Novels like Candlelight in the Night
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Candlelight in the Night, best match first.
- 1 Solve Cases with Old Donkey: Everyone’s a Suspect 跟着老驴来探案，人人都是嫌疑犯 Are murderers always utterly evil? Is what you see and hear really the truth? Join Old Lu on a case, where everyone is a suspect. The known facts: the victim is dead. The victim is either male or female. The killer is either someone the victim knew or a stranger. The victim and the killer are either locals or outsiders. The woven bags and wheeled suitcases contain either people or pieces of people. Under the great memory-recovery technique, no one can keep from confessing their crimes. 5.5kReads—Score250Shelves
- 2 Murder Is Forbidden 谋杀禁忌 [A print edition and screen adaptation are in the works. Stay tuned!] There are no ghosts in this world. Trace evidence can explain every supernatural case. A brilliant but forgotten prodigy expelled from the police academy uncovers the truth behind bizarre supernatural cases and gruesome crimes: the ghostly food delivery case, the entertainment industry’s spirit-raising rituals, murder by curse, the ghost who “expires after a month,” the sexual predator case... Black Rock’s first major work to 22Reads6.5Score—Shelves
- 3 The Seventh Investigation Team 第七探案组 The Seventh Criminal Investigation Unit, led by Captain Wan, specializes in unsolved cases in the city. Each member has a role to play, and together they piece together the truth. No romantic entanglements, no connections to old cases, no workplace drama: they let the evidence speak and tear through the fog to reveal the truth behind each case! 57Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 The Killer in the Dark 黑暗中的凶手 [Mystery] + [Deduction] + [No Romance] Li Luan, captain of the criminal investigation squad, is “on the front lines of fighting crime.” Starting with what appears to be an ordinary murder, he gradually uncovers a secret and unsolved case buried thirteen years ago. Everyone involved in that case is murdered one by one, until the culprit behind it all turns out to be the person closest to him! 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 5 Criminal Investigation: The Truth About Murder 刑侦：杀人真相 [Mystery + Deduction + Therapist + Case-of-the-Week Mysteries + Serial Killings + High-IQ Crimes + Forensics + Revenge Plot + Bizarre Tales + Light Horror + Suitable for the Easily Frightened] You can skip romance, but you have to read about a case every day. When in love, you take your clothes off one piece at a time. When it's over, you stab one knife at a time. When in love, you stay together forever. When it's over, you hide a corpse in a trunk. When in love, you're stuck together every day. 6.9kReads7.2Score363Shelves
- 6 Hunting Killers in the Dark 黑夜缉凶 Haisheng City, July 2015. A mysterious person calls the police, claiming to have found the brutally mutilated body of a woman in a residential complex. In just over two months, four cases of women being tortured and murdered in the exact same way have now come to light. What’s baffling is that the killer, usually meticulous and careful to leave no trace, has this time left a fingerprint on the victim. Was it a careless mistake, or is there more to it? Led by newly appointed Criminal Investigatio 142Reads—Score—Shelves
- 7 The Conservation of Crime 犯罪守恒 [Case-of-the-week crime solving] + [No romance in the main plot] + [Forensic doctor] + [Based on real cases] Why were skeletal remains unearthed at a construction site? Why was a female body in an advanced state of decomposition found beneath a long-shuttered elevated highway? Why were multiple decomposing corpses found in a long-abandoned septic tank behind a farmstay? Why was blood dripping through the ceiling into an old person’s bedroom in the middle of the night? Who killed several sex work 233Reads6.6Score—Shelves
- 8 Undercover Currents in Linjiang 临江暗潮 On a rainy night, the river reeks of blood. A corpse washes ashore, and a thirty-five-year-old debt of blood buried beneath the river is finally due to come to light! An unidentified man's body turns up on the Linjiang riverbank, his right hand hacked off. The only thing in his pocket is the address of a detective agency: Lu Chen, a former head of the serious crimes unit, was dismissed three years ago over an unsolved case. Now he runs a detective agency in an old alley, investigating dead cases 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 This Detective Isn’t Very Cold 这个刑警不太冷 Being a police officer is like standing between two worlds: light on one side and darkness on the other. A police officer's mission is to stop darkness from encroaching on the light. A cop who only knows how to enforce the law impartially and draw a clear line between right and wrong may be a good cop, but will never be an outstanding one. An outstanding cop must know when to compromise and when to step aside for a while. They must remain undaunted even in the face of setbacks, able to walk thro 149Reads8.0Score—Shelves
