What are some good ideas for short mystery stories?

A short mystery story could be about a strange message found in an old book that leads to a hidden treasure. But there are clues and puzzles along the way that need to be solved.

A good idea for a mystery story could be centered around a series of anonymous letters that are being sent to different people in a community. These letters contain cryptic messages that seem to be leading to some sort of impending doom. The detective or the main character has to decipher the codes in the letters and figure out who is sending them and why. Also, a mystery about a locked room where a person is found dead with no obvious way in or out is always interesting. Or perhaps a story where a young heir suddenly disappears on the night before they are set to inherit a large fortune.

You could base a mystery story on a cursed painting. The painting has a strange history. People who own it start experiencing bad luck or seeing strange apparitions. Is it a hoax, or is there something truly supernatural about it? Also, having a detective character who has his own personal demons can add depth to the story. He's trying to solve the mystery while also dealing with his own problems, like a drinking habit or a broken relationship.

A murder mystery set in a small, idyllic village. A wealthy landowner is found dead. The local villagers all seem to have motives. The baker might be angry because the landowner wanted to raise the rent of his shop. The gardener could be suspect as he was often mistreated by the landowner. And there could be a mysterious stranger who was seen in the village around the time of the murder. The key to solving the mystery could be a rare flower found at the crime scene which is only grown in the gardener's greenhouse.

One great mystery short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a psychological thriller that follows a narrator who is driven mad by the old man's vulture - like eye. Another is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant, which has an unexpected twist at the end regarding a lost and replaced necklace. And 'The Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle is also a classic, with Sherlock Holmes solving a mysterious death.

One great short mystery story is 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle. It's full of twists and keeps you guessing.

One great mystery fiction short story is 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' by Edgar Allan Poe. It is often considered a pioneer in the detective story genre.

You could try 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle. It's a classic and full of twists.

There's 'The Secret in the Attic' - it's got a great twist and keeps you guessing till the end.

One idea could be a story about a lost key that unlocks a mysterious door in an old attic. The protagonist discovers the key while cleaning out their deceased grandmother's house. As they search for the door it might belong to, they encounter strange events and people who seem to be guarding a secret related to the key.