Novels like The Secret Iron Box
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Secret Iron Box, best match first.
- 51 Has My Girlfriend Been Kidnapped? 我女朋友被绑架了吗？ First it was kidney-harvesting gangs in Myanmar, now there’s a dismemberment case in Thailand. Lin Xiaoyan, a female influencer, is kidnapped and held for ransom while traveling in Thailand. Who abducted her? Her boyfriend, Li Mingbo, is frantic with worry and decides to go to T Country himself to find the truth, gradually uncovering a vast conspiracy hidden in the shadows. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 52 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. 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 53 Edge of the Truth (Two-Book Set) 真相边缘（全二册） A bizarre murder takes place in a residential complex blanketed with surveillance cameras, and the killer mysteriously vanishes on camera. At the request of his friend Yu Dongqing, Xu Huan, a former star detective, agrees to help investigate. As the case unfolds, a series of inexplicable developments make it increasingly convoluted, and Xu Huan himself is drawn into the strange and inscrutable mystery. He gradually discovers that this case is only the tip of the iceberg in a vast conspiracy... A —Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 54 Bone Reading and Evil Divination: A Republic-Era Ghost Detective Casebook 摸骨断凶：民国鬼探奇案录 In the tumultuous years of the Republic, bizarre cases abound. A woman’s corpse lies in the City God Temple, with an untold secret hidden between her bones. The Zhang residence’s red coffin holds shattered bones, while a curse and its mysteries haunt the wealthy family. A famous performer from the Fengming troupe dies onstage, and the theft of the remains leads to a blood feud... Shen Ci’an, Nanjing’s heir to the art of bone reading, examines bones with skilled hands to expose killers and see t —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 55 Domino Kill Formation (Humanity Lost and Psychological Redemption) 多米诺杀阵（人性迷失&心理救赎） Yan Ting, a police officer in the Major Crimes Unit, gets help from criminal psychology expert Lu Yu to solve a series of honeymoon murders. But the killer soon becomes the victim of another murder. Next, a sense of duty brings the Oracle Killer onto the scene, targeting only people with moral failings. Yuan Qingzhou, an expert from the provincial Criminal Psychology Research Center, comes in to assist. With an outstanding criminal psychology report, she identifies the suspect and brings them do —Reads6.7Score114d adds
- 56 You Were Supposed to Take the Arts Exam, So Why Did You End Up in Criminal Investigation? 让你艺考，你考到刑侦去了？ Li Guan has a secret: everyone looks like an old person to him. People say it’s hard to paint skin and harder still to capture the bones beneath. For him, it’s the other way around. The pretty campus belle looks like an old woman, and a strapping young man looks like an old man, making it remarkably easy for him to draw bones and muscles. He thought he would spend his life this way, different from others but otherwise uneventful. Then a young, handsome female classmate showed up, and with her ca 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 57 The Root of Sin 心罪源 Greed, desire, hatred, loathing, envy, jealousy... These are all the roots of human crime. The human heart is unfathomable; people can commit crimes over the smallest things. Yi Kai studied criminal psychology, but ended up making a living as a detective. An accidental car crash gave him astonishing powers of observation and perception. A chance encounter led Police Captain Xiang Tiange to recognize his abilities and put him to work. From then on, he embarked on a battle of wits against criminal 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 58 The Ultimate Manhunt 绝地追凶 A contemporary criminal investigation mystery, full of unexpected twists and deductive case-solving. Feel free to dive in. The story will never go on hiatus. Entirely original, with a deliberate pace. Take your time and follow the investigation. Pay attention to the casual remarks and gestures of certain people. 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 59 Mottled Crimes 罪案斑驳 Before one crisis has passed, another arises. A series of murders has struck Harbor City. The killer is ruthless, and several citizens have already been killed. The Special Cases Unit launches a full-scale investigation. All signs point to the same person behind the crimes: Gu Jinghao. Ye Ziyu arrives in the nick of time to help the team pierce the layers of mystery. The battle with Gu Jinghao is about to begin! 389Reads8.7Score2914d adds
