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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

“Foible” by Jim Weber

Submitted to Contest #27

FoibleWith shoulders hunched, his head down, a small pyramid of empty beer cans on the table, all the labels neatly pointing in the same direction, along with his Beretta Nano 9mm handgun with the staghorn grips, he stifles tears, and shudders. Shaking his head sullenly from side to side, his eyes moist against his will, he forces his mind to reason it through, thinking that might help. It doesn’t. He sinks further into his depression after the failed attempt to reason it out. Fucking booze doing this, and he takes another swig of the “hair ...

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“Despite Myself” by Caitlyn Gilmore

Submitted to Contest #27

I have been called many things in my life. Bastard, witch, vampire, evil. But as of today, I will be called a queen. Despite how I got here, I will be crowned the Queen of Estana before the sun sets on this day. I look at my reflection with my mother over my shoulder. Her lips are turned in their permanent frown as she sets my hair the way she likes. My father was the king, but my mother was not his queen. The queen was unable to bear children and that upset the king. Nineteen years ago, he turned to my mo...

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“Bad Liar” by Miya Jordan

Submitted to Contest #27

The smell of strong coffee beans and old books floated in the air, I don’t care, I love it. Angels sang every time someone cracked open a book and fingers snapped whenever coffee flowed. Ruth’s Nook is far more superior to those “bigger and better” bookstores and coffee shops. My Dad, Johnny Foster, didn’t say why, but he wanted to meet here. He was the lieutenant of Rosebaum Police Department, up until a couple weeks ago. When he got into a spat with his sergeant Don West, but he never said what about. Since then he’s rene...

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“The Murder of Kaitlyn Ball” by Michael Reynosa

Submitted to Contest #27

My day starts off with a coffee at our local brewery. Most people make a big fuss about only drinking coffee from big-name brands, but most people in our quiet little village would not drink from these big corporations if their lives depended on it. At least, they would not admit it if they did. I ordered my usual, a black coffee, grabbed a newspaper, and sat in a corner facing the door with the restrooms behind me. I merely scanned the headlines, never reading more than a few sentences into the articles. Instead, I focused my time on study...

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“Death is a Lottery” by Michael J Kaye

Submitted to Contest #27

"Ms Montague, you told Officer Jacobson that you have some information regarding the Cranbourne case.""Mrs Montague.""Hmm?""My name is Mrs Montague.""Okay. Mrs Montague, could you tell us what happened on the night of December the thirty first?""Oh, it was such a wonderful New Year's Eve party. I host it every year, you know. They all love this room. Don't you think it's just gorgeous? Everyone was having such a lovely time in here, but she was hiding it from him.""Who was hiding what from whom?""She'd promised him she'd stop gambling.""Who ...

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“The Red Coat” by Emily Lawson

Submitted to Contest #27

“Thank you so much for your donations Mrs. Davis! Have a good evening!” I waved at the smiling woman as she climbed into her minivan. Her twin six year old boys were inside happily munching on fruit snacks, secure in their car-seats.I took the first two of the five totes down to the sorting table in the basement. Two more trips to bring the rest of the totes down and placed on a bench to await their turn. Another trip upstairs to turn off the outside light and make sure the doors were locked.The community clothing drive was going better than...

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“Origin ” by Yasmine Mokhtar

Submitted to Contest #27

Darkness is the first thing I remember.The second I opened my eyes, I could see nothing for miles and miles that for a while there, I thought my eyes might still be closed.I moved my hands in front of my face. Still could not see.I tried to touch my eyes with my fingers and Voila! I blinked.So, yes, my eyes are open. It’s just the surrounding darkness that prevents me from seeing anything.Slowly, I get up, until I’m finally standing. And all I see is black.Nothing to my right or left, above or below me.It feels like flying, maybe because I c...

