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

4760+ 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 317 of 318

Phenomenally Changing Man

Submitted to Contest #51

Maximizing the simple is igniting the complexity, it’s minimizing the simplest approach to absorb the unbearable. When we believe in something, it becomes the string that connects people and gathers them around a perfectly balanced life. These were the thoughts Hassan was having, when he suddenly started to cling to his pillow, and started to drop tears. He felt suffocated, he barely could breathe. Hassan leaped out of his bed and checked his phone, it was Half past two in the morning, he thought it was a perfect time, “it’s either now or ne...

39 likes 7 comments 7
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Make a decision now

Submitted to Contest #51

It is just another weekday. I am in my clinic, treating people. As a doctor, you’re always in charge. The nurses have no choice but to listen to you. You can boss the nurses however you want. You could even make them do your work.   But I didn’t. I was a fair doctor. I was not going to cheat by giving my work to my nurses unlike some people I know. As the evening comes to an end, I am going to leave with my nurses, I have  locked all the doors. Then I go to lock the last door, the office.  The door is wide open,...

44 likes 21 comments 21
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I Got A Proposition For You

Submitted to Contest #50

An unassuming car is parked beneath a street light on an empty street. Two men sit inside, their fedoras pulled down low, the collars of their trench coats popped up high. Their faces are almost entirely obscure, but one can vaguely tell that the man behind the wheel is wearing a mustache. A neat mustache, trimmed short with just a hint of a waxed uptick on either side of his lips. The other man is presumably clean shaven, but perhaps has some stubble as though he hasn’t shaved in a few days. But that might be a shadow. They sit in relative...

9 likes 3 comments 3
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Tree House

Submitted to Contest #50

Do you also associate smells and tastes with memories? I might have an idea how our brain works. When we are eight, we hardly have enough references of the hardships that life is strewn through. As children, we are bestowed with the divine gift of non-judgement. Acceptance is all that a child knows and embraces everything that he has been divinely provided, with open arms and heart. I vividly remember that particular afternoon, of the many similar ones that I am blessed to have experienced during my childhood. The tree house, which was newly...

14 likes 5 comments 5
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Who Would want to Meet Them?

Submitted to Contest #50

"I'm just nervous Terry, is that OK for you? Everything fine and dandy?" "Well yeah, but there's no need to be a dick about... jesus." "I have to be a dick though, cos' otherwise nothing gets through to you Terry, that's the fucking problem, you can be so anal about shit." "Sorry John, you know I only do it to try and help you out, I don't mean anything by it, I just know you can do better, you were made for this Tel." "Ok, well yeah, but sometimes you just need to chill out a bit." "So going forward, I just...shut up or...?" "No, well, you ...

15 likes 1 comment 1
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Knock On The Door

Submitted to Contest #49

It was a usual morning at the Sebastian’s. John was irritably looking for his glasses while he grumbled and squinted to read a new text message and Martha was arranging the table for breakfast while ranting about how the neighbor's dog again littered her walkway this morning. “Why are the words so small and why does he have to message? Can’t he pick up the phone and talk, your busy son! And why do you misplace my things always?” “You didn’t talk to Nori when I told you to, now see, every morning I have to witness this unsightly rubbish. ...

18 likes 2 comments 2
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Juliet and Romeo

Submitted to Contest #49

Juliet French glanced at the clock tower as she frantically paced up and down the empty platform. It was half past one. The train was late. Or perhaps she was early? She didn't know. It didn't matter. Oh Romeo! How much longer must I wait?She nervously looked around the deserted station. Not a single soul in sight. Was that good or bad? She did not know. She had only one thing in mind. Soon he will be here.A cool breeze blew in from the west. With a shiver, she pulled her coat tighter. She was not used to the cold. To be hones...

