3540+ Crime Short 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.

🏆 Winning stories

“The Bullet that Esther Stopped” by Delbert Griffith

II shot papa square in the heart but he didn’t die. That damn bible he carried with him saved his life. I was considerable lucky that papa had his axe at hand, and that he kept it sharp. I picked it up. It was a heavy thing, so I swung with all my might and put it right through his head. Seein’ his brains made me throw up. I moved away so it wouldn’t get on papa. That would be disrespectful.Papa was a big man. I couldn’t bury him like that, so I started choppin’ off his arms and legs ...

152 likes 197 comments 197 WINNER 🏆

Read story

“Resolute” by Saeda Rose

1: Exercise More!Buy the shoes. It’s okay, screw the budget, that’s not this year’s resolution. You deserve this. When the saleswoman asks you if you’ve done much running, laugh and gesture to your mid-section. The woman will blink, force out a half-baked hah. It’s a reaction of discomfort, not cruelty; you made it weird. You don’t know why you feel the need to shame your own body in front of a stranger, but you blame it on her lululemon leggings and air-hostess smile. She makes you nervous. Most people...

220 likes 111 comments 111 WINNER 🏆

Read story

“Marie Antoinette” by Molly Kelash

Squat, beige and Soviet, the Marie Antoinette Apartments stood against the stale gray Minneapolis sky. Irony of the worst kind, he thought, blandly ugly and unconscious. He would take exquisitely self-aware irony any day over this three-story architectural monstrosity, “classed up” with tacked on ionic Greek columns, harsh blue LED Christmas lights wrapped inexpertly around them, canned Christmas classics pumping through the air.God, this place was only better than minimum security prison by a hair. But it was all he cou...

143 likes 128 comments 128 WINNER 🏆

Read story

⭐️ Recommended stories

“The Boy In The Woods” by Timothy Rennels

The Boy In The Woods   Kane Cooper sat on a boulder surrounded by a carpet of yellow balsamroot blooms. He stared into the nearby forest guarding the edge of the Oregon meadow. The rise and fall of the insects’ droning cries set its own time. The seconds lingered, hesitant to let go of the moment; fearful that the next will be less. Kane remembered finding t...

6 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“Loyalty Points” by Damien Exton

“The fuck are we meeting in here for?”“Sit your arse down. Act normal. And cut the swearing”.“Hate these places though. Why here. Seriously?”“If you mean: what are two hard-nut hitmen doing in a calm respectable place like this first thing Tuesday morning? Well, there’s a few reasons. For now though, just sit down. Shake my hand, and smile like a good 'un. That’s it. Look; we’re two guys on business, talking a project over. Something like that. So watch the language. Got it?”<...

3 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“A Dark Place ” by Emma Chavez

Stella Armstrong stood at the side of a bridge, looking over the edge. Her fingers gripped the thick chain link so hard her knuckles turned white and she could feel the metal cutting into her hands. She stood there with the stillness of an animal. Staring at the cars rushing below her.  She currently stood over a bridge that went over interstate forty. The drop must be at least seven stories high. Maybe more, she...

3 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

Introducing Prompted, a new magazine written by you!

🏆 Featuring 12 prize-winning stories from our community. Download it now for FREE.

Download

✍️ All stories

“The Game of Xarion VII” by Bitsy Tandem

The smell of old wood and cheap alcohol filled me as I pushed back the tattered metal door, a fusion of instruments and sounds that no single race could claim dancing in my ears. I smiled my signature toothy smirk and slid my hand into my back pocket. Satisfaction filled me as my fingers brushed against something hard and papery. I pulled out the small weathered box and was greeted by glances ranging from curious to mena...

9 likes 3 comments 3

Read story

“Fascinating but odd....you decide” by David Nutt

Fascinating, but odd….you decide. The first Friday of the month heralded my monthly dinner at my club with my great friend Henri. This little ritual had been going on for the last twenty years, always enjoyable. We were both Judges on Her Majesty’s Court. Our conversation and discussions tended to be about what had happened in the courts ove...

6 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“The Boy In The Woods” by Timothy Rennels

The Boy In The Woods   Kane Cooper sat on a boulder surrounded by a carpet of yellow balsamroot blooms. He stared into the nearby forest guarding the edge of the Oregon meadow. The rise and fall of the insects’ droning cries set its own time. The seconds lingered, hesitant to let go of the moment; fearful that the next will be less. Kane remembered finding t...

6 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“Liv's Rules” by Skye Kennedy

If Peter thought that forgiveness, or anything like it, would ever be on the table of reconciliation between them, he was wrong. Fucking wrong. The word Asshole! wasn’t descriptive enough to embody the feeling that came spitting out of her mouth during the mediation session. Like tiny venomous toads, the words leaped from her lips. Peter didn’t deserve a pardon; it was her time to get even. The hard way. The way that made a person wonder what the hell he had been thinking and wishing that he could just go back in time and say

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story

“Loyalty Points” by Damien Exton

“The fuck are we meeting in here for?”“Sit your arse down. Act normal. And cut the swearing”.“Hate these places though. Why here. Seriously?”“If you mean: what are two hard-nut hitmen doing in a calm respectable place like this first thing Tuesday morning? Well, there’s a few reasons. For now though, just sit down. Shake my hand, and smile like a good 'un. That’s it. Look; we’re two guys on business, talking a project over. Something like that. So watch the language. Got it?”<...

