17 Best Books About Puzzles to Test Your Logic
We absolutely love puzzles and logic games so if you give either of us books about puzzles, we are completely hooked.
We gathered our favorite puzzle books for adults and middle-grade readers. These books have so many twists and turns, they were so much fun to read. There are thrillers, contemporary fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi books. No matter your genre of choice, there is a book in this list that you will adore.
What are books about puzzles? Any book that has a problem to solve is a perfect puzzle book for adults. We think of a lot of these books as modern-day treasure hunts. Many of these are mysteries with clues, logic puzzles, and codes to decipher along the way. This genre of book is so unique and fun to read. We hope you love these as much as we do.
*Books About Puzzles Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Best Books About Puzzles
Best Puzzle Books for Middle-Grade
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
Mr. Lemoncello’s library is one of a kind. It’s full of holograms, logic puzzles, and hidden games. To officially open the new library, a few lucky kids get to spend the night inside as they try to win Mr. Lemoncello’s game and be the first team to escape.
Why We Love This Book: If you are looking for great bedtime stories for kids, this series will hit the mark. It will get your kids engaged with one-of-a-kid puzzles and delightful twists and turns.
Appropriate for ages 9-11
Find this book in Audiobooks for Kids / Netflix Book Adaptations / Middle Grade Mysteries / Books for 11-year-olds / Read Aloud Books / Best Puzzle Books
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
This is a mystery book for tweens that all adults should read but you can also find it on our list of books for 13-year-olds. It’s about a group of extremely gifted children who are sent to spy on an evil organization.
As members of a secret society, these genius kids must follow the clues on their secret mission.
Why We Love This: This is the first middle-grade book in a series that is geared toward older kids. It was funny and interesting and extremely clever.
Find this book in Middle Grade Mystery Books / Books for 13-year-olds/ Books About Puzzles
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I knew I had to read this YA mystery series after it was compared to one of my favorite middle-grade mystery books, The Westing Game.
In this story, Avery, a poor orphan is told she’s just inherited a billionaire’s fortune. His family is determined to get to the money, but Avery has bigger fish to fry – the riddles and puzzles the deceased Tobias Hawthorne left behind for her to solve. As she teams up with unlikely allies, she’s forced to figure out who is a friend or foe.
Why We Love This: I flew through this story and can’t wait to get my hands on the rest of the trilogy!
Find this Book in Books for 13-year-olds / Best Mystery Books for Teens / Best Puzzle Books
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
We like to listen to books as a family when we are in the car together or doing a puzzle. The standout book for me this month was Winterhouse. It’s such a fun hotel novel!
Why We Love This: This middle grade mystery was as enthralling to me as it was to my boys. I loved the slight bits of magic in the story and the captivating setting of an expansive ski hotel on a snowy mountain at Christmas time. If you love a cozy mystery book for a 10-year-old, pick this one up!
Find this Book in Paranormal Books / Books for a 10-Year-Old / Books About Puzzles
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
The tween book that got me into mysteries as a child is great as an audiobook as well! When Mr. Westing dies, he leaves the residents of Sunset Towers named in his will.
But they need to solve the mystery of his death in order to win control of his company and his vast fortune. Your family will love trying to work out what happened!
Why We Love It: This classic 70s book is still a must-read today! It has withstood the test of time.
Find this Book in Best Middle Grade Mystery Books / Books for 11-year-olds / Books About Puzzles
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter #4) by J.K Rowling
Although the order changes sometimes, this is my second favorite Harry Potter book in the series. In my opinion, it was the first book that really showed Rowling’s potential for great storytelling. If you are reading the Harry Potter books in order, as you should, you will LOVE this book.
Harry Potter finds himself participating in the Triwizard Tournament when someone tricked the Goblet of Fire and entered Harry’s name. He must compete against much more experienced wizards in tasks that will bring him glory or death.
Why We Love It: Harry faces dragons, dark wizards, and mermaids while performing magic he never thought possible. He faces the Deatheaters for the first time!
Find this Book In Books About Secret Societies / Harry Potter Books in Order / Best Puzzle Books
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
When a famed Vermeer painting goes missing, Petra and Calder are thrust into the middle of a scandal! Can they solve an art mystery that’s stumped the F.B.I.?
Why We Love It: The first in a 4 book series, this is a great book that is interactive too. There are hidden puzzles in pictures and a code for readers to break in this tween mystery book.
Find this Book in Best Puzzle Books
Best Puzzle Books for Adults
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett
Name a more unique mystery writer than Janice Hallett. You can’t because her mystery books are unlike any I’ve ever read before.
It’s not just the incredible mysteries that keep you on your toes – it’s HOW the stories are told.
Why We Love It: The Twyford Code is laid out as a collection of audio file transcripts that you need to decipher to find the treasure. The ending BLEW MY MIND. The genius of Hallett to lay it out like that… I’m in awe of this book.
Find this Book in Ultimate Beach Reads 2023 / Best Puzzle Books for Adults
The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers by Samuel Burr
Clayton Stumper was raised by a group of puzzle makers in the commune where he was left as a baby. When the woman who raised him dies, she leaves him with one more puzzle to solve.
