Novels like Crime Investigation Notes
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Crime Investigation Notes, best match first.
- 1 Chasing Killers in the Dead of Night 暗夜追凶 A bizarre mass death in a luxury villa, with the victims kneeling in worship; a woman’s piercing screams on an unknown phone line; and a suspect identified by the police who has been dead for years. What lies behind one case with two different methods of killing? 213Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 Crime Scene: A Match Made in Heaven 罪案现场之天仙配 What you see now is not the truth. A bizarre murder: a woman lies dead by the bed with a small knife lodged in her chest, while a man dies mysteriously without a mark on his body. A cultural relic tied to an imperial-green jade pendant is stolen, bringing to light a powerful family’s tangled love and hatred amid a catastrophic bar fire twenty years ago. Is this a cursed love, or hatred repeating itself through the ages? Is it a kind-hearted soul saving others and finding redemption, or a siniste —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 The Sleuthing Scumbag 渣探 (Mystery + thriller + mind-bending) When a former scumbag boss gets out of prison and doesn’t plan to make a comeback or reclaim his territory, but instead becomes a detective, you’d better watch out. What happens when ruthlessness, cunning, scheming, and viciousness are all turned toward solving crimes? Every crime and conspiracy will be crushed completely! As the saying goes, only a villain can deal with another villain. For the sake of justice in his heart, he doesn’t mind playing the devil f 84Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 Chronicles of Changqing: Spring Grass Grows Deep in the City 长庆纪事之城春草木深 [Two Male Leads + Younger Top, Strong Pairing + Mystery and Crime Solving + Love That Grows Over Time] In the autumn of the second year of Changqing, on the Double Ninth Festival, Xue Qi, Minister of Justice, is murdered in his own home. His death is bizarre: his head and feet are touching. The new emperor is furious and orders Li Xuan of the Court of Judicial Review to investigate the case thoroughly. Li Xuan travels to Luoyang to investigate and, together with the enthusiastic constable Lu Pin 47Reads—Score—Shelves
- 5 Tracking Evil 追踪罪恶 This story follows the male lead, criminal investigator Lin Ze, and the female lead, forensic pathologist Xu Yue, as they solve cases alongside their team. After working together for a long time, they crack many major cases, and their relationship gradually changes. They write love letters together and, in the end, grow old side by side. 21Reads—Score—Shelves
- 6 I Sniff Out the Real Killer 我靠嗅香识真凶 I was born with the supernatural ability to smell scents. Even at a bloody crime scene, I can pick up the faint traces left behind by the killer. Thanks to this incredible talent for tracking down criminals, I became an outside criminal investigation consultant for the Qianzhou Public Security Bureau, helping justice bring the wicked to justice. As I took part in solving more and more cases, I gradually discovered that my true origins were... 23Reads—Score—Shelves
- 7 The Twenty Years That Were Stolen 被偷走的二十年 (No System, no golden finger, no harem, and not a power fantasy) The story of an ordinary man’s rise in a city ruled by political intrigue. Su Huan’s father spent twenty years imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, while the Luo family, led by Luo Jiayin, seized all his assets. Su Huan learns the truth shortly before his father’s death and begins matching wits with Luo Jiayin. 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 8 The Nightmare Returns 梦靥如故 [Love and hate intertwined + strong female lead + trapped in danger + hunting a killer on a stormy night] A beautiful woman dies on the operating table during childbirth, leaving Shangguan Yu an orphan overnight. Was it murder or a medical accident? Are the countless midnight visions nightmares, or glimpses of a truth left just barely concealed? Nineteen years ago, on a night of thunder and lightning, a butcher appeared in the rain. Was someone spreading rumors, or trying to cover something up? —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 The Mire Zx 泥潭zx [Rekindled romance while solving cases + fictional setting + remorseful pursuit of the husband + two male leads + handsome top and beautiful bottom + younger man/older man + 1v1 + queenly bottom + both leads are strong + healing + both are emotionally faithful + falling for him without realizing it] When someone falls into the mire, some fight desperately to escape, while others give up struggling. When a ray of light shines into the mire they’re trapped in, will those who have given up fighting 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 10 Listening to the Night of Sin 罪夜聆听 Feel free to read at your own pace, everyone. Since ancient times, no one has escaped death, and Anning City is anything but peaceful. A story about Yi Nan, a superstar who can see what others can’t, and Lu Chengguang, an elite police officer, joining forces to solve cases. 