Female-Oriented Mystery and Crime-Solving, No Romance. Do You Really Need a Male Lead to Write a Story? 悬疑破案女频，无CP，难道没有男主就不能写了吗？

1. 1 醒 After Waking Up, I Became the Godmother of the Police Force 醒来后我成了警界祖师奶 Sound Slash音斩Mystery284k WordsCompleted When Jiang Yu woke up, she found herself in the middle of a kidnapping. The police had been locked in an all-night standoff with the kidnappers, and the situation was tense. She freed her hands, brushed the dust off herself, and looked at the bandit she'd tied up from head to toe. “That's it?” Like a kind senior, Lu Lizhi placed a stack of books by leading figures in law enforcement into Jiang Yu's hands. He urged her to study hard and ask que 10.3kReads9.2Score2.4kShelves

   Reader note

   A top criminal investigator is reborn into the body of an ordinary third-year graduate student. His first task is to escape a kidnapping case, and he ultimately finds redemption in a relationship with a complete stranger.

2. 2 诡 The Strange Female Detective: Too Few Days of Romance 诡案女奇探：少逢烂漫时 Dai Cong代琮Mystery393k WordsCompleted They first met while investigating a case in the morgue. Lou Bai: “That woman climbs walls pretty fast.” An arrow shot straight into the woman's shoulder. Tang Tang'er: “Black clothes, pale face. What kind of lousy ‘King of Hell’ are you? You have a dog's nose, though.” She flung a cloud of medicinal powder into his face. Lou Bai and Tang Tang'er: “What a nuisance!” When they met again, a misunderstanding made them colleagues at the Bai'an Prefecture. Together with a group of young men from the 1.5kReads9.4Score252Shelves

   Reader note

   These few books that are about to finish are worth checking out [smirk]

3. 3 破 Solving Cases Takes Someone Like Me [Criminal Investigation] 破案需要我这样的人才【刑侦】 Never Imagined未曾设想Mystery1.1M WordsCompleted When it comes to Ling Wuyou, even an ant passing by would turn to its companion and say, “Don't mess with that lunatic!” Say a couple of words to her and she'll blow up like a firecracker. She doesn't care one bit about acting like a respectable adult. While she was studying at the police academy, she taught quite a few classmates a lesson more than once. It's because she's not very strong, but her dirty tricks are endless. Later, the lunatic became a proud police officer. She'd say, “Who wants 106kReads9.4Score16.7kShelves
4. 4 别 While Others Solve Cases, I Just Look Up the Answers 别人破案我直接看答案 I Eat Tomatoes Without Spitting Out the Skins吃西红柿不吐番茄皮Mystery860k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + golden finger + light mystery + historical workplace drama + career advancement and raises + 30% feel-good power fantasy, 70% hard work] A heroine who grows over time, with a love interest. She isn’t ruthless or vengeful… If that’s not your thing, please don’t read. Thank you. By now, Yan Dan has become a renowned chief constable, famous throughout the land. Someone once asked how she went from being a lowly, unknown county constable to one of the most sought-after investigator 7.3kReads9.2Score1.4kShelves
5. 5 让 After Recruiting Cockroaches as Informants, She Becomes the Major Crimes Unit’s Favorite 让蟑螂当线人后，她成重案组团宠 Cheese Potato Pancake芝士土豆饼Mystery1.0M WordsCompleted [No Romance]+ [Crime Solving]+ [A Different Kind of Ability to Understand “Animal” Talk] The night Tang Cong awakens her special ability, a mouse stealing snacks gives her a live report on a murder: “Your neighbor’s turned into a brainless female corpse!” Tang Cong: …What kind of nightmare script did I get stuck with?! Other people hear their pets’ thoughts. She hears the city’s vermin hold a conference. With this absurd “intelligence network,” Tang Cong helps the police solve one bizarre ca 47.5kReads8.8Score7.9kShelves
6. 6 听 I Can Understand Animals: Now I'm a Regular at the Police Station 听懂动物语言：我成了警局常客 Lute and Evening Breeze琴涩晚风Modern Romance1.6M WordsCompleted No romance pairing + cute animals + a deathly aura + fiercely protective Sui Nuan, a wealthy, beautiful young lady who transmigrated into a book as a cannon-fodder lovesick fool, dumps her boyfriend, who’d been living off her while taking advantage of her, then turns around and buys the top-of-the-line fishing gear she’d dreamed of owning in her previous life. Excitedly, she devotes herself to her lifelong passion: fishing. What’s a man, anyway? Nothing beats the thrill of catching a huge fish y 49.1kReads9.2Score6.1kShelves

