Mystery - Stories

When the body of Lukas von Keller, a third-year student at Veridien, a prestigious all-boys academy, is found at the bottom of a ravine on March 10th, 1986, life at the quiet elite institution is shaken to the core.

After months of investigation, authorities are ready to rule the death a suicide. Detective Whitlock, however, is not. A chance to solve the case, now a personal nightmare, presents itself when Marius Vassier, a local private eye known for his sharp instincts and impeccable fashion, approaches him with a plan.

An unorthodox plan.

(Full summary inside)

L & L Investigations is a detective firm run by Lars Wrede, middle-aged and of Dutch-Swedish origin, together with his younger partner Lennart Torstensson. The firm is based in Stockholm but Lars in particular has strong links with the Netherlands from his youth. By coincidence they get a job to find out the truth behind a mysterious death in the Dutch university town Leiden. This brings them in contact with various aspects of Dutch society, including the experiences of gay young men.

Half-elf ex-cop Flynn O'Briain is losing a war on a cellular level. His human DNA and Elven heritage are tearing each other apart.

When a murdered PI leaves Flynn a blueprint for a corporate energy project that uses magical beings as batteries, he and Poitr are pulled into a conspiracy that reaches from the streets of LA to the highest levels of power. The clock is ticking. Flynn's body is failing. And the only cure is in the hands of the woman they're trying to stop.

Ex-Military recluse Hank runs his isolated farm with measured violence and tactical clarity. When Jesse, a 22-year-old, stumbles into Hank’s world, the "math" of the farm changes forever. Jesse is more than a stray; and his dark past is about to catch up with him.

Hank doesn't offer pity; he offers an absolute, grounding ownership. But while trying to protect the boy, he realizes he can’t hold the line alone and calls in favors.

The debt is about to be paid in lead and spent fury.

The ambition of courtier Gesi Ajai threatens the Empire of Lyra. Skilled general Raithion Maenaer meets Azula, a blacksmith, but their connection is cut short. Years later, Basileus Dio has thwarted Gesi's ambition, but Gesi now plans to take the throne by any means. Raithion and Azula must bring Gesi down and navigate treacherous court politics. Will they succeed?

Jacob continues his journey to form new bonds with his brothers while struggling to find his place after awakening to a brand new world. Will newfound friendships be broken? Will his first real love be lost? Those are the heart-wrenching questions Jacob must face with the ever-present fear of losing himself to light and shadow.

What happens when you have no idea you're being stalked. Why don't we find out?

The Flannan Isles Lighthouse Mystery is one of mankind's greatest mysteries, which has never been explained. Until now. In December 1900, three lighthouse keepers—James Ducat, Thomas Marshall, and Donald MacArthur—vanished from the remote Flannan Isles in Scotland. A relief crew found the lighthouse empty, with a stopped clock, an overturned chair, and, inexplicably, one set of oilskins left behind.

When Vickie Morrison's body is found in the river behind Grey Harbor High, all eyes turn to Caleb Holloway—the quiet, medicated boy who can't remember what happened that night. As the town closes ranks and whispers turn to accusations, Caleb discovers the pills his mother forces down his throat aren't just controlling his emotions—they're erasing his memories. Desperate to prove his innocence, he must unravel a web of blackmail, buried secrets, and a truth someone is willing to kill to protect. But the deeper he digs, the more he realizes: in Grey Harbor, everyone is hiding something.

This one comes from Prompt #71.

Write a short story featuring only one character. No secondary characters at all. You might drop them in the woods and see how they fare, or come up with your own idea, but only one character is allowed.

Fraser Vogel knew it was dangerous to parachute in high winds. He wasn’t left with too many options in his Cessna 182 Skylane when its yoke seized and the engine failed.

Jump or crash? Pretty easy choice.