Mysteries: as fun as they are baffling. Whether it’s a good old fashioned ‘Who Done It?’ or a character’s secret that’s slowly unravelled, there’s nothing quite like a page-turning puzzle to keep people hooked.
Mysteries can be quite a tricky thing to write. You need to drop enough clues and hints to keep the reader guessing but not so many that they realise the solution too early. Of course, you may decide to go for a vaguer, less solvable mystery. Some books present readers with several possibilities as to what happened and leave them to pick the one they think is most likely.
For this prompt, we’d like you to write a story featuring a mystery (200 words or more). You don’t need to present a solution to the mystery, though you can if you want to. You could show someone looking for clues, discovering a crime has taken place or even unmasking a very clever villain. Providing it’s HOL appropriate and there’s some kind of secret involved, it’s up to you.
You’ll earn 20 beans for completing this prompt as well as it counting towards the chance to snag our shiny Quill and Ink award.
There is no deadline as such for these prompts but if you’d like it to count towards your chance of earning the award for a specific year, we’ll need it by the end of that school year. If you’re comfortable sharing, then post below. If not, email your story to us via hol.bookclub @ gmail.com (without the spaces). Oh and remember it’s a good idea to check through your piece carefully for spelling and grammatical errors as they make it harder for people to properly enjoy your work.
Prompt: How Mysterious
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Prof. Sky Alton
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Prompt: How Mysterious
"Growing up doesn't have to mean I lose the cape, the faith, the dream. I'm so done with that... I'm taking it back."
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Artemisia Thorne
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Re: Prompt: How Mysterious
Part One
The night was cloaked in a thick fog as Detective Alex Donovan stood alone on the desolate pier, shivering from the biting wind that carried the salty scent of the sea. His breath formed misty clouds in the air as he surveyed the scene before him—a dimly lit warehouse at the edge of the harbor.
Earlier that evening, a frantic call had come into the police station. A mysterious figure, only known as "The Whisperer," claimed to have information about a series of unsolved crimes that had plagued the city for months. The Whisperer insisted on meeting Alex at midnight, under the flickering streetlamp on Pier 13.
As Alex approached the entrance of the warehouse, the creaking door opened with a haunting groan. He cautiously stepped inside, his hand resting on the cold steel of his service revolver. The air inside was thick and suffocating, filled with the scent of damp wood and decay.
A single dim light bulb swung from a frayed wire, casting long, ominous shadows on the worn-out crates and barrels that cluttered the space. As Alex ventured further into the gloom, the only sound was the echo of his footsteps on the creaky floorboards.
Suddenly, a raspy voice cut through the silence, sending shivers down Alex's spine. "Detective Donovan, I've been expecting you." The Whisperer emerged from the shadows, clad in a tattered trench coat and wearing a fedora that obscured their face.
The mysterious informant spoke in hushed tones, revealing chilling details about the crimes—details that only the perpetrator could know. Alex's mind raced as he pieced together the puzzle, realizing that The Whisperer held the key to solving the case that had haunted him for months.
As the conversation unfolded, the warehouse seemed to close in around them, the air growing heavier with each revelation. The Whisperer hinted at a web of corruption and deceit that extended far beyond the city's limits, implicating powerful figures in the criminal underworld.
Just as The Whisperer began to divulge the identity of the mastermind behind the crimes, the lights flickered and went out. In the pitch darkness, the only sound was the Whisperer's ominous laughter echoing through the vast space. When the lights came back on, The Whisperer was gone, leaving Alex alone with a chilling sense of uncertainty.
Determined to unravel the mystery, Alex Donovan delved deeper into the shadows of midnight, chasing leads and confronting the dark forces that threatened to consume the city. Little did he know that the answers he sought would reveal a truth more sinister than he could have ever imagined.
Part Two
Weeks passed since Detective Alex Donovan's encounter with The Whisperer, and the city remained ensnared in a web of mystery and danger. The information shared in the warehouse led Alex on a relentless pursuit of the truth, pulling him deeper into the shadows that concealed the city's darkest secrets.
As he followed the breadcrumbs left by The Whisperer, Alex uncovered a clandestine organization manipulating the strings of power from the shadows. The crimes he had been investigating were mere pawns in a larger, more sinister game. The city's elite were entwined with criminal enterprises, using their influence to exploit the vulnerable and perpetuate a cycle of corruption.
The closer Alex got to the truth, the more perilous the journey became. Threats loomed from every corner, and allies were scarce in a city where loyalty was a rare commodity. It became apparent that The Whisperer's information was a double-edged sword, cutting through the veil of deception but exposing Alex to dangers he hadn't anticipated.
One night, as Alex sifted through stacks of incriminating documents in his dimly lit apartment, a chilling message arrived—a cryptic note left at his doorstep. It bore The Whisperer's emblem, a stylized W intertwined with a serpent. The message warned of imminent danger and urged Alex to dig deeper.