   Reader note

   Hope you like it

7. 7 推 Reasoning Is Useful, but It’s Really Annoying 推理虽然有用但真的很令人讨厌 My Cat Went Bald我家猫秃头了Mystery399k WordsCompleted [Strong heroine + no romance + female detective + real-case investigations + murder mystery games] 1, 2, 3, 4... Number 7. The first time the seven of them saw Number 8, she used her cane to smash the head of the butler holding the key to the villa. After the first murder, Number 8 calmly told them all to stay put. To find the murderer and learn each of their true identities, she had poisoned every one of them. In the cruise ship case, the seven tried to get rid of Number 8 by framing her for a 1.2kReads8.6Score320Shelves

   Reader note

   This is so good I've watched it twice. It has no male lead; the female lead solves the cases the whole time. The author's other works are also good; I've even watched a variety show where she solves cases live, twice.

8. 8 缉 Hunting the Killer: A Rural Murder Casebook, Volume Two 缉凶：乡村杀人事件簿二 Big White Sail大白帆Mystery1.9M WordsOngoing Female cop + crime solving + no golden finger, a traditional criminal-investigation novel After failing the college entrance exam, Chen Guoning joins the Yongcheng County Public Security Bureau as a criminal investigator and begins a turbulent career in law enforcement. This is the story of an ordinary policewoman's growth. No contrived mysteries, just the resolve to investigate each detail, one step at a time. No coincidences that force the plot forward without reason, just the power of meticul 9.2kReads8.8Score1kShelves

   Reader note

   The title is quite ordinary; the main focus is on the female lead constantly solving cases, which is really enjoyable. There are no special abilities or cheat codes; the female lead solves all the cases through her own thinking. Romance plays a very small role, just a tiny bit.

9. 9 八 The 1980s Crime Drama: Even a Chef Can Be a Great Detective 八零刑侦剧场：厨子也能当神探 Big White Sail大白帆Mystery1.3M WordsCompleted Was life in the 1980s really that boring? Not necessarily. Pigs eat people, dogs poison people, and a dragon falls from the sky! Are these bizarre cases real or not? Welcome to the world of a female criminal investigator in the 1980s. See how detectives of that era solved cases without surveillance cameras or DNA evidence. A word of caution: The heroine is not a transmigrator or someone who transmigrates into a book. There is no System and no golden finger. 16.8kReads9.0Score2.5kShelves
10. 10 论 How Well Does the Detective System Pair with Cultivation? 论侦探系统与修仙的适配度 Zhuxin Hai竹心海Mystery708k WordsCompleted [Transmigration into Cultivation + Detective System + Case Solving + No Romance] Jiang Xiuyue is incurably lazy. When she plays detective games, she always looks up the walkthrough first. She won't put up with even the slightest bit of effort. But when an accident came, it wasn't a one-in-a-million chance. It was a one-in-ten-thousand chance! The good news: She didn't die, and she transmigrated! The bad news: She ended up in the cultivation world, as a good-for-nothing with five spiritual roots 1.6kReads7.2Score290Shelves

    Reader note

    Excellent article! The writing is superb and flows smoothly! Very interesting!!

11. 11 全 Watched by the Whole Internet: The Frail Junior Student Outwits a Top Criminal Investigator 全网围观，病弱学妹戏耍刑侦王牌 Still Feeling Cold依然觉得寒冷Mystery589k WordsCompleted Award-winning work in the Fifth Tomato Web Literature Competition Finals, Selected Mystery Case Award “I only ever kill people who deserve to die!” [High-Octane Dark Fantasy | Elite Mind Games | A Life-or-Death Battle Between Good and Evil | A Strong Heroine and an Even Stronger Heroine] [Shocking Twists | No Romance | Two Powerful, Unhinged Rivals Face Off] From the day Ling Zhi became a criminal police officer, he believed in only two things: evidence and procedural justice. Criminals were cri 83kReads9.5Score16.2kShelves

    Reader note

    If you say that, Ali will be the first to disagree.

12. 12 镇 The Female Coroner of Zhenhe Pass 镇河关的女仵作 Zhu Yi猪艺Mystery555k WordsOngoing [Set in ancient times] [Mystery and crime solving] [Episodic] [Focused on investigating strange cases] [Clever characters] [No System, no golden finger] Song Nianci was born into a family of forensic examiners. The trade had been passed down from father to son since ancient times, never to daughters. But misfortune never comes singly: hers was a generation with only one daughter. To keep the family business from dying out, her grandfather came up with a plan: find a husband to marry into the fa 8.4kReads—Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    An ancient detective story, purely detective, not time-travel, no cheat codes, a high-energy, thrilling and mysterious crime drama with high intelligence throughout, full of reasoning.

