Write a story featuring a protagonist with a knack for getting to the bottom of things.

Posted in Mystery on Jan 8, 2021

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✍️ 6 stories

“The Job of my Dreams” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #12

THE JOB OF MY DREAMS They still had careers advisors when I was at school, but I daresay the only people who wistfully lament their passing are those who never were subject to their ministrations. No, that’s unfair. Probably a great many of them gave excellent advice, I just never seemed to hear about any, though I never did find out if the story about the person who said he wanted to work with animals being told he could work in an abattoir was true or not, and it’s not very often I don’t find something out....

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“A Dying Beauty” by Vince Calma

Submitted to Contest #12

Levi Griffin followed his memories of the route to his best friend’s house along gloomy country roads and forty minutes later turned his car onto a paved driveway. A porch light cast an orange glow over the small redbrick house. He pulled to a stop and the screen door screeched open, revealing Margaret Tanner’s silhouette. As Levi climbed the porch step he could see she was wearing outdoor clothes, her handbag still slung on her shoulder.“Levi, it’s you,” Margret says, her eyes a bit wide, reaching out to him with both fo her hands. Levi let...

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“The Number's Up” by Edith Fox

Submitted to Contest #12

I'm just going to say it now, my name isn't Cassie. And I'm not from California.But yes, this is me, standing on the streets of San Francisco, pretending I've lived in Menlo Park long enough to know where the locals go when they leave work.Which I do know, by the way. I've done my research. Weeks’ worth of it, actually. I know enough to recognize that the bar I'm standing across from just so happens to be the same bar that a group of software engineers stop by after leaving their offices around 6:45 p.m. each night. Within that group is a ma...

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“Murder at the Seaside” by Eileen Dickinson

Submitted to Contest #12

Murder at the Seaside “Can I help you Sir?” the desk sergeant asked the elderly man who had just walked into Wimbourne police station.As the sergeant rummaged for a biro among the clutter on the desk, his mind ran through a range of options. Had the man mislaid his car in the multi-storey car park? Locked himself out of his house? Maybe he’d come to complain about a ball that had gone into his garden? Old people were notoriously absent minded and intolerant. His fingers finally found a black biro and he looked up expectantly at the person be...

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“The Adventure Of the Muddy Boots” by Valen Arelius

Submitted to Contest #12

It was a dreary morning for the small town given it had rained last night, but the mood was even more somber since the word had spread that the resident convenience store had just been robbed. Every bit of money the store had was spirited away in the middle of the night, and the only clue that the incident happened was a track of muddy boots leading from the entrance of the shop up to the safe and back again. It seemed like a close and shut case, just find who had the boots given their size and tread and it should be easy to track the owner ...

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“Opposing Forces” by Emma Shelton

Submitted to Contest #12

I couldn’t get “Funkytown” out of my head. I’d been singing it in my head all morning. Which was awful because I had homework that was due, and it was due in five minutes. I was already grounded, and if I failed this homework I would collapse in agony. I’d lied to my mom about several things I’d done, but still got grounded. I didn’t even mention that I’d drank alcohol. My head was spinning, and I could barely take in the fact that I didn’t even remember half of what had happened last night. The bell rang at the exact moment I did my last pr...

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Write a story featuring a protagonist with a knack for getting to the bottom of things.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 6 stories

“The Job of my Dreams” by Deborah Mercer

“A Dying Beauty” by Vince Calma

“The Number's Up” by Edith Fox

“Murder at the Seaside” by Eileen Dickinson

“The Adventure Of the Muddy Boots” by Valen Arelius

“Opposing Forces” by Emma Shelton

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that takes place in a small town where news travels fast.

Write a story about a character with a sidekick.

Write a story that involves a mystery — it doesn't need to be crime-related, it should just include something that remains unexplained until the end.

Write a story that features an ensemble cast of characters.

Contest #12

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

175

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: