Novels like District 21: Cops and Pirates
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as District 21: Cops and Pirates, best match first.
- 1 Kill Every Quail That Strays Alone 杀死所有落单的鹌鹑 Light mystery ✖️ dual male leads ✖️ detective ➕ police ✖️ Japanese-style novel Adapted from the murder-mystery game Kill All the Quails Left Alone Kawashima Ryosuke, hailed as the 20th century's greatest detective, takes on a difficult case and meets the person who will change his life forever. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 Major Crimes Unit One 重案一组 Special Crimes Unit One is one of the world's foremost criminal investigation teams. They specialize in taking on international criminal organizations around the globe, and are determined to bring every last one of them to justice. Li Weisi and Gu Luo are the two central figures in the unit, directing every operation and foiling the enemy's plans time and again. Numerous international crime syndicates are hunting Li Weisi and Gu Luo. Can Special Crimes Unit One, no longer basking in its former g 97Reads6.4Score—14d adds
- 3 A Master Detective Who's Completely Whipped 推理专家，居然是个耙耳朵 [Mystery] + [Master Detective] + [Romance] + [No Golden Finger] This story is entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is just proof that the author’s imagination wasn’t good enough. Beneath the shadows of a bustling city, countless mysteries await their solution. Li Ming, an expert in deduction, is renowned in the police force for his keen insight and exceptional reasoning skills. As the leader of the investigation team, he has led them in solving one bizarre case after anot 17Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 The Detective Returns from Prison 刑警出狱 Who is the killer? (No spoilers, please) A year after his father went missing, Shang Jie is released from prison and forms the Third Criminal Investigation Brigade. While investigating a serial murder and sexual assault case, Shang Jie unexpectedly finds his father's watch. The case also brings to light the 312 shooting from years ago. Cases spanning different eras are the hardest to solve. With his ability to read minute clues in water, Shang Jie leads the Third Brigade step by step toward the 72Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 Criminal Investigation Records 刑事侦缉实录 [Zhu Chen × Shen Yuan] A story about an elite psychology professor and a disgraced major crimes unit chief joining forces to solve cases. Some cases are based on real events. "A Chen, what exactly are you hiding?" "Whatever I'm doing, A Yuan, you have to believe that I'll never hurt you." Everyone is desperately searching for the truth. But when it's finally laid bare, who can accept it with composure? 22Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 6 The Legend of Chumanxiang 车满香传奇 My friends all say no one reads traditional wuxia anymore. But I'm stubborn, and all I want is to fulfill my dream of the martial world. Che Manxiang has an unknown past and an unknown martial arts lineage. He's brilliant and hates evil with a passion. Along with his friends Ouyang Shiliu, Nangong Donglou, Wu Yuehe, Sword-Wielding Immortal, Tang Jinse, Laughing Third Young Master, and others, he becomes a shield of justice for the martial world. 19Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 From the Start, I Got Drunk and Broke into the Women's Bathhouse, Then Solved a Bizarre Cold Case 开局醉闯女澡堂，破获离奇悬案 From the start, he drunkenly barged into a women's bathhouse and stumbled upon a bizarre case: the victim had vanished, yet surveillance footage showed they were still inside! They searched behind the walls and beneath the floors, nearly turning the whole place upside down, but still couldn't find the victim. Just then, Lu Chen awakened the Solve Cases to Get Stronger System. He cracked the human-fat soap case and thought it was a one-off. It was only the beginning! The shadow killer case in the —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 In Search of the Truth 寻罪 Beneath the gloom, a pair of eyes is always watching you. One deadly mystery follows another. The killer, the victim, even the police are nothing but pawns. Who is the shadow lurking behind the gloom? 33Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 9 The Order of the Gods 诸神秩序 [Secret organization + alternate setting + mystery + one heroine + mind games + passionate] A mysterious young man returns from abroad to the city and quickly marries into a family of criminal investigators. A murder case turns him into a special adviser to the police force... —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 Criminal Investigation Squad Two: There Are No Cold Cases 刑侦二队：悬案，那是不存在的 By a twist of fate, Lin Wenyu joined the Criminal Investigation Team of the Jiaping City Public Security Bureau. Five years later, through her own efforts, she founded Criminal Investigation Team Two. With the bureau chief’s help, she recruited four key members to the team. They also had the support of a forensic scientist friend. From then on, there was no case Criminal Investigation Team Two couldn’t solve. Later, the reputation of team leader Lin Wenyu, the four core members, and their forens 477Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 11 Detective Di Renjie: The Gilded Riddle of the Half-Torn Scroll 狄仁杰探案·半页残卷金漆谜 Detective Di Renjie: The Mystery of the Half-Page Fragment in Gold Lacquer 2Reads—Score114d adds
- 12 Allen's Story: Hyperthymesia 艾伦的故事—超忆症 Alan’s Story: Hyperthymesia 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 Detective Game: Professor Gu’s Adorable Wife 侦探游戏，顾教授的小娇妻 When night falls, everything that once seemed beautiful slowly decays. Problems begin to emerge in B City, a place that shines brightly in everyone's eyes. What happens when Shen Muyan, B City's beautiful, coolheaded, free-spirited squad captain, meets Gu Yan, a calculating, proud, highly intelligent professor of criminal investigation? Watch them join forces and bring peace back to B City. 29Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 14 No Public Displays of Affection at the Crime Scene 案发现场严禁撒狗粮 He is the youngest surgical professor at Qi University. After developing zero empathy, he switched to forensic medicine and became an outstanding provincial police officer. She is a struggling comic artist. Meeting him unleashes all her inspiration, and she embarks on a long quest to win his heart. An emotionally detached male lead and a female lead who wins herself over. Marriage before love + everyday face-slapping + solving cases as a couple + a long road to winning back his wife. 30Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 15 The Thousand-Year-Old Detective 千岁神探 During the Song Dynasty, the Six Fan Gate. At the summit of the Tianshan Mountains, he attains immortality. Demons and monsters all fear him. Dynasties rise and fall, and everyone else is just a passerby. A thousand years rush past. He is merely a visitor to the halls of power. He once discussed old cases with Bao Zheng and often examined corpses with Song Ci. Across a thousand years, he writes the chronicles of history. A single lifetime spent seeking the truth. He is the greatest martial artis 22Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 16 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—14d adds
- 17 Ninefold Forbidden Zone (Season 1) 九重禁（第1季） Nine bizarre murders conceal nine kinds of clues, each pointing in a different direction. Because the cases are so strange and disturbing, the killer has evaded justice for years, and the authorities have ordered all information about them tightly sealed. In secret, however, the provincial Public Security Department chief orders the formation of a special task force, determined to unravel the mystery. Its members include a criminal police captain skilled in deduction and martial arts; a genius c 185Reads9.1Score—14d adds
- 18 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—14d adds
- 19 Parallel Lines 3 平行线3 A psychiatrist accused of murder goes missing, but the police discover that a mysterious figure is pulling the strings behind the scenes. Are they helping the suspect escape, or setting someone else up to take the fall? A bizarre car crash that appears to be an accident unravels the mystery of a mountain disaster from three years ago, or perhaps reveals a premeditated murder... A woman’s corpse appears after a rainy night. The strange scent left behind and the butterflies fluttering nearby are u —Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 20 My Wife, Who Loves Night Jogging 爱上夜跑的妻子 The Wife Who Fell in Love with Night Running —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 Funeral Affairs Master: I Can Solve Cases Too 白事先生：我也会破案 My childhood friend got caught soliciting sex. There’s no problem with me bailing him out, right? But what’s the deal with making a funeral director like me the head of a special investigation team? All I want is to focus on making money, but the appearance of a confession letter completely changed my life, and nearly got me killed (Chapter 164). For personal and professional reasons alike, Chou Wan, I’m going to catch you... This is a traditional detective novel, not a power fantasy. The pacing 36Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 A Case of Love 芳心案许 Beautiful and brilliant Captain Ye spends every day either solving cases or catching criminals. Lately, though, her life has been a little disrupted: two doctors have started pursuing her at the same time. A swoon-worthy surgeon versus her top forensic pathologist partner: which one will win Captain Ye's heart? 220Reads8.7Score10514d adds
