goodreads, Storygraph, TikTok, and Instagram. PLUS, don’t forget to sign up for e-mails to stay in the loop with any new challenge news!

2) Using the list below, match one book to each of the 50 Cases. (50 books total.) Get as creative as you like with interpreting the prompts! (Hint: If you need help understanding a prompt, keep reading for a challenge guide.)

3) This challenge is entirely self-led. Read at your own pace and track your challenge however works best for you. The Facebook group is our most popular spot for posting reads. We also invite you to join our Goodreads group or Storygraph challenge, and you can track your reads using our custom Mystery Genre Challenge Journal!

5) Join The 52 Book Club community! The 52 Book Club is a global group made up of thousands of bookworms. Connect with new friends in our Facebook group or other social sites using #the52bookclub.

Want to learn more? This Mystery Genre Challenge video walks you through all the details:

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Do I have to read mysteries? Can I read other genres for this challenge? This challenge is for the mystery genre only. To officially complete this challenge, all books read must be mysteries. However, you’re welcome to read any sub-genre of mystery: historical mystery, cozy mystery, sci-fi mystery, fantasy mystery, romantic suspense mystery, true-crime mysteries, etc. As long as the book is or includes a mystery, you can read it for this challenge.
  
  Looking for a non-mystery-based challenge? Our other challenges can be completed using any genre. Check out our annual reading challenges, mini-challenges, or other reading challenges.

• Can I read (a specific book or format of reading) for this challenge? Yes! All reading is reading. Any book that fits the prompts works for this challenge. Each of our prompts can be completed using any format of reading (physical copies, e-books, audiobooks, live readings from the author, children’s board books, graphic novels, etc.) There is no required length or format of reading. Interpret the prompts as creatively as you like!
  
  As we like to say, “If you think a book fits the prompts, it does!”

• Do I have to complete this challenge in a year? Nope! Unlike our annual challenges, there is no suggested timeline for this challenge. Set a goal for yourself (for example, one a week) or simply read at your own pace and see how long it takes you to complete it.

• Do I have to complete the challenge in order? Not at all. Feel free to bounce around from chapter to chapter and case to case.

The Challenge:

Downloads:

Download the challenge graphics along with free printables and shareables here!

Mystery Challenge Journal:

*This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from
qualifying purchases at no extra expense to yourself.*

Want to investigate a little closer? Our Mystery Genre Challenge Journal has been specifically designed to pair with this challenge, and we’re really excited about this one! It includes:

• The Challenge Graphic
• Planning Pages
• Review pages for each case, custom-designed for the mystery genre
• Tracking pages (Series tracker, track by detective, tracking pages by stars, crime, etc)
• Quotes page
• Bonus Game: A Twisted Mystery
• Bonus Challenge: Four Extra Prompts
• Favourite Mystery Showdown
• My Challenge in Review

This journal is printed by Amazon KDP and is available wherever Amazon ships. (Note: Due to Amazon printing in Australia and Japan, journals ordered from those regions will have black-and-white interior pages.)

Note: Because this journal is printed through Amazon, pages may be thinner than those of other planners. We recommend using non-bleed pens or pens designed for thin paper (such as Bible pens or highlighters like these). This journal is also fully compatible with our Mystery Genre prompt stickers from PlanItWithStickers.com.

(When clicking the button, scroll down to find all 52 Book Club journals.)

If the button does not direct you to the Amazon region closest to you, here are the links to the individual Amazon regions: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon DE, Amazon FR, Amazon ES, Amazon IT, Amazon NL, Amazon PL, Amazon SE, Amazon BE, Amazon IE.

AUSTRALIA: and JAPAN: Due to the different interior printing, the above button won’t work for Amazon Australia or Japan, but our friends using Amazon Australia can purchase here, and our friends in Japan can purchase here.

Mystery Genre Stickers:

The 52 Book Club Mystery Genre sticker set collection from PlanItWithStickers is available now! These stickers are an optional add-on for those who enjoy tracking their reads with physical journals or planners. (They’ll also fit within your Mystery Genre Journal!) This sticker collection has been custom-designed to match the design of this challenge and contain stickers for all fifty prompts. You can purchase a sticker set here.

Connect With Us:

Want to make some bookish friends? Have more questions? Our social sites are an excellent place to ask for book suggestions, get challenge help, and meet new bookish friends! We invite you to join our Facebook group, Goodreads group, The Mystery Genre Challenge on Storygraph, YouTube, and/or follow us on Instagram! You can find quick links to each of these groups below. Reading is always more fun together! Come join us!

