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Looking for a steady supply of crime short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

4780+ 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.

Crime Short Stories – Page 196 of 319

The Ghost of Jack Holloway

Submitted to Contest #103

Jack Holloway stares at me through sixty years of dust. When you’ve lived as long as I have, you see fashion trends come and go and come again, but you can’t ever go wrong with a white shirt and a few buttons undone. Doesn’t hurt that Jack was twice handsome as the devil. “That’s the original missing poster photo,” Mara says in awe. I tap the photo on the side of the box to get rid of some dust and hand it to her. “I took it the day he went missing.” July 16, 1961. Sunday. It rained in the morning but the humidity was blowing out by the af...

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Killer

Submitted to Contest #103

I thanked the cops politely - though all three of us knew my words were hollow - then showed them to the door. A gust of wind hit me when I opened it to see them out; little ribbons of earthy, frigid air, lacking in moisture and mercy. The shadows on the lawn were long and thin from the bare trees in the yard. They stretched toward me, the branches like pointing fingers, accusing.I watched the officers silently leave through a dirty window pane as my breath fogged the glass. Awkwardly, they’d replaced their caps and shuffled to their police ...

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Dancing in the Wind

Submitted to Contest #103

My fingers are silky, my hand cradles a lustrous photo. Emerging from a yellowed sheathe, it rocks in my palm, refracting the glints of the bedside lamp this way and that. Amidst the disarray of my thoughts and feelings, a draught flips the picture over to its velvety white side where the penmanship is a marvel.“Will you ever forgive without anger?Will you ever forget without hatred?Will you ever call me Noodle Girl?”How did she know? Did I sigh it, my eyes shut tight? Did I blurt it out, cast from the depths of my heart? She must’ve known, ...

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The story he never tells

Submitted to Contest #103

He heavily sighed and looked around him. The dancing tangled web of humans, the smell of sweat overpowering the stench of alcohol from the mouth of the classmate who blabbered onto his ears made him somewhat dizzy. Spending even another 5 minutes in such condition was making him feel he’d better be dead, but he had to wait. He was designated ride for the group of people he came with. He wanted, but cannot be irresponsible; however much he hated being in such a loud party. He could have spent a night wrapped up in warm duvet, reading a book w...

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Sudden Dreams

Submitted to Contest #103

Sylvia woke with a start. She knew she had been dreaming but her mind was still too fuzzy to rely on. It was something about a man and a building that looked a lot like her apartment complex. But then almost every apartment building in her neighborhood looked the same. She glanced at the clock and saw it was only five minutes before the alarm would go off so she shut off the alarm before going to the bathroom. As she washed her face and brushed her teeth, she couldn’t seem to shake the after effects of that dream!  Since it ...

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Sins and Sinners

A J

Submitted to Contest #103

“Secrets carry weight, like lead.” Iris inhaled the pleasant air which was ripe with the dewy petrichor of the post-rain evening. A cool breeze ruffled the leaves of nearby lofty mango trees, all of which were well endowed with succulent yellow mangoes. The sky was shades of pretty pink and purple pastels. Making her way down the narrow path between the tall trees, she recollected her memories with Dante, Isabelle, Rhett, and Jax; running along the shore, pushing each other in the sea, and dreaming about sailing the world one day. They w...

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Fault Finder

Submitted to Contest #103

Fault Finder Boris poured himself a stiff scotch. Pick your excuse but he needed a drink. Everyone else waited for wine but patience never one of Boris’s virtues. ‘Not possible to rely on eye witnesses,’ said David Meyer. As usual among tonight’s dinner guests. Boris turned from the drinks cabinet and used his lawyer persona to address David, keen to gain one-up-man-ship. ‘Some serious cases are sentenced based on a spectator. Identifying perpetrators seriously influences a jury.’ ‘Yes, but 75% of eyewitnesses are overturned by DNA evidence...

