Mystery Short Stories For Adults

From the slightly fantastical to the utterly real, light, and sweet romance to tales tinged with horror and thrills, Game On is an anthology that spans genre and style. But beneath each story is a loving ode to competition and games perfect for anyone who has ever played a sport or a board game, picked up a video game controller, or rolled a twenty-sided die.

Light years from home. Bonded to an alien for survival. A dark secret is about to be revealed . . . The planet Verdana was supposed to be their new home, their new Eden. But shortly after arriving the human colonists were faced with a dilemma - join with the alaahi or perish. In the end, they chose the process of symbiosis, a physical conjoining with the native alaahi. But now there are whispers amongst the colonists. The alaahi are not the benevolent beings they made themselves out to be. Before long a dark secret is about to be revealed, and young Jena must make a terrible choice . . . *...

Those who grew up in Michigan and the surrounding states know the horror of dogman! Campers attacked, cabins raided, pets and livestock devoured or missing. What waits in the woods? Five original tales of dogman terror, as researched by Nathan Tarantla, Forest Fulsham, and more!

Deliah Jackson had always been a go-getter, determined to achieve her dreams of becoming a successful business owner. But as she launches her own company, HR Consulting, in the heart of a bustling metropolis, she soon realizes that her drive and ambition may be pushing her too far. In Pieces of Me (a short story), we follow Deliah's journey as she grapples with the pressures of success, her addiction to work, and the toll it takes on her mental health. As she races towards the top, she must confront her own personal demons and the consequences of her choices. Will Deliah have the courage to...

"Who are you? You're familiar to me." A tree has appeared unexpectedly in the whimsical little town of Laplace, where the locals take inordinate pride in their gossip, their diner, and their modern wifi. Nobody knows what kind of tree it is, but they wonder about the woman who has burst into town, intent on clearing the space on the town square. Mary Claudia wants the tree gone. She's come all this way to Laplace for her own purposes, and she doesn't care what the town thinks. The tree's bulky roots and odd fruit only keep getting in her way. Something else stands in her way - the owner of ...

The Five Orange Pips, one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is the fifth of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The story was first published in The Strand Magazine in November 1891. Conan Doyle later ranked the story seventh in a list of his twelve favourite Sherlock Holmes stories.

This book is a collection of four short stories from the unconventional mind of Al Macy. The Christmas Planet Jake Corby’s family convinces him to celebrate Christmas on a Disneyland-like planet run by creatures who walk on two legs but resemble schnauzers in elf costumes. When the Corby family arrives, Jake finds that the setup is not quite as innocent as it appears. A Pirate’s Life Down and out scavenger Alex Hale comes across a derelict spaceship belonging to mutineer Jan Breck. There’s a price on her head. Her beautiful head. Will he turn her in and get the reward? Sophia, ...

I was living the life of a normal ten-year-old until it all changed. The very moment it changed you ask? I would say it was the moment I escaped my bully Bull, but it could be the moment I ran through Binx. One moment I was just Rocky and the next I was the savior of humanity. Join us as we travel through time to collect all the pieces to lock up Mr. Moon the diabolical genus. If we fail life as we know it will be gone… Oh, and mystical creatures, Zombies, Giant Snakes, and the Angel of Death is all a part of the journey.

From a scary board game to an evil robot costume to a creepy ice sculpture, listen to this terrifying collection of horror for the ultimate fright! Check out these teens who go on these adventures of terror.

“I had driven past the second-hand store every day but never been inside. That was a mistake. The moment I crossed the doorstep I knew the shop would be relieving me of my money and time.” Tommy is back again! The failed Norwegian crime author, or “Viking PI” as his clients know him, is (sort of) getting the hang of this whole private investigator thing. “Sort of” being the important part. He’s now getting some ‘real’ cases… if you call missing dogs and cheatings spouses ‘real’. In fact, his most high-profile client so far has been his own daughter and her lost ...

“I even got to knock one thing off my bucket list when I traveled to Svalbard and drove a snowmobile over glaciers to an abandoned mining town, all in the name of love.” Business is booming for Tommy, the Norwegian “Viking PI”. Yes, it may be hard to believe, but people are actually choosing to hire this failed crime writer-turned private investigator. And his cases are getting even bigger… and darker. From mysterious buried bodies in unmarked graves, to bare-knuckle brawls and knife fights… Tommy really is finally seeing all that the ‘dark’ underworld of private ...