Mystery Genre Challenge Guide:

Need help understanding a case? Here’s a quick explanation for each prompt. Feel free to get creative and have fun with the cases. If you think a book fits the prompt, it does!

CHAPTER ONE: THE CRIME

1. A classic mystery:

We’re kicking off our challenge with a classic mystery. “A classic” could refer to an author, title, or character who was instrumental in the genre’s formation or evolution. This might be a well-known book, often described as a “classic,” or perhaps a lesser-known novel by a Golden Age mystery writer. (Example: Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, G.K Chesterton, John Dickson Carr, etc.)

Alternatively, you could also use this prompt to read a mystery with traditional/classic mystery elements – a book that feels very typical of the genre. (For example: a professional or amateur detective solving a mystery using clues, logic, and interviewing suspects, with the culprit revealed and caught at the end.)

Goodreads List: A classic mystery

2. An opening line that hooks you:

Choose a mystery book that grips you right from the first sentence!

Goodreads List: An opening line that hooks you

3. An “impossible” crime:

An “impossible” crime is a sub-genre within the mystery genre that features a seemingly impossible or unsolvable crime. This includes locked-room mysteries (for example: a murder committed in a sealed room) or other “impossible” seeming crimes (murder committed in the snow without footprints, a murderer who can seemingly read their victim’s minds, murderous animated objects, etc.) The crime cannot be taken at face value because it seems impossible; however, when revealed, there is a clever, human-created, explanation.

In this type of mystery, how the crime was committed is just as important as who committed it. The characters may or may not comment on the impossibility of the crime.

As a creative interpretation, you may choose a book featuring a crime that is “impossible” in our world. For example, a sci-fi mystery that uses technology not yet available to us, a paranormal mystery, a fantasy mystery, etc.

Goodreads List: An “impossible” crime

4. Murder disguised as an accident:

Pick a book where the murder is disguised as an accident. This is a common trope within the genre: covering a crime by making it look like a mishap. In this type of story, our protagonist often takes it upon themselves to prove a crime has actually been committed.

Goodreads List: Murder disguised as an accident

5. A missing person:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a mystery that includes a missing person. Characters may be missing for a variety of reasons: kidnapping, intentional disappearance, lost in the woods, seen on camera entering but never leaving a location, etc. This may be fiction or non-fiction. It may be the central plot point or a secondary point within the mystery.

Goodreads List: A missing person

6. A cozy mystery:

Cozy mysteries are a popular subgenre within crime fiction, usually featuring an amateur detective who stumbles across a mystery. With cozies, violence occurs “offstage.” It’s generally a light and comforting read, emphasizing puzzle-solving over suspense. They’re often set in small communities and feature hobbies, pets, or a sleuth’s career.

Goodreads List: A cozy mystery

7. An unsettling read:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a book that leaves you feeling unsettled. This does not mean that it has to be graphic in content. This may feature an ominous setting, a character or scene that gives you the chills, an eerie, unsolved true crime, an open ending, an unsettling cover design, etc.

Goodreads List: An unsettling read

8. Title includes the word “death” or “dead:”

Any mystery with the word “death” or “dead” in the title will fit this prompt. This may be the main title or the subtitle. This could also feature words like “deadly,” “deathbed,” “deadline,” “deadbolt,” etc.

Goodreads List: Title includes the word “death” or “dead”

9. A white-collar crime:

A white-collar crime is a financially motivated, non-violent crime. Examples include fraud, bribery, identity theft, money laundering, embezzlement, Ponzi schemes, etc. This may feature large-scale corporate fraud or an individual con artist.

Goodreads List: A white-collar crime

10. A humorous mystery:

Humorous mysteries combine puzzle-solving with comedic elements. This may include witty dialogue, lighthearted or “ridiculous” situations, and eccentric or over-the-top characters. Humorous mysteries can range from goofy and light to the darkest of dark humour. While the presentation of the story is humorous, the book is still centred around a mystery.

Goodreads List: A humorous mystery

CHAPTER TWO: THE DETECTIVE

11. The “brilliant detective” trope:

A classic trope in the mystery genre includes the “brilliant detective.” This character is intellectually superior, highly observant, and usually focused on logic and deduction. They often have a “Watson” type sidekick and solve cases that baffle the local authorities. Examples include detectives like Sherlock Holmes, C. Auguste Dupin, Lisbeth Salander, Adrian Monk, Miss Marple, or Hercule Poirot.

