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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#37: The Game is Afoot

The draw of a puzzle — be it a jigsaw, word cross, or Sudoku — is the opportunity to call on our skills of deduction; to start with what seems like disparate pieces of information, and end up with the complete picture.

Mystery novels are the same! They intrigue us by leaving a trail of clues, prompting us to try and work out what's really going on as the story unravels.

Our love of mystery books is what inspired our recent post on the 30 best mystery novels of all time, as well as this week's prompts. Come, writers! The game is afoot.

This week's prompts

Write a story about a valuable object that goes missing.

Mystery – 91 stories

Write a story about someone who keeps coming across the same stranger.

Mystery – 182 stories

Write a story that takes place in the woods.

Mystery – 180 stories

Write a story that starts with the reveal of a long-kept secret.

Mystery – 129 stories

Write a story about a rumor making its way through the grapevine.

Mystery – 47 stories

Stories

“The Nephew.” by Estelle Westley

Submitted to Contest #37

With the crisp air chilling her cheeks, Amanda picked up her step as she made her way to the coffee bar. This had become a morning ritual, but today she was enjoying the walk even more. The sun was out and the air was clean.She took up her favourite spot, the table overlooking the trimmed lawns that ran down to the lake. This morning there was a buzz in the air and more coffee addicts around than usual, creating a buzz that annoyed Amanda.Sally put a coffee in front of Amanda, she never changed her morning ritual of coffee first and then a s...

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“The secret ” by Karim Gamal

Submitted to Contest #37

“ I KILLED YOUR FATHER NANCY “.....1st of September 1939 ,the time when world war 2 started .Germany attacked Poland ,before it Japan had declared that they are in war with China .Over 100 milion people from more than 30 countries were in war as an ally country or axis country .• Robert Wayne was a brave army man ,he was in charge of an English military base no 64 He left his wife and his baby girl Nancy to defend his country against nazi attacks and the power of Adolf Hitler Robert showed a great bravery in the field of war ,...

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“The daughter of Birchtree Manor” by Mary McWilliams

Submitted to Contest #37

It was a crisp, cool autumn night in the small community of Birchtree Lane. The community held so many secrets. Most would never be revealed, but on this October night of 1930 one secret would be. One secret more deadly and horrific than imaginable. The immense Victorian house stood on the edge of Birchtree Lane, overlooking the foreboding sea. Inside the home lived the Birch family. The wealthiest family in the entire community. Their ancestors could be traced back to the 1800s.On this particular night we will learn of the mystery of the Bi...

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“QUEEN'S NECKLACE” by SHYAMALA BHUVANACHANDRAN

Submitted to Contest #37

QUEEN’S NECKLACEManikarnika was standing near the bathing ghat of mighty river Ganga at Haridwar. There were many signboards cautioning the pilgrims and travellers. One board displayed, ’Slippery steps. Caution’, another one advised, ’Keep the place clean’, one more cautioned, ‘Beware of Pickpockets’, another one said, ‘Don’t use soap or shampoo’, one more instructed, ‘Don’t litter, don’t pollute’. She was watching the people taking a holy dip in the river, some reciting hymns and some just enjoying their bath in the running water. Almost ev...

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“Drawing a Blank” by Althea Keaton

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #37

“Are you happy?”I look up, startled. The subway car was empty when my girlfriend and I got on. Now there’s someone sitting across from us; I don’t know how I could’ve missed her. I must have nodded off and missed a stop.She’s pretty. Auburn hair cropped at her chin. A smattering of freckles across high cheekbones. Copper eyes, bright, like newly minted pennies. A forlorn smile on her pale lips. I’ve never seen her before, but something (-----) tugs at me. A strange feeling in the back of my mind, like I’m searching for a file that doesn’t ex...

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“My Stalker” by Saranglogy R

Submitted to Contest #37

It's a coincidence if you meet a random person at a different place second time.But what do you call if you meet the same stranger more than probably I don't know, twelve times.Yes, recently for the past few days I have been coming across the same stranger more than once. I don't know if I should call him a stranger anymore. He is present if I am in library, or in the park while jogging, in the restaurant where I work.I first met him at the library. I was searching for a book and coincidentally we both picked the same book, but he offered me...

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“Taken” by Luke Stinnett

Submitted to Contest #37

August 30, 2016,Agh. Boring hikes in the woods. I should be at home right now, playing video games like Alien Warfare with my friends. But nooooo. While they’re beating the final boss, I’m stuck taking a so called, “Nature walk” with my parents and little sister. They thought it would be a good bonding exercise for us if we stayed in the freezing cold woods over night, right after walking about 20 miles away from home with only hotdogs to eat once we got there. “Come on slowpoke! We are almost there!” My dad said light-heartedly. Yep. ...

