There must have been many a time when you wanted to turn to your sidekick and say "Elementary, my dear Watson!" Well, that's fantasy, as is the quote. But the genre of detective fiction leaves a lasting imprint in our minds even after we put down a book or switch off the television.

We have the advantage of hindsight and that makes all the "unsolvable" crimes seem so easy in the end. But can you put your deductive logic to the test and find out the criminal before you reach the penultimate chapter? Well, now you don't have to apply for a P.I license as the web is the place where it's all happening.

Calling all armchair detectives! Put on your sleuth caps and head to these free online mystery games. As Sherlock would say - "Come, Watson, come! The game is afoot. Not a word! Into your clothes and come!"

Mystery Net

This site is almost like the "seedy underbelly of crime". For the mystery fan (and the armchair detective), it's a proving ground for deductive skills. The site brings out See-n-Solve, Solve-it, Twist and Flash mystery stories every month. Each day you can come closer to solving a brain twister with the Get-a-Clue daily mini-mystery. The mini-mysteries are like time wasters if you need a break or two.

The site is also an encyclopedic resource on anything and everything that has to do with detective fiction with short bios on legends of the genre and links which you can further explore. Then there's the community which is a cool place to hangout for discussions and more mystery games. Also, check out the kids section on the site.

Sleuth

Sleuth (Shades of Mystery) is a series of open-ended, point and click detective role playing Flash games where you solve mysteries by searching for clues, interrogating suspects and interviewing witnesses. You start by creating your detective and his background. Your choice also determines the skills your detective avatar will bring to the mystery case. You can go through a tutorial training or jump straight into the case. You go into the crime scene and pick up clues. The goal is to pick up incriminating evidence and use deductive skill to accuse and charge the suspect.

I got stuck midway into the game. The detective game site also has a paid subscription plan which unlocks more benefits like other games and also the number of games you can play in a day.

A Case of The Crabs

This online Flash game has a bit of Frank Miller's neo-noir look to it. It's all in black and white and that sets the mood. You get to move the character around by pointing and clicking with the mouse. To move into the game, use a bunch of action commands given below the game. In the role play of Detective Nick Bounty, your job is to uncover the murder of the local seafood salesman. The game definitely has something to do with crabs.

Who Murdered Marilyn Spencer?

The BBC page is no longer updated, but you can still land there and play the game. The setting is St Tim's College, Oxford. The crime is the murder of one of their brilliant female students. As the detective, you have to solve the murder mystery over the course of five clues. The clues are provided as a video file and also in text. Before you "quiz" the suspects, hear English crime writer Norman Colin Dexter introducing the game to first-timers.

The BBC hosts a few more free mystery games which are not updated anymore but remain playable. Another one you can try out is The Murder Mystery Play.

Online mystery games, unlike a lot of other online games require a bit of thought and a bit more patience. Free online mystery games are sparse on the web. Do you have a detective game we haven't heard of? Let us know in the comments.

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