Goodreads List: The “brilliant detective” trope

12. An amateur sleuth:

A sleuth is another word for an individual who investigates crimes. An amateur sleuth is a character who solves crimes without formal law enforcement training or compensation. They may be a shopkeeper, librarian, retiree, etc, who happens to stumble across crimes. Much of the story emphasizes this sleuth’s history, personality, and connections.

Examples include Nancy Drew, Miss Marple, Vera Wong, Jessica Fletcher, Flavia de Luce, Enola Holmes, or Finlay Donovan. Some mysteries take real historical characters and feature them solving crimes in an amateur capacity, such as Queen Elizabeth, Jane Austen, etc.

Goodreads List: An amateur sleuth

13. Antagonist toys with the detective:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a book in which the culprit deliberately toys with the detective. This is a cat-and-mouse style story. There may be psychological manipulation, physical intimidation, written or verbal taunts, threats, etc.

Goodreads List: Antagonist toys with the detective

14. Includes a podcaster, writer, or journalist:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a book in which the detective is forced to confront their own past as they unravel a mystery. The crime may mirror or intertwine with their personal history, trauma, or secrets. The case often has high emotional, mental, or career-based stakes.

As a creative twist, this could be a true crime mystery written by a journalist or podcaster.

Goodreads List: Includes a podcaster, writer, or journalist

15. A crime-solving duo:

Crime-solving duos are popular within detective fiction. This features two protagonists working together to solve a crime. They may be personal friends, work together professionally, husband and wife, siblings, etc. Examples include Holmes & Watson, Poirot & Hastings, Tommy & Tuppence Beresford, Nero Wolfe & Archie Goodwin, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, etc.

Goodreads List: A crime-solving duo

16. Detective has to confront their own past:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a book in which the detective is forced to confront their own past as they unravel a mystery. The crime may mirror or intertwine with their personal history, trauma, or secrets. The case often has high emotional, mental, or career-based stakes.

Goodreads List: Detective has to confront their own past

17. An iconic detective:

Iconic detectives are legendary characters within the mystery genre. They are known for their unique methods, style, and long-lasting cultural impact. These are highly popular and well-known detectives. They may be amateur or professional.

Goodreads List: An iconic detective

18. Police procedural:

A police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction that focuses on the realistic, day-to-day work of law enforcement officers as they investigate crimes. Unlike amateur detectives, this type of fiction focuses on police procedures like forensics, search warrants, interrogations, etc.

Goodreads List: Police Procedural

19. A detective on the cover:

For this prompt, choose any book with a detective on the cover. This may be an illustration or part of the cover design. It may be a book featuring the detective’s name in the title or subtitle, or a book written by an actual detective.

Goodreads List: A detective on the cover

20. Title starts with first letter of author’s last name:

Choose any mystery in which the title starts with the same letter as the author’s last name. For example, “Cards on the Table” by Agatha Christie. It’s up to you whether you choose to include definite or indefinite articles like “the,” “a,” or “an.”

Goodreads List: Title starts with first letter of author’s last name

CHAPTER THREE: THE SUSPECTS

21. A serial killer:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a plot featuring a serial killer. (A serial killer is an individual who has committed at least two separate homicides, although some may define it as at least three.) They may or may not be referred to as a serial killer within the book.

Goodreads List: A serial killer

22. An unreliable narrator:

An unreliable narrator cannot be trusted to tell the story accurately. They may intentionally mislead the reader or present inaccuracies due to personality, maturity, trauma, etc. A narrator may be revealed as unreliable at any point throughout the book, although often it occurs as a twist or surprise element within the story.

HINT: This prompt is difficult to plan without spoilers. Keep it open and see if it fills naturally while reading for other prompts. Feel free to shuffle book choices around from prompt to prompt after reading.

Goodreads List: An unreliable narrator

23. A victim with lots of enemies:

Another common trope within mysteries is a victim with lots of enemies (and therefore, plenty of suspects for the detective to investigate). A book fitting this case will feature a character who is hated by multiple suspects. While this is often a murder mystery, it could feature any crime.

Goodreads List: A victim with lots of enemies

24. Features small town secrets:

Small town settings are often ripe with secrets. Choose any small town setting with a plot full of secrets, gossip, and/or hidden pasts. The secrets will likely play a role in the book’s plot but may or may not feature in the final reveal.