13. 13 你 You Think You Can Get Away with the Perfect Crime? No! You Can't Hide Anywhere 你想完美脱罪？不！你无所遁形 Mu Yan牧延Two Male Leads1.1M WordsCompleted [Two male leads, episodic investigations + overarching case, 1v1.] [The story focuses on solving cases, with romance as a secondary element. The romance develops very slowly and subtly. Early on, it's roughly a 9:1 split, with 9 parts investigation and 1 part romance. The romance gets more focus later.] [The male lead, Song Kui, isn't entirely a righteous person.] [Volume One: Song Kui, Tang Yu, Tao Li] [Volume Two: Song Kui, Tang Yu, Li Zeru] [Volume Three bonus stories: Chen Yunning, Rong Chen 2.6kReads8.8Score431Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book features two male protagonists; the second has no romantic pairing. It combines episodic crime-solving (approximately ten chapters per case) with a main, longer case. There is no system, no cheat codes, and no overpowered abilities. The plot is driven by crime-solving, with romance as a secondary element. It covers criminal investigation, forensic science, trace evidence examination (blood, footprints, ballistics, handwriting analysis, etc.), Criminal psychology (criminal cartography), and forensic autopsy content.

14. 14 犯 Crime Scene Investigation: The Clues 犯罪现场调查：蛛丝马迹 Mu Yan牧延Mystery604k WordsCompleted (Not a wish-fulfillment story, no System, no romance, traditional criminal investigation) While the officers of the Changlin Criminal Investigation Division were still grieving the death of former Deputy Division Chief Xu Wei, who had died in the line of duty, their new deputy chief, Shen Yanning, arrived out of nowhere, stirring up resentment and rejection among them. But as time went on, they discovered that their young, handsome new superior could unravel cases thread by thread, finding the t 1kReads8.7Score130Shelves
15. 15 女 A Woman Can Become a Marquis or Chancellor, So Why Not? 女子封侯拜相，有可不可 Singing as I Walk Through the Snowy Night拂雪夜行歌Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted [No romance + solving cases + female official + marquise] Three years ago, her father was framed for embezzlement and “took his own life out of guilt” while being escorted into exile. The mastermind wielded power over the entire court, and every witness and piece of evidence had been fabricated. She knew the truth, but could only watch helplessly as her enemy got away with it. Given another life, she swears to clear her father's name and take her revenge in blood. The emperor is critic 153Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Ancient crime-solving stories are really entertaining.

16. 16 恶 Evil Bones 2: The Ashen Mystery 恶骨2：灰烬谜踪 Liu Gang刘港Mystery102k WordsCompleted [Criminal Investigation + Criminal Psychology + Hard-Core Deduction + Genius Detective + Serial Murders + Fighting Side by Side + Ensemble Cast] The dead can speak, and clues never lie! Thirty years ago, a shooting sent shockwaves through the entire town. A man and a woman died on the spot, while the killer remained at large. Years later, another case brought the true culprit behind the cold case to light! At the same time, a young girl vanished under mysterious circumstances, and every suspect 3.2kReads9.3Score774Shelves

    Reader note

    Three pieces of inexplicable physical evidence, two suspects with perfect alibis, and one fatal detail overlooked by everyone. Turn the page and challenge the limits of your IQ!

17. 17 恶 Evil Bones 4: Partners in Crime and Love 恶骨4：罪爱同谋 Liu Gang刘港Mystery134k WordsCompleted [Mind-Bending Mystery + Case-of-the-Week Stories + Crime + Criminal Investigation + Stunning Twists + Fighting Side by Side] A shadowy hand controls a deadly game. Out on the sea, a white suitcase drifts slowly across the water. When it's opened, it reveals the bloated, headless corpse of a woman! Is the butterfly tattoo on the body a clue to the victim's identity, or a warning from the killer? A blood-soaked coffin appears on a stormy night, its oozing blood horrifying against the darkness! The 1.2kReads9.3Score494Shelves
18. 18 坑 Luring Ghosts and Catching Criminals: A Low-Ranking County Magistrate 坑鬼捉凶，一品小县令 Pipi Loves Tangerines爱吃橘子的皮皮Mystery1.2M WordsCompleted When Chu Ling opened her eyes, she had become the novel's number-one female side character, a troublemaker who ultimately got herself killed when the heroine shot an arrow through her heart. Knowing how the plot would unfold, Chu Ling spat in disdain, broke free of the story's control, and threw herself into building a career. But being a county magistrate is no easy job. One day, a ghostly maid comes to air her grievances; the next, a ghostly tutor shows up to reprimand her. Even stepping outsi 5.8kReads9.5Score956Shelves

    Reader note

    No romantic pairing, strong female lead. The plot is logically sound, and the crime-solving team is hilarious and perfectly coordinated! (￣▽￣~)

