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Discover weekly, the best short stories

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

4770+ 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 310 of 318

Easy crime

Submitted to Contest #64

A body has been found inside a Gothic manor. Looks remarkably like Bruce Wayne's mansion, except the people who live here have no regard for gardening and there are vines and thorns swarming the walls, giving it an eery look in the cold morning. Honestly, the people who live here match the house quite well. Both of them are old and have wrinkles at their eyes and mouths, and they seem to wear nothing but black and white. I wonder what century they think they're living in. "So tell me again what happened here last night," I say, shoving my ...

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Good Riddance

Submitted to Contest #64

The body lay face down on the floor, blood pooling from a large gash in the back of his head. “What are we going to do with him Grandma? You didn’t have to hit him that hard.” “I’m fed up with him pestering us for the rent when we cannot afford it. I lost my temper and my Golden Knitting Trophy from the Women’s Guild, was handy, so I hit him over the head with it. Is he dead?” “Yes, of course he is, you killed him outright. Now what on earth are we going to do with him?” Maria turned to her husband Frank. “Come on Frank, you come up with som...

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The Raven Manor

Submitted to Contest #64

Death. My affinity towards the end of a soul has pervaded my vision into utter satisfaction. I saw many life marking a full stop throughout my span. A sensation of pure delight filled my dark eyes as they saw demonic creatures settle in every soul existed. I can never claim to see the whole universe, but what my Raven Manor have seen, is satisfactory to feed the dark heaven of my mind. The Raven manor stood in the far end from the crowd, keeping its ears closed for the cruelty that lingered in the town. The enormous structure sustained f...

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The Shadow

Submitted to Contest #64

Falling asleep has always been a difficult job for me. The cold night awakens my soul (at least whatever is left of it). Every night the same old dream which slowly starts haunting and becomes my only reality. I ask myself every night, when will this end? The only answer I get is another night full of misery. These constant thoughts ramble in my head throughout the day, and with these thoughts I dim the lights, close my eyes and let the horror consume me. “Good Morning Maa!” the daylight and her smile what else do I live for? After anot...

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GHOST VARIATIONS: A high-end art thief attempts to steal a coveted 18th-century violin but an unlikely visitor intervenes

Submitted to Contest #64

OF ALL THE SCHEMES that Toussaint LeFleur had dreamed up in prison, the one he wanted to execute the most was to take the 1715 Stradivarius violin and hold it for ransom. He knew the famous fiddle had found a new home in the city that awaited him upon release. All he had to do was snatch it from the hands of its unsuspecting owner, Victor Voltaire, a world-renowned violinist known to carry the coveted cultural relic between his home and his concert performances alone. Toussaint had done his homework. He kept a black folder filled with co...

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Just stitched

Submitted to Contest #64

I'm Lia and I live with my mom and dad in a small neighborhood. I never get to play with any off the kids or even just go outside but on some occasions he would invite some kids over, mostly girls that are my age, after that they would never visit again so he would just invite a new one over, back then my life was fun, when mom was still around. One night, mom and dad had a fight and dad told me to go to my room, so I did, I could hear them yelling. After a few minutes, the noise stopped, my dad picked and told me to go to sleep, I was only ...

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Family of Secrecy

Submitted to Contest #64

"Honestly, Detective Bask, this is why our ancestors changed their name;" Nikolas said. "We didn't want the rumors from Hungary to follow us here!" Detective Bask pulled out his notebook and prepared to write. "Really Mr. Nadasti;" he said. "What rumors would those be?" Outrage made the family patriarch clench his hands against the arm rests of his chair. "Sir I assure you we are fine American citizens!" Nikolas shouted. "My great-great-great grandfather, Frederick Nadasti fought in your civil war! Our family has been making glorious co...

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Willow's Whistling

Submitted to Contest #64

I walk up the creeky old stairs. It seems like forever since I have been here, and I'm not sure I want to go back. Murder. The word haunts me in my sleep. Of course, they are here to interview me again. Just when I was getting away from the past. The wind hollers out my name like a lost boy searching for his mother. The thing that I always feel when I come here is back. It's dark. And cold. The statues of angles don't even look close to friendly. Nothing here does."Back already?" I hear her call. She's in my dreams every night, and I shiver ...

