Abstract: Nacre is a biological composite which is made of natural aragonite platelets and organic matrix. These platelets are embedded in the continuous matrix in a parallel and staggered pattern, forming a highly ordered hierarchical structure. The mechanical properties of nacre are far superior to those of the components. Therefore, it has received wide attention of researchers in the fields of mechanics, materials science and biology. First of all, this paper introduced the microstructure, the basic deformation mechanism and mechanical properties of nacre. The research progress of biomimetic nacre-like composites was then reviewed from three perspectives including the theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and experimental preparation. The emphasis was focused on the underlying strengthening and toughening mechanism during the deformation process, and the relationship between its structure and properties was also analyzed. Finally, the latest development direction of nacreous composites is proposed.