19. 19 听 After She Learned to Speak Plant, She Became Infamously Stinky 听懂植物语言后，她【臭】名昭著 Flaming Lotus炎炎若莲Mystery572k WordsCompleted [The rating has just come in and will rise later] [Mystery]+ [Crime Solving]+ [understanding plant language] The protagonist is smart, and her golden finger gives her an edge without making her invincible. At home: Kuikui, the legitimate eldest plant, constantly competing for attention + a pothos with maxed-out clinginess + an old luan tree skilled in both offense and defense + a cactus that won't hesitate to stick you... Chance encounters: an aquatic-plant choir + an original reed marsh + a sob 1kReads8.3Score177Shelves

    Reader note

    No male lead, no male lead, no male lead

20. 20 满 The Screen Was Full of Comments! I Thought They Were All Gossip 满屏弹幕！我以为全是八卦 Sneaking a Sweet Treat偷闲吃口甜Modern Romance436k WordsCompleted No Romance + Golden Finger + Crime Solving Shanghai, 1985. Nineteen-year-old Chen Yang is a contract worker handling household registration at a local police station, the kind who got the job through connections. She has a secret: she can see other people's “juicy gossip.” Any cheating, embezzling, or concealing of one's identity from the past seven days pops up as subtitles in brackets. The System has one fatal bug: it mistakes spy meetings for “dating.” So she thinks she's catching cheating me 730Reads6.6Score105Shelves

    Reader note

    No romantic pairings, no melodramatic ambiguity, no filler family drama, just a focused investigation from beginning to end. Highly recommended if you're looking for a good book.

21. 21 手 With the City God’s Seal in Hand, Lady Song Dares to Rule on Any Case 手持城隍印，宋大人她啥案都敢断 Last Night's Tea昨夜的茶Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [Mystery solving + slight horror + ensemble cast + reinforcements later] The Song family scrimped and saved to help Song Zi’an secure an official post, but he disappeared just before taking it up. Song Zheng, who came back from the dead through connections, decides to take his brother’s place. Being an official can’t be that hard. But when she arrives, she discovers that the posting is in a harsh place, full of all kinds of people, where the locals are both poor and unruly. The county office is 14.9kReads9.2Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    This is truly the first ancient detective novel I've ever read, and it's about ghosts! It's really good; I've already read over 100 pages. And it's finished! It's really great, the characters are wonderful too. Oh my god, it's so good! My first time reading this type of novel, believe me!

22. 22 杀 A Killer Switched Careers to Mystery and Deduction in an Infinite-Flow World? 杀手在无限流转行做悬疑推理了？ Jiang Eryu姜尔玉Mystery287k WordsOngoing [Infinite-flow + strong female lead + no romance + mystery and mind games + female lead is somewhat of a lone wolf + a touch of ensemble cast + no degrading terms for women + Chinese mythology + imaginative suspense + 99% female cast] (The book uses “deity” and “goddess” interchangeably. If you object to even a single use of “goddess,” this may not be for you. No word-policing, please.) “Here are four deities for you to follow: Heng Wo, Goddess of the Moon; Xi Wangmu, the Kunlun War God; and Jiu 75Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    In an infinite flow game, does using reasoning and strategy count as solving a case? 🤔 It's set in a world with a Chinese mythological background, four paths of faith for female characters, and relatively low combat power, mainly focusing on deduction and escape.

23. 23 安 An Xiaoniao Reborn into the Criminal Investigation Division 安小鸟重生进刑侦部 A Big Sesame Seed一粒大芝麻吖Female-Channel Fanfiction489k WordsOngoing The rating has only just come in, so it will rise later. This isn’t a wish-fulfillment story, and there’s no melodrama. I’ll do every case justice! [An Lingrong + strong female lead + criminal investigation + career-focused + reborn + self-redemption + no romance + female-led story] Transmigrating into the body of an actress who’s hated across the internet, An Lingrong faces an astronomical contract penalty and a flood of ridicule, then turns around and passes the civil service exam. No romance! 60Reads8.1Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    There's no male lead; all the men are supporting characters. All the spotlight is on the female lead. Don't ask me why; I love the characters I created. If you're not reading *Empresses in the Palace*, you can skip to chapter 39, "The Woman in the Suitcase," and directly start reading this ensemble crime novel.

24. 24 谷 Flowers at the Bottom of the Valley 谷底的花 Li Shixin立十辛Mystery367k WordsCompleted [Slice-of-life mystery + deduction + crime solving + case-of-the-week + serious drama] Main characters: Lu Jun (forensic pathology intern) vs. Chen Zhou (criminal investigation team captain) Six years ago, a family upheaval completely changed Lu Jun's personality, and his family sent him abroad. Six years later, Lu Jun returned to China and voluntarily joined Chen Zhou's workplace. The two are twelve years apart in age. Their relationship shifted from close friends to an awkward “uncle and nephe 1.2kReads—Score132Shelves

    Reader note

    A crime thriller you absolutely shouldn't miss! Highly recommended, this series uses episodic cases for suspense and mystery. Don't let the unassuming title fool you; the male lead is incredibly likable—a super cute intern forensic pathologist. No one who reads it can resist him! Plus, the author's writing is excellent, not at all padded, and the descriptions of investigative techniques are very professional. [I highly recommend it!]

