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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#27: Agatha Christie

It's no secret why one of the most-repeated writing tips is: to read. You can learn endless craft wisdoms by reading the works of literary greats — and also lesser-known authors, too. Reading, in general, is simply a valuable way to improve your skills as a writer.

This week, we're pulling inspiration from the author behind two of crime fiction's most beloved sleuths: Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Yes, each of the below prompts relate in some way to themes, symbols, or other common elements in the writings of Agatha Christie.

Want to learn more about the Grand Dame of crime fiction? Check out our Agatha Christie reading guide!

This week's prompts

Write a short story that takes place on a train.

High School – 128 stories

Write a short story about a jury of people tasked with making a decision. (It doesn't necessarily need to be a court jury.)

Adults – 29 stories

Write a short story in which a specialist is called upon to carry out a job.

High School – 36 stories

Write a short story that ends with a twist.

Mystery – 155 stories

Write a short story that takes place in a quaint, idyllic, English village.

Fiction – 31 stories

Stories

“Reasonable Doubt” by Katherine Varga

Submitted to Contest #27

I always took being a professional typographer for granted until the day my town’s most infamous alleged psychopath asked me for reassurance that she wasn’t crazy. * * * * * I got the summons during my usual morning jog at the gym. My phone,&nbsp...

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“THE EXPERT” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #27

THE EXPERTBy Andrew Paul Grell“Alright, let’s get a whiff of the effector.” Virginia, 52 but perpetually looking 22, third of the inner circle of three, handed Dave, the Quality Control Officer of the operation, a Revereware stew pot containing something that looked like stew. David, sub-optimally treated in his youth for scoliosis, took in the kitchen as if he hadn’t been inside Virginia’s Sanctum Sanctorum many times before. Dave had gotten into the life as a lucky hunchback beggar in Rio when the locals realized he was a li...

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“The Perfect Man” by Shirley Hartnett

Submitted to Contest #27

Ok, so I was twenty-five and my parents were getting nervous I would be a lonely old spinster like Old Aunt Gerta. I insisted that twenty-five was still young and I had dating under control. After all, I had subscribed to Love me online dating app. I had filled out my dating profile and swiped through ten matches per day. Each match I selected meant meeting for a drink or coffee and spending an hour listening to the boring routine first date diatribe.My mother didn’t buy into the earnestness behind my dating resolve.“Kathleena will be here t...

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“Every Step” by Mattilyn Stewart

Submitted to Contest #27

The lady was sweating profusely. She was trying to wipe off her face but both her hands were engaged in dragging the big suitcase and the handkerchief in right hand had fell down somewhere. As soon as she had got down from the hired taxi, a swarm of coolies had surrounded her but she plainly refused-“Thank You bhaiyaji , I will manage.”The train was supposed to arrive at Platform 11 and covering every step seemed difficult. But she did not want to stop or leave the suitcase even for a second and bravely managed to reach t...

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“The Following Day” by Suzanne Bajor

Submitted to Contest #27

Opening her eyes rather disorientated as to why she was lying on the floor, Laura groaned and slowly grabbing the side of the bedframe banging her arm in the process, she dragged herself up onto her knees. With her head resting on the mattress she stayed there for a good ten minutes before moving. Eventually, with a mighty heave, she managed to get to her feet and flop down onto her bed. ‘Bloody hell that bloody well hurt,’ she yelled, rubbing her arm where she’d banged it. ...

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“Mirada de Caballo” by Jay Kasperbauer

Submitted to Contest #27

The iron beams that span the land and jut beyond into infinity begin to quake. The tremble in the parallel rails intensifies and the engine is heard, faintly. The sound of heavy mechanical movement. There is no horn because no crossing exists. As the train approaches and passes, each set of wheels on the linked train cars make a slow and steady thump.Hhhwhum...hhhwhum…hhhwhum.The train moves beyond the pasture and the noise fades. On the edge of a field stands three horses in a semicircle, each a few yards from the next. The foremost horse h...

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“The Ghost Tour” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #27

The Ghost Tour Robert rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, gazing incredulously at the sight before him. The sun had been down for hours, but even in the darkness amongst the trees he could see his fellow ghost hunting team members scattered in the park. The team leader, Glory, was walking slowly, a cautionary beeline, with her eyes fixed on the….what was it called? Robert hadn’t been paying attention in the team huddle when Glory was explaining all her ghost buster equipment, so he just referred to it as the “ghost walkie talkie”. She was so...