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“Unseen Forces” by James Johnson

Submitted to Contest #37

The Weatherman had got it wrong again. Rain turned to snow and back again as Carl drove his rusty car, he didn't know what kind it was, home from work. "There goes the barbecue." He thought. Carl yanked the wheel of the car to the right as a grey car with its headlights off zoomed past him down the road. He muttered under his breath and turned to look over his shoulder at an old lady who was just then swerving back into her own lane. The car was already invisible, masked by the wet drops of snow that were being poured down from heaven. Carl ...

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“Forever Yours” by Des Feller

Submitted to Contest #37

Biana Coles was used to people ignoring her and her beautiful store. As a relatively new business owner, it made sense why she wasn’t being taken seriously. The fact that she was only five foot three inches in a crowd of hundreds probably could have contributed to her problem. She was new, small, and shy. Probably not the best combination to attract people to her new, small, incredibly quaint bookstore on the south end of Evercreek State Mall. Biana sighs softly to herself, clutching the thin golden chain hanging around her neck with o...

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“The Realm” by Claire Champion

Submitted to Contest #37

My life was going well. I have a great family, an occasionally annoying younger brother and I lived in an average house (picket fence and all). I didn’t think there was more out there, or that maybe it was a little boring until I met the stranger. To tell you about her, I need to back up quite a bit. To a Tuesday night in late September. ~September~I had my hands stuffed deep into my pockets. To say that Midwest winters are cold is a drastic understatement. Midwest winters are brutal. It’s so cold that when I stepped outside the wind ma...

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“Stranger Friend” by Carissa Engelbrecht

Submitted to Contest #37

Just one more hour, she thought, spooning the last of the pudding cup into her mouth. The day had been slow, with only a handful of patients coming in after lunch, which always made the day drag. Not to mention Mr Cartwright and that damn halitosis. It was enough to make anyone gag, but today had been, if it were possible, even worse.Amelia had taken one sniff and had to excuse herself to rid her stomach of its content. He remained, as usual, utterly oblivious to the reaction opening his mouth caused and would dutifully sit and wait for her ...

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“You, Who Is A Stranger Every Time We Meet” by Em P.W.

Submitted to Contest #37

The lone barista behind the counter slides Lyra’s regular-sized Frappuccino to her. “Here’s your usual with extra whipped cream. Please come again!” The barista flashes a set of braced teeth.Albeit Lyra has no recollection of visiting this café, she sends her a polite nod and trots toward the seat she reserved using her belongings. Despite the crowd, the opposite chair remains unclaimed. Just Lyra and her medical books. Euphoria.She places the cup near her pouch, into which she shoves her hand to feel for the sharpies before she notices...

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“The Adventures of Kennedy and Raina” by Eden Myers

Submitted to Contest #37

Kennedy Micheals was on her way to her grandmother’s house, a typical afternoon excursion for a Wednesday night. She knew she was approaching when the rough road turned into a finely smoothed pavement. The houses got taller, the yards larger, the cars parked in front pricier. Kennedy biked a little faster, the people in these neighborhoods were not the most hospitable. She turned the corner onto Murdoch Lane. She lazily propped her bike against the front side of the house and ignored the sound of her bike falling to the ground as she w...

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“The Warlock of Wyberton Wood” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #37

“Well, he really exists and I know ‘cos I’ve seen him.” Penny Lytton was one of those children whom, secretly, the other children, if they dared to come out and say it, didn’t really like that much, and certainly not all the time, and yet somehow, maintained a veneer of surface popularity and attracted a following. She was the girl whom you just knew would be Mary in the Nativity Play, and who read the poem when the local MP came to open a new classroom at Brightsbridge Junior School. Bu...

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“ABC Noir” by E. Christian

Submitted to Contest #37

I heard the first rumor of the great purge from Skylar. “They’re taking them away,” he said, shaking his head as he stared deep into his bottle. “I heard they’re taking them all away next week.” “They wouldn’t dare,” I breathed. A cold hand clutched at my chest. A life without Binky? It was too terrible to contemplate. Who would calm the tumultuous thoughts that clogged my brain before sleep? Offer me succor in the middle of a tantrum? Bring comfort when Big Mamma had abandoned me, as she did dai...

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$50

Prize money

629

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Apr 17, 2020 EST

Won by Hayley Igarashi 🏆

Title: Your Move

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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