- 10 The Autumn Court of the Tang Dynasty 大唐秋官 During the Xianqing era of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, more than forty Daoist priests at Lusong Abbey outside Chang'an were slaughtered overnight. One of them, a priest named Xu Shihang, was brutally scalded alive in a cauldron. The killer left no clues behind, and the case should have remained an unsolved mystery. But Xu Shihang's son was Xu Yougong, one of the ten greatest detectives in history. And so... 376Reads7.4Score—Shelves
- 11 Casebook of the Strange 【诡案笔录】 A mysterious criminal organization calls its members judges, hiding in the dark corners of the city! Executioners carry out ancient punishments, trying to teach the world a lesson through bloody, brutal executions! What lies behind it all? Behind these strange and bizarre murders, is it the devil within, or a righteous revenge? All names in the cases are pseudonyms! Everyone is welcome to read and enjoy: Case Files of the Bizarre. 219Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 12 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 515Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 13 Forensic Examiner: Major Case Dispatch 法医： 重案速递 My name is Chen Dong. Because of my father, I inherited his legacy and became a forensic doctor. When he was alive, he often said, “With Buddha's Wrath Hand, punish the guilty; discern truth from lies, and know right from wrong.” I took his words to heart and used them as a reminder. In my career as a forensic doctor, I have encountered countless shocking murders. To uncover the truth about my father's death, I have no choice but to solve bizarre cases one after another and hunt down killers acr 122Reads6.2Score—Shelves
- 14 The Crime-Breaking Expert 破罪强人 Ever-changing methods. Carefully planned murders. A web of tangled mysteries. Was it for love, money, or revenge? What unknown secrets lie behind these cases? Following the truth that every passing leaves a trace, can the police bring the killer lurking in the dark to justice? Crime Busters takes you into the world of real criminal investigation, piece by piece unraveling the truth behind each case. 1.2kReads6.6Score100Shelves
- 15 Walker in the Dark 黑夜行者 [Night Walker + No System + No Romance] is a continuation of the first book, "Murder in the Mist", but this is an entirely new storyline! Protagonist: Wang Youyong The story follows Wang Youyong, current deputy chief of the criminal investigation squad, as he pursues a small group of vigilantes led by Ma Wenchao. Five years ago, the vehicle transporting Ma Wenchao, then deputy chief of the criminal investigation squad, to prison was involved in a horrific crash. Against all odds, he survived. Ma 465Reads8.0Score121Shelves
- 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—Shelves
- 17 Light in the Darkness: Forensic Investigator Xia Luo 黑暗中的光明：法医夏洛 Crimes set ten years in the future, with one case every three chapters. Pure crime investigation, no dragging things out and no romance-obsessed leads. Does rapid technological progress help criminals, or bring crime to an end...? 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 18 Crime Scene 罪恶现场 The story recreates crime scenes and explores the weaknesses of human nature. Behind every case lies a battle between the police and evil! Each case is adapted from a real incident. Any resemblance is purely coincidental! 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 19 The Truth Out of Order 失序的真相 [Mystery and criminal investigation + serial murders + standalone cases + no official couple, but ship whoever you like + traditional police work, with a few golden fingers] One corpse has two hearts. One corpse has no heart. A serial killer bent on “destroying hearts” has appeared out of nowhere. Kong Mingyue, deputy head of the Criminal Investigation Division at the Xinmai Branch in Lingjiang, leads her team in a full-scale investigation. But instead of retreating, the killer presses forward, 835Reads8.6Score152Shelves
- 20 Find the Killer, Find the Killer 找呀找呀找凶手 [Mystery and Deduction]+ [No CP]+ [Anthology] A collection of short and medium-length mystery stories, with a focus on classic whodunits. Who can know for certain what the next moment of life will bring, or what fate has in store for you? The protagonist enters unsolved-case games firsthand, taking on various roles and drawing ever closer to death as they search for the truth about human nature hidden behind each case. 367Reads—Score100Shelves
