Novels like The Dead Speak: Cases from Harbor City
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Dead Speak: Cases from Harbor City, best match first.
- 1 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—14d adds
- 2 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
- 3 The Wail of Spring 春天的悲鸣 At dawn, a woman's body drifts down the river. Wrapped in a white down jacket, she has swollen in the water until she resembles a silkworm... The major crimes unit of Jiangcheng City's criminal investigation detachment rushes to the scene. As the evidence gradually points toward murder rather than an accident, one question remains: who wanted her dead, and why? Like an onion, the case gives up its secrets one layer at a time as the investigation deepens. A cruel truth is laid bare, leaving every 1.5kReads6.1Score11014d adds
- 4 Special Cases Review Office 特别案件复查办公室 [Socially conscious mystery + two male leads in criminal investigations + standalone cases + not a power fantasy + no golden finger + emotionally devastating + no romance] Nanjing City Police Department has a Special Investigations Unit that takes on “solved cases” and “hot potatoes” no one else dares touch. Zhou Jin is a demoted forensic evidence expert: rational and sharp-tongued, able to reconstruct the truth from a single drop of water and enrage an entire room with one sentence. Fang Tuo is 1.1kReads8.0Score13714d adds
- 5 The Legendary Detective 传奇警探 Back at the police academy, Li Yihan, Chen Jichuan, Cheng Yueran, and Wang Mian were already famous as the “troublemaker squad.” They topped their professional courses, crushed their classmates in fitness training, and solved mock cases half a step ahead of everyone else. At their graduation dinner, someone yelled, “Let’s do something big together someday!” No one knew who it was, but four years later, the four of them really did reunite and form a major crimes unit. Meet the lineup that gives 114Reads—Score10514d adds
- 6 The Unsolved Case: The Vanished Life 悬案迷踪之消失的人生 [Suspense + Wild Imagination + Deduction + Crime Solving] A string of baffling cases brings Qin Wen and Jiang Zhuo together to solve them. More than twenty years ago, a series of murders took place. The killer, dubbed the Butterfly Bone Killer, was never caught, and the case was eventually shelved. Many years later, the statute of limitations has expired. So why has the killer suddenly shown up at the police station to turn himself in? What is he really after, and whose past will this case ultim 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 A Thousand Crossings of the Soul 千渡灵魂 [Modern urban setting, mystery-solving, suspenseful crime investigation, no male lead, eerie horror] Zhang Ling was born in Huaxia and has had the ability to see things others cannot since birth: the Yin-Yang Eyes. Zhang Ling can see spirits, and spirits can see her. She can speak with them, and they can touch her. Guide those who have not yet crossed into the underworld. Guide those burdened by regret and resentment. Guide those who have become vengeful ghosts. A Thousand Spirits Guided Every s 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 Private Detective Agency 私人侦探所 He had reached the pinnacle of life, a bona fide rich second-generation heir. But after his father mysteriously disappeared, his business failed and he was left drowning in debt with nowhere to turn. At his most desperate, he went to a reservoir one night to take his own life. Just as Li Chengguang was about to jump into the water, a woman happened to pass by and stopped him. From then on, a private detective agency called Chengguang Encounters quietly opened its doors. Whenever people ran into 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 The Mysterious Mansion 神秘洋房 (No System, period mystery) Republican-era romance, suspense and horror Wan Siyin takes a job as a maid in the mysterious Tang household. The master’s cruelty, the madam’s sharp tongue, the eldest son’s illness, the second son’s strange habits, and an inexplicable murder all leave her terrified and bewildered. As time passes, Siyin gradually discovers that something is wrong with the mysterious foreign-style mansion and uncovers the secrets hidden within. In the end, she reveals a horrifying mys 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 Criminal Investigation: The Dawn of Evil 刑侦：罪恶的曙光 After graduating from the police academy, a brilliant young graduate enlists in the military. Upon returning, he joins the Public Security Bureau and becomes an expert in criminal investigation and special operations. Using his expertise, he brings justice to the law and the dead, clears the names of those who died unjustly, and ensures that the law, backed by the will of the state, is upheld. No System + Modern Criminal Investigation 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 Miss Dai's Puzzle Game 黛小姐的解谜游戏 A love letter with no words, tuition money that vanishes from a classroom, and summer homework that spontaneously catches fire inside a locked metal cabinet. See how Miss Dai shows off her skills and solves these little-known mysteries. Did you ever have a shy crush when you were young? Are you hoping to reunite with someone? Put aside the troubles of the present, and let me take you back in a dream to those innocent days of youth. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 Web Novels Have Arrived: You Call This a Heartwarming Story? 网文降临：你管这叫温情故事？ [A heartwarming sweet romance] [Everyone is unhinged] [Daily life, unconventional quick transmigration, not a power fantasy, very, very slow-paced] [If you like watching people go off the rails, come on in. If that bothers you, stay away] The room is dim. Leftover bones are scattered across the dining table, and a headless corpse lies on the floor. Outside the bathroom, a large suitcase sits with dark red liquid seeping from its bottom. In the master bedroom, the father is busy dismembering the 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 The Esper Girl Takes on the World 异能少女闯世界 Cai Cai is a girl with extraordinary strength in her arms. At nineteen, she travels to the southern country to study dessert-making. There, she meets the owner's daughter, who can teleport, as well as David, who has the same supernatural strength. The mystery-solving begins after Chapter 31. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 Ten Notorious Bandit Cases in China 中国大案纪实十大悍匪之系列 Here is a ranking of the ten most notorious bandits to emerge in modern China since the founding of the People's Republic: 1. Bai Baoshan, China's top case of 1997; 2. Liu Jinrong, Hainan's most notorious bandit; 3. Wan Guangxu, a special-forces-level talent in the eyes of military experts; 4. Zhou Xiangyang, the first armed kidnapping case in the People's Republic; 5. Zhang Jun, China's most serious criminal case since the founding of the nation; 6. Sun Delin, leader of a rare, exceptionally vi —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 China's Most Shocking Crimes 中国惊天大案 The major cases you never knew about, thrilling stories, heartbreaking twists, and baffling crimes can all be found in China’s Most Shocking Cases. Enter the world of criminal investigation and solve cases from the criminals’ own perspective. Made up of standalone cases, it features the Harbin Meat Grinder Case, the Shenyang Armored Car Heist, the Changchun Underground Emperor Case in Northeast China, the Liaoning Double Demon Case, the Jingzhou Vault Robbery in Hubei, the Jilin Beauty Killer Ca —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 True Criminal Investigation Cases 真实刑侦案件 For more than 30 years, Zhou Xianliang, head of the Major Crimes Division of the Criminal Investigation Detachment of Yuezhou Public Security Bureau, has remained on the front lines of the fight against crime. He has solved more than 3,000 major, serious, and difficult cases, quietly living by a criminal investigator’s creed: “Speak for the dead and defend the rights of the living.” More than 70 notebooks sit neatly arranged on the shelves in his office. Hand-drawn crime-scene sketches, accounts —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 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—14d adds
- 18 The Case Files 疑案卷宗 They came from different families. One became a police officer, another a hated murderer. Can you follow the many hidden clues to find the mastermind? Sometimes seeing isn’t believing. He’ll mislead you and send you down another path. 188Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 Love and Cases: My Boss Has Been Plotting to Win Me Over 谈情说案：上司他对我蓄谋已久 Three cases involving kidnapping, murder, and corpse destruction leave the criminal investigation bureau at a loss. Psychologist Ruan Qingwu is attacked on her way home one night, and the next day, her mother is framed and sent to prison. To raise money to save her mother, she hastily marries a stranger, but her mother dies by suicide in the detention center. Determined to uncover the truth, she persuades a criminal investig 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 The Diviner Bride and the Republic-Era Detective: A Baffling Case 卦师娇娘与民国神探之迷离奇案 Aaaaah! I’m a total beginner, and I really love this kind of story, so this is my first time writing one. There are lots of things I could do better, so I hope you’ll be patient with me! [Mystery-solving and deduction take center stage, with romance as a secondary focus] Hu Sitao, a modern-day fortune-teller, accidentally touches a mysterious artifact while telling someone’s fortune and transmigrates to the Republican era (in an alternate setting). There, she meets Shen Juanyi, the era’s greates —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 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—14d adds
- 22 Hunting Killers of the Heart Demon 心魔缉凶 Beneath the neon-lit night sky of Chengdu, a battle of intellect and psychology quietly begins. Lin Xiaoqing, a young psychologist, has always believed she is good at reading people, until she meets Li Wenbin, a mysterious patient. This seemingly ordinary middle-aged man hints at a string of murders, gradually drawing her into a deadly game of psychological manipulation. Meanwhile, as criminal investigator Zhao Ming pursues the case, he discovers that every clue points to Lin Xiaoqing's clinic. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 The Late Lawyer 迟到律师 [Badass Lawyer + Mystery and Crime-Solving + Catching and Punishing Mistresses + Saving Her CEO Husband’s Family Business + High-Profile Legal Cases] When I saw my former friend in prison, I couldn’t help reflecting on how unpredictable life is and how greed can make people swallow more than they can stomach. As her lawyer, I had already done everything I could for her. Our friendship of more than a decade ended when she stole my boyfriend. Wang Enning had expected a life of luxury, but it turn 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 The Flute Player: I'll See You Off on Your Final Journey 吹笙人：送你最后一程 A terrifying shadow in the rain, a ghostly wail from a high-rise, a pair of eerie red high heels, inexplicable red stains in a bathroom stall... One wrongful case after another gradually comes to light. I'm the last person who plays the sheng: I'll see you on your final journey. A heads-up: The first chapter isn't very good, and I can't revise it. Please don't rush to drop the book, dear readers. Keep going and there are surprises ahead. This is a new book and doesn't have a rating yet. The lead —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 I'm the Only One Who Receives Death Orders 只有我能接到死亡订单 My name is Chen Mo, and I work as a courier. In the fourth month after I lost my job, I received an order that shouldn't have existed. The recipient was Zhao Guoan, who had died three months earlier. The order required me to deliver a box of heart-rescue pills to a sealed-off, abandoned apartment complex before ten that night. I thought it was just a prank, until I followed the address and actually saved someone who was about to die. From that day on, death orders kept appearing. A girl who'd be 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 I Was Just Fishing by the Roadside, So How Did I Become the Godfather of Criminal Investigation? 路边摸个鱼，咋成刑侦祖师爷了 [Out-of-the-box crime investigation] [Unexpectedly flashy protagonist] [System-powered] [Lighthearted everyday life] [High-IQ mind games] [A laid-back traffic cop who just wants to clock out on time vs. a major-crimes unit at its wits’ end] The protagonist is a grassroots traffic cop who absolutely hates trouble. Every day, all he wants is to hand out parking tickets, hit his quota, and clock out on time. But one day, while ticketing a van parked illegally by the roadside, the nervous owner tri 12Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 Diary of a Murderous Detective 凶探日记 [Mystery + detective work + crime-solving + deduction + no System + mind-bending cases + steadily unfolding plot] One bizarre case after another, with every lead cut off. After multiple twists, the truth finally comes to light. The truth may be concealed, but evidence of a crime never disappears. The law is vast and allows no culprit to escape! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 Midnight Bus: Driving Route 444 to Pick Up Passengers at the Cemetery Before Dawn on Qingming Festival 午夜公交：驾驶444路公交，清明节凌晨前往公墓接乘客 Midnight Bus: Drive Route 444 to the cemetery before dawn on Qingming Festival and pick up passengers 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 Plastic Surgery Department (Complete in Two Volumes) 整形科（全二册） Just after plastic surgeon Xiang Jun inherited her late father's private clinic in G Country, a drug lord fleeing the police broke in. Forced to perform plastic surgery on him, Xiang Jun narrowly escaped being silenced and fled back to her homeland. On the way into the city with Song Ling, a young woman she had met at the airport, Xiang Jun was caught in a car crash staged by the drug lord's organization. Song Ling died horribly, while Xiang Jun fled in a panic with the wrong suitcase. In a biza 38Reads9.3Score—14d adds
- 30 From the Start, I Had 100,000 Detective Skills, and No Crime Could Stay Hidden 开局十万破案技，罪恶无处可藏匿 [Criminal investigations + brisk pacing + System stays in the background + no romance] Twenty years ago, a bloody murder on a rainy night left Qin Feng an orphan. After watching his parents die before his eyes, Qin Feng came to loathe evil and vowed to become a detective so he could catch the real killer with his own hands! In 2012, on his first day in the criminal investigation unit after graduating with honors from the police academy, Qin Feng unexpectedly awakened the People’s Detective Syste 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 Thirteen Minutes of Nothing 十三分钟空白 When memories can be edited, does the truth cease to exist? Gu Xing, a top memory editor, is faced with a wealthy man's murder case backed by conclusive evidence. The suspect, Shen Jun, has confessed outright, and the crime memory extracted through the Memory Mirror is flawless, with every detail fitting together perfectly. But a memory that is too perfect is itself the deepest lie. Amid the cold streams of data, Gu Xing catches a thirteen-minute blank and a strange flash of blue light. This tin —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Code of False Accusation 冤罪代码 He can touch death, yet finds himself entangled in bizarre unsolved cases. His origins and their futures turn out to be part of a shocking conspiracy... 21Reads8.3Score314d adds
- 33 Disappeared on July 5 消失在7月5日 Disappeared on July 5 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 The Big Shot Only Wants to Enjoy Retirement 大佬她只想过退休生活 [Sweet Romance | Mystery | Powerful Leads | Mutual Devotion] Mo Can was kidnapped at the age of three and adopted from an orphanage at ten by Yang Weiguo, a border anti-drug police officer. After her adoptive father died in the line of duty and her grandparents passed away one after another, she became the Yang family’s sole heir. After graduating from police academy, she made a decision that left everyone stunned: she returned to Yuhuang Mountain to run a country inn. Feeding chickens and ducks —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 Doodles on the Medical Records 病例上的涂鸦 My name is Su Wanqing. I’m a clerk in the medical records department at Municipal Third Hospital. For the past six years, my greatest