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 The Deadly Hound 死间恶犬 On a stormy night, twelve-year-old Jiang Ying watched his father die right before his eyes. He would never forget the hatred in his father’s gaze as he took his own life. Jiang Ying knew his father had died because of him: he had caused the deaths of his father’s lover and his half-sister. He lived on, burdened by a bloody guilt, until fifteen years later, when the waters beneath the sea’s frozen surface began to churn. Drawn into layer upon layer of conspiracies and bloody crimes, he watched th 84Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 12 I Really Don't Want to Work Cases with My Rival 并不想跟死对头一起办案 [Reserved top × sharp-tongued bottom, episodic ancient mystery and crime-solving, happy ending] One-line summary: Aren’t we sworn enemies? So how come I hear you’ve been secretly in love with me for ages? Cui Hezhang: Love means restraint, reaching out to touch, then pulling your hand back. Yuan Yufang: Enough of that nonsense. My arm’s gone numb from holding it out. Are you going to take my hand or not? The serious blurb: “Bones cry out in anguish, the truth is hard to find. We may yet part the 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 13 How Am I Supposed to Trust You? 我该怎么相信你 Chen Yu never trusted anyone. He had always preferred to rely on himself. Except for that policeman. Mo Chuan wanted Chen Yu to come back alive more than anyone else. Even Chen Yu himself hadn’t realized just how determined Mo Chuan was. 24Reads—Score—Shelves
- 14 Strange Cases of the Sui Dynasty 隋朝诡案录 After undergoing plastic surgery, Wen Qing unexpectedly transmigrated to the Sui Dynasty. One bizarre thing after another began to happen to her, and the events were simply beyond belief... 80Reads7.4Score—Shelves
- 15 The Forensic Fault Line 法医裂缝 A gaze from the abyss of death usually means just one thing: fear is being etched deep into your memory! A mother who embodies the evil of humanity, a college girl whose unborn child dies tragically, an unexplained truth hidden in a tennis club: every case tells them that the truth behind it all is not as simple as it seems. Two childhood friends stumble into this trap by accident. Will they uncover the truth first, or find the hand behind it all? Waiting for them, in the last sliver of light be 61Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 16 I'm Not a Bandit, but You're Welcome to Come Catch Me 我不是山匪，但你可以来抓我 [Two male leads, equally matched, 1v1, mutual affection] [Scheming, gentle, emotionally steady beauty of a seme × upright, looks-loving, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted constable uke] Originally titled A Clear Distinction Is Worth a Thousand Gold, but I worried the name sounded too serious and no one would read it. An original historical setting with light mystery, solving puzzles, and a plot focused on growth. Ji Yi (also known as Jimo Yi) admires Xie Guannan's straightforward integrity and his 47Reads—Score—Shelves
- 17 Under the Skin: Captive Love 猎罪图鉴之囚爱 Painting the Bone: Love Imprisoned 75Reads—Score—Shelves
- 18 Never-Ending Plum Blossoms 梅完梅了 Years ago, the powerful businesswoman Dong Zhenzhu was brutally murdered in her home. Mei Changqing, who had only just joined the police force, accidentally caught a glimpse of the culprit's back during an emergency assignment, but an unexpected mishap let the killer slip away. In the end, the police closed the case as a suicide. Years later, after weathering all kinds of hardships, Mei Changqing is no longer the inexperienced young officer he once was. He has become a middle-aged man with a bee 2Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 19 Rosebone 玫瑰骨 Lu Xiaosuo is a survivor. A survivor suspected of being the killer. Blood on the roses, severed limbs in the rose garden, and a pair of eyes beneath the thorns that will never close She saw the murderer shot dead with her own eyes, yet discovered that someone else might be the real culprit… That man has dragged her into a storm of bloodshed once more. And yet she can’t bring herself to hate him. She says, “Lu Xiaosuo, bloom again. Find your heart among the bloodstained roses.” 21Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 20 Chasing Cases Across Two Cities: An Intern Forensic Pathologist 双城追案：实习女法医 [Modern suspense + episodic case-solving + slow-burn romance + evenly matched leads] Lu Fan is a gentle, quiet-looking forensic intern, but beneath the surface she is bright, strong-willed, and sincere. She is drawn to the light and embraces the same beliefs and aspirations as her brother. Bai Ge looks scruffy, roguishly handsome, and cheerful to those around him, but inside he is insecure and gloomy. With a histrionic personality, he was once a Chinese detective, but he is also the son of a cri 136Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 21 The Mastermind: CH Major Crimes 幕后真凶之CH重案 The “CH” case from more than twenty years ago left behind countless unanswered questions. Undercover police officer Chu Jianghe vanished, and every last batch of CH compounds disappeared. Fortunately, Ding Qiao, son of Professor Ding Kezhi, who developed “CH” back then, was arrested after fleeing overseas for twenty years. The vital “CH3” compound was also escorted back to China with him. Now, beneath the seemingly calm surface of Haizhou, dark currents are stirring. The death of a superstar inf 289Reads8.0Score129Shelves
