Book Series ยท 26 Books

A to Z Mysteries Books

In order from The Absent Author to The Zombie Zone.

The Absent Author
The Bald Bandit
The Deadly Dungeon
The Empty Envelope
The Canary Caper
Where the story begins

First Book in the Series

The Absent Author
Sale price
$674
Book #1 ยท Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 1997

The Absent Author

By Ron Roy, John Steven Gurney (Illustrator)

A famous mystery writer goes missing after being invited to a book signing event in a small town.

96 pagesยท 8,685 wordsยท Est. 1.5 hour read
$6.99Save 4%
Paperback
Summary: Dink eagerly awaits the arrival of his favorite mystery author, Wallis Wallace, in Green Lawn. But when the big day comes, Wallace is missing. While the police dismiss it as a travel mishap, Dink suspects something more sinister. With his friends Josh and Ruth Rose, he embarks on a quest to find the missing writer. As they delve deeper, they must unravel clues and face unexpected twists. Can they solve the mystery before it's too late?
In reading order

A to Z Mysteries Series

26 books ยท Published 1997โ€“2005

#1
#1 in Series
Sale price
$674

The Absent Author

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 1997

A famous mystery writer goes missing after being invited to a book signing event in a small town.

#2

The Bald Bandit

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 1997

Three friends try to solve a bank robbery by finding a video that shows the thief's face

#4

The Deadly Dungeon

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 1998

Three friends visit a famous mystery writer in her castle in Maine and become embroiled in a mystery involving a secret tunnel and a hidden treasure of rare parrots

#5
Sale price
$674

The Empty Envelope

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 1998

A young boy receives a series of mysterious letters in the mail that lead him and his friends on a treasure hunt to uncover the truth behind a valuable stamp.

#3
Sale price
$674

The Canary Caper

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 1998

Three friends try to solve the mystery of a missing cat and a canary, which leads them to uncover a string of burglaries in their town.

#6
Sale price
$674

The Falcon's Feathers

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 1998

A falcon's nest is empty. Can three friends uncover the mystery before it's too late?

#7
Sale price
$674

The Goose's Gold

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 1998

Three kids investigate a possible robbery on a Florida island

#9
Sale price
$674

The Invisible Island

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 1999

Three friends try to solve a mystery involving counterfeit money on a small island.

#8

The Haunted Hotel

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 1999

Three friends investigate a ghost haunting a hotel.

#10
Sale price
$674

The Jaguar's Jewel

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2000

A priceless emerald is stolen from a museum, and three young friends must solve the mystery to clear the name of one of their relatives.

#11

The Kidnapped King

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2000

A young prince is kidnapped and must be rescued by his new friends.

#12

The Lucky Lottery

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2000

Three friends try to solve a mystery involving a stolen lottery ticket worth seven million dollars.

#15
Sale price
$674

The Orange Outlaw

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2001

A group of kids try to solve the mystery of a stolen painting.

#13

The Missing Mummy

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2001

Three friends solve a mystery involving a stolen mummy and a treasure heist at a museum.

#14
Sale price
$674

The Ninth Nugget

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2001

A stolen gold nugget at a dude ranch leads to a thrilling mystery.

#16
Sale price
$674

The Panda Puzzle

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2001

A baby panda is kidnapped from a petting zoo and the main characters must solve the mystery before it's too late.

#17
Sale price
$674

The Quicksand Question

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2002

Three friends try to solve the mystery of a stolen duck bank filled with money meant for a duck bridge.

#20
Sale price
$674

The Talking T. Rex

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2002

Three friends help a man who has a life-sized robotic T. rex to raise money for a museum and then try to solve the mystery of the stolen money.

#18
Sale price
$674

The Runaway Racehorse

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2002

Three friends visit their friend Forest Evans to watch his horse Whirlaway run in a race in Saratoga Springs, but when they arrive, they discover that Whirlaway has gone missing

#19
Sale price
$674

The School Skeleton

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2003

A school skeleton goes missing and a group of students try to solve the mystery.

#23
Sale price
$674

The White Wolf

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2004

Three friends help a girl named Abbi solve a mystery involving stolen wolf pups.

#21
Sale price
$674

The Unwilling Umpire

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2004

A baseball game fundraiser turns into a mystery when a valuable collection of autographed baseballs goes missing

#22
Sale price
$674

The Vampire's Vacation

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2004

Three friends try to solve the mystery of a man in black who seems to be a vampire.