Driven by an unrelenting determination, Alex followed the trail of clues to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The air was thick with tension as he entered, his senses on high alert. The ominous silence was broken by a sudden, sharp sound—a gunshot that echoed through the empty space.
Alex rushed towards the source, finding a figure sprawled on the cold concrete floor. It was The Whisperer, clutching a bleeding shoulder. "I trusted you," The Whisperer wheezed, their voice strained. "But they found me. The truth must survive."
With the last ounce of strength, The Whisperer handed Alex a tattered envelope containing a list of names—the architects of the city's corruption. As sirens wailed in the distance, The Whisperer's eyes dimmed, leaving Alex alone in the shadows once again.
Armed with newfound knowledge and a burning desire for justice, Alex Donovan emerged from the warehouse, prepared to expose the rot that festered within the city's heart. The battle against corruption had only just begun, and the city's fate hung in the balance as Alex faced a choice—to succumb to the darkness or be the beacon of light that shattered the veils of deception.
Part Three
Detective Alex Donovan stood in the dimly lit room, clutching the list of names that The Whisperer had sacrificed everything to deliver. The weight of the revelations pressed heavily on his shoulders as he realized the extent of the corruption that had seeped into the city's foundations.
As the first light of dawn began to pierce the horizon, casting long shadows across the cityscape, Alex set in motion a plan to expose the truth. He reached out to a handful of trusted allies within the police force, carefully avoiding those whose loyalties might lie with the hidden puppeteers he sought to unmask.
Together, they formed a clandestine task force, operating outside the reach of the corrupted elements within the department. The list of names became their guide, a roadmap to dismantling the criminal empire that had ensnared the city in its grip.
The investigation led Alex and his team down dark alleys and through hidden corridors of power, uncovering layers of deception that ran deeper than they could have imagined. Each revelation fueled their determination, but it also escalated the danger they faced. The city's elite fought back, employing ruthless tactics to silence those who dared to expose their secrets.
Amidst the chaos, Alex found an unexpected ally in Maya Hayes, a journalist with a knack for uncovering the truth. Together, they forged a dangerous alliance, navigating the treacherous waters of a city at war with itself. Maya's pen became a weapon, exposing corruption through the power of words while Alex fought in the shadows, seeking justice with every step.
As the investigation closed in on the heart of the criminal syndicate, a web of betrayal unfolded. Some members of Alex's own task force were entangled in the web, lured by promises of power and wealth. The line between friend and foe blurred, and Alex found himself facing threats from within and without.
In a climactic confrontation, the truth was laid bare for all to see. The city watched as the illusions of order shattered, revealing the ugly reality beneath. The corrupted elite were exposed, their empires crumbling as justice closed in.
But victory came at a price. The toll on Alex and his allies was immeasurable. Lives were lost, sacrifices made, and the scars of the battle lingered. The city, now free from the suffocating grip of corruption, began the slow process of rebuilding.
As dawn broke over the once-shadowed city, Detective Alex Donovan stood amidst the ruins of the old order, his gaze fixed on a horizon filled with both hope and uncertainty. The battle had been won, but the scars of the past would forever shape the future.
The night was cloaked in a thick fog as Detective Alex Donovan stood alone on the desolate pier, shivering from the biting wind that carried the salty scent of the sea. His breath formed misty clouds in the air as he surveyed the scene before him—a dimly lit warehouse at the edge of the harbor.
Earlier that evening, a frantic call had come into the police station. A mysterious figure, only known as "The Whisperer," claimed to have information about a series of unsolved crimes that had plagued the city for months. The Whisperer insisted on meeting Alex at midnight, under the flickering streetlamp on Pier 13.
As Alex approached the entrance of the warehouse, the creaking door opened with a haunting groan. He cautiously stepped inside, his hand resting on the cold steel of his service revolver. The air inside was thick and suffocating, filled with the scent of damp wood and decay.
A single dim light bulb swung from a frayed wire, casting long, ominous shadows on the worn-out crates and barrels that cluttered the space. As Alex ventured further into the gloom, the only sound was the echo of his footsteps on the creaky floorboards.
Suddenly, a raspy voice cut through the silence, sending shivers down Alex's spine. "Detective Donovan, I've been expecting you." The Whisperer emerged from the shadows, clad in a tattered trench coat and wearing a fedora that obscured their face.
The mysterious informant spoke in hushed tones, revealing chilling details about the crimes—details that only the perpetrator could know. Alex's mind raced as he pieced together the puzzle, realizing that The Whisperer held the key to solving the case that had haunted him for months.
As the conversation unfolded, the warehouse seemed to close in around them, the air growing heavier with each revelation. The Whisperer hinted at a web of corruption and deceit that extended far beyond the city's limits, implicating powerful figures in the criminal underworld.
