8750+ Mystery Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. No need to go out hunting for clues — you’ve solved the puzzle of where to find the newest mystery short stories just by landing on this page.

Mystery Short Stories – Page 584 of 584

Forever and Always

Emma Chaffey

Submitted to Contest #12

The alley was dark as usual, the only sound the scuffling of rats and the soft breeze. At the end of alley was a lopsided tin shed. It reeked of rat poop and garbage, but I was used to it. After all, it was my home. Mother was waiting for me. Her eyes were dull and empty, her lips cracked and grey. She was once beautiful, with lush, blonde locks, sparkling blue eyes, and pink lips always wide, smiling. She would attend galas and proms in dazzling ball gowns, and dance with handsome young men who would propose to her by the end of the night. ...

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Lemon Zest

Philip Kimmins

Submitted to Contest #12

Lemon ZestShe knows the bodies will be gone by now, but even after twenty years on the job, she can still feel uneasy working a room. It’s only five a.m., but already the sweat is beading her forehead and trickling down her sides as she moves slowly across the baking asphalt towards the open door. She’s glad of her designer shades as the dazzling glare is hurled back at her from the white aluminium siding of the motel, pale lemon of doors and wall panels a blinding assault in the unforgiving light. The door to No. 8 is wide open, a black-and...

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Historical Society Clue

Mccollonough Ceili

Submitted to Contest #12

October 10, 2019Dear Diary,The following clue was given to me in a yellow envelope with the help of a plump grey haired woman averaging about 80 years old. The envelope simply said “Kata A. Malone , C1 from Beatrice Brown”Here is how it happened. While my friend AC (short for Anna Cate) went to find some cute lifeguard to engage with, and ventured over to the nearby historical society with Tom’s key in hand. Not really quite sure why I had to bring the key, just that I needed it for if nothing else luck. I certainly had no ide...

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The Foul Ball

Jeri Torrance

Submitted to Contest #12

   I had grown up in Wrigley Ville as it was referred to by the locals. My family and I lived in Waveland, just across from the ballpark itself. I loved sports, but baseball was my passion, and living in this area only fueled my love of the game.    I ran around with a group of boys, mostly good kids. There were a few that had started hanging out with us; they were older and had a rougher attitude. I was only thirteen, one of the youngest in the group, and I was teased by the newer guys when the others were...

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Sent to a Farm.

Matt Strempel

Shortlisted for Contest #11 ⭐️

I turned off the bitumen and the tyres bit into the gravel with a familiar crunch. It had been a dry summer and the road to my grandparents’ place dusted my windshield with cream talc. I wondered if old man Patterson would be on the phone to my parents, complaining I was going too fast. But he'd have been dead ten years by now.A fortnight prior, Grandma had passed away and I was back at the family home to help in some way. Not in any administrative capacity—I’m famously challenged in matters of logistics and organisation—but my back’s still ...

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Pinky Promise

Matt Strempel

Submitted to Contest #8

“If you break a pinky promise, you’ll die within a year.”That’s what my neighbour, Geoffrey Collins used to say when we were kids. I’m looking at his old bedroom window from the base of the gum where his tyre swing used to be; where I’d call 'cooee!' to get him to come out and join me.There’s only the frayed top of the rope tied to the branch now. There was a persistent rumour it’s where Mr Collins hanged himself, but that’s bullshit. It was just Geoffrey’s swing.It was the shed where Geoffrey found his dad dangling.No one’s lived here ...

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