In just 24 hours we’re starting our investigation for the next Mysterious Murders short story competition. This year’s theme is “Locked Room” – a classic of the mystery genre!
Live competition launch
Join the live competition launch on Instagram where we’ll hear from two of this year’s judges and two of last year’s competition winners. Hosted by Dwayne Mathers (@dunfermlinereads), the launch will be going live:
- UK: 7:30pm (BST), Monday 1 June 2026
- US/CA: 2:30pm (EDT) / 11:30am (PDT), Monday 1 June 2026
- AU: 4:30am (AEST), Tuesday 2 June 2026
- NZ: 6:30am (NZST), Tuesday 2 June 2026
I’ve pulled together a few details below, but be sure to check out the Mysterious Murders website for full details:
Entries
🟢 Opens 1 June 2026
🔴 Closes 30 September 2026
💸 Fee N/A (it’s free!)
Eligibility
🌏 Open worldwide
📃 Original work of up to 3,000 words
✒️ Written in English
Prizes
🥇 £3,000
🥈 £1,500
🥉 £500
Judges
- Mark Stay (The Witches of Woodville, The End of Magic)
- Angela C. Nurse (Rowan McFarlane Detective Mysteries, DI Ravenscroft & Professor Laing Thrillers)
- G.B. Ralph (The Milverton Mysteries)
- T.E. Scott (The Wronged Women’s Co-operative)
- Dwayne Mathers (book promoter, reviewer, and a founder of the indie publisher, Acorn & Ink)
What’s the story behind the competition?
The Mysterious Murders short story competition was created to honour Anja Boersma’s deep love of writing and to help nurture that same passion in others.
Co-founded by Jeroen (Anja’s husband) and Angela C. Nurse (my friend, fellow mystery author, and a creative writing coach), this competition ensures that Anja’s creative spirit lives on.
What’s next?
📝 Get writing!
👍 Encourage your friends, your family, and your book club to get writing too.
✅ Submit your story by the due date.
So, now that you have the information, can we count on you to get on the case?