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

4700+ 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 254 of 314

Desdemona

Submitted to Contest #78

The local multi-millionaire named Mr. Curtis Landgreen approached the seventeenth semi-annual "Clashing of the Candies" competitively, coming to defend his seven-peat, which very well scared half the usual attendees away. It wasn't until the tenth installment that Mr. Landgreen got invested in the entire process, but once he did, no one could beat him, resulting in the ending of multiple highly respected competitors' runs. He arrived on the scene in a custom-made velvet tailored suit, a pair of navy blue pants that further signified his weal...

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Dexterous Bill

Submitted to Contest #78

CW: Violence, Blood, Swearing. “It should be here.”“Wait, turn the corner. Over there.” “Sit back, will ya! I can’t see when you lean like that.” Bill pressed his back against the seat to make himself as small as possible. Jon rolled his eyes and shook his head, masticating his gum furiously. He regretted he quit smoking a week ago. He turned into the half-hidden alley entrance and slowed to a stop. The 3rd street alleyway gave a decent view of Crave’s back service entrance. Music from the night club wafted in the air, muffled...

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The Sinned Beneath my Stings

Submitted to Contest #78

“The first rule of Bug Fight Club: is you don’t talk about Bug Fight Club. The second rule of Bug Fight Club: is you don’t talk about…”“Joe, are you for real?”“I’m sorry, Officer Fletcher," Joe said, "I'm only messin’, I've been waitin’ to say that to someone all night. No hard feelin’s.”Fletcher smiled at the huge Samoan doorman. It was impossible to argue with him. It had nothing to do with his hulking size or his politeness. He hypnotised you with a child-like softness to his voice.“Very funny, Joe.”“I haven't seen you at one of these bef...

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The Joy Of Simple Pleasures

Submitted to Contest #78

Oh, if only one could make a hobby of idleness!If reclining by oneself, binge-watching the latest Netflix series and slowly merging to become one with the sofa, was a hobby, I would truly be an artisan.When it comes to timing dashes to the kitchen with ad breaks, I’m a pro. I’ve perfected the art of cramming as many episodes into our waking hours - I watched the entirety of Breaking Bad over a long Bank Holiday weekend. I smelled like a builder’s crotch by the end, but it was a fine series, some of Bryan Cranston’s best work.I’ve even found ...

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To Love is to Sacrifice

Submitted to Contest #78

"I've never felt more alive than when I am lost in the moment and concentrated on the hunt." Mal breathed quietly, pleading in his eyes as he looked up at her. Lyria could only stare down at him in silent horror, her body frozen as fear iced through her veins. Mal raised his hands slowly, caution keeping every movement smooth and unthreatening. "Please, just give me a moment to explain," He asked standing from a crouch, hands still placating in reassurance, "I was a ghost before I hunted the first time, empty and without purpose in my life."...

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Crashers and Misbehaviors

Submitted to Contest #77

“Why don’t you let me take you home dad? It’s too cold to wait for the bus,” Police officer Arrin Krieger asked Arik, who was wrapping up his IT work on the Captain’s computer. “Thanks, Arrin, I would love that,” he said, peeking out from under the desk. “Tony said it was supposed to snow like 25 inches today!” “Got to love a January blizzard. I'll get some hot chocolate for the road while you finish up here. Met you at my desk." "See you there," he said, getting back to replugging everything. When that was finished, he cleaned up his wo...

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Mr. Von Dutch

Submitted to Contest #77

“Have you arrived?” Valerie asked her. Heather looked outside her car window and stared into the ominous office building and sighed. She had to admit that she was a little nervous. The building was dark and she was alone. What was she doing there so late at night? The snowstorm was getting worse. I just hope I don’t get stuck here, Heather thought as she got ready to depart from the car and run into the building. “I’m here. Where is this file?” Heather asked. “Should be on my desk. Try to hurry.” Heather shuddered with the idea of walking in...