Goodreads List: Features small town secrets

25. Written from multiple suspects’ perspectives:

For this prompt, we’re looking for books told from more than one suspect’s perspective. A suspect is an individual believed to be guilty of committing a crime. The story may alternate chapters, scenes, or parts of the book from various suspects’ perspectives.

Goodreads List: Written from multiple suspects’ perspectives

26. A “new-to-you” author:

Try a new author! This may be a debut by a brand new author, or an author who has released dozens of books but whom you haven’t yet read. Choose any author, as long as this is your first book by them!

Goodreads List: A “new-to-you” author

27. A crime of passion:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a book featuring a “crime of passion.” A crime of passion is a crime committed in the heat of the moment, due to sudden and intense feelings like jealousy, rage, etc. It lacks premeditation.

This could be a crime in which it appears to be a crime of passion (but isn’t) or a book in which the solution was revealed to be a crime of passion. (If you find this while reading for another prompt first, feel free to shuffle book choices around. You’re never locked in!)

Goodreads List: A crime of passion

28. A character wrongly accused:

Mystery plots often feature characters who are wrongly accused of committing crimes. This book may be told from the perspective of a character trying to prove their innocence, or simply feature a plot in which the character initially charged or accused is later proven innocent.

Goodreads List: A character wrongly accused

29. Set by a lake:

Mysteries set by a lake often emphasize the serene, isolated location to create suspense. This may be a book set by a lake house, set in an isolated camping area, or a lake in a public park in a big city, etc. The book may be fully or partially set at this location. The lake may or may not play a role in the mystery.

Goodreads List: Set by a lake

30. A character with memory gaps:

Pick a book in which one of the characters (primary or secondary) experiences memory gaps, amnesia, or memory loss of any type. It may or may not affect the main plot or mystery.

Goodreads List: A character with memory gaps

CHAPTER FOUR: THE CLUES

31. A missing murder weapon:

Choose a murder mystery in which the murder weapon has gone missing or is not found at the scene of the crime. Often, the perpetrator has deliberately concealed or removed the weapon. The weapon may or may not be found over the course of the book.

Goodreads List: A missing murder weapon

32. Solved with forensic science:

Forensic science is the application of scientific methods and techniques to investigate a crime. This may involve DNA, fingerprints, ballistics, toxicology, bloodstain patterns, etc. For this prompt, we’re looking for a mystery that was specifically solved through the use of some type of forensic science.

Goodreads List: Solved with forensic science

33. Mystery / other genre:

Mysteries can be found across genres. For this prompt, we want the mystery genre to collide with another genre of your choosing. This may be a historical mystery (mystery combined with historical fiction), fantasy mystery, sci-fi mystery, romantic suspense mystery, paranormal mystery, mystery thriller, etc. The mystery is still a key part of the story, but it blends core parts of one genre with another.

Goodreads List: Mystery / other genre

34. A snowy setting:

Choose any mystery with a snowy setting. This may be set in a cold climate, an isolated mountain resort, or characters trapped in the midst of a blizzard. Snow or cold temperatures may or may not factor into the actual mystery (missing footprints in the snow, anyone?)

Goodreads List: A snowy setting

35. Hidden rooms and secret passages:

Is there anything more mysterious than a house full of hidden rooms and secret passages? For this prompt, pick a book that features architectural misdirection. This may include a hidden room, secret passage, tunnel, a maze-like house, stairways to nowhere, etc. This may or may not play a key role within the mystery.

Goodreads List: Hidden rooms and secret passages

36. A book you can’t put down:

Found a book you just can’t put down? Use it for this prompt! (Hint: This is another prompt that is difficult to plan for in advance. Feel free to shuffle books from prompt to prompt after reading, or try a re-read or favourite author for this prompt!)

Goodreads List: A book you can’t put down

37. Includes an inheritance or will:

An inheritance is the transfer of money, property, or assets from a deceased person to their heirs or beneficiaries. A will is a legal document which states the wishes of the deceased for their assets. This mystery should feature a will or inheritance in some form. It may be a central plot point, featured in a specific scene, or used as a clue, red herring, or motive.

Goodreads List: Includes an inheritance or will

38. “I know what you did last summer:”

An individual or a group of friends share a dark, guilty secret… but someone else knows too… For this prompt, choose a book in which a character is blackmailed about or haunted by a past secret or crime they committed. This is a common trope within YA mysteries or thrillers. Use this phrase as inspiration for this prompt. It does not have to be set in summer. The phrase may relate to the book’s theme, plot, dialogue, title, etc.