25. 25 这 Murders Keep Happening Here 这个地方总是发生命案 Dong Shao Who Likes Brown Tongue Algae喜欢褐舌藻的董少Mystery157k WordsCompleted [Case Solving + Suspense + Deduction + No Romance] Synopsis: Body parts floating in the sea, a desiccated female corpse hidden in a crack in the wall, human flesh hot pot at a bustling night market... For certain reasons, Lin Qiu has just been transferred to the criminal investigation squad at the Hongjiang District Branch of Lihai City. The moment she takes up her post, a series of bizarre cases begin to unfold. Yet amid these baffling, unpredictable crimes, Lin Qiu keeps feeling as though some 142Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is the first time I've seen a female lead like this! She seems to have come to life, and the plot is pretty good too!

26. 26 通 Psychic Detective: She Can Share a Killer's Point of View 通灵神探：她能共享凶犯视角 Brother An Is 1.8 Meters Tall安哥一米八Mystery1.2M WordsCompleted [Mystery + crime-solving + criminal investigation + no romance + Is the female streamer who tells ghost stories actually a brilliant detective?] “I saw a murder scene again!” Shen Yuan had been able to dream of murder scenes since she was a child. Because of her supposed supernatural abilities, she lost her job as a police officer. After seeing countless psychologists, all of whom said she was perfectly normal, she decided to go online and tell people about her dreams. The next time she describe 5.9kReads7.7Score837Shelves

    Reader note

    This one's good; the main characters can share perspectives, and there's also a reasoning element. There are many cases.

27. 27 判 Judge of the Underworld Enters the Mortal Realm: A Republic-Era Taoist’s Descent from the Mountain 判官入世：民国道士下山录 I'm Little Ye我是小野吖16k WordsCompleted The Judge Enters the Mortal World: A Republican-Era Taoist’s Descent from the Mountains 17Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommend these excellent articles, each with its own unique charm! [Admiration][Admiration][Admiration]

28. 28 规 Rule Horror Has Arrived? Sorry, I’m the Ancestor of Metaphysics 规则怪谈降临？抱歉我是玄学祖宗 I'm Little Ye我是小野吖Mystery87k WordsCompleted [Powerful Female Lead + No Romance] [Occult Livestreaming] [Eerie Folk Customs] [Rule Horror] [Feng Shui Secrets] Once, she was a much-mocked, infamously unpopular star, derided online as a fake fortune-teller and told to get out of show business. Now, an heir to a thousand-year-old Taoist temple has come down from the mountain with a fragment of the Book of Life and Death! Beneath her cool, otherworldly Taoist-priestess exterior lies a shameless obsession with money. Unfazed by the heckling of 14Reads—Score—Shelves
29. 29 回 Turning Back to the Case, Part Two: 100 Criminal Investigation Cases 回头是案第二部100宗刑侦命案 Author Rong Hua作者戎华Mystery1.1M WordsCompleted [Fictionalized adaptation inspired by real cases]+ [Short-form case investigations]+ [Fast-paced deduction] One hundred criminal investigation cases unfold, with bizarre motives and horrific crime scenes. Was it a deadly affair, or jealousy that drove someone to murder? The ugliest aspects of human nature often come from those closest to us. Join criminal investigator Fang Yi and policewoman Su Yao as they uncover the truth behind these tragedies. 7.1kReads7.6Score726Shelves
30. 30 悬 The Unsolved Case: The Truth of Evil 悬案之真实的罪恶 Author Rong Hua作者戎华Mystery1.3M WordsCompleted [Short, self-contained cases] + [Inspired by true cases] + [Won't eat or sleep, only solve cases] Twisted human nature has given rise to one bizarre real-life tragedy after another! Join the protagonist, Liang Zheng, as he clears away the fog and probes the depths of humanity's ugliness. A suspenseful detective novel with a mind-bending ending you won't see coming! 18.7kReads8.7Score2kShelves
31. 31 残 The Broken Imperial Seal 残玺 Long Chu龙杵Urban900k WordsCompleted “Anger is commonplace, but a smiling man is inscrutable...” Inspired by a hidden chapter of real history, this tells the story of a wild strategic-level scientist’s rise and growth. The premise is fresh, fantastical yet grounded in reality, and encompasses history, the workplace, the military, scientific research, national security, criminal investigation, elaborate schemes, murder, and modern high-stealth espionage, high-tech hacking, and high-intensity aerospace electronic warfare. The ending 5.8kReads8.5Score683Shelves

