219+ ‘Detective’ Writing Prompts
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‘Undercover in a Devil’s Cult’
You’re an undercover detective infiltrating a cult rumored to perform human sacrifices.
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Urban Vampire
Write a story about people disappearing in a bustling city, and a detective who begins to believe a modern-day vampire might be responsible.
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The Vanishing Portrait
Compose a tale centered around a portrait that mysteriously disappears from a museum.
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The Red Herring8
Start the story with a false clue or an alleged criminal, leading the detective and the reader on a wild goose chase.
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Poetic Clues
Imagine the detective received a poem as a clue to the mystery. Write a scene in which the detective decipher the hidden meaning behind it.
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The Missing Cookie Mystery
You found the cookie jar empty! Write a detective story on how this happened, from start to finish.
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Courtroom Revelation
Write a thrilling piece about a defense attorney who discovers a piece of evidence that changes everything about their ongoing court case.
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Mystery Pizza Delivery
Write a story about a pizza delivery driver who has to solve a crime while on duty.
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Detective Diary
You’re a young detective tasked with solving a mystery. Detail the clues, your investigations, and how you eventually solve it.
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Understanding the Environment
Explain an environmental issue plaguing your town, and suggest potential solutions.
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Magical Realism in Detective Fiction
Write a detective story in a world that subtly integrates magical elements.
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The Museum Mystery
Pen a tale about a group of middle school friends who solve a mystery in their town’s local museum.
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Shadowed Sanity
Write about a detective gradually losing their sanity as they adopt the mindset of a serial killer to solve a series of gruesome murders.
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The Laughing Gas Murderer
Write a detective story featuring a serial killer clown who uses laughing gas as his weapon.
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“Gelato Gobblers”
A self-obsessed fitness guru discovers that her secret stash of “cheat day” gelato has been stolen from her freezer.
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Film Noir Fantasia
Craft a tale that combines the moodiness and mystery of film noir with elements of high fantasy.
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Mystery in the Classroom
Describe your day as a detective in school, solving a mystery with your classmates.
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Haunted School Mystery
You discover a long-hidden secret about your middle school – it’s haunted. Write a story about how you solve the mystery.
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Stealth Scrolls Quest
In a world of elves, an ancient set of scrolls containing mysterious instructions has been stolen. Your protagonist, a skilled elven detective, is on the case.
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Underground Syndicate
Write about a rookie detective slowly uncovering the existence of a powerful organized crime syndicate.
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The Land of Nod Nightmares
Craft a story around recurring nightmares of a ghostly presence that results in you researching it in your waking hours.
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Nano-tales: Micro Intrigue
Develop a story around a detective who uses nanotechnology to solve elusive crimes.
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Detective on a Mission
Pretend you are a detective trying to solve a big case. Describe your adventure.
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The Capsized City
Detective Blake must solve a murder in a city that’s steadily sinking into the ocean.
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The Lying Detective
Your protagonist is a seasoned detective trying to solve a complex murder case, only to realize that he himself may have been set up to be the primary suspect.
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Canine Clue Collector
Narrate a classical detective tale but from the perspective of detective’s loyal dog.
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A Detective’s Past
Write a story where a retired detective is forced to confront a case from his past that he couldn’t solve.
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Twisted Evidence
Imagine a scenario where the detective discovers that the strongest piece of evidence was staged by the real culprit.
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The Illusionist’s Trick
Devise a mystery where a renowned magician’s most famous trick ends in an unexpected tragedy.
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The Murder on the Midnight Express
Invent a tale where a detective must solve a murder aboard a moving train.
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The Burgled Baker
Dissect the seemingly minor crime of a baker’s stolen recipe that spins into a larger conspiracy.
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Hidden Clues in the Museum
Imagine being a detective on a case that involves hidden clues scattered across an old museum.
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Running Clockwork
Following the theft of a priceless antique clock from a museum, your detective hero must race against time to recover the artifact.
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The Final Exhibition
A renowned art dealer is found murdered at his gallery, leaving behind only peculiar art pieces as clues.
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Whispers in the Library
An overdue library book leads your detective character to uncover a series of unexpected crimes.
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Crime in the Concerto
A world-renowned violinist is found dead in the middle of a performance. Your protagonist detective must uncover what led to the performer’s untimely end.
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Enigma at the Manor
A wealthy man mysteriously disappears during a party at his estate, and everyone is a suspect.
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Unseen Shadows
Write a flash fiction about a theft that occurred in broad daylight and the criminal remains invisible.
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The Perfect Alibi
Create a perfect crime narrative where the criminal planned the perfect alibi but was still caught.
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Murky Shadows
Write about a detective’s darkest investigation where the victim and the offender are not apparent.
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Impossible Choice
Your detective has to choose between letting a criminal escape or risking an innocent’s life.
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Know-it-all Kid Detective Grows Up
Create a humorous story about a once famous child detective who now grapples with adulthood, still trying to find mysteries in his mundane life.
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Killer of Knowledge
Our protagonist is a detective chasing a murderer who kills with books—literally.
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Thief in the Safari Zone
You’ve been hired as a detective to find out who has been stealing rare pokemon from the Safari Zone.
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Harry Potter’s Halloween Mystery
Write a Halloween-themed suspenseful adventure where Harry Potter discovers a secret about one of the Hogwarts ghosts.
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Phantasmal Photobomber
Narrate a story where a detective uses a series of photos with poltergeist activity to solve a mystery.
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Parallel Universe Mystery
Write a story where characters from two different detective series join forces to solve a cross-universe mystery.
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Twisted Justice
Write about a vigilante detective who deliberately plants evidence in order to bring criminals to justice.
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Mismatched Genre Crossovers
Write a story combining unlikely anime genres, such as mixing a serious noir detective with cute and carefree slice-of-life elements.
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Prompt Detective
Select a fun journal prompt and deconstruct it – where it might have come from, who it might appeal to and why.
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Friends Turn Foes
Pen down a tale where a detective’s best friend turns out to be a part of the crime.
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Disappearing Act
Write a story centered around the sudden mysterious disappearance of a well-known public figure.
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The Case of the Stolen Identity
Narrate a story where the detective himself becomes a suspect due to identity theft.
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Motive Hunting
Create a narrative through the eyes of a detective unraveling the motives behind a seemingly pointless crime.
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Wildlife Detective
You discover that animals can talk to you. Write about your conversations and adventures with them.