- 21 From Surviving in the Shadows to Seeking the Truth in the Light 从灰色地带的谋生到阳光下的探寻 Introduction: >I make a living designing perfect alibis for criminals, until a murder takes place in the building across the street. >When the police storm my home, the surveillance footage shows “me” coming and going from the victim’s room repeatedly around the time of the murder. >I recognize the killer’s method as an exact copy of the plan I designed for a client, except the timing has been carefully altered. >During the investigation, a rookie policewoman suddenly points her gun at me. “The —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 22 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—Shelves
- 23 Murder in Doubt 谋杀疑云 In September 2006, the body of a young man was discovered in an abandoned villa on the outskirts of town. His hands were tied, and his body was kneeling. The killer had been careful and left no traces. Before long, another young man’s body was found. The method of murder was almost identical. But as the police continued their investigation, Captain Ma Wenchao gradually began to suspect someone he knew well. Yet that person had a perfect alibi for every one of the crimes. 118Reads—Score—Shelves
- 24 The Broken Mirror Murder Case 破镜缉凶 [Mystery + Criminal Investigation + Deduction + Case-of-the-Week + Long Main Plot + No Romance + Solving Crimes] On a livestream, a bride in red hangs herself from an ancient locust tree. A million viewers watch as her corpse follows an invisible track and “walks” back to the crime scene. I'm Qin Niu, captain of the criminal investigation team in Changping City. The people I'm up against aren't ghosts, but a group of “crime designers.” They use magnetic levitation to transport corpses, infrasou 11Reads—Score—Shelves
- 25 Eyes of the Deep Abyss 1: Evil Like a Hook 凝渊之眸1：恶如钩 I'm a special-case criminal investigator. I'm also the most ordinary one among thousands upon thousands of criminal investigators. This is a collection of criminal cases, and a record of memories. In this novel, you'll find me, my mentor, and my best friends. Like me, they are all unique, yet utterly ordinary. We once blazed with ambition and confidence. We once pieced together clues and chased criminals through the fog. We also knew sorrow and hesitation. My mentor once told me: We walk the lin 589Reads9.3Score100Shelves
- 26 Reborn in 1999: Solving a Cold Case from the Start, Shocking the Entire Bureau 重生99：开局破获悬案，震惊全局 Reborn in 1999, he becomes the youngest fingerprint expert. In his previous life, he solved countless cases. When he opens his eyes again, he’s back on his first day as a police officer. The cases that once went cold are waiting for him to rewrite their endings. A partial fingerprint or an overlooked detail is enough to leave the real culprit nowhere to hide. From murder cases in county towns to manhunts spanning provinces, fingerprints are the king of evidence, and he is the man behind the king 41.2kReads8.1Score4.6kShelves
- 27 Crime Solving: The Forensic Photographer 破案：法医摄影师 Born into a family of forensic experts, Zhong Xiaoxing grew up surrounded by their work and developed a deep aversion to the profession. But his passion for medicine was so strong that he still chose to attend medical school. At his graduation banquet, he spoke boldly to his family about his plans for the future. Little did he know that a twist of fate would grant him a System, leaving him with no choice but to follow his father into one case after another, camera in hand. 131Reads5.8Score—Shelves
- 28 Death Cruise 绝命游轮 Adapted from a true case that shocked China and the world. A three-deck cruise ship vanishes without a trace… Twenty-four tourists mysteriously disappear… The provincial government sends in the air force and navy, deploying high-precision underwater detection equipment to search for the missing passengers. 11Reads—Score—Shelves
- 29 Venus on a Rainy Night 雨夜维纳斯 In 2001, a museum in Linhai City reports a late-night emergency. A damaged statue of Venus stands quietly in place. When its plaster cracks open, a young woman's corpse is found sealed inside. The victim's arms have been severed, and blood streams from her eyes. The scene is identical to the old case from eleven years ago, the Rainy Night Venus murders. In 1990, detective Tang Yuliang paid a terrible price to solve the serial murder case, only to get a resolution that was half true and half fals 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 30 The Detective's Oath 刑警誓言 On a stormy night, young lawyer Wang Dapeng mysteriously falls to his death. Cheng Gong, captain of the major crimes squad, is locked in solitary confinement after pursuing the truth behind his friend's death. Back with the criminal investigation squad, Cheng Gong clashes and gradually finds his footing with his new partner, Shan Yu. Together with forensic specialist Ouyang Tong and anti-drug squad captain Wei Mingming, they solve a string of cases: a murdered bartender, a naked corpse in a park 13Reads7.9Score—Shelves
