“Rules and school are tools for fools! I don’t give two mules for rules.”
The Mysterious Benedict Society is one of the most iconic book series for children. Following four gifted children – Reynie Muldoon, Sticky Washington, Kate Wetherall, and Constance Contraire – who are recruited by the enigmatic Mr. Benedict to embark on an adventure to save the world, Trenton Lee Stewart’s series is renowned for its messaging on the importance of friendship and teamwork, as well as for its huge assortment of mysteries, puzzles and clues. Join us at What We Reading as we pay homage to the series with the best books like The Mysterious Benedict Society!
Who Wrote The Mysterious Benedict Society?
Graduate of Hendrix College and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Trenton Lee Stewart is an American author best known for the bestselling and award-winning Mysterious Benedict Society series. Having published 27 books to date, including five mainline Mysterious Benedict books, he is renowned as one of the leading mystery writers in children’s literature.
The Secret Keepers – Trenton Lee Stewart
Kicking off our list of the best books like The Mysterious Benedict Society is another one of Trenton Lee Stewart’s most acclaimed works, The Secret Keepers. In it, readers follow Reuben, a young boy who discovers an antique watch with incredible power. Torn between being honest and his desire to be a hero, he soon finds himself on a dangerous adventure to outwit the sly villain known as the Smoke and save the city from a terrible fate.
Aided by the fearless Penny, mighty Jack, and the wise Mrs Genevieve, Reuben’s adventure is filled with bizarre characters, dastardly traps and hairsbreadth escapes. The Secret Keepers is an innovative novel that encourages readers to decipher clues, join the adventure and question whether knowing a secret is worth it.
The Puzzling World Of Winston Breen (The Puzzling World of Winston Breen #1) – Eric Berlin
Winston Breen is obsessed with solving puzzles. But, when he begins to find wooden strips with words and numbers without any logical meaning, he and his family embark on a scavenger hunt the town patriarch has set up. If solved, it will lead to a ring worth thousands of dollars.
However, to solve this puzzle, Winston will have to overcome twenty-five-year-old clues, mistrust amongst his team and the selfish motivations of those who will keep this treasure for themselves. Jam-packed full of puzzles for readers to solve along with Winston and his sister, The Puzzling World of Winston Breen is a mysterious adventure that any Lee Stewart fan is sure to enjoy.
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library (Mr. Lemoncello’s Library #1) – Chris Grabenstein
A New York Times bestseller and nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children’s Book in the Goodreads Choice Awards, Escape from Mr. Limoncello’s Library is the cross between Agatha Christie, A Night in the Museum and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory you never knew you needed.
From board games to word games, Kyle Keeley loves all things to do with gaming. His favourite form, however, remains video gaming. So when he wins one of just twelve tickets for a night of food, fun and lots and lots of games in the library built by his hero, Luigi Lemoncello, it looks set to be a dream come true. Only, when morning comes, the entrance remains locked. The children must find every clue and solve every puzzle to discover Lemoncello’s secret exit. And the price for not doing so could be very high indeed.
The Mysterious Disappearance Of Leon (I Mean Noel) – Ellen Raskin
Mrs. Leon Carillon doesn’t know what to expect when she sets off to meet the husband she hasn’t seen since he was five. But, what she almost certainly would have never bargained for would have been the storm that knocked their boat overboard, leaving her husband missing with just one waterlogged clue to go off.
Featuring clever wordplay, cryptic messages, siamese twins and the oh-so iconic Glub-Blub scene, Ellen Raskins’ The Mysterious Disappearance Of Leon is a mysterious and quirky book that explores how bizarre the world can seem through the eyes of a child.
The Wig In The Window (Young and Yang #1) – Kristen Kittscher
One of the best books like The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Wig in the Window follows seventh-grade best friends Young and Yang, who have made a habit out of spying on their neighbours. One evening, during their midnight stakeout, they witness a bloody accident involving their strange counsellor, Dr Charlotte Agford (aka Dr Awkward).
At least, they think they do. In reality, Dr Awkward was only preparing her world-renowned pickled beets. But, when their counsellor starts acting strange, Young and Yang are convinced she is hiding something. Their investigation into Dr Awkward soon sees the pair cracking codes, tailing strangers with unibrows and funny Texas accents and being followed by a strange blue car – leading to tensions rising between the pair. They may crack the case, but will their friendship also make it out in one piece?
The Mysterious Howling (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place #1) – Maryrose Wood
Mayrose Wood introduces the strange children of Ashton Place, their strange governess Miss Penelope Lumley and the many mysteries surrounding them all in The Mysterious Howling.
Alexander, Cassiopeia and Beowulf can be found running wild in the forest surrounding Ashton Place. Literally. Fresh from Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, it is up to Penelope to subdue their canine tendencies so that they might have a chance at a more proper education. But, to do that, Penelope has to solve the many mysteries that abound at Ashton. Why are these three wild children living in the forest? Why does the Old Timothy, the coachman, lurk behind every corner? And what exactly is a schottische? With illustrations from Jon Klassen, Mayrose Wood serves up one of the most charming middle-grade mystery books in her Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