#26
Sale price
$674

The Zombie Zone

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2005

Three kids on vacation in New Orleans stumble upon a mysterious grave robbery in a small village

#24
Sale price
$674

The X'ed-Out X-Ray

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2005

A concert, a stolen necklace, and an X-ray. Can three kids connect the dots?

#25
Sale price
$674

The Yellow Yacht

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2005

A robbery disrupts paradise. Can three kids uncover the yacht's secret?

Companion series

Calendar Mysteries Series

13 books ยท Published 2009โ€“2014

#2

February Friend

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“8 ยท 2009

A group of friends try to find the owner of a mysterious rabbit that was left in their classroom closet.

#1
Sale price
$674

January Joker

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2009

A group of kids try to figure out what is happening when their friends and pets start disappearing.

#4
Sale price
$674

April Adventure

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2010

Four kids search for hidden Easter eggs and solve a mystery involving a family of swans.

#3
Sale price
$674

March Mischief

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2010

A group of kids try to solve the mystery of stolen leprechaun statues in their town.

#5
Sale price
$674

May Magic

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“8 ยท 2011

A family's life is turned upside down when the mother is hypnotized and starts acting like a duck.

#6
Sale price
$674

June Jam

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2011

A group of kids work together to solve the mystery of a garden monster that is eating their strawberries

#11
Sale price
$759

November Night

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2014

Four kids try to uncover the mystery of their new neighbors' secret project in their backyard

#13
Sale price
$574

New Year's Eve Thieves

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2014

Four friends try to solve a mystery involving a stolen laptop and a suspicious couple in their town.

#7
Sale price
$574

July Jitters

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2014

Pets vanish before a Fourth of July parade. Can the kids find them in time?

#10
Sale price
$759

October Ogre

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“8 ยท 2014

Four friends try to solve the mystery of a haunted house on Halloween night

#8
Sale price
$674

August Acrobat

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2014

A group of kids try to help a struggling circus by finding a mysterious acrobat.

#9
Sale price
$759

September Sneakers

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2014

A missing hamster and mysterious sneakers lead four friends on a puzzling quest.

#12
Sale price
$574

December Dog

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2014

A lost puppy on Christmas Eve leads to a mystery. Can the kids find its owner?

Companion series

Capital Mysteries Series

14 books ยท Published 2001โ€“2012

#1
Sale price
$674

Who Cloned the President?

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2001

Two fourth-grade friends discover that the President of the United States has been cloned and embark on a mission to rescue the real president

#2
Sale price
$574

Kidnapped at the Capital

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2002

A young girl's mother and the President of the United States are kidnapped, and she must navigate a complex web of clues to rescue them.

#3
Sale price
$599

The Skeleton in the Smithsonian

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2003

Two kids help the President of the United States solve a mystery involving a claim to a large fortune.

#4
Sale price
$574

A Spy in the White House

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2004

A young girl and her friend try to solve a mystery involving a spy in the White House

#5
Sale price
$574

Who Broke Lincoln's Thumb?

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2005

A missing thumb from Lincoln's statue threatens a presidential celebration. Can two kids solve the mystery in time?

#7
Sale price
$599

Trouble at the Treasury

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2005

A bundle of cash vanishes from the Treasury. Can KC solve the mystery?

#6
Sale price
$574

Fireworks at the FBI

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2006

A group of friends try to solve a mystery involving rockets, fireworks, and a witness protection program.

#9

A Thief at the National Zoo

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2007

A precious jewel vanishes from a locked room. Can KC and Marshall solve the mystery?

#8
Sale price
$574

Mystery at the Washington Monument

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2007

A young girl and her friend solve a mystery involving a monkey and a historic monument.

#10
Sale price
$599

The Election-Day Disaster

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2008

Can two kids save the president's election after a Halloween scandal?

#11
Sale price
$674

The Secret at Jefferson's Mansion

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2009

A hidden treasure is stolen from Monticello. Can KC and Marshall solve the mystery?

#12
Sale price
$574

The Ghost at Camp David

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2010

A ghostly legend at Camp David leads to eerie mysteries. Is it really a dead president's spirit?

#13
Sale price
$599

Trapped on the D.C. Train!