- 31 The Lost Forest [Crime Investigation] 迷踪森林【刑侦】 [Dual Male Leads] [Pure Crime Solving] [Some plot details are fictionalized. Please don't compare them with reality!] [This is not a supernatural mystery. The System's tags are wrong!] Short story + traditional criminal investigation + deduction + team-based crime solving + no romance + no female lead + episodic cases + fast-paced, no dragging Wipe the dust from the mirror and part the layers of thick fog. It's an indescribable perversion, a personality disorder marked by antisocial behavior. 3.7kReads8.4Score242Shelves
- 32 As Night Gives Way to Dawn: The Perfect Case 长夜将明：刑侦之完美破案 [Mind-Bending Mystery · Case-by-Case Crimes · Hard-Hitting Criminal Investigation · Shocking Twists · Warmth Within the Police Force] The setting in this novel is entirely fictional and does not depict any real people or organizations! The night is long, and crime is shrouded in mystery. In Ningzhou, an economic powerhouse, beneath the dazzling splendor woven by neon lights, unknown cruelty and malice lie in wait in the darkness before dawn, growing wildly at the end of the long night. One bizar 146Reads—Score—Shelves
- 33 The Encryption Mystery 加密疑案 A master detective from the Republic of China era; a detective’s notebook whose records begin in 1931; a special cipher tailored for detectives of the future; and an intellectual duel that forcibly draws in the Queen of Crime… A conspiracy passed down through generations, inherited schemes, an endless cycle of revenge, and a detective who cannot rest in peace. Only by cracking the double cipher hidden in the notebook can one reach the truth buried in the distant past. The detectives’ wordplay be 51Reads8.7Score—Shelves
- 34 Eyes of the Abyss 3: Ashes of Sin 凝渊之眸3：罪余烬 I’m a special-case criminal investigator. I’m also the most ordinary one among countless criminal investigators. This is a collection of cases, as well as a record of memories. In this novel, there’s me, my mentor, and my closest friend. Like me, they’re each unique, yet perfectly ordinary. We once strode boldly through life, brimming with confidence. We once pieced together clues and pursued criminals through the fog. We also knew sorrow and hesitation. My mentor once told me: We walk the bound 74Reads8.7Score—Shelves
- 35 The Rules of Murder 谋杀法则 After X years as a professor at a police academy, he tells everyone about paranormal cases. “The 330 Case,” “The Red-Dressed Woman Serial Murders,” “The Telephone Murders,” “The Organ-Ripping Maniac”... 549Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 36 Criminal Investigation: A Shocking Bloodbath 刑侦之惊天血案 [A roguish detective X a beautiful mortician. Amid a shocking string of murders, only love can bring us peace.] [Crime investigation + suspense + deduction + mind games + two powerful leads + revenge + redemption] Five years ago, Nan Shu walked away from a shocking dismemberment case. She gave up on herself and has carried a deep-seated grudge ever since, all so she could slay the evil dragon with her own hands. But in this perilous case, Lu Yiheng, the deputy captain of the criminal investigati 2Reads6.4Score—Shelves
- 37 Criminal Investigation: My Boyfriend Has a Mental Illness 刑侦之我的精神病男友 [Two male leads, criminal investigation, devoted love, dissociative identity disorder, mutual devotion, a young woman who jumps from a building, a corpse kneeling upright, insects falling from an air conditioner…] Qin Ye, a doctor with dissociative identity disorder, returns to the country to search for the cause of his illness. Through a series of coincidences, he meets Mo Ze, the star of the criminal investigation team. The two engage in a subtle battle of wills, testing each other until they 142Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 The Mist Finally Clears 迷雾终散去 9Reads—Score—Shelves
- 39 Undercover Detective on the Killer’s Trail 暗探追凶 (No System, pure deduction, no female lead, somewhat graphic, mind-bending twists and turns) The darkest corners of human nature harbor the most unspeakable evil in the world. Serial dismemberments, near-perfect high-IQ crimes, and a depraved pervert addicted to mutilating corpses. One bizarre murder after another leads to a fated nemesis... A deeply cunning psychiatrist and an upright, principled police captain join forces to uncover the thought-provoking truth behind these bizarre and baffling 758Reads8.2Score143Shelves
- 40 The Mystery of Dingcheng 2 定城迷踪2 [Mind-Bending Mystery + Standalone Stories + Jaw-Dropping Twists] The second installment of "Unraveling the Truth". Behind every massacre, there is always an unseen hand, seemingly trying to expose the ugliest side of human nature. Children turned into pawns in their parents’ power games, victims who take up the butcher’s knife, ghosts wandering on rainy nights, missing human organs... Walking the boundary between day and night, seeing the warmth and coldness of this world, a ray of dawn will al 39.6kReads9.1Score2.8kShelves
