For beginners, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' is a good choice. It's part of the Sherlock Holmes series. The mystery of the Baskerville family and the terrifying hound is really engaging and not too complex for new mystery readers.
A less - known but very good beginner - friendly mystery novel is 'The Westing Game' by Ellen Raskin. It has an interesting premise where a group of people are brought together to solve the mystery of an inheritance. The characters are well - developed and the mystery is full of surprises.
Another good one is 'The Big Sleep' by Raymond Chandler. It has a noir - like atmosphere and a detective trying to solve a case filled with corruption and secrets. The writing is accessible, and the mystery is intriguing enough for new readers.
For beginners, 'Sherlock Holmes' stories are a great start. They are easy to follow and Holmes is such an iconic detective. His adventures around London are really engaging.
For beginners, 'The Girl on the Train' by Paula Hawkins can be a good start. It has elements of a locked - room mystery as it mainly focuses on a small set of characters and locations. The mystery is engaging and easy to follow.
A beginner - friendly stand - alone mystery novel is 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown. It has a very popular and accessible mystery that involves a lot of historical and religious elements. The main character, Robert Langdon, goes on a journey to solve a series of codes and mysteries related to the works of Leonardo da Vinci, which is both educational and exciting.
I would also recommend 'Nine Lives' by Peter Swanson. It has a somewhat accessible plot structure. With nine characters and their intertwined fates, it gives a good taste of mystery writing. The writing style is not too difficult to understand and it has enough twists and turns to keep a beginner interested in the mystery genre.
The 'Enola Holmes' series could be a good start too. It has a young and feisty female detective as the main character. The mysteries are engaging and not overly complicated, and it has a bit of a historical charm to it as it's set in Victorian England.
For beginners, 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' is an excellent choice. The stories are relatively short and easy to follow. Holmes' deductive reasoning is fascinating to read about as he solves mysteries around London.
For beginners, 'And Then There Were None' by Agatha Christie is a great choice. It's a classic mystery where ten people are invited to an island and then start getting killed one by one. The mystery is very well - crafted and it keeps you guessing until the end.
'The 39 Steps' by John Buchan is also great for those new to spy mystery novels. It was one of the early works in this genre and is a classic. It's a fast - paced adventure with a lot of intrigue.
Sure. 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson is a good start. Although Larsson was male, the main female character, Lisbeth Salander, is a strong and complex figure. The mystery involves a decades - old disappearance and a web of family secrets. It's a page - turner.