- 23 Cold Case: Criminal Investigation Unit Nine 悬案：刑侦九组 The criminal investigation squad of Xingchan City Public Security Bureau takes on a tricky murder involving a car. Five rookie officers are unexpectedly chosen by the bureau chief to become undercover agents in Unit Nine. Besides handling some of the most heinous cases, they must also uncover a terrifying secret within the bureau. Leaving their roles as detectives behind, they work undercover to reveal the mystery surrounding Unit Nine... Why have three officers been missing for so long? What sc 37Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 24 No Escape from the End of Sin 2 罪终难逃2 Cheng Yi, the male lead of this novel, is twenty-six years old and heads Criminal Investigation Team A in the Major Crimes Unit of the U City Police Department. Most of the time, he looks half-asleep and utterly listless. You’d never take him for a police officer just by looking at him. But whenever a case comes up, he becomes a completely different person. He investigates with utmost care and rigor, his mind racing even faster than a computer’s CPU fan. He’s handsome and charming, too, but what 24Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 The Letter 字母 A university campus should be full of youthful energy and an inviting place to be, but its peace was shattered that day. A body in the restroom marked the beginning of this deadly contest. A ghost armed with a blade leaves one student after another as a restless spirit. Every crime scene is shrouded in an unspeakable eeriness... What happened on that rainy night? The past does not fade with the wind. It stays buried in people's hearts forever. Human nature is evil from the start... Dark currents 144Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 26 Beast-Soul Police Officer: I Can Extract the Skills of Ten Thousand Beasts! 兽魂警察：我能提取万兽技能！ [Feel-good power fantasy] [System] [No romance] [Fast-paced] Su Yun awakens the Beast Soul System from the start. From that day on, he goes farther and farther down the bright path of law enforcement. Eagle Eye awakened: Become a walking radar, and no crime can escape detection! Canine sense of smell: I can sniff out whether your rock candy is pure, and whether you’re a hopeless simp! Shark sense: Everything related to water is under my control… Cheetah speed, black bear strength, fox-like cunni 1.9kReads7.4Score22414d adds
- 27 Crime Solving: The Master Detective of a Parallel World 破案：平行世界里的神探 713Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 28 Twin Cities Detective: The Genius Inspector Steals the Show 双城推理：天才探长飒爆了 [Alternate modern setting] A cool, mature female detective and her puppyish young male partner: sweet and spicy, solving cases while falling in love Detective Tang's conviction is that she will find the person who killed her mother. Detective Du's dream is to become as capable as Sister Tang. As time goes by, amid dangerous cases, the two gradually come to share a goal: solve crimes, and find time for romance too. “Cuckoo, Cuckoo, report in! Get to the crime scene immediately!” Detective Tang ca 27Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 29 Supreme Bounty Hunter 至尊赏金猎人 Hey, you there, “Thirty Thousand Bucks”! No, I mean, fugitive, where do you think you’re going? Behold, the embodiment of justice and a role model for our times has arrived! Now get in my pocket! No, I mean, surrender peacefully... 24Reads6.4Score314d adds
- 30 Criminal Profiler 犯罪心理师 Chen Mo, a criminal psychology representative from Ancheng Police Academy, was competing in the final of the China Police New Force Knowledge Competition when he suddenly announced to the millions watching the livestream that he would seek to overturn the verdict in the murder case of Chen Tianhe, general manager of Ancheng's Tianhe Group, and his wife, Yang Aihua, who were killed ten years ago. It was a miscarriage of justice. His unexpected declaration made the case a hot news topic. Even more 168Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 31 The Ghost Hand Murders: Selected Detective Stories of Sun Liaohong 鬼手谜案：孙了红侦探小说精选集 “He climbed out of his grave and strangled the enemy who had framed him with his bare hands!” Sun Liaohong was a bestselling detective novelist during the Republican era. He entered the literary scene in the 1920s and reached the height of his career in the late 1940s. His “The Strange Cases of the Gentleman Thief Lu Ping” series became one of China's best-known detective series, as celebrated as Cheng Xiaoqing's “The Huo Sang Cases.” This collection brings together several of his classic detect 7Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 32 I Earned a First-Class Merit on Day One, and You Call Me a Rookie Cop? 