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There is nothing like curling up with good books that are real page-turners, unless it is reading those mystery stories online. Murder mysteries and suspenseful crime stories can keep you captivated for hours. At PublicBookshelf you can read books online free. All types of books, even online mysteries.

Love a great who-dunnit? Find the perfect mystery writer who will keep you in suspense until the end and coming back for more. Whether you love old-fashioned mysteries complete with red herrings or you prefer to solve more difficult puzzles, there are books to fit the bill. Find cozy mysteries and classic mysteries that feature new heroes and heroines that you're sure to enjoy.

Great detective novels, like the Sherlock Holmes series, have kept readers entertained for centuries. If you love playing detective and matching wits with both the criminals and their pursuers, then Mystery and Suspense titles are sure to please. Step inside the mind of a great detective and see if you can solve the crime before they do!

While mysteries keep you guessing until the end, in suspense novels often you know who the bad guy is up front. The focus shifts from determining who committed the crime to why or how. Both genres are designed to make you think and to add a little drama into what otherwise might be a dull world.

 Total "36" Results - Sort by:
Rating Title/Author

The Midnight Queen
May Agnes Fleming

Rating: 2.9/5
(49 votes cast)

The Midnight Queen
by May Agnes Fleming

It is the time of the plague in London, a time of horror for everyday people. Yet, for some, there is a dark magic in the air. Lords and ladies are influenced by an otherworldly enchantment that empowers them to challenge death and seek life and love.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Place of Honeymoons
Harold MacGrath

Rating: 3.0/5
(29 votes cast)

The Place of Honeymoons
by Harold MacGrath

Opera star Nora Harrigan is a success on the stage, and enjoys the attentions of many suitors, including Edward Courtlandt and Herr Rosen. Things turn dark when Nora is abducted and accuses one of them of arranging the deed. Or is Nora's rival in song and love, Flora Desimone, somehow responsible?

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Voice in the Fog
Harold MacGrath

Rating: 2.9/5
(27 votes cast)

The Voice in the Fog
by Harold MacGrath

The London fog can hide a lot of things, including the thief who has stolen a sapphire necklace from Kitty Killigrew. She has heard parts of a conversation in the mist, however, that might simplify solving the case but complicate her new romantic interest.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Circular Staircase
Mary Roberts Rinehart

Rating: 2.9/5
(39 votes cast)

The Circular Staircase
by Mary Roberts Rinehart

At a spooky, sprawling summer home in New England, wealthy spinster Miss Inness finds herself at the center of a murder mystery. Her nephew and a friend are the main suspects. When her nephew disappears and her niece falls for the disreputable friend, Miss Innes must unravel many mysteries.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Grey Cloak
Harold MacGrath

Rating: 3.0/5
(30 votes cast)

The Grey Cloak
by Harold MacGrath

The masked man in the grey cloak is a mystery ... is he the man who killed the Comte? Or is he among the gentlemen courting the beautiful new widow? Either way he faces dramatic challenges at swordpoint in this swashbuckling romantic adventure.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Pagan Madonna
Harold MacGrath

Rating: 2.2/5
(22 votes cast)

The Pagan Madonna
by Harold MacGrath

Jane Norman, a Red Cross nurse from America, comes to Shanghai by chance, under the spell of fate. In China and on the sea, Jane wears beautiful beads with a mysterious past that captures the attention of romantic rivals and plotting pirates alike, taking Jane on the adventure of her life.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Breaking Point
Mary Roberts Rinehart

Rating: 3.2/5
(39 votes cast)

The Breaking Point
by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Elizabeth Wheeler is a small-town, church-going girl who dreams of a man who will whisk her away from her mundane life. What she gets is an endless adventure of passion, betrayal, and murder, and just maybe the wedding of her dreams.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Drums of Jeopardy
Harold MacGrath

Rating: 1.9/5
(17 votes cast)

The Drums of Jeopardy
by Harold MacGrath

A young dancer with the Royal Ballet dies an untimely death after parting from her lover, the Prince. On her body is the legendary Drums of Jeopardy necklace. Seeking revenge, her mad scientist father sends the drum charms from the necklace to members of the royal family as omens of impending doom.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense

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K
Mary Roberts Rinehart

Rating: 2.6/5
(32 votes cast)

K
by Mary Roberts Rinehart

For unknown reasons, famous surgeon K. LeMoyne drops out of the medical scene to live in seclusion in a small town. His quiet moments are few, for he boards with the beautiful Sidney Page, a nurse-in-training, who tries to uncover his mysterious past.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Green Mummy
Fergus Hume

Rating: 2.2/5
(16 votes cast)

The Green Mummy
by Fergus Hume

Professor Braddock finds a mummy swathed in green bandages, with a mysterious note attached, and a treasure inside. It appears to be a royal Egyptian mummy, and uncovering its secrets sets off dramatic twists and turns for the professor and everyone around him.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense

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The House of a Thousand Candles
Meredith Nicholson

Rating: 2.7/5
(38 votes cast)