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Snow Day

Submitted to Contest #77

Teague found himself in front of his employer’s door. The door was closed, which was a little unusual. Mr. Penrose prided himself on his approachability and his door was almost always “famously” open. The door in question opened onto a suite of rooms with the first and largest being the office where Penrose held court if you will, and otherwise conducted daily business for the Enterprise that he had spent years building. The door was in one of the finer hotels on the West Side of the city. It was different than all of the...

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Blizzard Shut-in…Cover-up Revealed!

Submitted to Contest #77

Right before powering off her desk radio, the news came through about how much snow was falling…turns out…IT’S A BLIZZARD! “WHAT???” “The roads are closed!” Alicia screamed! “We have to stay here!” she shouted. She ran to the other end of the office and back again in disbelief. It was a ghost town. Everyone was gone. Alicia and Nicholas were the only ones left in the building.  She tried to make calls out, but the phone lines were now down. “This is UNBELIEVABLE!” she screamed again! “Calm down…Alicia,” Nicholas said. “We’ll be okay.” ...

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Sitting on the Top of the World

Submitted to Contest #77

Harry chose this place for its promise of solitude. So far, it more than met his requirements and exceeded his expectations. Someone put this shack here once; perhaps seventy, eighty years ago. Its roof kept the weather out better than he had any right to expect, and the walls remained upright. He found half a dozen windows broken when he came to look around during the summer. Now, several months later, he was glad he bothered to fix them while the sun shone, filling the frames with the best parts of some wood the last owners left behind whe...

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Tomorrow

Submitted to Contest #77

Joe My leg ached badly.I had to limp behind her, I went over boundaries just to make her trust me wholly. I had to do it, in less than a day, the deal would be finalized and I would be rich as ever. I had to do everything to make her trust me. “I can see a little house ahead, maybe the owners would allow us to stay for the night,” she said, her condensed breath shown greatly under the moonlight. We trudge along slowly, tired from the chase of my men. I had to made sure she believed I was on her side. She was just too hard to kidnap...

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Successfully! Started her career.

Submitted to Contest #78

“A question asked from every child: what do you want to be in your future?” My elder sister every time happily answers that she wants to be a doctor. And people used to appreciate her, she kept on working hard to score good grades in her school and college life, MashaAllah she was successful in her every task. Once she cleared her FSc in pre-medicial, her mind changed she desperately wanted to be a fashion designer nor a doctor. Every child faces this problem, she came to me and said; “I don't want to be a doctor, but the fear of anger is no...

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The Warriors

Submitted to Contest #78

It’s been so long since Alay smiled. One big tragedy changed his life forever. Black clouds surrounded him and he lived a miserable life. But one day something miraculous happened that changed his life in seconds.It was a beautiful sunny morning in the village of Gala. All the kids were playing, women were busy in doing household chores and men were getting ready to harvest their crops. All the villagers were united and respected one another. Women mostly made rugs and traded so that they could run their household. On the other hand, all men...

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ROT IN JAIL!

Submitted to Contest #77

Besides her, the only person in the entire building was locking up his office to go. She glanced at her wristwatch; it was exactly 4:55 pm, fifty five minutes past official hours.           “Hello, Miss Jane, I hope you didn’t leave your wrist watch at home!” Mr. Ben, the accountant asked, surprised to see Jane in her office at such time.           “My wristwatch?” Confused at the question, Jane rolled up her sleeve to show her golde...

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The Police Came To The Conclusion That No Crime Took Place

Submitted to Contest #77

For all it lays, the snow just twist the arm of her. Spending days - no, weeks - above the herd that did it last to her. Open and lost she moves around the snowed spire of the cabin she just bought. Still, the current stays, as the snow cuddles her arm. Sweeping snow, always pushing inwards from the outward, turning everything white that once was gray, but what will remain? She dreams her life away, every second a thing lays more on her as it already did in the past. No snow will make her disappear, despite being a dancing coward who t...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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