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“Devastated ” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #27

My name is Amelia Leeann Clare and I’m a part of a world humans consider fictional, in my reality I’m a witch, a ‘big-shot’ royal in line for the throne. But that’s not good news, it’s been happening for years, but no one had put the pieces together. My suspicion started with a long-distant relative dying, his name was Xavier and he was my best friend. I had seen him the pervious day and he’d seemed fine, we were just messing around by the lake discussing the up-coming ball and weather or not he was going to work up the courage to ask Macy t...

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“Braless in Bucharest” by Carol Stigger

Submitted to Contest #27

Braless in Bucharest From sandaled teens in spandex shorts to dusty crones in shapeless dresses, the women of Bucharest exhibited a certain freedom. Nipple shadows smudged thin, summer fabrics. Breasts bounced and jiggled. I was the only woman on Independence Boulevard wearing a bra. My inch of cleavage, daring on the airplane, now seemed dull. My bra felt like armor, chain mail at the feast after the battle is won. I had seen ...

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“Adora” by Ryana Bastin

Submitted to Contest #27

“You can’t be doing this,” Isaac whispered. “That’s where you’re wrong.” I chuckled more to myself than anything. “If I couldn’t do it, why was I able to do it?” I looked around the silent streets. There was a light fog and the air felt damp against my hot skin. What to do next? I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I looked down at the girl, her body nearly unrecognizable. “Zachary, run. You don’t need to do anything more.” Isaac’s voice was tense. “I suppose you’re right.” ...

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“The Problem of The Man” by Bethany Willcock

Submitted to Contest #27

Con was in a mess. He was always in a mess. Only this time, he was in a bigger mess than usual. True, he reflected, growing up things hadn’t been so bad for him. He had gone to school just like everyone else; he had attended university and got his M.A. But once he was set loose into the world to fend for himself and make his own living, things had started to go not as well as he had hoped they would. Even after he had set up his own medical practice, very few people came. With bills mounting ever higher that he had no way of paying off; Con ...

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“Acamedus” by JOAN WARBURTON

Submitted to Contest #27

Academes. A scientific ship, sent into deep space with a crew of five. Their purpose to find life amongst the many thousands of galaxies. Ten years later they still orbit the realms of space. Serendipity shone in the darkness, its brilliantness sparked a tremor in Josh. He smiled ‘yes’ Captain Harry Chief stared sightlessly ahead. In control of the whole ship, he was a ‘fair captain’ the crew thought. He’d been on duty for forty-two hours despite Josh who was second in command, pointedly asking him to ‘take a break.’ He...

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“The Darkness” by Lilly Isabelle

Submitted to Contest #27

The darkness was coming. How I knew it, I couldn’t explain. But it was coming for us and one thing was clear in my mind. I needed to flee. My dad had already begun running and he was screaming my name over and over again, his voice gaining more and more strength. His legs hit the asphalt with the speed of drumsticks, played by a skilled drummer. His voice roaring my name started to get overpowered by the rain which gushed from the grey cloud-covered heaven. One side of the sky had changed to an intense black colour and it spread fast, like w...

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“Tryst In The Tale” by Unknown User

Submitted to Contest #27

A Tryst In The Tale No sex please, this is the nineteenth century, barely a week into the last decade. The reign of Queen Victorian, may she live forever and it seems she will. Even seeing “bare” written on the page was likely to agitate a chap, make him wish for a secluded place and, as it were, a touch of privacy. Seclusion seemed a rude awaking away from the street where young Hercules walked back from a language lesson. Learning Latin, but it was all Greek to him, wandering past the cafes where men...

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“The Lights of Ceuta” by Jimi Osheidu

Submitted to Contest #27

The first time I heard of it, I was watching Newsline on NTA, Dad was still principal at that school where they let teachers speak in vernacular to the students since that was the only way they could effectively communicate with the students. It was Frank Olize who was on the Panasonic TV that made our neighbours green with envy for years until they left us behind and bought plasma TVs. Frank Olize was talking about a Nigerian who had travelled to Europe by road, his name was Newton Jibunoh. Before then I had no idea you could go to Europe b...

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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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