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2011

A group of kidnappers target the vice president of the United States and her stepdaughter on a train ride to Pennsylvania

#14
Sale price
$574

Turkey Trouble on the National Mall

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2012

Who stole 117 turkeys before Thanksgiving? KC and Marshall must solve the mystery.

Companion series

A to Z Mysteries Super Edition Series

14 books ยท Published 2006โ€“2022

#1
Sale price
$759

Detective Camp

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2006

Three friends attend a detective camp and solve a mystery involving a stolen ring and a treasure hunt.

#2
Sale price
$759

Mayflower Treasure Hunt

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2007

A lost sapphire necklace from the Mayflower sparks a thrilling treasure hunt.

#3
Sale price
$759

White House White-out

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2008

Three friends try to solve the mystery of a missing dog and a kidnapping plot.

#4
Sale price
$759

Sleepy Hollow Sleepover

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2010

Is the Headless Horseman real? Strange events unfold in Sleepy Hollow.

#5
Sale price
$759

The New Year Dragon Dilemma

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2011

A girl vanishes during a parade. Can young detectives solve the mystery?

#6
Sale price
$674

The Castle Crime

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2014

Three kids race to solve the mystery of stolen royal jewels in London.

#7
Sale price
$674

Operation Orca

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2015

A baby orca vanishes. Can three kids solve the mystery?

#8
Sale price
$759

Secret Admirer

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2015

Secret admirer sends clues. Can they solve the Valentine mystery?

#9
Sale price
$674

April Fools' Fiasco

Picture Book ยท Ages 4โ€“8 ยท 2017

A bookstore prank turns into a real robbery. Can the kids solve the mystery?

#10
Sale price
$759

Colossal Fossil

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2018

A sleepover at a museum turns mysterious after a loud crash. What happened to the Spinosaurus?

#11
Sale price
$674

Grand Canyon Grab

Chapter Book ยท Ages 7โ€“9 ยท 2019

A TV star vanishes at the Grand Canyon. Can three kids solve the mystery before it's too late?

#12
Sale price
$759

Space Shuttle Scam

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2020

A space museum visit turns mysterious as someone targets Alice's property.

#13
Sale price
$674

Crime in the Crypt

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2021

A stolen vase implicates a grandmother. Can three friends uncover the truth?

#14
Sale price
$674

Leopard on the Loose

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2022

A rare leopard vanishes at the zoo. Can young detectives crack the case before it's too late?

Companion series

A to Z Animal Mysteries Series

7 books ยท Published 2023โ€“2026

#1
Sale price
$674

The Absent Alpacas

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2023

Alpacas vanish before a fair contest. Can young detectives solve the mystery?

#2
Sale price
$674

Bats in the Castle

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2023

A mysterious sound leads Abbi and friends on a quest to uncover the truth.

#3
Sale price
$674

Cougar Clues

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2024

A cougar mystery in Maine challenges young sleuths. Is it real or a clever ruse?

#4
Sale price
$674

Dolphin Detectives

Chapter Book ยท Ages 4โ€“8 ยท 2024

Kids uncover a dolphin mystery at sea. Is it play or danger?

#5
Sale price
$674

The Emerald Egg

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2025

An emu egg is missing. Can young detectives crack the case?

#6
Sale price
$674

Find That Ferret!

Chapter Book ยท Ages 8โ€“12 ยท 2025

A missing ferret leads to a bigger mystery at the petting zoo.

#7
Sale price
$674

The Gecko Escape Room

Chapter Book ยท Ages 6โ€“9 ยท 2026

Kids unravel a gecko-themed escape room mystery. Are they truly safe?

Good to know

Common Questions

How many books are in the A to Z Mysteries series?

There are 26 books in the A to Z Mysteries series. It began with The Absent Author in 1997, and the newest book, The Zombie Zone, was published in 2005.

What order should you read the A to Z Mysteries books in?

Start with The Absent Author and follow the series order โ€” the books above are numbered #1 through #26.

What ages are the A to Z Mysteries books best for?

The series is best for ages 6โ€“9, based on the age ranges of the individual books.

Which A to Z Mysteries book is the longest?

The Talking T. Rex is the longest book in the series at 10,025 words (96 pages).

Which A to Z Mysteries book is the shortest?

The Empty Envelope is the shortest at 6,456 words (96 pages).

The people

The Creatives Behind the Books

The authors and illustrators who bring A to Z Mysteries to life.

01

Ron Roy

Author
02

John Steven Gurney

Illustrator

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