入职就立一等功，你管这叫新警？ Fan Debiao transmigrates to a parallel world and becomes an ordinary community police officer after graduating from the police academy. On his way to report for duty, he unexpectedly awakens the Celestial Police Spirit-Eye System. From then on, Fan Debiao can see information about any criminal. On his very first day at work, he catches an A-rank fugitive and earns a first-class merit. He goes out shopping and takes down a thieves’ den. He can even catch a wanted criminal while using the bathroom 102Reads5.4Score—14d adds
- 33 Redemption 救赎 A series of murders seven years ago changed many people's lives. Police captain Kang Zhengyi takes unpaid leave to care for his wife, who is in a vegetative state. Gu Niantong, a young girl in the bloom of youth, is forced to drop out of school and enter the underworld, where she becomes an expert thief. One is a smart, upright, handsome middle-aged man; the other is a beautiful young woman who defies convention. In search of clues, they join forces to pursue the truth and unravel the mystery st 540Reads9.0Score10114d adds
- 34 Notes of a Female Forensic Examiner: Cracking the Code 女法医手记之破译密码 Forensic pathologists have a strange and mysterious profession. They spend their days and nights with the dead, listening to the voices of the departed, speaking for the dead and clearing their names. A play, a terrifying case from long ago, a series of recurring bloody murders... Why does the killer leave a distinctive “death signature” on every victim, and what does it mean? Several dismembered bodies are discovered one after another aboard a train. As the investigation unfolds, a woman of the —Reads8.5Score—14d adds
- 35 Countdown to Murder 凶案倒计时 Have you ever seen an honor student in her underwear dancing in a morgue? Have you ever seen three kumanthong dolls singing a corrupted nursery rhyme in the dead of night? Have you ever seen four female college students, dead for days, ordering takeout with ghost money? I have. My name is Liu Cheng, and I'm a professional criminal investigator. My bizarre experiences began with the “Ghost Money Female Corpse Case,” which shocked the entire city… 27Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 36 Detective Chen Meng: Twelve Secrets from Major Cases, Complete in 3 Volumes 刑警陈猛：重案秘闻十二宗（共3册） I’m a special crimes detective. Just one of the countless ordinary detectives out there. This is both a collection of criminal cases and a record of memories. In this novel, there’s me, my mentor, and my best friend. Like me, they’re each one of a kind, yet utterly ordinary. We once strode forward with bold ambition and high spirits. We once unraveled tangled clues, cutting through the fog to hunt down the truth. We also faced twelve major cases that left us grief-stricken, hesitant, and lost. M 209Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 37 Detective: Congratulations, You're Under Arrest! 神探：恭喜你被逮捕了！ My name is Lin Fan. I’m a genius detective with expertise in psychology, anatomy, criminology, and criminal investigation! The youngest police captain in history. There’s no case in the world I can’t solve! 143Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 38 They Asked Me to Join a Travel Variety Show, Not Bring Reba Along to Catch Criminals 让参加旅综，没让你带热芭抓罪犯 [Livestreaming + Challenges + Lucky Charm + Crime-Solving + Entertainment Industry + Travel Variety Show + Reba + Baiting Criminals + System + Deduction + Mystery] Lin Chen transmigrates to a parallel world and becomes a student who has just finished his college entrance exams and is about to enter the police academy. But someone unexpectedly stole his guaranteed admission spot. Disheartened, he joins a global travel competition show and becomes teammates with Reba. The rules require contestants 114Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 A Di Renjie Mystery: The Chang Le Case 狄仁杰故事之常乐案 [Ancient crime-solving + mystery + history + Tang Dynasty + everyday life and relationships] 1. Background During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, the young and talented Di Renjie travels to the capital to take the imperial examinations. He enters official service as the magistrate of Changle County, improves local governance, and solves mysterious cases. 