skill has been dealing with moldy medical files. Then one day, while sorting through old records, I found a doodled diary tucked between the patient files. Its owner was Chen Zhiming, an intern who died in a hospital fire twelve years ago. He wrote, “If you’re reading this diary, it means I’m already dead.” The pages were covered in strange coded symbols: a heart —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 Subject Number Five 第五号猎物 Touch a dead person’s belongings, and replay the final thirty minutes of their memories. Every time, you gamble with your life. Three years ago, his fiancée died in an “accident.” After replaying a corpse’s memories, he discovered the killer had been by her side all along, three years ago. [You are the fifth target.] The first four are all dead. His mentor has spent thirty years researching mental energy. His fiancée had an exceptionally high concentration of mental energy. A person know —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 The Truth in Her Eyes 瞳孔中的真相 Is what you see the truth? Is what you hear the truth? Behind these baffling cases lies an even more complicated truth... The murders seem to have nothing to do with one another, yet they are bound together by countless threads. A page torn from a calendar at a murder scene, a butcher on a stormy night, a human-body sculpture found in a luxury hotel... Behind every case lies a revelation of human nature and a battle of wits. Each case is also a tragic story. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 Homicide Investigation Unit: Whispers of the Dead 凶案专查组：亡者低语 A series of brutal murders grips Xijing City. Beneath the city’s nighttime veil, evil lurks unseen, while the dead remain silent. Two years after graduating with a degree in forensic science and technology, Ning Song makes a name for herself with her meticulous analysis of physical evidence and ability to reconstruct crime scenes. Jiang Jinye, a rising detective who joined the force at the same time, is a formidable fighter with sharp investigative instincts, always at the forefront of the hunt 21Reads—Score214d adds
- 39 The Lampbearer's Chronicle 执灯记 The original novel Lantern Keeper is a mystery and science fiction story. "In this world, sin and love weep together, but I will sweep it clean, leaving nothing standing." Come and discover their story with us as we explore human nature. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Reborn as a Righteous Detective 重生之正义刑警 After being murdered, Zhao Hai was reborn as a rookie detective and activated the Hand of Justice System. Not only did he bring the killer who had taken his life in his previous life to justice, he also embarked on a career solving cases that had nothing to do with his official duties... 38Reads—Score—14d adds
- 41 Half the City Beneath the Dark Rain 暗雨半城 In a small city, a mystery surrounding a beautiful young teacher sets off a series of bizarre murders. The brutal truth is beyond anyone's expectations, and reflections on human nature and society plunge people into an endless abyss... 83Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 The City at Night Is Dark 城市的夜，很黑 When the setting sun bathes a city in light, night is on its way. Faced with the darkness of the city, are you ready to confront your fears? This is a test of human nature and the mind, and many people gradually cross the line. Yet some cling to the last glimmer of light in darkness so deep they cannot see their own hands. Some lights are extinguished by the slightest impurity, while others can burn away the darkness in people’s hearts. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 Behind the Twelve Murder Cases 十二道杀人案件的背后 He is just an ordinary office worker. He is just an ordinary police officer. They are classmates and childhood friends. If not for that murder case, they would each have gone on living dull, uneventful lives in their respective jobs. But what kind of sparks could the two of them create? What kind of miracles could they make happen? 2.9kReads—Score11014d adds
- 44 The Perfect Suspect 完美嫌疑人 Child disappearances are on the rise in Xingang City. Each missing child was wearing a red coat and vanished from a public place covered by surveillance cameras. Arabic numerals are left at every scene. Beyond that, there are no clues at all. Zhang Yiming, captain of the criminal investigation squad, is at a loss and turns to his former partner, Zhong Ning, a legend in Xingang's police force. The moment Zhong Ning takes over, he realizes that every clue points perfectly to his longtime friend an 10Reads9.2Score214d adds
- 45 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
- 46 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 62Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 47 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
- 48 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 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 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 141Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 Phantom in the Night Rain 夜雨魅影 A charming little city in the south. A sudden shower of rain. Hidden in the rain-soaked city are secrets no one knows. A lonely soul is often jolted awake by bloody, terrifying nightmares. Now, he is waiting for someone. A shocking murder case has continued for years. When the truth finally comes to light, no one can believe that the killer had been plotting for a full twenty years… 25Reads8.0Score—14d adds
