10 Delightful Books Like The Mysterious Benedict Society

Did you love reading The Mysterious Benedict Society? I know I did, and I immediately wanted to find other delightful books just like it to read. Of course, the best place to start is seeing if you’ve read the whole series first. There are four others to read:

But if you still want more books to read after you’ve made your way through all the fantastic books in this series, then here are 10 books like The Mysterious Benedict Society that I’ve read and found to be just as enjoyable!

1. The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

The Name of This Book is Secret introduces you to two brave children—Cass and Max-Ernest—as they accidentally stumble upon a very big secret. A secret that many would kill to protect!

Everything you need to know to entice you to read this book is there within the first two pages. (Page 1: “WARNING: DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS PAGE!” and Page 2: “Good. Now I know I can trust you. You’re curious. You’re brave. And you’re not afraid to lead a life of crime.”) The narrator/author of this book is hilarious…but, as he says, this is a very dangerous book because it contains a very big secret. And what is this secret? Well, you’ll just have to read it to find out.

From Cass and Max-Ernest finding a mysterious box of vials (the “Symphony of Smells”), to following the trail of a magician who disappeared under strange circumstances, to finding corrupt and criminal villains when they reach the end of the trail…well, you can only read this book if you’re very, very brave. Because if the wrong people find out you know their secret, you could be in just as big trouble as Cass and Max-Ernest! Remember, I warned you.

Haven’t had enough danger yet? There are four other hair-raising books in this series to read:

Buy The Name of This Book is Secret now on Bookshop or Amazon!

2. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

If the girls (Kate Wetherall and Constance Contraire) and the mystery element of The Mysterious Benedict Society appealed to you, then The Westing Game and its heroine Turtle Wexler will likely also become a new favorite!

The opening lines set up the atmosphere of the entire book, with their foreshadowing of mysterious happenings to come: “The sun sets in the west (just about everyone knows that) but Sunset Towers faced east. Strange!”

It isn’t long before the tenants of Sunset Towers, including Turtle, are sent off on an unlikely adventure as they’re all called together for a reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. He loved games in life, and in death he’ll play one more as he requires all the beneficiaries of his will to participate in a game to compete for his enormous fortune. Who will win? What will they encounter along the way? It’s sure to be an adventure!

Buy The Westing Game now on Bookshop or Amazon!

3. The Anybodies by N.E. Bode

Even before this book actually begins, you know that The Anybodies by N.E. Bode is going to be a hilarious and delightful read. In fact, you know this from the moment you read the dedication—a monologue that begins with the words: “THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO YOU. Yes, you. Don’t be so shocked. Haven’t you always secretly thought that you deserved a book dedicated to you and to you only?”

The story itself is thoroughly wonderful and whimsical, as it tells of a young girl named Fern who learns that she was swapped at birth and suddenly finds herself on an unbelievable adventure with her real father.

With a magic-heavy storyline, a dash of mystery, a lot of determination and fire on the part of Fern, and a hilarious narrator who keeps breaking the fourth wall to tell us about his famous writing teacher (whom he greatly dislikes)…well, this story has all the charm you could possibly hope for in a book! It’s an excellent next read for anyone who has just finished and loved the Mysterious Benedict Society series. (Plus, there are two amazing sequels: The Nobodies and The Somebodies)

Buy The Anybodies now on Bookshop or Amazon!

4. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

Did you like the children of The Mysterious Benedict Society and their ability to survive and puzzle their way through on their own? If so, then From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is for you!

The heroine of this story, Claudia Kincaid, decides to run away…but not in the heat of the moment. No, nothing so haphazard for Claudia Kincaid! Instead of just running away, she plans a place to run to. And where is that? Why the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, of course!

Enlisting her younger brother Jamie to run away with her (because he has more money saved up than she does), Claudia and James soon settle into living at the museum—sleeping in an old 16th century bed at night and exploring the museum during the day. But it isn’t long before they find themselves caught up in the mystery of a statue that may or may not be the work of Michelangelo. It only cost the museum $225, but is it actually worth millions?

As Claudia and Jamie set out to prove the statue is the work of Michelangelo, they find themselves enthralled in this mystery and before long their quest leads to an old woman called Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. What will they discover along the way? And is the statue really a Michelangelo? With humor and heart, this book leads the children to discoveries about art and about themselves. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read!

Buy From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler now on Bookshop or Amazon!

5. The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones

For fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society who also love a dash of magic in their tales, The Lives of Christopher Chant is an excellent next read!

Christopher Chant comes from a magical family, yet he has nothing magical about him—except his dreams. Living a lonely life with his parents always at odds with one another and ignoring him, Christopher soon finds himself longing to escape every night to what he calls “The Place Between” and the “Almost Anywheres.”

These Almost Anywheres are all quite different from London and he has new adventures in them every night…meeting creatures like mermaids and bringing back strange toys from the worlds he visits. But soon, others start to take note of his odd ability…and his world is turned upside down! Before long, he’s exploring and experimenting with his dream abilities and then sent to Chrestomanci Castle to train to be the Chrestomanci—the controller of all the magic in the world.

Will Christopher be the next Chrestomanci? Are his dreams for evil or for good? From one moment to the next, you never know quite what to expect…and when Christopher finds himself in danger, will he come out of it all alive or will disaster strike?