75 likes 62 comments 62
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The Masks We Wear

Submitted to Contest #48

The strongest deceptions are based on truth. Even so, it was remarkable just how flexible the human mind is. It was surprisingly easy to make someone believe in the supernatural. It wasn’t a problem for me to conjure an imaginary spider big enough to face off against a car, and it was even easier to make people scared of it. I only had to show what they were most likely to believe in, and these two men, it would seem, were slightly arachnophobic.  I watched the unfolding scene from a perch on the base of a fire escape. I didn’t want to...

29 likes 15 comments 15
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Positions!

Submitted to Contest #47

               Welcome, Spy. Please enter your name.                Jon.                The mission you are about to receive, Jon, is of the utmost urgency. Our national security is threatened, the very last threads of democracy hanging in the balance. Only the best were considered for such an overwhelming task, and your...

11 likes 3 comments 3
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CAKE ALONE

Submitted to Contest #47

“Desperateness has one closest friend that has never yielded any juicy fruit apart from obliteration”. “You must get down!” Danda, the director of PPC Company shouted angrily. “You are not in your best mood now. Kindly let me drive you home. I know a man called Ex-Man; he will certainly help us track this criminal down”, Joe suggested. The following morning Ex-Man was invited to the office. “You are welcome to my office, says the director. As I was checking your success record, I confirmed that you have been among the top intelligent office...

18 likes 6 comments 6
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Carnations

Submitted to Contest #47

It’s rather gloomy out today, you suppose. How fitting. A glooming peace this morning with it brings. Some shall be punished indeed.  The cars pulled up some time ago, one by one into the parking lot, startling the grey morning quiet with the thudding of the doors, the performative scrape of high heels on asphalt. Strained voices, quiet words. Brief hugs, dry handshakes.  Even if you didn’t already know perfectly well, you’d still be able to clock who is actually meant to be here by what they hold in their hands. Some thoughtful ...

18 likes 0 comments 0
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What a Crock of S**t.

Submitted to Contest #46

Well that is a year of my life I'll never get back.A thought Simon never thought he would have.Years he spent, the ideas niggling his brain.Constantly on fire, looking for inspiration.He found it.He found it on the bus.He found it on the train.Never on a plane.Eureka!Simon set himself up at his desk and got to work.Finally, thought Marjorie, his long suffering wife.Finally, she can get on with her life.The book caused nothing but strife.The constant agitated toe tapping catching on her ear, replacing the ticking of the clock that seemed to g...

11 likes 6 comments 6
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Descending the Spiral Staircase

Submitted to Contest #44

I remember taking a deep breath and tasting the salty air when I slowly walked down the wharf toward the sail boat at the end.  “Hmmm not a bad length”. It had been quiet and empty there. The sound of my pumps echoed in the night air mixed with the rhythmic sound of the sea water that lapped constantly on the side of the dock. It had a sensual sound that I quite enjoyed and I revelled in that moment. The naughtiness of what I was about to do. I had checked my pocketbook to make sure I was at the address my ...

6 likes 1 comment 1
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Anyway

Submitted to Contest #42

As I recall it, it was only that day I’d read in the paper that there had been robberies. A man robbing people at gunpoint, wearing a short-brimmed hat as some sort of half-baked disguise. Now, I never thought I’d actually have a run-in with the guy. I mean, I’m not saying it was the guy. All I’m saying is that a gentleman in a hat approached me, and said: “Hello there.”Me, I was already frowning, I’d had a bad day. So it may have been in a somewhat patronising tone that I gave my own reply of “Hello there.”Now, don’t let me get ahead of mys...

12 likes 2 comments 2
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Escaping

Submitted to Contest #39

You look up at the stars, thinking about what you walked away from, what you ran away from, what you desperately needed to get away from.What would you have done otherwise? It’s not like you had a choice. You didn’t want to do it anymore. You just couldn’t. People using you and exploiting you, you just had enough. You needed to get out, even if that meant risking your own life in the process. But if you didn’t escape, they would have killed you anyway. Think about it, this was the only way to safe your life.You grew up in that horrible place...

10 likes 2 comments 2
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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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