Must-Read Mystery Books for Kids

These mystery books all come highly recommended by the Pirfly review team. Grab them for your young Sherlock’s today.

Julian, Secret Agent by Ann Cameron (Grades 2-5)

Julian and his buddies Huey and Gloria consider themselves some pretty sweet secret agents. They have, after all, rescued a neighborhood dog, saved a small child from drowning… but these kids have their sights set on solving some severe crime. They decide they’re going to capture themselves, a bank robber but get in the way of the police. When they find themselves in some hot water, they’ll need to use their super sleuthing and spy skills to save themselves!

Malcolm at Midnight by W. H. Beck, Illustrated by Brian Lies (Grades 2-5)

Malcolm is jazzed to be the new fifth-grade class pet at school: he’s well-fed, well-loved and has some comfy digs. Even better: he finds out that the rest of the classroom pets are part of a secret society called The Academy, whose charge keeps the students of the school safe. When Aggy the iguana goes missing, the rest of the class pets accuse Malcolm of the crime. See, he chose to hide the fact that he’s not so much a mouse as a rat, and rats are not to be trusted—or are they? This is a delightful mystery with some valuable lessons on acceptance and inclusion.

The Geronimo Stilton series by Geronimo Stilton (Grades 2-5)

I went back and forth as to whether this originally Italian series should be labelled as mystery or adventure, and I think it’s a little bit of both! The books are about globetrotting mouse Geronimo Stilton, a best-selling author, investigative reporter and editor for the Rodent Gazette in New Mouse City, Mouse Island. Stilton embarks on all sorts of wild adventures with his sister Thea, cousin Trap, and nephew Benjamin, keeping a diary of his travels as inspiration for his books. Start with The Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye, where Geronimo and Thea find a mysterious map that leads the pair on a treasure hunt.

The Sherlock Sam series by A.J. Low (Grades 2-5)

Yep. Another Sherlock book, but with a few twists! It’s set in Singapore, our sleuth Samuel Tan Cher Lock (aka Sherlock Sam) is a 10-year-old foodie, and his sidekick is a robot named Watson. Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong, Sherlock & friends set out to find his auntie’s stolen cookbook. Fun fact: A.J. Low is a husband and wife duo! Adam Jimenez is a Mexican-American author who grew up in California and later moved to Singapore, where he met his wife Felicia Low. A.J. Jimenez plus Felicia Low = A.J. Low.

For plenty more great mystery reads and reviews, check out Pirfly.

New Favorite Mystery Reads for Kids

These books all come highly recommended by the Pirfly review team. Grab them for your young readers today.

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

This is the perfect read for kids like me who love puzzles and mysteries. Jennifer Chambliss Bertman’s debut novel follows Emily and James, two books and puzzle-loving kids, on their quest around San Francisco. They find out what happened to Garrison Griswold, the Book Scavenger game’s inventor (geo-caching with books). Kids can play Book Scavenger in real life and seek and hide their favorite books around town.

Greenglass House by Kate Milford, illustrated by Jaime Zollars

This is a classic whodunit story told from Milo’s perspective, a young boy who helps his family run an inn for smugglers. He’s looking forward to a quiet family holiday when an odd cast of characters unexpectedly shows up at the inn. Each guest has a different connection to the inn, and Milo and the cook’s daughter work to unravel the mystery that links them all.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Twelve kids are invited to spend a night in the town’s new library created by the legendary game maker Luigi Lemoncello. Adventure and fun are nonstop as the kids work to solve the clues and escape from the library. Perfect for kids who liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Night at the Museum.

For plenty more great mystery reads and reviews, check out Pirfly.

Mystery Songs You Should Add to Your Playlist

Music provides us with a chance to escape reality and gives us hope that everything will pan out okay in the end. Artists are now coming up with mystifying songs that give listeners a thrilling experience when they hit the play button. Here are three mystery songs that are likely to impress you.