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“The Dead Dog Saloon” by Dakota Red

Submitted to Contest #27

The whole mess began like a domino effect the moment Jolin spat in Gunner Keggin’s face. The Dead Dog Saloon was a bar notorious for outbursts and fights, and Keggin did have a talent for pissing people off, so Jolin’s mistake shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise to everyone watching. (And believe me, everyone was watching). Only this wasn’t just any loser’s face. This was Gunner Keggin. You don’t mess with Keggin. Jolin was new, see, and hadn’t yet grasped the unspoken rules of Blake Dunes. Rule number one, for instance, stated t...

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“Fantôme Manner” by Kara Knight

Submitted to Contest #27

At some point every little kid has an imaginary friend, this is the story of how I found out my imaginary friends weren't so imaginary.Every corner I turned someone new appeared. Their shimmering form barely visible. Often when I spoke to them, they would disappear. It took a long time to gain their trust. The shimmering figures were never quite the same. Some were dressed just like I was, others were dressed similarly to the old paintings that hung all throughout the manner. The one thing that never changed was the lost look in their eyes. ...

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“THE DOOR” by Andrea Magaña

Submitted to Contest #27

YOU MELTED INTO THE GROUND UNTIL the earth decided to release you. You had long lost the right path and the trees had shaken along with you as the cold had made your body shiver. Your feet had started to ache long before the tired sun had set but you had still had wandered onwards for a while after that. It was when you had knelt down, weary, that the grass and mud under you had welcomed you downwards. You didn’t struggle because you weren’t cold there. Your coat of dirt and roots and moss kept you safe and warm until the smiling moon came o...

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“Shadows Becoming Taller” by Vince Calma

Submitted to Contest #27

We are nearing the entrance of New Crest when Julian sneezes, shaking the whole car. His hands waver, and with a smooth swerve he positions the car once again to a perfect alignment with the white traffic lines. There are no other cars on the road, but one can never be too cautious.“Oh, you better hurry,” I say, craning my neck to look out the window. Indeed, ominous-looking clouds hover at the mountaintops. “This one looks big.”“Yeah,” Julian agrees. “Gray monster coming up.”I continue fiddling with the radio dial, searching for better stat...

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“Anonymous” by Megan DeRouin

Submitted to Contest #27

AnonymousIt can be said that in times of peace every man is a friend and in times of war every man is a foe. I have always found peace and war to be the dualities of this world. Friends and foes can be found in either. One cannot exist without the other. Men fear war and yearn for peace yet they would not know fear should peace alone exist. Perhaps it is a poor way to live, knowing that destruction is always lurking just outside your serenity, but I can only speak to that which I know.The horns had blown that morning. The enemy was advancing...

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“The Promise of a New Year ” by Tessa Gray

Submitted to Contest #27

It was the same each year. First came the feeling, then the need, and then, finally, the blood. He didn’t let himself wonder often. Wondering inevitably lead to longing. Longing required not just acknowledging desire, but embracing it with all the fierceness of a lovers hold. And desire was so very dangerous. But there were evenings, when the time between midnight and twilight seamed never-ending, that he couldn’t stop himself from asking. Would it be any different if he allowed the indulgence more than once every twelve months? Wo...

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“Brand New Eyes” by Sarah Kahn

Submitted to Contest #27

I've been stuck looking at the same four walls for two hundred and twelve days. I'm not going to simplify that and say it’s been less than a year because I don't feel like it has. I know that there are one hundred tiles on the kitchen floor and there's a stain underneath the coffee table that looks like a shadow. I can walk through this one bedroom apartment with my eyes closed and not bump into a thing. And if an object were to block my path, I’d walk through. Because I'm a g...

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“Love lives at Cedar Manor” by Cindy Bennett

Submitted to Contest #27

"I just can't stand nosey people, can you?" "Muriel dear, you seem to be all worked up over nothing! And in any sense, you are a bit of a nosey parker yourself!"How infuriating, Sam could be! He was supposed to be on my side! After all, we had been married for over twenty years. That had to count for something.Muriel just couldn't handle being told the truth. And she definitely couldn't stand not being in control of everything and everyone around her. Sam seemed to be the only one who "tolerated" Muriel and her idiosyncratic tendencies."Now ...

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$50

Prize money

379

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 07, 2020 EST

Won by Natalie Frank 🏆

Title: Seaglass

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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