Write a story where a murder occurs — and the suspects are all pointing the finger at one another.

Posted in Mystery on Sep 23, 2022

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✍️ 26 stories

“Midnight Murder Hotel” by Charly Woods

Submitted to Contest #165

The crackling of burning branches set the mood for a hazy trip down memory lane. At night, a forest held secrets that couldn’t be seen in the daylight. Makes you wonder if those things are real. But then again; the acts of the moon are mysterious. “Remember how we used to go to the arcade in the middle of the night just to watch the lights?” Ashley said. The group of girls was sitting on the ground, some were sitting on their jackets or a blanket that they laid down. Others used their blanket to keep themselves warm on this autumn night. T...

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“The Dead Battery Murder” by Michael Regan

Submitted to Contest #165

[ WARNING - This is a murder mystery. It contains sensitive content. ] Detective Michelle “Mickey” Mantle looked at the autopsy report–Accidental Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. An open and shut case; the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector were dead; except they shouldn’t be. The expiry date wasn’t for ten years; they were nearly new.The manufacturer confirmed that batteries with that expiry date had only been on sale for two months. Taking the batteries and a printout of the manufacturer's information, she went to do battle with the coron...

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“The Aging Eccentric ” by Debbie Penley

Submitted to Contest #165

The inspector arrived at the decrepit home of Sir Reginald Wingcroft. Upon first glance he thought, “This place must have been magnificent once.” But now the wrought-iron gate lay twisted in the ground, the stairs were a skeleton of thin boards rotted years ago, and there were only two windows that hadn’t been shattered by teenagers looking to escape their mundane lives. He carefully hoisted himself up to the porch and walked through the unlocked door to find five individuals in a heated discussion. “If I had found him like that, I sure as h...

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“CHECK YOUR PREMISES ” by Ruby Zaidi

Submitted to Contest #165

CHECK YOUR PREMISES The phone rang exactly at 8.31 am. " Lt. Anthony Felton , " l said crisply . " Oh God ! Tony ! Come quickly ! It's Uncle Sid ! " lt was Laura . " Uncle Sid... " her voice broke . Someone took the phone from her . It was Malcolm , Sidney Maximilian 's son . " Lt. Felton , come at once . I think Dad's dead ! " " What !" I said. " But he was perfectly well when l saw him this morning !" " You left around 7.30 am. Maria says when she served the tea , he was perfectly well...

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“Who Done It?” by Kathryn Gabrielle

Submitted to Contest #165

A Brand New Red and Blue Book in the stacks of a local library has only one hour left to live.I live high in these dusty library stacks. I do not know my author. I only know I am a self published book. I doubt any of our Dear Patrons have even tried to crack my binding in humble curiosity of the words inside my pages.There has been a lot of grumbling among the books in these high stacks. The Pages (teen library employees that shelve new and older books) have not dusted any of us in ages. We, the books, have feelings too. The head librarian s...

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“AND WHERE WERE YOU ON THE NIGHT OF . . .” by Susan Catucci

Submitted to Contest #165

Warning: Description of crime scene. Some disturbing images.* * *Justine had finally dipped into a semi-dream state when the buzz coming from her phone deposited her right back into her own living nightmare. She fumbled around for the phone, not checking to see who it was. She knew."I'm about to order wings. How many you want?"Justine hesitated for just a second before mumbling, "Just a half-order and leave out the ghost peppers this time."The phone went dead.* * *By the time she arrived at the Deep Six, it was well past midnight. The bar wa...

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“Monster” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Submitted to Contest #165

When we found the body of Gloria Stoltz that made three victims for the week. Normally we have about one homicide a year here in Red Bluff, California and most of the time it is due to a heated domestic dispute, but the three victims had been strangled and brutalized before they died. Then the killer buried the remains in a secluded area which is one thing we got plenty of in Red bluff. Seclusion keeps the tourists rolling in during the summer, but it can also provide a hideout for the monster that has found a nest here in our neck of ...

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“Murder Mystery Party” by Elliot Moss

Submitted to Contest #165

"Good evening Mrs. Pinkerton! What a lovely dress you have on tonight," exclaimed Councilman Point Dexter. "Oh, why thank you!" Mrs. Pinkerton giggled as she sat at the dining table. "Don't inflate her ego," said Mr. Pinkerton, sitting beside his wife. "Hush now, Sandy. She looks gorgeous!" Ms. Bearington sat across from them, twirling the bracelet on her wrist. They were interrupted by a deep voice, "Good evening, everyone!" Everyone included the Pinkertons, Councilman Dexter, Ms. Bearington, Mr. Cat, and Mrs. Doodle. They were...

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“A business opportunity, what else?” by Michael J. Conroy

Submitted to Contest #165

London– 1952, although the fog appears to be at its worst, I have more pressing matters to attend to. For one, my diamond is still missing. Worse still, my colleagues and I are accusing one another of murder. It began eleven months ago on a bitterly cold morning in January. I was waiting to board a train in Fort William, a town in the western Scottish Highlands on the shores of Loch Linnhe. My destination was Mallaig, a small fishing port and gateway to the Isle of Skye. There I was to meet a man known as The Count. A business opportuni...

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“A Cat's Eye” by Timothy Schmid

Submitted to Contest #165

"I-I-I don't know! I don't know! How many times do you have to ask me? I was walking to my job. While walking down the hill from my house, I noticed a strange car parked in the lot I had never seen before. When I walked past the car, I noticed a man lying on the ground next to the fence. I thought he was sleeping at first, but when I got closer, I saw... I saw... Oh, God! There was blood all over the place! His chalky white hands showed the truth. He was born with albinism, a ra...

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“We All Know Who Did It Deep Down” by Ethan Anderson

Submitted to Contest #165

CW: Inappropriate Language, violence Four people were in a white room with six chairs and a mirror behind them. Two people were standing while arguing and accusing each other of murder over two years ago. One more person was standing in the corner holding something. James didn’t pay much attention to it at that moment. “EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!” said James, the victim's husband, the only one that was sitting down. “Please… just sit down,” James said, this time more calmly, and gestured towards the chairs. One by one, everyone started...

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Write a story where a murder occurs — and the suspects are all pointing the finger at one another.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 26 stories

“Midnight Murder Hotel” by Charly Woods

“The Dead Battery Murder” by Michael Regan

“The Aging Eccentric ” by Debbie Penley

“CHECK YOUR PREMISES ” by Ruby Zaidi

“Who Done It?” by Kathryn Gabrielle

“AND WHERE WERE YOU ON THE NIGHT OF . . .” by Susan Catucci

“Monster” by George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

“Murder Mystery Party” by Elliot Moss

“A business opportunity, what else?” by Michael J. Conroy

“A Cat's Eye” by Timothy Schmid

“We All Know Who Did It Deep Down” by Ethan Anderson

🌟 Similar prompts

Begin your story with somebody getting (or taking) the blame for something they didn’t do.

Write a story that includes the phrase “This is all my fault.”

Write a story about a corrupt politician trying to avoid blame at all costs.

Start your story with a character telling their best friend that their spouse is having an affair, only for their friend to “shoot the messenger”.

Contest #165

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

203

Contest entries

106

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: