Dead Fish at Low Tide
When a dedicated marine biologist and part-time detective is called to investigate an unusual phenomenon involving mass fish deaths near a sleepy fishing village, she uncovers a network of environmental crimes. Her detective skills are put to the test as she faces off against a powerful adversary determined to conceal the truth.
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.
- Plant the key clue in the first scene, in plain sight.
- Limit it to one location and one night.
- Let the most helpful witness be the one with the most to hide.
Writing mystery books
Who did it? You get every clue and a fair shot at the answer.
A mystery opens with a puzzle, usually a death, and closes with the solution. In between, a detective (professional or not) gathers clues and suspects while the reader tries to get there first. A mystery looks backward, at a crime that has already happened.
What readers expect
- A crime or puzzle early on
- Clues, suspects and red herrings
- A detective the reader follows
- A solution that is surprising but fair
A tip before you start
Play fair. Every clue your detective uses should appear on the page first, ideally hidden in plain sight.
More Female Detective prompts
- The Wellness Retreat HeistWrite about a seasoned detective who must go undercover in a luxury wellness retreat to investigate a string of thefts. As she delves deeper, she…
- The Detective's ReturnIn the bustling heart of a major city, a renowned woman detective retires prematurely, only to be drawn back into the field by the mysterious murder…
- The Detective's Missing MotherA young detective is handed her first major case, which eerily parallels the unsolved disappearance of her mother two decades prior. Create a story…
- The Storm Night DisappearancesA female detective, known for her unorthodox methods and razor-sharp instincts, is called to a small, coastal town where a series of seemingly…
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