Después de la Revolución, Aura y Dominio desaparecieron de Nylert. Las ocho Familias restantes vivieron en paz. Pero ahora Dominio ha vuelto. Y solo unos pocos están preparados para lo que va a suceder.

Underneath a 100-year-old copper beech, a mummy is about to die. When Tommy, the Viking PI, gets picked up on Halloween and driven into the thick Norwegian woods, the last thing he imagined was being taken to a murder scene. Well...No. The last thing he imagined was the corpse dressed up as a mummy, sitting at a table with Viking PI written in blood. Tommy has to start his own investigation to stay out of jail, find the real murderer, and save the relationship with his suspicious CSI girlfriend. This is the fourth book in the Viking P.I. series. A Quick-read mystery that is short and snappy...

When Joseph’s beloved wife Sonia succumbs to a strange illness, grief consumes him. But grief soon turns to dread as whispers of vampirism spread like wildfire through their tiny village. Late one evening, the village priest arrives at Joseph’s doorstep with a warning—and a wooden stake. “She will come for you.” As the night deepens, Joseph hears an ominous scratching at his window. He looks out—and there she is. His beloved Sonia. Beautiful, pale, and incredibly seductive. Against every instinct, Joseph opens the window—she is alluring, powerful… and hungry for more than ...

A young woman's sleep is interrupted by an enigmatic voice, leading her into a tempestous storm. There, she encounters a pack of wolves, ready to devour her. A vampire saves Clara only to claim her as his prey. He wants to possess her--mind, body and soul. Their passionate encounter seals their fateful bond in blood. “Let me give you the night—forever. Walk with me through the centuries, unscathed by time, untouched by death.” --Whispers of the Night: A Vampire Erotic Horror Short Story

‘Coincidental Death?’ is a suspense/mystery short story. (10,100+ words) When Ella is excused from class to go to the bathroom the last thing she expects to see is the basketball team carrying what looks like a dead body from the gym to the bushes at the far corner of the school. Upon inspection of the large black bag that had been tucked into the far corners of the bushes Ella discovers a body. A still, lifeless one. With so many questions in her mind Ella ultimately has to find out who the killers are. She could just hand them over to the police... it’s just that her boyfriend is ...

NOT ANOTHER SICK DAY. Caitlyn thought it would be just another day at the office, until casual Friday turns into a quarantine that leaves her trapped in the office with her professional nemesis and two colleagues. Intense questioning from the health department turns up more questions than answers, and they are discouraged to speculate. With nothing to do but work, Caitlyn digs in her paperwork, and finds herself caught in the mystery of tangled paperwork that points to mishandling of funds and sneaky activity at their highest ranks. The suspense runs through the office as they dig up hints ...

Tessa’s Garden is a four novella series collection that covers spring, summer, fall and winter. Looking for a fun and lighthearted romance that will keep you turning the pages? "Tessa's Garden" is the sweet suspense romance for you! Tessa's tendency to jump to conclusions often leads her into trouble, and her investigation into her employer's practices is no exception. Despite her best intentions, Tessa finds herself in over her head as she and Samson gather secret information and try to uncover the truth about the business, an organic produce company. As the higher ups become suspicious,...

Don't you know about Orchha in India? Orchha is a very bewitching dinky town near Jhansi, Madhya Pradesh. It has a flawless serene, vintage feeling and vibrant icy-cold wind in winter where you can experience a vintage fort, abandoned peaceful sanctuary, emerald green gardens, slow-witted peace, religious eminent temples, and, exceptionally significant, a sacred expeditious Betwa River. And indeed, the town is only expanded in an area of 2KMs and situated near the banks of Betwa River. There's no life that has no desolation, but there's every life that has some contentment. In this stirring...

Jarek leaves the safety of the City to travel far and wide. A cursed priestess Hidden chambers Strange afflictions Danger lurks at his every step. In order to survive, Jarek must learn the secrets of the road! Discover the epic deeds of Jarek the Scholar, a new pulp hero, inside this anthology of fantasy and mystery.