The Whistleblower and the CEO
A whistleblower comes forward with information that could incriminate the CEO of a powerful pharmaceutical company. An intense legal battle ensues, led by a seasoned lawyer who must protect his client against a barrage of legal and personal attacks while dealing with his own family issues which threaten to undermine his focus and integrity.
Suggested length: A short story: 1,500 to 5,000 words, or flash fiction under 1,000
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Let the reader know something the hero doesn't.
- Cut every scene the moment the tension drops.
- Put a clock on it: the hero has until midnight.
Writing thriller books
Something terrible is coming. Can they stop it in time?
Where a mystery looks back at a crime, a thriller looks forward at a threat. The reader often knows more than the hero, and the tension comes from watching danger close in. Short chapters, high stakes and a ticking clock are the tools of the trade.
What readers expect
- A clear, escalating threat
- A hero under pressure
- Twists and reversals
- Pace: little time to breathe
A tip before you start
Put a clock on it. A deadline the reader can count down turns every scene into a race.
More Legal Thriller prompts
- The Public Defender's FileAn idealistic public defender finds a mysterious file on her desk labeled with just a name and a date — both of which belong to a closed case from…
- The Billionaire’s Last WillDetail the intense psychological and legal battle between a small-town lawyer and the powerful estate of a deceased billionaire, who seemingly left…
- The Judge's Last CaseAfter a well-respected judge is found murdered, a retired attorney is called back to uncover the complex web of corruption that may have led to the…
- The Law Firm's Missing GirlA legal assistant at a small family law firm stumbles upon a hidden file on an old computer that details a cold case involving a missing girl and a…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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