    Reader note

    A high-quality, completed novel in a new genre, a hardcore work by a science and engineering enthusiast. It starts slowly but builds to a bang, a slow-burn, mind-bending story with science fiction, realism, suspense, and mind-bending elements. The writing is brilliant and logically rigorous, the narrative humorous yet concise, and there are no time-travel, reincarnation, system, or cheat codes. The content covers history, workplace, military, scientific research, national security, criminal investigation, scheming, murder, as well as high-tech espionage, hacking, and aerospace electronic warfare. The ending features a profound twist. Tailor-made for veteran readers; if you don't enjoy it, I'll kill myself!

32. 32 满 A Family of Loyal Martyrs Forced into a Second Marriage, and the Comment Section Goes Wild 满门忠烈被逼当填房，弹幕杀疯了 Peach Blossoms Flourish桃之泱泱Modern Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Past and present connected + two storylines running in parallel + women supporting women] It begins when Shen Shuangyu is branded a homewrecker for supposedly seducing her brother-in-law before her sister's death, then marries into a marquis's household as his second wife. She pours her heart and soul into managing the household, supporting her husband, and raising her stepson and stepdaughter, never uttering a single complaint. In the end, all she gets in return is: “She's doing this to atone. 41.1kReads9.0Score6.1kShelves

    Reader note

    [Heart] Sharing a novel I'm currently following [Heart] After saving up for a long time, I read the latest chapter all at once today. I couldn't help but count how many marriages the female lead broke up: an ancient female lead, her best friend in ancient times, a real and fake heiress in ancient times, the modern female lead herself, a variety show director, and a golden triangle couple in a variety show. I don't know if I counted correctly [awkward laugh]

33. 33 今 Surviving Another Day in an All-Women's Apartment Complex 今天也在全女小区艰难生存 Cheng Eats Fish澄吃鱼Mystery679k WordsOngoing [Infinite Flow + Ordinary Protagonist] Ye Cheng got lost and ended up trapped in an all-female residential complex. As a resident, she could only earn money for daily necessities by outsmarting others in strategy games and horror games. Otherwise, death was all that awaited her. (The story focuses on the games themselves. All the players are women, so both the good and bad characters are female. NPCs in the game worlds may be male. The protagonist is an ordinary person, and she wins some games a 19.6kReads8.7Score2.9kShelves

    Reader note

    They're all female-centric, including the bride; strong women don't lie to other strong women. The first book is similar to "Squid Game," a pinnacle of intellectual battles (at least that's how it seems to me). Books 2, 3, and 4 are infinite flow novels, but they're mostly intellectual battles too. They're good, trust me.

34. 34 规 Rule Horror: From the Start, I Become the Murderer 规则怪谈：开局就成了凶手 My Cat Went Bald我家猫秃头了Mystery631k WordsCompleted Gu Yu runs a detective agency that's on the verge of going under. Just when she finally lands a client at the brink of bankruptcy, she and the client accidentally enter a rules-based horror game. The client dies right beside her, and she's mistaken for the murderer. To top it all off, the client hasn't paid. No one is more unlucky than Gu Yu. Worse still, the capitalist behind the horror game has taken a liking to her and keeps squeezing her for all she's worth. From then on, she's dragged into 869Reads8.9Score104Shelves
35. 35 水 A Murder Buried at the Waterworks for Twenty Years 水厂埋凶二十年 Bai Suzhen白素针儿Mystery192k WordsCompleted Twenty years ago, in the autumn at the Xichang Waterworks in Qingcheng, three people vanished one after another, leaving no trace, dead or alive. Police officer Qi Xiaojun pursued the lead for half his life, only to be forced out by fate just as he was about to reach the truth. Zhang Youfei, the young factory director, once loved a woman named Jinhua deeply, but he had no idea how many secrets her silence concealed. Twenty years later, another person disappears from the Xichang Waterworks. Sick 4.2kReads8.5Score405Shelves

    Reader note

    Set in a waterworks, the story unfolds as an old case unravels numerous hidden secrets. The pacing is relaxed and restrained, the details are meticulously crafted, and while there are no forced plot twists, the story grows increasingly gripping and captivating with each reading.

36. 36 神 The Divine Phoenix's Gift 神凰赋 Dashing Wanderer翩翩浪子Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted A garden needs roses! But roses don’t need gardens. A rose is a rose wherever it grows: proud, radiant, and brilliantly independent. In the wild, in the fields, in a free and unrestrained world, she lives as a goddess who strikes decisively and without hesitation. 12.3kReads9.3Score105Shelves

    Reader note

    That perfectly matches your question! The only female protagonist in the female-oriented genre who doesn't fall in love but instead fights demons and monsters!