- 60 Please Remain Silent 请保持沉默 She is a criminal investigator with the criminal investigation squad and an expert in military combat. He is the public security department’s chief crime consultant. A bizarre case involving a dismembered body arranged with flowers brings them together. What sparks will fly when traditional criminal investigation meets psychological profiling? The arrogant professor is a perfectionist, a Virgo, and a foodie. She takes him around the city to sample its best food, while he shows her the wonders of 12Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 61 After I Was Fired, I Became a Police Consultant 被开除后，我成了警局顾问 This book is also known as [The Criminal Investigation Prodigy: Murder Case Consultant for the Nancheng Criminal Police] My name is Chen Ning. I used to be a major-crimes investigator with the Jiangcheng Criminal Police, but I was forced to leave the force because of certain circumstances. One rainy night, a murder took place next to my rented apartment, and traces of me were left at the scene. While I was still asleep, a team of police officers broke down my door. “Are you Chen Ning?” I was 60Reads—Score—14d adds
- 62 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 595Reads—Score11014d adds
- 63 The Chaser 追赶者 “Solving a case is like putting together a puzzle. The hardest and most crucial part is often finding the last one or two pieces.” [Standalone cases + criminal investigation + rigorous deduction + no romance] A massive meteor shower is on its way, and a group of enthusiasts gather at a campsite on the outskirts of the city to watch the stars. In the dead of night, a scream rings out. A man has been stabbed to death. The caller tells the police that they may have killed him. But his habit of usin 95Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 64 Mysteries of the Republic Era 民国谜案 A horrific case rocks Xiaocheng during the Republican era. Detective Qiao Yunxiu teams up with Duan Shi, a psychiatrist who has returned from studying abroad. As a series of cases come to light, the truth is revealed, and Qiao Yunxiu learns the secret Duan Shi has been hiding... One day, Duan Shi suddenly asks the person beside her, “When did you first fall for me?” Detective Qiao takes a sip of hot porridge. “The first time I saw you. Your legs were beautiful, your hands were beautiful, and eve 54Reads7.5Score—14d adds
- 65 A Con Artist? I'm the Grandmaster of Con Artists 骗子？我才是骗子祖师爷 Qin Xiao was one of the leaders of a scam ring. After learning that his girlfriend was pregnant, he decided to quit for good, only for his sworn brother to cruelly murder her. After his death, Qin Xiao’s soul transmigrates into another person’s body, setting him on a path of revenge... —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 66 Ma Long Investigates: The Three O'Clock Mystery 马龙探案之三点的迷案 Revision in progress, The format will be changed to one translation per sentence, with one Chinese sentence followed by one English sentence. Extensive English reading material, suitable for readers with a vocabulary of 3,000 words, and written according to the logic of how to say things in English. Contents Volume One: The Three O'Clock Mystery @ Chapter 1 Volume Two: The Missing Corpse @ Chapter 34 Volume Three: The Wrong Murder Case @ Chapter 68 Volume Four: The Right Murder Case A suspens —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 67 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—14d adds
- 68 Murder in the Golden House: My Opponent Is a Bit of a Letdown 金屋藏凶：我的对手不太行 [Alternate Republic of China setting + episodic mystery-solving + happy ending] During the Republic of China era, the body of socialite Xu Ruolan is discovered in a suburban villa. The police station hastily closes the case as an accidental fall. Officer Jiang Shuyi suspects foul play and continues investigating, only to be dismissed without explanation. Just as the truth is about to be buried, a year later, dancer Dong Yujiao moves into the villa to track down a missing treasure. There, she cro 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 69 The First-Rank Coroner’s Wild Ride 一品仵作狂妃 Modern forensic pathologist Yan Feixue unexpectedly transmigrates into the body of an unloved young lady of a noble marquis's household. The moment she opens her eyes, she is framed for murder and nearly loses her life. She has no choice but to use the professional skills she honed in her previous life to clear her name and save her own skin. But her peerless autopsy skills catch the attention of a certain cold and aloof Lord Beiming. He pins her against the wall and declares domineeringly, “Wom 80Reads6.4Score—14d adds
- 70 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