Woodlawn – Amine

In this song, Amine sings about how he has come a long way. He reveals that he grew up with his Ethiopian-Eritrean family in the Portland neighborhood. Amine sounds like a styling and talented artist in this track. This is due to his ability to deliver educational rhymes that require more in-depth assessment for listeners to understand and enjoy.

Anthems – Charli XCX

“Anthems” is one of Charli XCX’s most popular anthems of 2020. In the song, she reveals that she is lonely and wants to meet with her friends. Also, she doesn’t mind being shitfaced by her friends. Charli’s song has succeeded in providing her audience with a chance to stop being hard on themselves and trust the process.

Disease: BTS

Songwriter BTS has made it possible for viewers to let go of all terror and frustration. The song is extra creepy, enigmatic, and swaggering. The thrilling mood created by the beats makes the music more interesting to hear. BTS fans looking for an exciting track to add to their favorites should give ‘Disease’ a try.

If you are looking for mystery songs to listen to, head over to Pirfly.com.

Murder Mystery eBooks That Will Leave You in Suspense

Mystery eBooks are perfect for creating a suspense mood that will always leave you eager to know more. They also activate your brain and ensure it is healthy. Here are some of the best murder mystery eBooks that are worth reading.

City of Margins – Wiliam Boyle

Originally published on March 3, 2020, City of Margins captures the author’s experience while he was still a child living in the Brooklyn neighborhood. Most of the characters are mob goons, college dropouts, and widows, who make the mystery tale even more enjoyable.

Nightshift – Kiare Ladner

Nightshift is a dark and frightening eBook that will get the reader’s heart racing. In the eBook, the author tries to explore female friendship against the nightshift workers of London. Meggie meets up with Sabine when she is 23 years old; she realizes that Sabine is her role model. She decides to give up her daytime shifts and opt to work the same changes as Sabine.

Even – Andrew Grant

Andrew creates a pulse-racing thriller experience in this eBook. Jack Reachers’ previous novel motivates David Trevellyan to fight for his life when he finds himself in a tricky situation. He has been framed for a murder incidence that he had not committed and knew nothing about. He decides to investigate the person who is trying to impose the case on him. He discovers that there is a vast international conspiracy that directly links the United States government.

If you are searching for more mystifying mystery eBooks, check out Pirfly.com.

Most Used Quotes From Famous Books

Books have the power to inspire and educate, and they also have sections that can stick in the mind and give us the mantra we need to succeed. Most people will have a quote that they often use from one of their favorite books. Here are some of the most used quotes from famous books.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss has always added important messages to his books, and they are loved by children and adults around the world. In Oh, the Places You’ll Go, he tells people just how important it is to be your own person.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Most students will have been introduced to Shakespeare at some point in their school life, and his plays are packed with quotes that have been used in all types of situations. This famous love story has one of the best quotes that compares Juliet to the sun.

“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”

When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne

Winnie-the-Pooh is one of the best-loved children’s characters and many of the quotes people use from the books are there to inspire friendship and love. This quote, however, bestows the importance of exercise.

“A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.”

For more inspiring quotes from your favorite books, visit www.pirfly.com.

Interesting Movie Facts You May Not Know

Movies are a great way to let yourself drift off into the imagination of the filmmakers and laugh, cry, or be transported to another world. There is often a lot going on behind the scenes at our favorite movies, but some of these facts you might not have heard before. Here are some interesting movie facts that may surprise you.

Die Hard

In 1968, Frank Sinatra starred in a movie called The Detective. The movie was based on a book that got a sequel many years later. The sequel was the basis of the movie Die Hard, and because Sinatra had starred in the prequel, he was contractually obligated to be given the first refusal on Dai Hard. However, by now Sinatra was 73, so declined the offer.

Santa Clause 2

In the sequel to the hugely popular Santa Clause, Tim Allen felt a huge responsibility towards the child actors on set. So much so, that he stayed in character when he was around them and answering their questions about Christmas.

Home Alone

A Christmas favorite, Home Alone features a scene where Marv, played by Daniel Stern, has a tarantula placed on his face. This was going to be a fake spider, but director Chris Columbus wanted it to be a real one. Many think his scream was dubbed, but actually, it wasn’t.

It’s a Wonderful Life

Shot in 1946, this movie featured a lot of fake snow. However, the usual method was to paint cornflakes white but director Frank Capra said it was too noisy and decided to create new fake snow for the movie, using sugar, water, soap flakes, and foamite which was used in fire extinguishers. Another popular alternative at the time was asbestos.

For books on amazing facts from all walks of life, visit www.pirfly.com.

Murder mysteries to read now

‘The Mirror Crack’d’ (1980)

The film’s about two warring actresses who are starring in the same film together. Poison, meant for one of them, ends up killing another woman—so who’s the culprit? This is the only time Angela Lansbury played the classic Agatha Christie character, Miss Marple. But she is glorious in it—and you can see the seeds of the 1980s-90s series Murder She Wrote, in which Lansbury played a modern version of the character. Elizabeth Taylor rants and rages with characteristic flair, and if you’re not familiar with her work, here’s a great place to start.

‘Clue’ (1895)

This comedy, based on the classic board game, follows a group of guests at a dinner party who all suspect each other when their host is murdered. It’s one of the rare instances in which a game adaptation works, and the original theatrical release had multiple endings distributed out randomly to audiences. (The version you’ll watch will have all three, one after the other.)

‘The Big Sleep’ (1946)

Private investigator Philip Marlowe (Bogart) is hired by General Sternwood to help fix the issue of his daughter, Carmen’s, gambling debts. Marlowe turns to the general’s older daughter, Vivian (Bacall), who reveals that the situation is much more twisty than it appears. The film dives into how a crime is solved; With literary legend William Faulkner cowriting, the story’s aged well.

‘Zodiac’ (2007)

Director David Fincher’s 2007 film took on the still officially unsolved murders of the Zodiac Killer. The film is long and windy but doesn’t feel it. If the lack of closure makes you wary of seeing it, don’t let that deter you. This film’s as riveting as it gets.

For plenty more mystery, head over to www.pirfly.com today.

3 Unmissable Episodes Of Agatha Christie’s Poirot

Spanning well over 50 episodes and decades’ worth of Tv appearances—there are few adaptations as enduring as David Suchet’s take on Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian Detective. With all that to choose from, picking out a starting point is tricky, so get ready to tax your little grey cells with these three unmissable episodes of Poirot.

Evil Under The Sun

A story so tightly plotted you could set your watch to it(This will make sense once you’ve watched it) this is a fine showcase for the layers and layers Christie could build into her plots, with one of the more fabulous double feints and plenty of sun-soaked atmospheres and foreboding.

Death On The Nile

Alongside Murder On The Orient Express—this is the one Christie story that truly needs no introduction—and the episode manages to live up to that magnificent reputation. The highpoint being an emotional bombshell of a denouement that sees Suchet at his monologuing best. Eagle-eyed viewers will also be able to spot a young Emily Blunt in one of her first roles!

Death In The Clouds

Christie was nothing if not inventive when it came to her modus operandi for her murders, and it’s safe to say this is one of the only cases where suspected methods include poison darts and bees! It’s also a delightfully fun mystery with no shortage of un unscrupulous suspects.

If you’re a fan of the great detectives—from Hercule Poirot to Sherlock Holmes—you need to head over to Pirfly, where you’ll find the very best in mystery and thriller books.

The best book quotes about mystery

Here is our round-up of great book quotes about the subject of mystery in life.

“There’s a reason for everything, you said, and though it’s a mystery to me now, I know it won’t always be so.” – Ben Sherwood, The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud

“Holy men tell us life is a mystery.

They embrace that concept happily.

But some mysteries bite and bark

and come to get you in the dark.”