The House of a Thousand Candles
by Meredith Nicholson

John Glenarm has to fulfill some odd requirements to gain his inheritance. For reasons known only to his grandfather, John must spend a year in an isolated house, and is forbidden to marry Marian Devereux, a woman he has never met. Uncovering the reasons why may bring the biggest treasure.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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Behind a Mask
A M Barnard

Rating: 2.1/5
(34 votes cast)

Behind a Mask
by A M Barnard

A fast-paced thriller, Behind a Mask is the story the demure governess Jean Muir and her adventures in the home of the seemingly tranquil Coventry family, where she has come as a tutor. Mystery, love, and betrayal follow Miss Muir into the home and stir up suspicions, deceptions, and passions.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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A Study in Scarlet
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Rating: 1.4/5
(12 votes cast)

A Study in Scarlet
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes makes his debut in the mystery of a corpse found in a run-down, abandoned house. He encounters a strange clue, the word RACHE written in blood on the wall near the body. Only the astute mind of Mr. Holmes can make sense of such a cryptic clue.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense

The Branding Iron
Katharine Newline Burt

Rating: 3.2/5
(33 votes cast)

The Branding Iron
by Katharine Newline Burt

To have and to hold, to honor and obey - marriage vows usually recited to show commitment can also mean something more ominous. Wedded bliss turns to suspicious jealousy in this fictional account of a Wyoming husband whose jealousy leads him to brand his wife as he would his cattle. Reportedly based

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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Bones in London
Edgar Wallace

Rating: 2.6/5
(22 votes cast)

Bones in London
by Edgar Wallace

Bones is back in the second story of The Lieutenant Bones series. A mischievous businessman, Bones seems to have every financial schemer in London coming after him, but somehow he always comes out on top. Humor and romance follow Bones as well, as he makes his way through the underworld of London moneymakers.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense

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Beyond the City
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Rating: 2.3/5
(18 votes cast)

Beyond the City
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The girl next door is much more than ordinary in this surprising domestic romance by Arthur Conan Doyle. A remarkable departure from his famous detective stories, Beyond the City explores the relationships between the residents of three adjoining homes. The cast of characters includes a widowed doctor with two daughters, a retired admiral with a wife and son, and a feminist living with her nephew.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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The Womans Way
Charles Garvice

Rating: 2.6/5
(22 votes cast)

The Womans Way
by Charles Garvice

Celia's new neighbors are a mysterious lot. The elderly violin virtuoso downstairs appears to have a hidden history and the suicidal young man next door seems to have no past at all. Who is he? Celia engages both men with her self-confident charm, which leads her to uncover the secrets and passions of these two and more.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense

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Bab - A Sub Deb
Mary Roberts Rinehart

Rating: 2.7/5
(18 votes cast)

Bab - A Sub Deb
by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Meet Bab, a melodramatic young lady who is outraged that she is not allowed to be a debutante like her older sister. The indignant youth's bumbling quest for the spotlight leads her into all sorts of predicaments. A mild mystery with lots of humor.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense

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The Ghost of Guir House
Charles Willing Beale

Rating: 2.3/5
(24 votes cast)

The Ghost of Guir House
by Charles Willing Beale

A mysterious missive from young Dorothy Guir draws Mr. Henley from his New York City home to remote regions of Virginia. 1890s spiritualism infuses this weird, ghostly tale of a spirit romance and a mysterious crime that Mr. Henley's must attempt to solve.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Fantasy & Paranormal Romance

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The After House
Mary Roberts Rinehart

Rating: 3.0/5
(21 votes cast)

The After House
by Mary Roberts Rinehart

A young doctor climbs aboard a luxury yacht as steward of the After House. It's smooth sailing until mysterious murders leave Dr. Leslie to solve the crimes and keep himself alive. This is a classic mystery and suspense story from Rinehart.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense

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The Moonstone
Wilkie Collins

Rating: 2.4/5
(18 votes cast)

The Moonstone
by Wilkie Collins

In this fast-paced mystery, eyewitnesses each tell what they know about an enormous diamond that is taken out of India and sent to London where it disappears. The story revolves around who really owns the diamond. The book, first published in 1868, is often called the first detective novel and is one of the author's most critically-acclaimed works.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romantic Suspense

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The Apartment Next Door
William Andrew Johnston

Rating: 2.8/5
(24 votes cast)

The Apartment Next Door
by William Andrew Johnston

A young woman is paid to secretly watch the people in the next apartment during World War I. She could be a traitor or she might get caught up in the mystery and intrigue. Adventure turns to romance as she falls in love, maybe with the wrong person.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance

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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Rating: 3.1/5
(30 votes cast)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A series of mysteries are solved by detective Sherlock Holmes – a Colonel dies after receiving seeds in the mail, a young bride disappears, a jewel is stolen and a son is accused of this father's murder.

