Some good ideas for a mystery story?

A good start could be a strange disappearance. For example, a well - known person in a small town vanishes without a trace. It immediately creates mystery and makes the readers wonder what happened. Another idea is a mysterious object. Maybe an ancient artifact that has strange powers or markings and everyone is trying to figure out its origin and purpose. Also, an unreliable narrator can add to the mystery. They might be hiding something or misinterpreting events, which keeps the readers guessing about the truth.

One idea could be a missing heirloom. The story could start with an old family's most prized possession disappearing overnight. The main character, a young detective, could be hired to solve the mystery. He or she then discovers strange footprints around the scene and some cryptic notes left behind.

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.

One idea could be a small town where people start receiving anonymous threatening letters. The main character, a local journalist, decides to investigate. As they dig deeper, they find that the letters are related to a long - forgotten town secret from decades ago involving a powerful family who will do anything to keep it buried.

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.

How about a story where a woman starts receiving anonymous love letters. She is intrigued and tries to find out who the sender is. Along the way, she meets a man who seems to be around every time something related to the letters happens. Eventually, she discovers that he is the one sending the letters, but he has a deeper reason for being so mysterious. He was too shy to approach her directly at first, and the mystery was his way of getting her attention without revealing his identity right away.

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.

A good idea for a short mystery story is a cursed object. For example, a beautiful antique mirror that brings bad luck to anyone who looks into it. People start having accidents or misfortunes after looking at it. The mystery could be about finding out the origin of the curse and how to break it. Another is a missing heirloom that has a lot of sentimental value. It was last seen in a particular room of an old mansion. The main character has to search through old family secrets and hidden passages to find it. Also, a mystery about a strange symbol that keeps appearing around town. No one knows what it means, and it seems to be linked to some sort of underground cult or a long - lost treasure.

You could have a mystery where a group of people are invited to stay in an old mansion for the weekend. During their stay, they start to hear strange noises at night. One of the guests goes missing. The remaining guests find a hidden room in the mansion that seems to hold a dark secret from the past. Maybe it was a place where illegal experiments were carried out long ago.

A horror mystery story could revolve around a haunted mansion. A family moves in, not believing the rumors of it being haunted. Strange things start to happen - objects move on their own, they hear unexplained whispers. As they dig deeper, they find out that the previous owner was a deranged serial killer who hid his victims' bodies in the walls of the house, and their spirits are now trapped and angry.