- 22 Reborn in 1999: Solving Major Cold Cases at the City Public Security Bureau 重生99，我在市局破重案积案 A criminal investigation expert from more than twenty years in the future is reborn in 1999 in the body of a young police officer with the same name. Thus begins his journey solving cases in a unique era. 1.5kReads7.6Score171Shelves
- 23 My Wooden Detective 我的木头神探 While visiting Mount Tai, online novelist Luo Jia discovers a woman's body in an old well. To her surprise, the corpse belongs to Qi Haiying, her college nemesis. The case also brings her together with Lei Mu, a taciturn, brilliant detective from the police station. She falls in love with him at first sight, just as one bizarre incident after another begins to unfold and her life is put in danger. For the sake of her life and future happiness, Luo Jia decides she must cling to the detective's si 51Reads7.7Score—Shelves
- 24 Dreams That Solve Crimes 梦境追凶 After a failed experiment, psychological researcher Shen Ran gained a special ability. At crime scenes, he can sense the strange obsessions the killer left behind in their victims. By chance, he joins the police force as a psychological consultant, where he meets Lu Cheng, deputy captain of the criminal investigation squad. Lu Cheng has been labeled a straight man, and has always been hopeless at remembering women’s faces. Practicing each day by memorizing three women’s faces hasn’t helped at al 35Reads—Score—Shelves
- 25 Crime Investigation: Case Files 刑侦：罪案书 Sweet-talking veteran X genius doctor Shen Li met his first love at a summer training camp before his freshman year of college. Beautiful, sweet, clever: everything about them hit Shen Li right in the heart. He flirted with them for most of the summer, and just as things were getting intense, when he was about to kiss them, they ran away. What was that about? There seems to have been a heartbreaking misunderstanding somewhere along the way. While pursuing clues in a case, Shen Li infiltrates a 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 26 The Seventy-First Knife Scar 第七十一道刀痕 The Seventy-First Knife Mark —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 27 Plagued by Nightmares, I Contracted a Romance with the Icy Male God 恶梦不断，我和高冷男神契约恋爱 [Suspense + Contract Romance + Time-Line Hopping to Solve a Case + Entertainment Industry] Thirty years ago, a guest dropped dead at a banquet hosted by acclaimed actress Wen Di. After that, it seemed the Grim Reaper had taken a special interest in those around her. Wen Di's secretary and housekeeper both met untimely deaths. A note appeared on her dressing table: You're next. A few days later, the world-famous actress went to sleep and never woke up. Thirty years later, a girl named Zheng Ke ac 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 28 Dr. Shao's Psychological Trap 邵医生的心理陷阱 [Bottom + 1v1 + Both Pure + Slow Burn] Lin Yu was handsome and well-mannered. Everyone thought he had a bright future ahead, with success in both his career and love life just around the corner. Then he suddenly broke up with his girlfriend and was assigned to a tiny department that most people probably wouldn't even remember existed. H.A.D. Harassment Assessment Department. While everyone else sighed over his prospects, Lin Yu alone stayed sunny and optimistic, and got on with his work. “Capta —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 29 After the Wrong Bride Was Stolen 抢亲抢错后 [Dual male leads, crime-solving, loyal-dog bandit × county magistrate, one-on-one romance, happy ending] A gang of vicious bandits holds sway outside Jingyue County. Yuan Xie has just taken office as the new county magistrate, and on his very first day, the bandits abduct him to their mountain stronghold... Afterward, the bandit chief explained, “Sorry, we grabbed the wrong person.” To make amends, the bandit leader had no choice but to come down the mountain and serve as the magistrate’s bodygu 17Reads—Score—Shelves
- 30 Who Was the Witness? 谁是目击者 The Gu family’s recognition banquet in Lanzhou glittered beneath crystal chandeliers. Gu Zhihua, who controlled the hidden side of the Gu family, watched the farce unfold with cold detachment. Su Qingya was eager to cozy up to the powerful, while Tian Qin took the chance to put her down and prove she wasn’t an outsider. Everyone thought it was just an ordinary family-reunion squabble. Until Su Qingya collapsed beside the sofa and Tian Qin fell at the doorway. Every guest in the hall saw it. N 30Reads—Score—Shelves
