The Detective's Logic Casebook is a paperback of 40 original detective mysteries that you solve by logic alone. Each case hands you a story, a list of suspects and a set of clues. A grid helps you rule things out until exactly one suspect fits every clue. There is nothing to look up and nothing to guess.
What makes it different
Pure deduction
Every fact you need is printed in the case. A solver program checked each mystery to confirm that it has exactly one answer, so a careful reader never has to guess.
Evidence you can see
Each case lays out its suspects, a numbered list of evidence and a ready-made logic grid. Harder cases add a timeline or a floor plan to reason about.
Help when you want it
Every case has three hints, from a gentle nudge to the clues that decide it, and a step-by-step solution that shows how the answer follows. Hints and solutions are kept apart from the puzzles.
Four difficulty levels
The 40 cases climb in four levels, so you can start gently and work up to the cases that take an evening.
| Level | Cases | Suspects | Clues | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 7 | 3 | 5 to 6 | Short and direct: a few rooms and items, and facts you can use straight away. |
| Intermediate | 13 | 4 | 8 to 10 | Adds arrival times and a floor plan, so some clues need two steps. |
| Advanced | 13 | 4 to 5 | 8 to 14 | Adds witness statements, where you decide whose word to trust. |
| Master | 7 | 5 | 15 to 17 | The longest cases: more suspects, more clues and longer chains of reasoning. |
Levels are our own estimate from the structure of each case. How hard a case feels depends on the solver.
How to solve a detective mystery
- Read the story and meet the suspects. The question at the end of the story tells you what to find out.
- Work through the evidence one clue at a time. Each clue lets you cross something out or confirm something.
- Mark the grid. Put a cross where something cannot be true and a dot where it must be. Every new fact usually lets you cross out more squares.
- Check your answer against every clue. When the grid is full, only one suspect is left.
Here is the whole idea on a very small scale. If grids are new to you, the step-by-step logic grid guide walks through a larger example mark by mark.
A three-suspect warm-up
Three visitors each carried one different item into the lamp room: a lantern, a ledger or an umbrella. Who carried what?
- Ben did not carry the lantern.
- Whoever carried the umbrella is not Alice.
- Cara did not carry the ledger.
- Alice did not carry the lantern.
| Suspect | the lantern | the ledger | the umbrella |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alice | × | ● | × |
| Ben | × | × | ● |
| Cara | ● | × | × |
- Clues 2 and 4 rule out the umbrella and the lantern for Alice, so Alice carried the ledger.
- With the ledger taken, Ben and Cara cannot have it. Clue 1 says Ben did not carry the lantern, so Ben carried the umbrella.
- That leaves the lantern for Cara. Every clue checks out, and no other arrangement satisfies all four.
The mysteries in the book use the same moves, with more suspects, more kinds of clue and longer chains of steps.
Who it is for
Logic-puzzle fans
If you like logic grid puzzles, the book gives you 40 of them wrapped in short mysteries, with levels to grow into.
Mystery readers
You get the whodunit without the long novel: a suspect list, a handful of clues and a clean answer you have earned.
Teens and families
The cases are self-contained, so one can be a short sitting for a teen or a shared puzzle for a table of players.
What is in the free pack
You can try the style before you buy with a free printable pack. It is a 27-page PDF, sized for printing at 7 x 10 inches, with:
- Three new detective mysteries, one beginner, one intermediate and one advanced. They are written for this pack and are not taken from the book.
- Printable worksheets: a suspect-by-evidence grid, a multi-category logic grid, a clue tracker, suspect elimination cards, an investigation notes page and an answer sheet.
- Three layers of hints for every case, on separate pages so reading one never shows you the next.
- Full step-by-step solutions at the back, kept away from the puzzles.
Get 3 Free Detective Mysteries
Enter your email to unlock the free pack. The download appears on this page as soon as you sign up. It is the same three cases and worksheets described above.
You're subscribed ✅
Your free pack is ready. Download it here:
Download the 3 mysteries (PDF)
Save the file: this page is the place to get it again.
You're already on the list ✅
The free pack is yours to download again:
By signing up you get the free pack and agree to receive occasional emails from MindGrid Books about The Detective's Logic Casebook and our other puzzle books. Unsubscribe any time with one click, from the link in every email. We never share your address; see our privacy policy.
Questions about the casebook
Is the book available yet?
Yes. The Detective's Logic Casebook is available as a paperback on Amazon. Try the free pack first if you want to sample the style.
How are the mysteries made?
The logic of every case was generated and checked by a solver so that it has exactly one answer. The stories, hints and explanations are built from templates and drafted with AI assistance, and the publisher reviewed the 40 cases before printing. The three bonus cases were made the same way, and are still awaiting that human read-through.
Do I need any special knowledge?
No. Everything you need is on the page. The cases are about reading carefully and ruling things out, not about trivia.
Are solutions included?
Yes. Each case has three hints and a full step-by-step solution, printed in separate sections of the book.
Can I write in it?
Yes. Each case has a logic grid and a notes area on its own pages, and the paperback is designed to be written in with a pencil.
Is there a Kindle edition?
A digital edition has not been announced. The logic grids are designed for the printed page.
Is the free pack really free?
Yes. You can download it without buying anything. Signing up also adds you to our list for news about this book.
Will I get the pack by email?
The download appears on this page as soon as you sign up, so you do not have to wait for an email. Keep the file once you have it.
Open the casebook
Forty original mysteries are waiting, from a three-suspect warm-up to cases that ask you to weigh statements as well as facts. The paperback is available on Amazon.
See it on AmazonLooking for something to solve today? See our sudoku books for another kind of logic puzzle.
Prefer word searches? Detective Mystery Word Search is our paperback of 50 mysteries solved by searching a grid, with 5 free cases to print. See how the two detective books compare.
Book details
| Title | The Detective's Logic Casebook: 40 Original Mysteries to Solve with Clues, Evidence & Deduction |
|---|---|
| Author and publisher | MindGrid Books (independently published) |
| Format | Paperback, black and white interior |
| Trim size | 7 x 10 inches |
| Mysteries | 40 original cases in four levels |
| Status | Available on Amazon |
| ASIN | B0HN1LWR5W |