short murder mystery stories

One great murder mystery short story is 'The Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle. It has a very tense atmosphere and a clever detective in Sherlock Holmes who solves the mystery of a woman's death in a locked room situation. Another good one is 'Lamb to the Slaughter' by Roald Dahl. In this story, the unexpected twist is really engaging as the wife uses a frozen leg of lamb to cover up her crime. And then there's 'The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar Allan Poe. The dark and brooding setting, along with the narrator's revenge plot, makes it a classic murder mystery short story.

One of the best is 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a classic that introduced many elements we now associate with detective stories.

A mysterious death is a common element. There's usually a victim whose death seems strange or unexplained at first. Another element is the detective or investigator figure, like Sherlock Holmes. And there are always suspects, people who might have a motive for the murder.

Start with a captivating crime scene. Build suspense by introducing clues gradually. Make the characters complex and their motives ambiguous.

One idea could be a murder in a small, seemingly idyllic town. The victim is a local shop owner. The detective discovers that the motive is related to a long - hidden family secret. Years ago, the shop owner's family had cheated another family out of a valuable piece of land, and the killer is seeking revenge for that injustice.

A murder occurs in a theater. The victim is an actor. The killer could be a jealous understudy who was constantly overshadowed by the victim. The understudy saw an opportunity when the actor was alone backstage and struck. The detective finds out by looking at the understudy's rehearsal schedule which shows they had ample opportunity to plan the murder.

Once upon a time in a small, gloomy town, a wealthy businessman was found dead in his locked study. The police suspected foul play. Detective Smith was called in. He noticed a half - empty glass of brandy on the desk and a strange symbol carved into the wooden floor. As he investigated, he discovered that the businessman had many enemies. His business partner had a motive as they had a recent argument over money. The partner's fingerprints were found on a letter opener near the body. In the end, the partner confessed to the murder, driven by greed.

There are quite a few options. For example, 'The Hidden Murderer' is a simple yet effective name. It makes the reader immediately curious about who the hidden murderer is. Another one could be 'Death's Veiled Secret'. This name creates an air of mystery as it suggests that there is a secret related to the death that is veiled or hidden. Also, 'The Unsolved Murder Riddle' is a good choice as it implies that the story is going to be about a murder that is like a riddle waiting to be solved.

A lesser - known but interesting free murder mystery short story is 'The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar Allan Poe. It tells a dark and mysterious story of revenge that involves a form of murder. There are also some free short stories by contemporary indie authors on platforms like Smashwords. These might not be as well - known as the classics, but they can offer fresh perspectives on the murder mystery genre.

One classic short murder mystery story is 'The Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle. It involves a young woman fearing for her life in a locked room and Sherlock Holmes's brilliant deduction to solve the mystery.