- 71 Double Shadows 双重阴影 Twin Shadows 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 72 Strange Cases of the Soul 灵魂破案奇异事 What kind of sparks will fly between a male lead who can leave his body and a female lead who is a brilliant criminal investigator? The male lead uses his supernatural ability to track down the real culprit and help the female lead solve cases. The culprit he seeks is behind not only criminal cases, but also the murder of his childhood sweetheart. Why did the culprit kill? What grand scheme lies behind the truth? The male and female leads investigate together and bring justice to those involved. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 73 I Said I'd Collect Scrap, Not Solve Cases This Well 说好的收破烂，结果这么会破案 [Two powerful leads + devoted to each other + the supernatural + solving crimes + special affection + a touch of ensemble cast] A beautiful, formidable antique shop owner vs. a beautiful, tragic, formidable, unhinged CEO Wen Ci is the famously eccentric owner of a shop on Antique Street. She only takes goods from the dead. Jiang Yuhuai is the business world’s living King of Hell: signing contracts with his left hand and handling guns with his right. The two people who should never have crossed p 100Reads—Score—14d adds
- 74 Major Crimes: The Mystery Behind Massacres and Torture 重案组：灭门、虐杀背后之谜 A campus romance sparks a bloody massacre. What did the killer mean by leaving seven blood-red characters on the wall? A refined psychiatrist repeatedly violates his beautiful patients, while a ruthless serial killer hides profound affection behind his brutal murders. When legal punishment and psychological desire cannot be brought into balance, must human lives be sacrificed to bridge the gap? This world is nothing like a yin-yang fish: things are never simply black and white. 1Reads9.2Score—14d adds
- 75 Necromancer Game 死灵游戏 [A Suspense and Mystery Novella] Ten men and women in white hospital gowns wake one after another in a completely sealed white room. A chilling voice rings in their ears, laying out the rules of a murder game about to begin. At a banquet in an ancient castle, tension fills the air and everyone is terrified. Are the knocks at the door in the night someone's coded message, or a demon whispering? Outside the window, a boy weeps in the pouring rain. Beside him stands a girl who died long ago. Whose 143Reads—Score—14d adds
- 76 The Sole Suspect 独家嫌疑人 A criminal investigation consultant with extraordinary gifts and a highly skilled surgeon. These two rivals once fought over the same woman. Fate has a way of writing the most unlikely stories, and five years later, they find themselves joining forces over that very same woman. They crack cases and hunt down the real culprits; they infiltrate drug dens and capture kingpins! A song of ice and fire, a duet of law and love: all kinds of criminals will have to raise their hands before the law. 1.3kReads8.1Score12914d adds
- 77 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
- 78 I Told You to Go on a Blind Date, Not Arrest Your Police Chief Father-in-Law 让你去相亲，你把警察岳父给抓了 On his way to propose at a policewoman’s home, he catches a queen of thieves and brings her along as a gift. His future police-chief father-in-law is stunned. At his girlfriend’s home, he finds numerous skeletons sealed inside a clay sculpture. He immediately arrests the suspect, his future police-chief father-in-law. His future father-in-law, the police chief, gives him every kind of obstacle: if he wants to marry his beautiful daughter, he first has to solve the bizarre haunted-house case that 40Reads—Score—14d adds
- 79 Keep Your Secrets Hidden 要把心事藏好 Viral internet celebrity policewoman VS psychological surgeon. Jiang Miyi is a criminal investigator skilled in crime deduction, while Tan Jiyan is a doctor who helps people heal from psychological trauma. They meet through the “Drowned Cartoonist Case” and go on to investigate the “Woman’s Corpse in a Suitcase Case,” the “Qingshi Town Family Massacre,” and the “Eye-Gouging, Ear-Cutting Maniac Case,” among others. A vast conspiracy lurks behind these cases. What happens when someone spies on the 31Reads6.0Score—14d adds
- 80 The Case of the Six-Petaled Snowflake 六角雪花迷案 A fire breaks out at a villa, and a dismembered corpse is discovered inside. Yet the scene where the body was cut apart is a hundred li away. How did the killer travel between the two places using an invisible thread? And why are the survivors of the fire dying one after another… As the investigation gradually deepens, more and more clues emerge, yet the case continues to move toward an impossible dead end… 123Reads—Score10214d adds