-Dean Koontz, The Book of Counted Sorrows

“Life, he realized, was much like a song. In the beginning there is mystery, in the end there is confirmation, but it’s in the middle where all the emotion resides to make the whole thing worthwhile.” – Nicholas Sparks, The Last Song

“Your heart’s desire is to be told some mystery. The mystery is that there is no mystery.” – Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian

“Margo always loved mysteries. And in everything that came afterward, I could never stop thinking that maybe she loved mysteries so much that she became one.” – John Green, Paper Towns

“Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore…” – Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven

“There is in the darkness a unity, if you will, that cannot be achieved in any other environment, a blending of self with what the self perceives, an exquisite mystical experience.” – Bernard Malamud, The Natural

“You’d think solving mysteries would bring you closure, that closing the loop would comfort and quiet your mind. But it never does. The truth always disappoints.” – John Green, Turtles All the Way Down

For plenty more mystery content, check out www.pirfly.com.

Famous words to describe the mystery of books

There are book lovers, then there are BOOK LOVERS. Here are some famous words to describe people’s fascination with books.

I believe the great artists of the future will use fewer words, copy fewer things, essays will be shorter in words and longer in meaning. There will be a battle against obscurity. Effort will be made to put everything plain, out in the open. By this means we will enter into the real mystery. There will be fewer things said and done, but each thing will be fuller and will receive fuller consideration. Now we waste. There is too much “Art,” too much “decoration,” too many things are made, too many amusements wasted. Not enough is fully considered. We must paint only what is important to us, must not respond to outside demands. They do not know what they want, or what we have to give. — Basic Books

My books are shelved in different places, depending on the bookstore. Sometimes they can be found in the Mystery section, sometimes in the Humor department, and occasionally even in the Literature aisle, which is somewhat astounding. — Carl Hiaasen

Reading Chekhov, I felt not happy, exactly, but as close to happiness as I knew I was likely to come. And it occurred to me that this was the pleasure and mystery of reading, as well as the answer to those who say that books will disappear. For now, books are still the best way of taking great art and its consolations along with us on a bus. — Francine Prose

‘I have to go to the library, Homer. I have to be with the books. — Christine Aziz

Writing a mystery is more difficult than other kinds of books because a mystery has a certain framework that must be superimposed over the story. — Martha Grimes

The luminescent flow of a sunbathed garden – illuminating the shifting colors of its inhabitants – echoed in my memory as I opened the antique bookstore door in the shaft of window light.

The books, like the flowers of the garden, awaited me with the thrill of a new mystery. — Gina Marinello-Sweeney

I’m snobby about books that aren’t crime fiction: if I start reading a literary novel and there’s no mystery emerging in the first few pages, I’m like, ‘Gah, this obviously isn’t a proper book. Why would I want to carry on reading it?’ — Sophie Hannah

We become attached to certain characters in novels, mostly because they have some mystery attaching to them. We re-read the books, but we’re still left wanting to know more. In my own case, it was ‘Great Expectations’ and Miss Havisham in particular. Luckily, writers have the option of making up the knowledge that reading doesn’t supply. — Ronald Frame

Every book is a mystery. And if you read all the books ever written, it’s like you’ve read one giant mystery. And no matter how much you learn, you just keep on learning there is so much more you need to learn. — Sherman Alexie

And then you grew up, went to school, and began to ‘philosophize,’ didn’t you? We all go through the same thing. It seems that during adolescence a person’s inner life is suddenly weakened, stripped of its natural courage. In his thinking he no longer dares stand face to face with reality or mystery; he begins to see them through the opinions of ‘grown-ups,’ through books and courses and professors. Still, a voice remains which is not completely muffled and which cries out every so often – every time its gag is loosened by an unexpected jolt in the routine. The voice cries out its great questioning of everything, but we stifle it again right away. — Rene Daumal

Okay, so it’s like each of these books is a mystery. Every book is a mystery. And if you read all of the books ever written, it’s like you’ve read one giant mystery. And no matter how much you learn, you keep on learning so much more you need to learn. — Sherman Alexie

I want the reader to know what’s going on. So there’s never a mystery in my books. — Elmore Leonard

For plenty more content full of mystery, check out www.pirfly.com.