- 31 In the Wake of Evil 恶果之下 A murder tears apart a once-prosperous, harmonious family, while an unseen hand manipulates everything from behind the scenes. Determined to uncover the truth about her mother's death, Tan Wan throws herself into the police force, ready to make a difference. Just as she is about to get to the bottom of it, a man's arrival overturns everything she once believed. His closeness is like honey in a jar, drawing Tan Wan in until she cannot break free, and slowly leading her astray. What really happene 2Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 32 Parallel Lines 2 平行线2 The night before her wedding, the bride vanishes without a trace. She is later found at a neighbor’s house, with a man’s corpse lying beside her. Shu Qingyang and Fu Baiyun, who came to attend the wedding, immediately join the investigation, but the key clue lies with a rabbit... A viral singer is found dead by the roadside. Before his death, he had suddenly begun studying theology. The eerie crime scene bears no trace of evidence, while the Qiao family, now squarely in the crosshairs, sends out —Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 33 The Mysterious Codename Z: The Guilty One 诡秘代号Z之引罪者 Before the questions surrounding one case can be resolved, another begins. As investigators search for evidence, the truth behind a kidnapping ten years ago gradually comes to light, and the mastermind's mask is finally lifted. 3Reads9.2Score—Shelves
- 34 The Top Forensic Pathologist 一线女法医 Li Jingyan, a forensic expert, is drawn into one dispute after another when her best friend dies unexpectedly. In these cases, she is a person involved, an observer, a listener, and, above all, a seeker of the truth. Her best friend is brutally murdered; a beauty queen accidentally sets a building on fire; a baby is found in a trash can; a highly educated PhD takes her own life at home; a husband and wife who love outdoor adventures are subjected to both mental and physical abuse; and a vile hus 40Reads5.4Score—Shelves
- 35 The Sinheart Master 罪心师 Ever since comic artist Yi Yang received a heart transplant from police captain Zhang Tianlai, he has been plagued by nightmares. To escape them, he has no choice but to search for the truth... One bizarre, bloody, and twisted murder after another sends chills down the spine. Is it human evil, or a warped psyche? The paper effigy murder, the feng shui sorcery case, the deadly gu insect case, the cultist Taoist master case, and the nationally infamous Lanzhou University dismemberment case... A 59Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 36 He Watches You from the Abyss 他在深渊中凝视你 After a strange illness, Su Jingjing unexpectedly discovers that she can sense the emotions surrounding death. She thinks that becoming a police officer will help her overcome the nightmares caused by these emotions. But once she joins the force, she realizes it was all in vain. As cases continue to occur in City A, she gradually gains a new understanding of her “special ability,” and begins to suspect that the strange illness she suffered at the age of twelve was no ordinary illness. The killer 19Reads8.5Score—Shelves
- 37 The Hidden Face 隐藏的脸 A mysterious woman. A series of terrifying nightmares. Years ago, the woman was murdered in a string of killings. Lu Hao has never met her, so why does she keep appearing in his dreams? Is this the work of the supernatural, or a memory he deliberately buried? What exactly connects Lu Hao, this mysterious woman, and the unending murders? Could one person be behind the series of killings spanning so many years? Can the truth hidden behind this bloody haze finally be revealed? 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 Professor Gu, Could You Focus on Solving the Case? 顾教授你能不能专心破案 [The main story is nearly complete. The full text is being revised, and bonus chapters will be posted from time to time.] A person fell to their death at Dehui Construction. A witness claimed that a little girl in a red dress had pushed them. Gu Xingyun, a criminal profiler, was coerced into taking part in the investigation. The incidents that followed one after another all seemed connected to the fall, and the cases appeared to involve every one of them. Professor Gu, who wandered onto the wron 43Reads—Score—Shelves
- 39 The Private Detective’s Case Files 私家侦探缉凶录 This is a story about a righteous man who's deeply calculating and an arrogant, utterly unhinged person. The two join forces to solve cases as they test each other at every turn, searching for the truth behind a conspiracy. Qin Zhong: “I don't like being lied to. But if it's you, that's all right. From the very beginning, I've decided that I'll accept you completely, no matter what kind of person you are.” Shi Bai: “All right. Being with you is fun.” 31Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 40 The Wind Can't Carry Your Voice to Me 风里听不见你的声音 A young man who sold air conditioners took on an ordinary installation job. The order notes contained just one line: The customer is hearing-impaired. Please contact him by text in advance. Xia Mingbo could have installed the air conditioner and left, just as he had after installing hundreds of others. But he listened a little closer. He realized that the old man who couldn't hear was hiding an incident from five years ago: his daughter, Lin Xinyi, had been ruled by the police to have died by su 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 41 The Web of Sin 罪网 Evil is like a tightly woven web, and I am the one who patiently unravels it, drawing out its threads one by one until the true face of sin is laid bare… 9Reads7.6Score—Shelves