37. 37 蛇 The Viperous Wicked Sister-in-Law: From White Lotus to Prisoner 蛇蝎恶嫂，从白莲花到阶下囚 Dashing Wanderer翩翩浪子28k WordsCompleted A Viperous Sister-in-Law, from White Lotus to Prisoner 12Reads—Score—Shelves
38. 38 大 The Ten Great Mysteries of the Song Dynasty 大宋十大奇案 I Am Prince Fish在下鱼亲王Historical1.6M WordsOngoing No harem, no formulaic tropes, no invincible protagonist, no System, no golden finger, and no transmigration. This is not a power fantasy, so read at your own discretion! A pure historical mystery set in the jianghu, offering an immersive experience of everyday life in an ancient town and the suspenseful twists and turns as officials use their wits to solve cases… 7.3kReads8.6Score643Shelves

    Reader note

    Do you like pure ancient martial arts detective novels? [Smile]

39. 39 重 Reborn in 1993: I'm a Criminal Profiling Specialist 重生1993：我是刑侦侧写师 Listening to the Wind Beyond the Tower楼外听风Mystery2.5M WordsOngoing [Crime Investigation] [Case-Solving Focus] Lin Zhimo, a leading expert in criminal psychology, is reborn as a frail records clerk at a police station in 1993. While violent criminals run rampant and veteran detectives rely on legwork, he opens his notebook and says, “The killer is 28, left-handed, has a stutter, rides a green bicycle, and lives within three blocks.” The captain tears up his report. “Get back to the records room!” A week later, when a suspect matching every detail is arrested, th 3kReads6.6Score261Shelves

    Reader note

    Good novels

40. 40 悬 The Cold Case Wall 悬案之墙 Unhappy, But What Can You Do不高兴但没办法Mystery565k WordsCompleted A black-bellied, no-good team leader vs. a genius girl analyst. Suspense and crime-solving drive the entire story, with no romance. Just after returning to the country, Zou Yun took over a criminal major-case support team that was a real hot potato. Together with its members, she painstakingly followed each clue to unravel mystery after mystery, bringing peace to the dead and bearing witness to one tragic tale after another. As the cases piled up, the secret buried in Zou Yun’s heart gradually c 6.9kReads8.9Score809Shelves

    Reader note

    There's no romantic pairing, and the two female leads are just friends. The plot is slightly lacking.

41. 41 女 The Lady Detectives' Casebook: A Brilliant Woman Cracks a Shocking Case 女探们的手札：蛾眉智破惊天局 Wang Zhaoyuan王曌元Mystery436k WordsCompleted [Female top scholar detective + imperial consort detective + poet detective] [No male lead] [Revenge + political intrigue + life among the common folk + historical legend] In the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, war rages across the land, while the Shu court clings to a corner of the realm. Huang Chonggu, a woman from Linqiong, has two ambitions: first, to travel across mountains and rivers and roam the world; second, to become an official. But Lady Huarui, Xu Xindeng, insists that she so 9Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's specifically marked as having no male lead, but three female leads. These three women have very different personalities and character traits, but when they're in a very anxious mood, they all refer to themselves as "I" (or "I, Laozi").

42. 42 消 The Missing Internet Celebrity Streamer 消失的网红女主播 Incomplete Tangyuan不完整的汤圆Mystery9k WordsCompleted The Missing Streamer 2Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Holy crap, isn't this it? No romance, the female lead solves the problem with her brains.

43. 43 墓 Reborn in the Graveyard, I Go on a Rampage with the “Am I Dead?” System 墓地重生，我靠死了吗系统杀疯了 Wan Hua琬华Mystery890k WordsOngoing [Reborn in a graveyard + Death System + mystery and crime-solving + powerful heroine seeking revenge] [Nonstop thrills + a badass heroine + lots of twists + crushing scumbags every step of the way] ⊗ Orphan Qin Mo is kidnapped and thrown into a mass grave. After crawling out of a coffin, she unexpectedly binds herself to the [Are You Dead Yet] System. ⊗ Fail six missions in a row, and the System will erase you! ⊗ Watch Qin Mo plan each move carefully, turn the tables against all odds, and make h 1.2kReads9.2Score105Shelves

    Reader note

    While others are reborn to enjoy happiness, I was reborn in a mass grave filled with bones. The system forces me to investigate the truth behind my death, and all the villains will be buried with me!