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The Locked Door

Submitted to Contest #64

“Alright, that’s the tour of the house,” The lady with the glasses tells me. She says her name is Mrs. Ayla. “Is there anything else you want to know about the house?” She asks and I nod. “Can we go back to the library on the first floor, please?” I ask her. “Okay, sure!” She holds her clipboard in one hand and her pen in the other as she leads me to the library. The house is nearly 300 years old, but I think it will be perfect for my family. There are lots of floors and would be perfect for my kids to play hide and seek. Mrs. Ayla suddenly ...

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Got A Secret, Can You Keep It?

Submitted to Contest #64

Victoria I nervously fiddled with the beautiful diamond ring on my finger. My fiance, Ross, took my hand and gripped it tightly. We’re both nervous. We’re going to introduce Ross to my family, and to tell them about our engagement. It’s the first time I've seen them in nine years. It’s the first time I’ve seen them since I escaped. Drew and June Bridges were the vile owners of the Bridges Manor, and my parents. Drew Bridges had made his fortune as a newspaper publisher, both the manor and the business passed down through the Bridges family...

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Bitter Vacancy

Submitted to Contest #64

“Well it would be almost impossible not to really, in a house like this anyway.” He says, though I was briefly distracted by that rogue breadcrumb resting gingerly on his sleeve, that last one was only there for a few seconds before he brushed it off.“It’s not the house, necessarily, more just the surroundings. I’m living in complete isolation; I could die and not a soul would notice.” I say, with an unintentionally melancholic tone. That crumb’s still there.“Hmm,” he leans forward and rests his head on a hesitant fist “I hadn’t considered t...

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Charing Cross

Submitted to Contest #64

“Bye honey, love you lots, take care.” “Bye Mum, we’ll phone or text at each stage of our journey.” “Take care of her Harry.” “I will, Mrs. Bagshaw, um.. Mum.” Harry chuckles. “It sounds so strange calling you Mum.” “You make such a lovely couple, now get on that train and get on with your honeymoon.” “Come on Anne, I’ll help with the luggage.” Harry heaves the two large rucksacks onto the train, stacks them in the luggage rack and searches for their seat. “3A and 3B, here we are Anne. You sit by the window and wave to your Mum.” Anne raises...

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666

Submitted to Contest #64

A glint,some distorted images and an impenetrable ache. My eyelids gradually opened up, with the melancholy sound of raindrops crashing the window pane. My head was still in a daze,while I stared the ceiling,nonchalantly.Sicily is accustomed to receive scorching heat during the months of July, the sudden arrival of rainfall was both unorthodox and eerily haunting.With an unsure state of mind, I peeped towards my left. '11 July 2011, 06:06 PM', flashed the clock on the side of the table. I let out a sigh and turned by head to the other side. ...

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UNFORGETTABLE ENCOUNTER

Submitted to Contest #64

UNFORGETTABLE ENCOUNTER  Walking down the quiet deserted street, Maya felt like everything around her was on fire because of the hurt and disappointment she felt in her heart. She was burning up with range but had no one to channel it to.    Early on a Saturday morning, she had gone to his house to pay him a visit. Maya had been out of town for two weeks on a work trip and wanted to surprise him. When she got to the house the locks were changed her key couldn't open. After knocking at the door for a while a young beaut...

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Unknown names

Submitted to Contest #64

“I presume I will not be missed,” I said, gripping the handle of my bags tighter as I stepped out of the car.  “Priscilla,” my mother said, cupping her cold hands with my face, “I will be in despair every day without you.” I looked into her eyes as my heart unexpectedly fell into my gut, the way one’s does when they see an old friend unexpectedly.  My mother grinned, “and your foolishness to believe me, makes the slightest disappointment of your departure…vanish” She sneered as I sighed and turned to my luggage. The building standi...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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