- 42 The Rose Code 蔷薇密码 The Xilin National Opera House is nearing completion when Professor Song Ziyu, its chief architect, mysteriously dies onstage. The professor had no wife or children, and his only heirs are his distant nephew Song Jin and his prized student, Associate Professor Su Muye. Song Jin returns to China to inherit the estate and meets Su Muye, a reserved and aloof man. Su hints that Song Jin should visit a villa in the suburbs late at night. It turns out that before his death, Song Ziyu left a message as 43Reads8.7Score—Shelves
- 43 That Day, I Got a Call from a Classmate Who Had Died 那天，我接到了死去同学的电话 Months after a female classmate died in an accident, Su Mu unexpectedly received a phone call from her. In the midst of his terror, he had no idea this was the beginning of a series of bizarre and horrifying events. 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 44 The Case of the Eroding Color 色蚀谜案 A Case of Sensual Corruption 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 45 The Court of Causality: Fatal Percentage 因果律庭：致命百分比 I’m Alan Wexler, a former causality investigator and now a down-at-the-heels detective. My daily routine is watching people at the “Court of Causality” argue themselves hoarse over trivial nonsense. For example, when a piece of cheese goes missing, they’ll blame the boss, a robot, a dog, even the constants of the universe! Then I get dragged into Alex’s death case, and all five unlucky nodes insist they’re innocent. Fine, looks like I’ll have to step in again and find the one truly guilty “cause 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 46 Awakening in a Low-Dimensional World 低维觉醒 A meticulously crafted sci-fi mystery thriller that will take you to an explosive climax, bring you to tears, and make you think deeply about the universe, society, and human nature. It tells the story of Jin, who grows stronger with each mysterious case he solves, while the evil intent within those events invades him and makes him increasingly wicked. After battling the monsters conjured from his own inner darkness, he ultimately triumphs and discovers the truth about the higher-dimensional uni 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 47 The Dali Temple Couple’s Daily Case Files 大理寺夫妇探案日常 Completed [Detective husband-and-wife duo + episodic cases + deduction + fair-play mysteries + everyone's favorite] A transmigrated policewoman obsessed with solving cases VS a Minister of the Court of Judicial Review just as obsessed with solving cases. Bound together by their sense of justice, these two workaholics gradually fall for each other as they investigate. Together, they solve one baffling mystery after another and find a love forged through the bonds of comradeship. 426Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 48 The Frontline Forensic Files 一线法医密档 The sweet and charming forensic doctor Lu Lu has held a grudge against detective Mo Lin ever since a misunderstanding following her brother's accidental death years ago. The two join forces to solve cases, yet an uncrossable emotional divide always remains between them. A corpse is blown out of an abandoned school building; a mysterious doctor has married and lost three wives; an evil man murders his wife and dismembers her. The truth behind it all is waiting for them to uncover... 143Reads6.8Score—Shelves
- 49 The Detective, Too 侦探者也 [The drama of the same name is currently airing on Mango TV] After an explosion he experienced as a child, young psychology PhD Zhen Yu developed hearing far beyond the ordinary. By chance, he receives a mysterious anonymous package. The information hidden inside suggests there is more to the explosion fifteen years ago that killed his father. The answer lies in the immersive deduction game The Detective Is Here. To uncover the truth, Zhen Yu enters the game, where he unexpectedly meets the easy 16Reads—Score—Shelves
- 50 Captain Jing, Do You Really Believe She Can Hear the Dead? 景队，你真信她能听见死人说话？ Mystery and crime-solving + modern romance + ensemble cast A handsome, wealthy, atheist police captain versus a fallen spirit medium and mortician who is secretly an heiress “I didn't kill myself. Help me...” “I'm buried right beneath your feet...” Jiang Ning has heard strange voices since she was a child, earning her the label “crazy” from everyone around her. When she starts working at a funeral home and once again clearly senses the whispers of the dead, she decides to call the police for hel 71.7kReads8.6Score10kShelves