44. 44 上 The Strange Tales of Shangguan Zhaorong 上官昭容诡事录 Bamboo Shoot Buns Are So Delicious竹笋包子超好吃Mystery1.6M WordsCompleted [Completed] [Strong female lead, no romance, Chinese-style horror, transmigration through history, numerous foreshadowed clues, coherent plot, no System, not a power fantasy] [The Strange Tales of Shangguan Zhaorong] [Also known as: Old Tales from the Yellow Springs] [Reader’s guide: The main plot and the individual arcs are interconnected, with plenty of clues and foreshadowing. Almost every character who appears has a role to play, though each arc can also be read as a standalone story.] Th 2.1kReads9.3Score347Shelves
45. 45 规 Rule Horror: Who Taught You to Study Like That? 规则怪谈：谁教你这样读书的 Bamboo Shoot Buns Are So Delicious竹笋包子超好吃Mystery426k WordsCompleted [Strong Female Lead, No Romance, Rule-Based Horror, Infinite Realms, Chinese-Style Horror] Traditional culture has been distorted on a massive scale in modern society. Altered pronunciations, words smeared with stigma, and ancient sayings twisted out of shape are gnawing away at the human soul. Su Muyu, the thirtieth-generation descendant of Su Shi and the sole inheritor of the Soulcrafter lineage, joins Li Guazi, a girl whose past is a mystery, and Mr. Dongli, a word spirit from the handwritt 50Reads9.4Score—Shelves
46. 46 厄 Infinite: The Bad Luck Game 【无限】厄运游戏 User044用户044Mystery288k WordsOngoing [Strong Female Lead + Infinite-Worlds + No Romance + Mind Games] One evening, Ji Feihai suddenly lost consciousness while out for a walk. When she woke again, she had already been dragged into a bizarre game. According to the rules, only one of the eight players could survive. As the eight players faced off, would she show even the slightest mercy when forced to choose between her own life and the lives of others? Could she make it through one perilous or terrifying game after another? And faced 557Reads9.2Score159Shelves
47. 47 无 The Theater of Endless Torment: I Run Ancient-Era Instances in a Ghost City 无间戏台：我在鬼城开古代副本 Nan Tao南桃Mystery1.3M WordsOngoing [No romance + ancient-era infinite-level challenges + Chinese horror] Shi Jing lowered her head and saw the bright red bridal gown she was wearing. Beneath her veil, she held up a bronze mirror and aimed it outside. The mirror offered a blurry reflection of the scene beyond the bed. A stooped old woman stood ramrod straight outside the canopy bed She wore a crimson floral dress and a crooked velvet flower in her hair. Her face was as pale as paper, two garish patches of rouge on her cheeks, her 21.7kReads9.5Score3.3kShelves
48. 48 规 Rule Horror: Change One Character, Change Your Fate 规则怪谈：一字改命 Super Duper Fruit Pie超级无敌水果派Mystery270k WordsOngoing [No Male Lead] [Rule Horror] [Infinite Flow] [No Romance, Focused on Platonic Relationships] [No Mindless Steamrolling] [Growing Female Lead] [Rule-Based Instances] Original rule: "Do not look directly into its eyes." She picked up her pen and changed it: "Do look directly into its eyes." One word changed, and the boundary between life and death was instantly reversed! It began as an experiment in an instance. Chi Feng gained a unique exclusive ability: [Change Fate with One Word]. In a world wh 141Reads—Score105Shelves

    Reader note

    You can take a look at this.

49. 49 无 Infinite: She Plays the Fool, Then Slaughters Her Way into Players' Nightmares 无限：她扮猪吃老虎杀成玩家噩梦 Cloud Bao Tangtang云宝糖糖Mystery108k WordsOngoing Yu Shu was determined to look as obedient as possible while playing the best dungeons. When forbidden games descended upon the world, others were afraid. Yu Shu, on the other hand, went around making friends with a baseball bat in hand. She might knock on someone’s door in the middle of the night and say, “Hehe, it’s another beautiful day. Wanna be friends?” “Are you crazy?” If they turned her down, she’d say, “Then let’s fight.” The next second, the NPC who had rejected her would have its head —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    "US: The Super Giant" is good; it's a forbidden game with thriller rules, the female lead is really cool, and it's more plot-driven. You could watch it; I think it's alright. The last one is a pure detective story.

50. 50 惊 The Deranged Horror Fan Has a Blast Playing by the Rules 惊悚疯批在规则里玩嗨了 Cloud Bao Tangtang云宝糖糖Mystery178k WordsCompleted [Infinite survival + horror games + no CP + a story of redemption] Mu Yuanwei, a little lunatic who grew up in a psychiatric hospital, is dragged into a survival game. She meets plenty of lovely living companions and captures NPCs as toys, having the time of her life. While everyone else frets over the plot and the rules for triggering events, she’s happily playing with her pets. As a walking stack of buffs, she loves looking for loopholes in the rules and taking out NPCs. She’s a professional a 190Reads—Score—Shelves

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