short funny murder stories

One characteristic is the unexpected twist. For example, in a story, you might think the obvious suspect is the killer, but then it turns out to be someone completely different in a humorous way, like the old lady who everyone thought was harmless but was actually the mastermind behind the murder because she was mad about the noise from the neighbor's dog. Another characteristic is the use of absurd situations. Such as a murder that happened because of a fight over the last slice of pizza in a pizzeria. And often, there is a bit of dark humor involved, like when the murderer accidentally leaves a comical clue, like a big, floppy hat at the crime scene which leads to their capture.

A small - town sheriff was investigating a murder. The victim was a local fisherman. All the evidence pointed to another fisherman as the killer. When the sheriff went to arrest him, the suspect said, 'I didn't kill him. I was too busy trying to catch the biggest fish in the lake!' The sheriff found out later that the real murderer was the victim's wife. She was jealous of his fishing obsession and poisoned his bait.

One characteristic is the unexpected alibis. Like in the story where the gardener said he was watering the plants at night but it rained that day so there was no need. Another is the comical characters. For example, a bumbling detective who always gets the wrong clues at first but in a funny way. Also, the situations can be humorous. Such as when the suspects all start blaming each other in a really over - the - top and comical manner.

There's a story about a small town where everyone thought the mayor was murdered. People were in a panic. But it turned out the mayor was just trying out a new prank for a local festival. He faked his own death by using ketchup to look like blood and lying very still. When the truth came out, everyone had a good laugh, although they were also a bit angry at the mayor for causing such a stir.

In some detective comedies in literature, like the ones by Donald E. Westlake. His characters often get into ridiculous situations while trying to solve murders. The bumbling nature of the detectives and the over - the - top motives of the killers make for some really funny murder - related stories. For instance, in one of his stories, the killer was trying to steal a valuable cookie recipe and ended up murdering the wrong person by mistake, which led to a very convoluted and humorous investigation.

They tend to have vivid and memorable characters. In 'Lamb to the Slaughter', the wife's transformation from a loving spouse to a cold - blooded killer is striking. Also, short murder stories in fiction often use a limited setting. This helps to intensify the feeling of claustrophobia or entrapment, like in 'The Cask of Amontillado' where the catacombs are the main setting. And they usually end with a big revelation or twist that leaves the reader with a sense of shock or satisfaction.

The breakdown of society or family can be a theme too. A murder can shatter the fabric of a family or a community, as seen in some stories where the murder has far - reaching consequences not just for the victim and the murderer, but for everyone around them. It shows how a single act of violence can have a domino effect on relationships and the social order.

Revenge is a common theme. Just like in 'The Cask of Amontillado' where Montresor takes revenge on Fortunato. Guilt is also often present. In 'The Tell - Tale Heart', the narrator's guilt eventually drives him to confess.

Well - developed characters are important. In a good murder short story, the murderer, the victim, and the detective (if there is one) all have distinct personalities. Take Dashiell Hammett's stories. His characters are often morally ambiguous, which adds depth to the story and makes the murder and its investigation more interesting.

One great murder mystery short story is 'The Speckled Band' by Arthur Conan Doyle. It has a very tense atmosphere and a clever detective in Sherlock Holmes who solves the mystery of a woman's death in a locked room situation. Another good one is 'Lamb to the Slaughter' by Roald Dahl. In this story, the unexpected twist is really engaging as the wife uses a frozen leg of lamb to cover up her crime. And then there's 'The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar Allan Poe. The dark and brooding setting, along with the narrator's revenge plot, makes it a classic murder mystery short story.