Just as The Whisperer began to divulge the identity of the mastermind behind the crimes, the lights flickered and went out. In the pitch darkness, the only sound was the Whisperer's ominous laughter echoing through the vast space. When the lights came back on, The Whisperer was gone, leaving Alex alone with a chilling sense of uncertainty.
Determined to unravel the mystery, Alex Donovan delved deeper into the shadows of midnight, chasing leads and confronting the dark forces that threatened to consume the city. Little did he know that the answers he sought would reveal a truth more sinister than he could have ever imagined.
Part Two
Weeks passed since Detective Alex Donovan's encounter with The Whisperer, and the city remained ensnared in a web of mystery and danger. The information shared in the warehouse led Alex on a relentless pursuit of the truth, pulling him deeper into the shadows that concealed the city's darkest secrets.
As he followed the breadcrumbs left by The Whisperer, Alex uncovered a clandestine organization manipulating the strings of power from the shadows. The crimes he had been investigating were mere pawns in a larger, more sinister game. The city's elite were entwined with criminal enterprises, using their influence to exploit the vulnerable and perpetuate a cycle of corruption.
The closer Alex got to the truth, the more perilous the journey became. Threats loomed from every corner, and allies were scarce in a city where loyalty was a rare commodity. It became apparent that The Whisperer's information was a double-edged sword, cutting through the veil of deception but exposing Alex to dangers he hadn't anticipated.
One night, as Alex sifted through stacks of incriminating documents in his dimly lit apartment, a chilling message arrived—a cryptic note left at his doorstep. It bore The Whisperer's emblem, a stylized W intertwined with a serpent. The message warned of imminent danger and urged Alex to dig deeper.
Driven by an unrelenting determination, Alex followed the trail of clues to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The air was thick with tension as he entered, his senses on high alert. The ominous silence was broken by a sudden, sharp sound—a gunshot that echoed through the empty space.
Alex rushed towards the source, finding a figure sprawled on the cold concrete floor. It was The Whisperer, clutching a bleeding shoulder. "I trusted you," The Whisperer wheezed, their voice strained. "But they found me. The truth must survive."
With the last ounce of strength, The Whisperer handed Alex a tattered envelope containing a list of names—the architects of the city's corruption. As sirens wailed in the distance, The Whisperer's eyes dimmed, leaving Alex alone in the shadows once again.
Armed with newfound knowledge and a burning desire for justice, Alex Donovan emerged from the warehouse, prepared to expose the rot that festered within the city's heart. The battle against corruption had only just begun, and the city's fate hung in the balance as Alex faced a choice—to succumb to the darkness or be the beacon of light that shattered the veils of deception.
Part Three
Detective Alex Donovan stood in the dimly lit room, clutching the list of names that The Whisperer had sacrificed everything to deliver. The weight of the revelations pressed heavily on his shoulders as he realized the extent of the corruption that had seeped into the city's foundations.
As the first light of dawn began to pierce the horizon, casting long shadows across the cityscape, Alex set in motion a plan to expose the truth. He reached out to a handful of trusted allies within the police force, carefully avoiding those whose loyalties might lie with the hidden puppeteers he sought to unmask.
Together, they formed a clandestine task force, operating outside the reach of the corrupted elements within the department. The list of names became their guide, a roadmap to dismantling the criminal empire that had ensnared the city in its grip.
The investigation led Alex and his team down dark alleys and through hidden corridors of power, uncovering layers of deception that ran deeper than they could have imagined. Each revelation fueled their determination, but it also escalated the danger they faced. The city's elite fought back, employing ruthless tactics to silence those who dared to expose their secrets.
Amidst the chaos, Alex found an unexpected ally in Maya Hayes, a journalist with a knack for uncovering the truth. Together, they forged a dangerous alliance, navigating the treacherous waters of a city at war with itself. Maya's pen became a weapon, exposing corruption through the power of words while Alex fought in the shadows, seeking justice with every step.
As the investigation closed in on the heart of the criminal syndicate, a web of betrayal unfolded. Some members of Alex's own task force were entangled in the web, lured by promises of power and wealth. The line between friend and foe blurred, and Alex found himself facing threats from within and without.
In a climactic confrontation, the truth was laid bare for all to see. The city watched as the illusions of order shattered, revealing the ugly reality beneath. The corrupted elite were exposed, their empires crumbling as justice closed in.
But victory came at a price. The toll on Alex and his allies was immeasurable. Lives were lost, sacrifices made, and the scars of the battle lingered. The city, now free from the suffocating grip of corruption, began the slow process of rebuilding.
As dawn broke over the once-shadowed city, Detective Alex Donovan stood amidst the ruins of the old order, his gaze fixed on a horizon filled with both hope and uncertainty. The battle had been won, but the scars of the past would forever shape the future.