Category: Mystery & Suspense

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The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Agatha Christie

Rating: 3.4/5
(38 votes cast)

The Mysterious Affair at Styles
by Agatha Christie

This baffling mystery story seeks to find who poisoned the stepmother – was it one of her sons, her new husband or someone else. The book captivates the reader with characters, clues and intrigue. Belgian detective Hercule Poirot closely observes all suspects to find a pattern to lead him to the murderer.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

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Soldiers of God
Steven Moore

Rating: 2.8/5
(30 votes cast)

Soldiers of God
by Steven Moore

Three stories weave together to present the struggle against fundamentalist extremists and the ruthless men that exploit them – an Arab grad student writes a thesis about what led to the third world war in the Middle East, a priest becomes involved with terrorist cells of religious extremists and a ruthless businessman goes after crude oil in South America.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, SciFi & Horror, Other Fiction

Seattle Quake 9.2
Marti Talbott

Rating: 3.4/5
(44 votes cast)

Seattle Quake 9.2
by Marti Talbott

Wealthy Evan Cole thought his wife was lost at sea until he spotted her one-of-a-kind wedding ring in a New York City pawn shop. The detective agency he hired to find her was about to make a positive identification, when a powerful earthquake trapped her on the 43rd floor of a Seattle highrise.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

Romancing A Stalker
Carl Wayne Bryant

Rating: 3.0/5
(43 votes cast)

Romancing A Stalker
by Carl Wayne Bryant

William Arflin escapes from prison while serving a life sentence for murdering three women he met on the Internet. Now anyone with a computer could be his next victim. Interpol is forced to put the entire computer world on alert when dead bodies appear all over the globe that link him to the crimes.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

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A Journey Through Hell: Visions of the Afterlife
Elizabeth Hartl

Rating: 3.0/5
(40 votes cast)

A Journey Through Hell: Visions of the Afterlife
by Elizabeth Hartl

Derick Lombasto is a factory worker who has written a religous book and wants it published. When no one wants his manuscript, Derick meets with an agent, Craig Devon, who promises Derick that his book will be published for a fee. Derick agrees, while his girlfriend, Maria, tells him that the agreement with Devon is not a good idea. When Derick's estranged wife, Lydia, walks back into his life, Derick finds himself not only dealing with Devon's outrageous requests, but also trying to keep his and Maria's relationship alive. Can Derick survive Craig Devon and the trials of his personal life, or will he have to pay for both with his life?

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, SciFi & Horror, Other Fiction

Three Strikes - You Are Dead
Debbie Colleen Gansert

Rating: 1.8/5
(23 votes cast)

Three Strikes - You Are Dead
by Debbie Colleen Gansert

How do you manage a baseball team that is in the middle of a heated pennant and is also being stalked by a serial killer? Beachcombers manager is finding out. Utility outfielder Rico Valley is the first victim of the serial killer. By mid season, three of his teammates have also become victims.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

Forever Young
Pat Dilloway

Rating: 3.9/5
(181 votes cast)

Forever Young
by Pat Dilloway

A young girl wakes up with no idea of who she is or how she got there on an island ruled by a strict reverend. As she struggled to find her place among the island's other children she uncovers the reverend's terrible secret.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Romance, Other Fiction

The Finding
Wayne Allen McClain

Rating: 2.7/5
(23 votes cast)

The Finding
by Wayne Allen McClain

Mystery and action kick up when a land deal gone bad is another case to solve for a newspaper man passing through town looking to relax.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

The Dead and The Dreamer
Wayne Allen McClain

Rating: 2.8/5
(30 votes cast)

The Dead and The Dreamer
by Wayne Allen McClain

This fast-paced action novel follows the challenges of a struggling private eye who solves a murder mystery and helps a local singer when her 'big break' becomes a big rip-off.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

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Fatal Impact
Wayne Allen McClain

Rating: 2.3/5
(26 votes cast)

Fatal Impact
by Wayne Allen McClain

An easy money scam puts five people in a deadly game of cat and mouse as human targets of a wealthy business man. They think it is just a game, but to the hunter ... this is real. Until the last man is standing this is a rocky ride.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

Tales For A Dark and Rainy Night
M Dee Dubroff

Rating: 2.6/5
(29 votes cast)

Tales For A Dark and Rainy Night
by M Dee Dubroff

A collection of scary, very short stories perfect for those moments when you crave a thrill, want to read a free scary story and time is at a premium.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

Shannon O'Reilly: A Haunted Life
Charlotte E Gerber

Rating: 3.1/5
(80 votes cast)

Shannon O'Reilly: A Haunted Life
by Charlotte E Gerber

Shannon O'Reilly is being haunted in her own home. The ghosts haunting her are murder victims from a century-old crime. The small town of Beeman has many secrets and there are people that would prefer to keep the murder mystery buried along with the Edmondson family. Will Shannon discover the truth before her family pays the ultimate price?

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, SciFi & Horror, Teen

Deception
Casey Pendelton

Rating: 2.7/5
(38 votes cast)

Deception
by Casey Pendelton

When a night out results in memory loss for Kelly, little does she realize what it means.

Categories: Mystery & Suspense, Other Fiction

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