Goodreads List: “I know what you did last summer”

39. Published before 1960:

While there are a lot of amazing modern mysteries, there are also some incredible early mysteries waiting to be discovered! This is an excellent opportunity to explore the evolution of the genre. Pick any mystery that was published before 1960.

Goodreads List: Published before 1960

40. Has flashbacks:

A flashback is a literary device where the narration jumps back to a previous time. A non-chronological timeline reveals past experiences, character motivation, or critical backstory that better explains the events currently happening. For this case, we’re looking for a book that includes multiple flashbacks.

Goodreads List: Has flashbacks

CHAPTER FIVE: THE REVEAL

41. A “Howdunit” or “Whydunit:”

Unlike a “whodunit,” in which readers try to figure out who committed the crime, a “howdunit” is when readers know who the perpetrator is, but the focus is on how the crime was done. A “whydunit” is focused on why a crime was committed, the motivation. Alternate interpretations could include non-fiction featuring true crime cases that have been solved, or books that explore different methods of murder used by popular murder mystery writers, etc.

Goodreads List: A “howdunit” or “whydunit”

42. Features a courtroom scene:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a mystery that features a courtroom scene. The entire book may be built around a trial, have a lawyer or judge as the protagonist, or simply feature a smaller court scene somewhere within the book.

Goodreads List: Features a courtroom scene

43. From a completed series:

Pick any book from a completed series. (A series where all installments have been released.)

Goodreads List: From a completed series

44. An ending that surprised you:

You won’t be able to plan for this prompt. (Unless you choose to re-read a book that surprised you the first time around.) The good news is that one of the main goals of the mystery genre is to surprise you! Unless you’re a super sleuth, you should be able to fill this prompt pretty easily. Tackle other prompts first. When you find a book with an ending that surprised you, slide it into this prompt instead.

Another option is to try popular reads that other mystery lovers said surprised them. (Check out the Goodreads List below.)

How the ending surprised you will be different for each of us – it could be a big twist or surprise reveal, a solution you didn’t predict, an ending you surprisingly hated after having loved the rest of the book, etc.

Goodreads List: An ending that surprised you

45. More than 4 stars on Goodreads:

For this prompt, we’re looking for a book with more than four stars on Goodreads. (A rating of 4.01 or higher!) This is based on the average rating from the community of Goodreads reviewers. As a creative twist, you may choose a mystery that you’ve personally rated more than four stars on Goodreads.

Goodreads List: More than 4 stars on Goodreads

46. A house on the cover:

Choose any mystery with a house on the cover. This can be any type of house: apartment, trailer, farmhouse, cottage, etc. It could be a single house or a neighbourhood of homes. It may be the full home or a portion of the home. (Ex: A front door or an upstairs window). It could also be the word “house,” “apartment,” “cabin,” etc, in the title or subtitle.

Goodreads List: A house on the cover

47. Collection of true crime mysteries:

We’re going non-fiction with this prompt and tackling a collection of true crime mysteries. These may be solved or unsolved, and may be about any type of mystery. Rather than one large mystery, this prompt is specifically for a collection of shorter mysteries.

Goodreads List: Collection of true crime mysteries

48. Recommended by an author on this challenge:

Grab a mystery recommendation from one of the authors you’ve already read for this challenge. This may be a book that they’ve provided a cover endorsement for, a book they mentioned in an article or podcast, a book they’ve shared on their social media, an author they’ve said was their favourite or inspired them, etc.

Goodreads List: Recommended by an author on this challenge

49. Suspects all gathered for a big reveal:

It wouldn’t be a mystery challenge if we didn’t get all the suspects gathered together for the big, final reveal! In this trope, a detective gathers the main suspects together and walks through the case and clues before sharing “whodunit.” For this prompt, choose any book that features a scene where this happens.

Goodreads List: Suspects all gathered for a big reveal

50. Published this year:

For your final book of the challenge, pick any mystery published this year!

Because this challenge can be completed at any time, you may complete the challenge across several years. Whenever you decide to start this case, pick a book that was published that year. (For example: I might start this challenge in 2026, but not get to case number 50 until 2028. Therefore, I’d read a book published in 2028.)

Goodreads List: Published in 2026

Happy sleuthing, detectives!