3 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“A Dark Place ” by Emma Chavez

Stella Armstrong stood at the side of a bridge, looking over the edge. Her fingers gripped the thick chain link so hard her knuckles turned white and she could feel the metal cutting into her hands. She stood there with the stillness of an animal. Staring at the cars rushing below her.  She currently stood over a bridge that went over interstate forty. The drop must be at least seven stories high. Maybe more, she...

3 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Why Today?” by Anamarie Coriell

As the bullets rang out and the casings clanged to the floor, I thought to myself: “Why today?” The sound of the full auto high caliber gun firing was so overpowering, I could barely hear anyone else. For a moment, the gun was so booming loud and the five other patrons and three employees were so quiet that I thought I was alone with these two giants of men.I was hiding under the dark oak wood round table and right in front of the small window seat with a bright flower design, clinging to the tiled floor as the man with the gun wea...

2 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Weekend of All Weekends ” by Shanelle Monique

    Work was finally over. Rain unlocks the front door, kicks her shoes off and falls on the couch. "Thank God it's Friday! A weekend of much needed relaxation" said Rain. She heads up stairs and runs a nice, warm bubble bath and turns on some music. Rain steps into the tub, sits down, and closes her eyes to relax. Then her phone rings. "Hello." said Rain. When the voice on the other end spoke, Rain quickly sat up. "Gre...

5 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“Nate's Fate” by Myranda Marie

The lobby of the Cooke building in downtown Manhattan was brimming with shoppers and enthusiasts as if nothing nefarious had ever transpired. Carter and TC marveled at the bustling crowds, smiling faces and overall holiday spirit in the security monitors. Nate’s quick thinking and selflessness kept hundreds of holiday shoppers from ever knowing the evil that just hours ago threatened to devastate their Christmas and pos...

7 likes 4 comments 4

Read story

“You Can’t Find Me” by Jonathan Page

You are called to the Roxy Hotel at 10:13 pm on a moonless Thursday, on reports that Maeve Rhidian has been missing for 5 days. The first thing you should know about me is that I am a New York Times bestselling author of my debut novel, “The Last Check-In.” The second thing you should know about me is that you cannot trust anything I say. The last thing you should know about me is you can’t find me.The last person to see me alive was a Delta stewardess from Italy named Octavia who met me to catch a showing...

16 likes 8 comments 8

Read story

“Jessica this story contains sensitive material regarding mental health” by Joan Wright

Jessica heard the mewing of her tiny daughter. She rushed to the nursery. "Mommy's here," Jessica crooned. She lifted the little bundle out of the crib. "You're soaking wet!" Jessica began the ritual of changing everything from the inside out. She was used to the mewing turning into howling as the hunger pangs took over. Wet clothes disposed of, the baby was rewrapped in cozy clean blankets and the main event of n...

10 likes 3 comments 3

Read story

“Remember When...” by Ryder Blow

I can hardly remember the last time I was here. It must’ve been awhile. God, I look back at this place fondly. So many happy and tragic memories here. Most I’d rather not remember, hence why I can hardly recall this place in a lot of detail.  The only thing that I do recall that’s never changed is that sweet scent of dark roast. My favourite. I always used to get i...

2 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Takedown at the Beanery” by Bob Faszczewski

     As the rich, brown liquid flowed into his ceramic receptacle FBI Special Agent John Arrington mentally reviewed his plan to tighten the noose around Columbian drug lord Bochampo.     The special agent’s investigative unit had gathered every shred of evidence it needed over one of its most extensive probes in recent history, lasting more than six months.      Hiring a squad of carefully selected and vet...

7 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“The Grassy Knoll” by Howard Seeley

November 13, 1963It seemed like only a moment had passed, after closing my eyes, when sunlight was warning me to get up, if I wanted to meet Clay Shaw on time. Not wanting to be late, I quickly got dressed and waited in the lobby for my ride. At 9:30 sharp, we were on our way.Instead of meeting at his office, we met at a restaurant on the edge of town. When I went inside, I found it completely empty, except for Clay, who was sitting at a table in a far corner. I sat down across from him, and we measur...

12 likes 5 comments 5

Read story

“The Mole and the Martini” by Madeline Honig

“Whatcha drinking there?” A man said from across the bar as the bartender slid a martini glass in front of Jennie. Jennie didn’t want to be at the bar, but she felt obligated.  Her best work friend, Tabby, invited a few people to this new bar for her birthday.   The bar had a Hollywood glamor theme, not to mention, it was about time someone opened a bar that was not a speakeasy in this town. ...

10 likes 1 comment 1

Read story