2. Cases Planned cases include Bloodshed on Mount Hua, The Missing Persons Mystery, The Mysterious Berries, Souls Lost in Jin 579Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 40 Murder Case: The Mystery of Death 凶案：死亡之谜 [A brilliant detective captain VS a host of highly intelligent murderers] When I thought this was an ordinary murder case, I discovered that the killer had led me astray. When I thought I had arrested the killer, I discovered he was nothing more than a scapegoat. When I thought I was close to the truth, I discovered the killer had committed suicide. When I thought the case had been hastily wrapped up, I discovered that the real killer was actually... 21Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 Dear Detective (Two-Book Set) 亲爱的推理家(全二册) Dear Detective (Book One): Shen Xisheng, 19, a prodigy detective with perfect looks, perfect observational skills, and perfect deductive ability. Yin Chenxia, 29, a popular novelist with off-the-charts homebody tendencies, off-the-charts aloofness, and detective skills... that are unfathomable. Shen Xisheng has been a devoted superfan of his older half-brother Yin Chenxia since childhood. Hoping to get his brother’s attention, Shen became a fairly well-known detective while attending high school 54Reads9.4Score1614d adds
- 42 A Spirited Young Woman Gets Scammed by an Old Creep 精神老妹被老登骗 A Spirited Young Woman Gets Fooled by an Old Creep 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 The Cops Asked Me to Play a Mole, So I Went Full Infernal Affairs 妖妖灵让我演卧底，我演无间道 [No Female Lead + Reborn + Villain + System + Tycoon] After transmigrating, Lin Chen became bound to the Divine Undercover System. Once he activated his exclusive attributes, he thrived. He ate well, drank well, and occasionally passed along some intelligence to keep his superiors happy, while feeding police information to the criminal syndicates he was undercover in. He gained both fame and fortune, and lived a life of absolute ease! “...” Chief: “Lin Chen, you’ve been undercover long enough. C 14Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 44 The Bottomless Cave of West Mountain 西山无底洞 A county Party secretary beloved by the people mysteriously disappears, and a trail of suspicious clues sets off a series of thrilling, convoluted events. With its broad scope and diverse cast, this novel portrays vivid scenes from society and lifelike characters. 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 I Just Transmigrated and Solved a Major Case. That's Totally Reasonable, Right? 刚穿越，就破了大案，很合理吧 414Reads8.4Score10014d adds
- 46 Wind in the Dead of Night: Suspects Know They’re in for Trouble When They Meet Me 暗夜有风：嫌疑人遇到我自认倒霉 The world has both light and darkness, and the line between good and evil can be crossed in an instant. What is the line you won't cross? Where does the abyss begin? And who is the prey? Let rookie cop Chu Feng tell you the truth... 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 The Nineteenth Act of Domestic Violence 第十九次家暴 The Nineteenth Beating 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 Casework: My Epic Showdown with the Criminal! 探案，我与案犯巅峰对决！ A nightmare from the start: transmigrate into a murder suspect's body, then turn around and teach the police how to solve the case. After transmigrating to a parallel world, Wu Wei becomes a high school senior filling out his college entrance exam application. Before he can finish entering the code for his final school, two police officers show up in his classroom. Officers: We suspect you committed murder! Wu Wei: ??????!!! After merging his memories, he analyzes the bloodstains... The officers 803Reads7.0Score11514d adds
- 49 Di Renjie Investigates: The Haunted Seal of Chang'an 狄仁杰探案·长安诡印 Di Renjie Investigates: The Eerie Seal of Chang'an 1Reads—Score114d adds
- 50 Professor Cobra's Formula for Solving Crimes 眼镜蛇教授之破案公式 He solves a four-stage Rubik's Cube by hand, and everything can be quantified. The truth behind a crime = ∑(clues × logic) + the human factor Over two days and one night, he works remotely, using a Rubik's Cube to unravel the mystery and formulas to deduce what people are thinking. While everyone else hunts for the killer, he calmly calculates the one “ε” that cannot be eliminated. “Give me five minutes.” He says it into the phone, then scrambles the Rubik's Cube in his hand. Hardcore crime-solv 3Reads—Score—14d adds