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Deaths in the Water

Submitted to Contest #103

I'm staring at Chai's mother now, and I can see how deep her pain is. Nobody saw it coming. Chai was a strong dude. He has always been since we were in school. Don't get me wrong. It happens to the strong and weak but...aren't there some persons you just know it won't happen to? Well, for me Chai was one of them. We agreed we won't be staying long because we all had work to do. I had suggested a different place but nobody listened. My opinions were seen as childish. Before anger flared up, some people apologized and just pleaded with me ...

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Jaymie's room

Submitted to Contest #103

They allowed me in; but not inside. Glass, thick, stood as a clear barrier. I could feel his eyes on me, but I wouldn't look. Out of the corner of my eyes I stole glances at him. He didn't seem scared not one bit, in fact he was as a dove, a white one for that matter, with a twig of olive caught in its beak. I knew it! I was right! I hate him. He didn't care. He's not regretting anything. He didn't love him, Oooo! Summoning all the courage the universe could offer at that moment, I scornfully peered at him. Strapped non-slackly, his footba...

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"Hello, Mr. Valentine..."

Submitted to Contest #103

(What is the story...) I sprawled across my bed in an attempt to wake my nerves for the day ahead of me. I do my morning routine, I make my way towards the front door, but something catches my eye. I see a small object, it was reflective and caught some of the light coming from my small lamp on the desk that I normally use when I work late until dawn. What is it? I don't remember... But at the same time... I do... The room seems more eerie than I had meant to leave it this morning as I head to my office, I am still sh...

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Painting the Winter Night

Submitted to Contest #103

A black haired man stood in front of me in a run down mansion. His clothes were dirty and ragged. His brown eyes darkened with twisted intent as I ran into the peeling wooden door. The cherry wood stairs creaked underneath my heavy footsteps. A sharp piece of wood grabbed my black silk dress, knocking me onto the landing. A metal object glinted in the blue moonlight. Agony rushed through my body as the knife stabbed me in the chest. My body jerked awake while cold sweat drenched my forehead. The clock blinked eight o' clock. Shit, I...

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The Mirage

Submitted to Contest #103

"This woman, have you seen her?" I asked the shopkeeper, not able to keep the desperation from my voice after two months of searching.The shopkeeper tiredly leaned towards the portrait, frowning, and the girl hovering near my shoulder giggled.I ignored her, staring into the shopkeeper's sun-lined eyes. The man coughed once, and replied. "I don't remember, but there's a lot of people that come through here. With the Red Deserts behind us, this is the last place to get food and water for a long time."The man's gruff accent and slippery command...

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A Detective in Warwick

Submitted to Contest #103

PART 1: THE EMERGENCE It was a warm evening and fog rose from the Seine. It mingled with the brume if industry and elouded the gas street lights that dimly lit the Warwick streets. Adjacent, in the 4th district, was the Western State Penitentiary Prison, within which a man Joe Cole, whose hands were chained to the wall by cold steel chains and ankles bound by cuffs. Joe had brown, straight hair and long thick sideburns that taunted the corners of his mouth. He was in rags. His nose still had the bruise from the attempt to detain him when six...

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The Future Shines Bright for Some and Dark for Others

Submitted to Contest #103

I wish I could relive this day, like how one hits the reboot button on a website. For this was the day that would change my life forever. “Greetings students! Welcome to UNE History 1,” cried the teacher as everyone finished taking their seats, “I’m so glad you chose this class. In this course, we will cover the entire history of the UNE.” I glanced around nervously, scanning the sea of students for anyone I knew. This was my first day of Upper-Level Education, and I was scared to death. I don’t know anyone here, I thought to myself nervou...

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Vile

Submitted to Contest #103

Gemen: special kind of human that exhibits a power-wielding gemstone in the center of their chest, between their pectoral muscles. Their origins are unclear, but the powers that accompany their structure are indisputable: and sometimes, dangerous. This contrast between the small population and special powers of the Gemen and the much larger populations and lack of power of the normal people are a recipe for political tension.  -------------------------------------------------------------- Varitha faces her father. The father of not onl...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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