If you like this tale, there are also five more delightful reads in this series:

Buy The Lives of Christopher Chant now on Bookshop or Amazon!

6. Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

If you loved all the puzzles and mysteries in The Mysterious Benedict Society, then you’ll definitely love all the puzzles in Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library!

Mr. Lemoncello is a master game maker, and now he’s created a breathtaking library in a small Ohio town. And for opening night, the 12 twelve-year-olds who write the best essays get to go there for an overnight of fun and lots of games!

Kyle Keeley is, of course, interested…since he is a huge fan of games of all types. When he happens to win one of the coveted spots to be one of the first 12 kids in the library, he’s beyond thrilled to enjoy the overnight festivities. But when the doors remain locked the next day instead of letting them out, Kyle and his friends must find the clues and secret puzzles that will allow them to find the hidden route and escape from the library.

Will they win Mr. Lemoncello’s new game and make it out in time? Or will they fail? Discover all the fun clues they find along the way, as well as a super special puzzle you get to try to solve all on your own.

Be sure to also check out the other titles in this series: Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics, Mr. Lemoncello’s Great Library Race, and Mr. Lemoncello’s All-Star Breakout Game.

Buy Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library now on Bookshop or Amazon!

7. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

Like the children of The Mysterious Benedict Society, the children in A Series of Unfortunate Events are clever and brave. This book series, beginning with The Bad Beginning, tells the tale of four charming but unlucky orphans.

When the Baudelaire parents are killed in a fire, the Baudelaire siblings are thrown into a world of misery and must use all their wits to survive…and in particular, to outwit the villain in their lives and his plot to steal their fortune. Disaster lurks everywhere, but can they outmaneuver this scoundrel and escape from their misery?

This whole series is a fun read, despite the unfortunate events contained within. You can even purchase all 13 books in the series as a whole if you so choose!

Buy The Bad Beginning now on Bookshop or Amazon!

8. The Wednesdays by Julie Bourbeau

This middle grade book, called The Wednesdays, has a slightly creepier vibe than The Mysterious Benedict Society, but the storytelling and the story itself are just as singular and mysterious which makes it an excellent read.

The plot revolves around the tiny village of Tibidabo…a village that is normal in every way on every day except for Wednesday. On Wednesdays, the whole town closes down and everyone remains in their shuttered houses trying to block out all the odd accidents that happen—like cars not starting, cats getting stuck in vacuum cleaners, pools being filled with blue dye instead of water, etc. As long as you stay inside your house, you’re relatively safe!

But the main character, Max V. Bernard, is curious about the Wednesday madness and breaks the rules of his village by leaving his house on a Wednesday one week…leading to disaster and mayhem beyond anything he expected to find! And when the Wednesday weirdness starts to overflow into other days of the week, Max find himself desperately searching for a cure for a case of the Wednesdays. What’s the cause of the strange accidents that are happening? And can he fix it all before his world is irrevocably changed? This intriguing book draws you in and won’t let you go until you find out the fate of Max and his village of Tibidabo!

Buy The Wednesdays now on Bookshop or Amazon!

9. The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

If you like The Mysterious Benedict Society as well as books like A Series of Unfortunate Events, then The Willoughbys is a fun read. In this story, four children (Tim, the twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and Jane) are abandoned by their parents and left in the charge of a nanny.

Hijinks ensue as the four Willoughbys follow the models of old-fashioned stories (especially lots of classic works of literature that you’ll recognize) and as they attempt to find their happily ever after. This story is lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek, and filled with puns and other delightful things that makes it a fun and quick read!

Buy The Willoughbys now on Bookshop or Amazon!

10. A Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup

A Whole Nother Story is one of my favorite books on this list, as its pages are filled with the adventures of three enterprising children, it’s undeniably silly, and there’s time travel involved! It is slightly sillier than The Mysterious Benedict Society, but I think you’ll like it just as much.

In this tale, the three Cheeseman Children, their psychic dog, and their father are on the run from lots of people…including the government and corporate agents #5, #29, and #207. Why? Because Dr. Cheeseman and his late wife invented a time machine! But unfortunately, the time machine doesn’t work quite right yet…

So the Cheesemans are on the run, changing their names every time they move, and disappearing into the night when their bald fox terrier growls to signal that someone evil is nearby. So this is the tale of them on the run, as they attempt to make their time machine work while escaping from all the agents who wish to hurt them and steal their machine. It’s an entertaining and shenanigans-filled plot that is sure to delight!

And just as delightful as the plot is the unsolicited advice that the author, Dr. Cuthbert Soup, gives throughout the book. He offers many gems, including that “one word of advice” is rarely of use…because “to simply shout out ‘Look!’ to a friend as a tuba falls from a ninth-story window toward his unsuspecting head will, at best, only serve to make sure he gets a good look at the tuba before it parades him, unceremoniously, into the sidewalk.” Or there’s his advice on avoiding back injuries: “Always lift with your legs, no matter how tempting it might be to use your hands”.

Every moment of this book is a hoot! And even better, there are two sequels to enjoy: Another Whole Nother Story and No Other Story.

Buy A Whole Nother Story now on Bookshop or Amazon!

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