- 81 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. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 82 Between the Truths 真相之间 [The Most Realistic Hard-Core Crime Investigation] A theatrical edition, this is a documentary-style crime-solving novel. It has no flashy prose, and the cases, protagonist, villains, and supporting characters are all based on real-life counterparts. With crime-solving methods grounded in reality, step-by-step plotting, and conflicts between characters, the story gradually moves toward the truth. An accidental suicide draws Yuan Muye and the other members of the criminal investigation brigade i 4Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 83 Chasing Killers Through Sinful Dreams 罪梦追凶 The rotting corpse of a girl in a dry well on a desolate mountain. A mangled, grimacing head in a classroom. An online celebrity dying in a terrifying livestream... A string of baffling murder cases shatters the city’s peace. A girl who lost her memory in a car accident witnesses crime scenes in her dreams. As she helps the police uncover the truth, she falls in love with a passionate detective. But when he helps her regain her memories, she is plunged into an even greater mystery and deeper ang 2.5kReads8.5Score25414d adds
- 84 Detective Wang's Cases 王捕探案 Wang Fan, constable of Qingchuan Town, is upright and impartial. When it comes to cases, he seeks only the truth and cares about nothing else. The townsfolk have nicknamed him Wang Tiezhu, a name that reflects both their affection for him and their respect for his work. And now, Wang Tiezhu’s detective adventures begin... 240Reads—Score—14d adds
- 85 Transmigrate to the Ming Dynasty: The Coroner Princess 穿越到大明之仵作王妃 Su Quaner, a famous mystery writer, unexpectedly transmigrates to the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. When she wakes up, she finds herself lying in a coffin, on a bed of glittering silver. Her luck is terrible: still dazed, she is mistaken for a thief who stole government silver and thrown in jail. Luckily, she enjoys using her head. After helping the county magistrate solve several murder cases, she manages to save her own life. But she isn't looking for trouble for no reason. This is the only 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 86 Master Ling, Forced to Change Careers 被迫改行的凌大师 In these dangerous murder cases, they still have a long road ahead. Where should they begin investigating the Cement Killer case to bring justice for the girl? And what hidden identity does the newly appeared boy, Li Zairan, have? Was the girl's death connected to him? What has Ling Qingyi seen in him? Liang Junchen has sent his friend Yi Bin to investigate Li Zairan in secret. Will Yi Bin make it back unharmed? Is Gong Junling safe inside Organization K? Is An Jingsen's soul really by his si 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 87 The Young Profiler 少年侧写师 She takes a part-time job caring for a strange man, then gets caught up in a string of serial murders... 1Reads6.0Score—14d adds
- 88 Strange Urban Cases: The Mysterious Bureau 798 都市诡奇案，神秘的798局 In H City, one baffling case after another unfolds in deserted corners, while clouds of mystery close in. Evil is everywhere... Li Xiao, male, thirty years old, current captain of the mysterious 798 Bureau's investigation team in H City. Thin and solitary, a true genius, a graduate student in criminal psychology, and the strongest captain in history. Liu Si, Li Xiao's capable assistant at the 798 Bureau. His motto in life: “I, Liu Si, may have nothing, but I've got more money than I know what to 5Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 89 The World Fell Apart from the Start, So I Gave Up 天崩开局但开摆 [Single female lead, no official couple, reborn] Some angst, with a male-male pairing After my mother died, I wanted to kill myself, but somehow gained the ability to be reborn. My brother, whom I had barely ever met, suddenly returned from abroad. I helped him reclaim the inheritance that belonged to our mother and investigate the secrets behind rebirth. “When I was little, I used to compare my heart to a tall building. Back then, it was full of people: Mom, Chen Yi, my uncle, my classmates, th —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 90 Spirit Seeker: Lost Souls and Wandering Ghosts, Follow Me 清灵者之孤魂野鬼跟我走 Xuan Yan, a senior at Yinyang No. 1 High School, seems to outsiders like an aloof, antisocial top student. But no one knows that he has another identity. Some people disappear from this world, leaving no trace of their bodies. They become wandering ghosts, and someone has to clean up after them. But is that all there is to Xuan Yan’s identity? The reporter Zhong Fujin discovers a different side of Xuan Yan… A new short story every few chapters, featuring love, family bonds, and home life. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 91 Major Crime Tracker 重案追踪 This book compiles some of the most shocking, suspenseful, and complex real criminal cases in China in recent years. Presented as documentary-style fiction, it probes the motives behind the crimes, vividly recreates how they unfolded, and offers an in-depth examination of the criminals' psychology, piecing together the full truth behind each baffling and complicated case. As a model record of crime, this book offers an authoritative reference for the study of criminal behavior. —Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 92 I Delivered Takeout, and She Invited Me Inside 送个外卖，她却把我叫进屋里 I delivered takeout, and she invited me inside. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 93 Echoes of Blood 血字残响 A plain silver band links a bloody, unsolved case spanning twenty-seven years. A family slaughtered on a rainy night, power that reaches the heavens, and a revenge plot that leaves him transformed from victim to prisoner. Fine scratches serve as evidence, skin flakes as proof. Every crime hidden in the darkness will eventually be exposed in the sunlight. The last echoes of blood-written words fade, and justice finally finds its way home. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 94 The Killer Breathes in the Dark 凶手在暗处呼吸 "Ahem, ahem, ahem!" Lin Yu waved his hand and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lin Yu, the owner of a detective agency. My main line of work is taking on clients and helping them solve cases! The cases are all kinds of strange. I've heard of things you haven't, and seen things you haven't. You might think a case is far away, but sometimes the culprit is right beside you. And is it science or the supernatural? That's something I can't decide either! But I've always wanted to find the answ —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 95 The Great Qing County Magistrate's Casebook 大清知县探案录 A 32-year-old career woman returns home to find that everything has changed. For thirty-two years, she worked hard and anxiously tried to meet everyone’s expectations. But had they ever met hers? Unable to face reality, she transmigrates into the world of Notes from the Thatched Abode of Close Observations, becoming a frail, pale-faced scholar. The imperial examination results are being posted, and he has placed third on the list. Appointed by the emperor as a sixth-rank magistrate in Lingzhou T 25Reads—Score—14d adds
- 96 Black Smoke 黑烟 Standalone Cases + Criminal Investigation + Crime-Solving A girl with all four limbs severed Bones smashed to pieces A puzzle that can never be completed A butcher's blade hidden behind a legend A bizarre art gallery A haunted school The good and evil in human nature, right and wrong, and all the gray areas in between What brings me into the light, and what will make us fall into the abyss? 170Reads—Score10114d adds
- 97 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 288Reads8.0Score12914d adds
- 98 Daisies and a Scalpel 小雏菊与手术刀 Late autumn: why did the conjoined twins suffocate inside the wall? A snowy night: who took the lives of the elderly couple who fell from a building together? On New Year's Eve, as lights glow in homes across the city and families gather, someone lies on the freezing street, their body growing cold... This winter, Hunjiang seems colder than ever. As investigative reporter Fang Jin looks into these cases in pursuit of the truth for the public, she stumbles upon a mysterious organization operating 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 99 Dreambound Bookshop 缘梦书局 A gifted detective with special abilities teams up with a beautiful agent of extraordinary strength. Using a bookstore as their base, they investigate the dark side of society. One baffling case after another, layer upon layer of domestic and foreign forces lurking in the shadows: whether through perfect teamwork or overwhelming ability, neither corrupt power brokers, rampant criminal gangs, nor traitors within national security can escape the bookstore’s scrutiny. French gangsters, Vietnamese p 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 100 The Gray Border 灰色边界 A: Adjudication R: Revenge L: Law Enforcer There are no perfectly just verdicts in this world. Only by walking the line at the edge of the law can one execute true demons. No one wants to walk a tightrope, especially when the abyss below is deep enough to swallow everything. A and L should never move along the same straight line, but only where their paths cross can the sins of the heart be cleansed. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