- 41 The Portrait Artist's Secret 画像师的秘密 Li Chengkai, a former SWAT officer now working as a police officer, is living like a salted fish: no ambitions, no dreams, no future. The arrival of a tenant who works as a forensic sketch artist stirs up his stagnant life, setting off wave after wave of change. Faced with one bizarre situation after another, Li Chengkai finally becomes certain: the sketch artist doesn't draw people's faces, but their souls. 8Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 42 Criminal Investigation: Case Files 刑侦：大案纪实 1980s criminal investigation + case-by-case stories + no romance or female lead + a touch of ensemble cast Based on real cases, with some changes. The investigations generally follow the original cases. Case One: Too clever by half: Charred remains by the river Case Two: Everyone is evil: A naked corpse in a well Case Three: The thief cries “Stop thief!”: A corpse hidden in a wardrobe Case Four: The poisonous insect’s last stand: A demon strikes Case Five: A killer in two places: A body dismembe 15.7kReads8.3Score1.3kShelves
- 43 Madam Pei: This Case Looks Like a Punishable Offense to Me 裴娘子：这个案子我看刑 [A fallen noble coroner VS a chatty, scheming Vice Minister of Justice] [Case-Solving] A child dead in the snow, a woman with her flesh torn away, a baby inside a sheep’s belly: each case is more horrifying than the last. The clues left behind by a corpse are messengers sent to the living. Listen closely to the final message they bring. [Romance] One is cool and dignified; the other has a severe case of social awkwardness. One is excessively polite; the other is outrageously flirtatious. There’s 303Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 44 The Knockout: Major Crimes Squad 狂飙：重案中队 [Criminal investigations, case-solving, manhunts, and the daily life of detectives, with no supernatural elements] An Zhen, a detective with the Criminal Investigation Corps, is parachuted in as an instructor for the Major Crimes Squad. He has a superhuman memory possessed by only a handful of people in the entire world. In the squad's daily work, he cracks drug cases, hunts down criminals, and takes on criminal gangs, solving one case after another while doggedly uncovering the truth behind mys 580Reads—Score110Shelves
- 45 The Forensic Pathologist's Return 法医归途 (Mostly adapted from real cases. Each case stands alone. No dragging things out, no formulaic plots, no System, no mindless characters, and not a power fantasy. Readers who may be bothered by this, please proceed with caution.) My name is Tang Bei, and I’m a forensic pathologist. Every case is etched in my memory. The Dissolved Body in the Unfinished Building... The Poisoning for Revenge... The Murderous Love Affair and Dismemberment... I don’t know how much longer these stories will continue. B 1.6kReads—Score175Shelves
- 46 Into the Abyss 探入深渊 A clueless, comedy-loving detective, a cool and aloof genius, and a series of standalone cases Why did the hotel’s beautiful cleaning lady vanish without a trace, with neither her body nor any sign of her to be found? Why was there a fresh male corpse lying in a coffin in an ancient tomb? Why did a survivor of a fire end up in the morgue after all? Why were four human heads found at the bottom of a water reservoir? … 166Reads6.5Score—Shelves
- 47 City of Sin: The Missing Bride 罪恶城市—消失的新娘 City of Sin: The Missing Bride 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 48 I'm a Top-Ranked Criminal, So What's Wrong With Becoming a Detective? 我堂堂头号罪犯，转业刑警怎么了 [Crime Investigation + Crime + Mystery + No Female Lead + Hard-Core Case Solving] Wait, is it really so shameful for a prodigal to turn over a new leaf and become a detective? My name is Su Xu. I was once the world’s most wanted criminal, with a bounty of one billion dollars on my head. I broke into the British Museum alone to steal back cultural relics, infiltrated a terrorist group in a war zone and killed its leader, and posed as someone else to bug the White House and steal its top secrets… 17Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 49 The Long Night Dawns: Silent Testimony 长夜将明：无声的证词 [Mind-bending mystery | Case-by-case investigations | Hard-core criminal investigations | High-stakes twists | A tender-hearted police team] The long night looms like a mountain, and mist engulfs the city. When every clue points to the person who seems least likely to be guilty, Leng Hanzhou is forced to make the hardest choice, on the fine line between justice and the law. Because some silent testimony has always been hidden in the darkest depths of human nature. Ningzhou, a prosperous economic 817Reads—Score105Shelves
- 50 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 1.9kReads7.4Score226Shelves
![The Lost Forest [Crime Investigation]](https://p3-novel.byteimg.com/novel-pic/p2o97ad2d7894334bbc500c8ab7f711a87d~tplv-resize:120:0.jpeg)
