Menu

More apps built by Reedsy

Assemble a team of professionals

The writing app for authors

Writing courses, events and memberships

Get your book reviewed

Weekly writing prompts and contests

Menu
Prompts
Contests
Stories
Blog
Directory
Weekly Prompts Contest
Reedsy Literary Prize
Magazine
FAQ

Best Mystery Writing Prompts

Join our ongoing contests and win up to $1,500. Flex those creative muscles with these writing prompts.

Showing 89 prompts reset

This week's contest:
Win $250

Final Destination

70 contest entries /
62 stories

--

days

--

hours

--

mins

--

secs

View contest
Closes at 23:59 - Mar 20 EST

Write about a sleuth who’s a little too keen, but not because they have a traumatic past they won’t talk about.

– 10 stories

A mysterious letter is delivered to your character's home. It's not addressed to them, but they can't resist peeking...

– 62 stories

Make a mysterious message an important part of your story.

– 39 stories

Start your story during a full moon night.

– 80 stories

Write a story about someone who finds someone’s diary, and tries to reunite it with its owner. It’s up to you whether they read it or not!

– 51 stories

Write about someone who thinks they just got a great deal on something, only for them to realize…

– 31 stories

Set all or part of your story in a jam-packed storage unit.

– 46 stories

Write a story about a character who is experiencing glitches in their reality.

– 81 stories

Write about a character who wishes they could just disappear — and then they do.

– 49 stories

Write a story where someone’s paranoia is justified.

– 75 stories

Write about a character who, for whatever reason, retreats to a remote cabin.

– 61 stories

Write about someone losing their lucky charm.

– 24 stories

Write about a character who discovers something while raking leaves in their neighborhood.

– 39 stories

Write a story that involves the architectural plans for a building.

– 10 stories

Write a story where someone sees the shadow of someone standing behind them.

– 62 stories

Write a story where a murder occurs — and the suspects are all pointing the finger at one another.

– 26 stories

Write a mystery where the detective realizes at the last moment that they have the wrong suspect.

– 117 stories

Write about someone investigating a break-in at a bakery. The only thing missing? A very secret ingredient.

– 106 stories

Write a ghost story where there’s more going on than it first appears.

– 224 stories

Write a story about a meeting of a secret society.

– 155 stories

How to Write a Novel

Join Tom Bromley for a writing master class and finish your first draft in 3 months. Learn more →

How to Write a Novel
RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. All for free.