Detective stories for 14 year old

[GingerIsBest]

DS isn't a big reader, but will sometimes flick through self help type books or the odd book on rugby/football/basketball/fitness.

However, he does like to watch TV shows that are police/detective stories - from Dexter to The Rookie. And he has expressed some interest in being a police officer then private detective when he grows up.

Are there any modern detective stories that would be appropriate? I don't think traditional kids books are going to work - it definitely needs to be in the YA category or adult, without being TOO complex. I'm tempted to introduce him to Cormoran Strike but I think those stories are too long and too complex at this point - but that sort of thing. I think he would prefer something that feels more "real" rather than the sort of Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys stuff of my childhood!

How about the Young Sherlock series?
There’s also a series about a teenage private detective called Johnny Delgado. The books are very short, easy reads.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Smart by Kim Slater
Lock & Mori
There’s a YA adaptation of The Da Vinci Code

Thanks. some good ideas there I didn't know of.

Also made me remember that he quite liked the Alex Rider show on TV, but th ebooks are better. I might see if he wants to read those too.

Dead mans cove by Lauren St John? My son loved that book when he was about 11.

At that age, I read all the Agatha Christie books.

He might find Alex Rider a little young - although they are great spy books.
If he does like them he might enjoy the Cherub series which are similar type of idea but grittier.

Does he like history? My ds loved "Daughter of Time" at that age.

Harlem Cobden has some YA books - Mickey Bolitar series

I read Sherlock Holmes at that age, but appreciate it doesn’t meet the modern brief!

I read all of Sherlock Holmes at that age. Most of them are short stories so even if some of the language is unfamiliar the plot is very “fast” and you can zip through them.

Lots of modern ones seem more or less explicitly aimed at girls and women.

I think John Grisham did a teen book called Theodore Boone.
And think Harlan Coben did some with a young hero character

My DS's liked the Robert Muchamore books, includes Cheeubs series that a PP mentioned.

There's the Charlie Higson books of a young Bond. But don't know if they are good.

Thank you all. I'm going to look up more of these. Anything set in the past will, I think, not work for him at this point. I will check out the Charlie Higson ones - he quite likes a james bond movie so that could work well too!