The solution will give him answers about his past and the secrets of his birth as well as point give him directions for his future.
Why I Like It: I read this book in a day and found it even more delightful than the description. It was a medium-paced book, however, the puzzles within are engaging and the dual-timeline story made it unputdownable. I loved this 5-star read. #gifted
Find this book in Best Puzzle Books for Adults
Sci-Fi / Fantasy Books About Puzzles
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
In 2045, most people spent their days in the OASIS, a virtual reality world. When the elusive creator of the OASIS dies and leaves clues behind, the first person to solve the riddles will be in control of the entire OASIS and a massive fortune.
When Wade Watts solves the first clue, he might fight for his survival to win along with his group of misfit friends. Love, a fight for survival, and a group of loyal friends all give me Lunar Chronicle vibes.
Find this book in YA Dystopian Books / Best Sci-Fi Books / Books Like the Hunger Games / Puzzle Books for Adults
The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
This is one of the best books that I have read in a really long time. It is so smart and so well written- the complexity of the plot line is mind-boggling and kept me entranced until the very last page.
Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered every day at 11:00 PM. In order to escape Blackheath, Aiden Bishop must solve her murder. He will wake up every day for 8 days inhabiting a different host body.
Why We Love It: Everything is explained and in hindsight is so clear but, the book will keep you guessing throughout. This is a locked room mystery but with a twist, and a delightful one at that.
Find this book in Locked Room Mystery / Books About Puzzles
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
When it comes to YA Fantasy books, this one is a classic. The story begins with letters from Scarlett to Legend, the leader of Caraval- a game played once a year in a far-off destination.
Every year, every time it is played, the game is different. Filled with magic and wonder, Scarlet plays this destination-based competition to win this year’s prize – her sister Tella – before anyone else can. This is a game filled with magic where the stakes become higher the longer Scarlet plays.
Why We Love It: This is the first book in a three-part series that gets better and more complex with each new book. This series of YA fantasy romance books is a must-read.
Find this book in Stephanie Garber Books / YA Fantasy Romance Books / Books Like the Selection / Best Puzzle Books
More Books About Puzzles
The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni
I was completely intrigued when I saw the description of this book. I had high hopes and this book exceeded my expectations. The description called this “books like The Da Vinci Code” which made this a must-read.
Mike Brink was once a promising football star until an injury ruined his career. It also had the side effect of a condition called Acquired Savant Syndrome which allowed him to have a perfect memory and an ability to solve puzzles other people cannot.
When Jess Price, an inmate convicted of murder sends Brink a puzzle he cannot solve, he gets sucked into her world and the world of the God Puzzle.
Why We Love It: I listened to this book in one day and was immediately taken in by the twists, turns, and puzzles in this book. It is such a unique book.
Find This Book In Puzzle Books For Adults
The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon Series #2) by Dan Brown
This is one of the first books about secret societies that I ever read. Dan Brown found a way to incorporate symbolism and brilliant riddles into this modern-day mystery.
While visiting Paris, Robert Langdon receives a phone call that the curator of the Louvre is dead. The body is covered in strange symbols that lead them on a search for the killer and for answers. This is one of the best murder mystery books I have ever read.
Why We Love It: The plot does not slow for a minute from the first page to the last. It is the first in the Robert Langdon series and my favorite as well. I love the mystery, the suspense, and the non-stop action in this amazing novel!
Find this Book in Novels About Art / Books About Puzzles
The Last Equation of Isaac Severy by Nova Jacobs
This book was compared to my favorite middle-grade mystery, The Westing Game so I immediately purchased it.
Days after Hazel’s grandfather, Isaac Severy, dies by apparent suicide, she gets a mysterious letter from Isaac imploring her to find and deliver his last equation before it falls into the wrong hands.
Why We Love It: It’s the perfect mystery novel for fans of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. This mystery us unique and so smart.
Find This Book In Books About Puzzles
Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan
This book was not what I was expecting. There was a lot more mystery and action than I thought and a little more magic as well. The characters developed and changed and the story moved quickly.
This was a light and enjoyable magical realism book. When Clay takes a job in a bookstore, he thinks he will be selling books. He doesn’t realize that the “wayback” of the store is more like a library to an elite group of readers.
Mr. Penumbra’s bookstore is exactly the type of store that you will never want to leave.
Why We Love It: This is a book about a bookstore which is always something to love, but this book has puzzles to solve before you can understand why the bookstore is so special.
Find This Book In Books About Puzzles / Books About Bookstores
The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer
Jack Masterson is the author behind the Clock Island series, a series of beloved children’s books. Now, years after he was thought to be retired, he has written a new book. There is only one copy of the book that will go to the winner of a contest held on Clock Island.
For Lucy Hart, winning the contest will mean everything to her. It will mean she can finally have the means to adopt Christopher, the little boy that she has grown to love.
Why We Love It: This book felt like an adult fairy tale. If you are looking for books about puzzles, this uplifting, feel-good book is the perfect book.
Find This Book in Books About Puzzles / Feel-Good Books
