Can you recommend some best gumshoe novels for beginners?

Well, 'Red Harvest' by Dashiell Hammett is also a top - notch gumshoe novel. It shows a detective trying to clean up a corrupt town. The way Hammett portrays the violence and the moral ambiguity in this book is really captivating, and it gives a great insight into the world of the gumshoe detective.

For beginners, 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho is a great choice. It has a simple yet inspiring story that can easily engage new readers. It's about following your dreams and the journey of self - discovery.

Well, a beginning where the detective is called to a crime scene that has been completely ransacked, but the only thing missing is a seemingly worthless old photograph. The photograph's significance is unknown, but the fact that it's the only thing taken makes it a very interesting start. It makes the reader wonder what could be so special about that photograph and why someone would go to such lengths to steal it. This sets up a great mystery for the gumshoe to solve.

For beginners, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' by Arthur Conan Doyle is a great choice. It has a famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and an interesting mystery set in the moors. It's easy to follow and very engaging.

A great choice for beginners is 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint - Exupéry. It's a short and charming book with profound messages about friendship, love, and the meaning of life. The simple language and beautiful illustrations make it accessible.

Another good option is 'The House on Mango Street' by Sandra Cisneros. It's a collection of vignettes that read like poetry. It tells the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, with themes of identity, family, and community, presented in a very accessible and lyrical way.

Sure. 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' is a great starting point. It's not too complex and has really interesting ideas about androids and humanity. Another good one is 'Snow Crash'. It has a lot of action and the story is easy to follow while still being very cyberpunk. The world it creates is really cool too.

For beginners, 'The Thief and the Dogs' by Naguib Mahfouz is a good choice. It has a relatively straightforward plot that is easy to follow while still being rich in cultural and social details.

For beginners, 'A Spell for Chameleon' is a great start. It's an easy - to - follow story that introduces the world of Xanth in a very engaging way. You get to learn about the different magical elements and creatures right from the start.

Sure. 'The Martian' by Andy Weir is a great choice for beginners. It has a simple and engaging story about an astronaut stranded on Mars and his efforts to survive. The science in it is explained in an easy - to - understand way. Another good one is 'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'Engle. It combines science - fiction elements like time and space travel with a coming - of - age story.