1310+ Short Crime Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. Feed your fascination with the latest crime short stories. From thrilling accounts of lovable burglars to chilling tales of stone-cold murderers, these bite-sized pieces are so addictive, they should be illegal.

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“The Eyes In The Forest” by Iona Cottle

The forest was bright and warm, the sunlight dappled across the leaf-covered ground in a way that evoked images of autumn holiday brochures and children laughing. There was a slight breeze rustling the upper branches, but down at ground level all it did was bring the warmth of the sun in from out in the meadows all around. For everyone not working, it was a weekend to head out and make the most of the last of summer, bef...

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“Murder at Ex-Ir Con” by Fawn Marshall

The Extreme Ironing Convention was infamous in Preston.  For the last eight years, extreme ironers from around the world fell upon the city.  Their antics in the streets caused emergency calls for days.  Ironing on top of city buses.  Ironing while hang-gliding over downtown.  Ironing while belaying down the cupola of City Hall.  Every year, there was one incident that truly left its mark on Preston. This year, the incid...

57 likes 33 comments 33 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“Fall Of the Stars” by Mr. Brohirwani

The heavens glittered with stars as the man silently drove over dirt and gravel, the thousand twinkling eyes mocking his desperation.  Muttering a curse under his breath, he slowed down at the rusty security gate at the entrance of the abandoned mines. To an ordinary person it would be a half-broken gate with just a couple of night guards sleeping their shift away. But then again, the average person would...

48 likes 7 comments 7 SHORTLIST ⭐️

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“He Did It...” by Sarah Roberts

He did it. He actually did it. He jumped off. I didn't think he would actually do it. But he did. What is happening? I work for the police force in a small town in Oregon, right near a small mountain range. I see this type of thing every once and a while: we get a lead on someone for illegal activities, we chase after them, they find out we are, they try to run away, they take a leap of faith, they escape...

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“Oh, September!” by Colin Devonshire

“Babe, only a month to go. Thirty short days, and then you’ll be Mrs Pippa Peters!” said Mike Peters as he stroked her bare muscled back. “Are you trying to sing?” asked Pippa. “I can’t sing, but if I could, I’d sing for you.” “You are sweet, are you murdering my favourite Johnny Winter song? ‘Gonna give you thirty days to get back home. Gonna talk to the gypsy woman go...

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“Mrs. Morrison” by James Freeh

Mrs. Morrison              Mrs. Morrison was too busy to die. And yet, by the end of the day that is exactly what would happen. Her demise was unexpected, certainly not something to worry about this morning, not on a day as lovely as this. Outside her freshly painted Cape Cod, Mrs. Morrison’s azaleas were in full bloom, a little late this year but more than worth the wait. The dogw...

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“The murder” by Jasia Viana

After all that had happened, the murder, the conviction, the verdict. It seems like it all happened in the blink of an eye. And I almost missed it. But I am getting ahead of myself, my name is Lila Williams. And I am 13 years old. I never thought it would all happen so fast. But wait, let me back up. The first thing that happened in this series of events was I was late for a math test. I know. Such a mundane little detail. All of my friends say that I should make it something crazy like, someone was having an emergency and I had to save t...

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“Justice In A Whiskey” by Radhika Diksha

March 21, 1957There is blood on the bed. His stomach ripped open, his left eye mutilated, and the side table is lying near the door frame. His wife is bawling her eyes out, and there is a half-empty bottle of whiskey under the bed. The cut on his body shows that he was attacked by a knife, and the incision is so clean almost as if the murderer is an anatomy genius. The mouth of the body is gaping open, and his neck has purple splotches. My friend who is an investigator clicks photos from all angles. W...

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“Vengeful Victim ” by Kia B

(Trigger Warning: Violence, Crime, Abduction, Imprisonment) The detective left and there I sat, shivering, still smelling of my victim’s blood, in an interrogation room. Reality had set in, and I knew that this was just the beginning of another chapter of the sordid tale of my life in these past few weeks. Oddly enough, though, I wasn’t worried. I had good grounds for a self defense case and I knew it. I’...

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“Bad Company Will Lead You a Stray ” by Mellisa Thompson

      Bad Company Will Lead You A Stray        Once upon a time there was this teenager who love to drink, smoke, rape anyone he see and when he is done he would let his victim go. He would first become your friend and let you trust him to the point where you would tell him everything. Then he would use it against you. Before  all that John had a wonderful life an...

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“The Boy Boss” by Chris Buono

       That month forty years ago was the worst period I had ever had to live through. Once the Roman Empire, crumbling from greed and overexpansion.       Death or prison. Those were the only two routes out of the life for a guy like me. It was how Our Thing worked. It was never really thought, however, until the worst winter of my life.       Jimmy Santi was just a kid. The boss's son to...

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“Kill or Die ” by Hassan Amhaz

A 30-year-old man drives his white BMW on the main road of Missouri's St. Louis District while listening to music. He switches off the radio with one hand on the steering wheel. Then, as he looks out the window, he leads with his right hand and runs his left palm over the blonde hair on his chin. His brownish-red eyes notice the approaching gasoline hand at "E," so he pulls into a seventeen meters away gas station, gets ...

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“The Explosion” by Rosie Garcia

There are two people sitting on opposite sides of a table. One of them does not have red hair. The other does not have blue eyes. They're talking. Here, I'll turn the sound on. There we go. "You do know why you're in here, right?" The one without red hair asks, gently, politely. The one who does not have red hair stays quiet. There ...

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“Rewind” by Arda Cesur

There it was. I could see the gun in his hand. The trigger was about to be pressed. This would be my end. It is my end. It’s time to say goodbye. Just because of my error, Jack and I got into a fight. How the hell did he bring his gun to school? Why am I even asking? This is Jack we’re talking about. Jack the Ripper, as some may say in my class. He’s ruthless, brutal, and his personality has everything else you wouldn’t ...

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“Deadly Vintage” by Stephen Lavelle

Deadly Vintage ...Later Head sideways on the table, the bottle of wine looks as if it’s been glued at right angles to a cliff of very expensive mahogany from this angle. If I could move I’d finish the bloody thing now and be damned. No chance. My days of luxuries such as voluntary movement and breathing, it would seem, are soon to be beh...

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“Fairy tale ending?” by Amy A

  School never came easy for me. I quit at a very young age. My dad ran off with some friends to make his fortune. My mom was left with me. She said she didn’t mind. Just that: she didn’t mind being left behind. I guess that’s as good as telling me that she loved me. But I think if she could have she would have left me too. I’m glad she didn’t because I think she’s real proud of me now, but I’m getting ahead of ...

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“Let Me Tell You a Story” by Alea G

I lay motionless on the firm and cold mattress staring up at the spotted ceiling. It was a revolting sight, full of mould and water-marks, a small crack near the far corner letting a few droplets of water seep through and hit the ground with a small plop! The foul and musty air would occasionally suffocate me, leading to an unpleasant coughing fit, and the lack of sunlight within the room was weakening.  I rolled over and sighed, squeezing my eyes shut in despair. Though I had gotten used to the gloom...

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“My life of lies” by Teresa Valeriano flores

Hi, I'm Samantha and I’m 20. I’ve been everywhere the last past year because I lie. Yes, you lie too but I have an addiction. I lie about my gender, my age, my life. It all started with this one time my mom was going to a restaurant with me. She told me to say I was 6 so she didn’t have to pay for me. I was 10 but I was short so they believed it. After that, I kept lying. I told my teacher I couldn't go to school because...

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