Nostalgia City Mysteries

Mark S. Bacon

Category Archives: short stories

Today’s flash fiction

 Murder on the Oceanic Express

 “Unlucky for some you’re here, Hugo,” said the yacht’s captain.

“What’d you mean, old friend?”

“We’re in the middle of the ocean, you’re the world-famous detective, and here’s a body with one dozen stab wounds. But you’ll solve this for us.  I’m sure.”

“So, the deceased was CEO and the passengers on board were managers and executives at MegaCorp.  And since MegaCorp is bankrupt, the CEO indicted, and all the employees out of work, the 12 passengers make good suspects.”

The captain nodded.

“But so would someone who lost his savings–and his boat–investing in MegaCorp.”

“But Hugo, think about it.  There’s exactly 12–one dozen–MegaCorp employees on board.”

“But they didn’t invite me on the cruise.”

Book available; tech issues solved

Mysteries and Murder could be called the “Best of Bacon’s Flash Fiction.”  It’s a collection of flash fiction crime and mystery stories made just for your smart phone.

Some recent technical glitches that made it difficult to find the book on the Ether Books website have now been solved.  To see Mysteries and Murder just go to http://catalog.etherbooks.com/Products/2282.

If you haven’t downloaded the free Ether Book app, you can do that on this site, too.

100 words on crime and cops

Here’s a piece of crime flash fiction that does not appear in any publication.  It’s new.

 Cops’ Weekend Duty

“Stake-outs,  that’s all we ever do.  And here we are on a Sunday morning, doing more stake-out duty.  It sucks.”  Steve’s shoulders sagged as he gripped the steering wheel.

“This ain’t so bad.  We had to get here early.”

“But why us?  Just ‘cuz we screwed up a little on that last case, O’Dwyer says we have to be the ones to get up so damn early this morning.”

“Quit complaining.  We stake-out these prime parking spots for our football tailgate party and the rest of the squad will be buying the beer all afternoon.”

“Yeah, when they get here.”

More flash fiction

Here’s another sample from “Cops, Crooks & Other Stories in 100 Words.”  This one is not a crime story, but I think it has an element of mystery.

  Southern Duo

Hector and Barney sat overlooking a dusty Southeast country lane one lazy summer afternoon.  Soon, one of them noticed a small object.

“Hey, Barney, see that?”

“See what?”

“On the road.  Looks like a tiny lizard.”

“Ain’t no lizard,” Barney said, “It’s a insect.”

“I tell you it’s a lizard,” Hector said.  “You’re getting old.”

“No I ain’t,” he said.  And with a flap of his wings Barney swooped down, scooped up the skittering object in his beak, and landed gracefully back on the telephone wire.

“Well, was it a lizard?”

“No,” mumbled Barney the blackbird, swallowing.  “A roach. Yum.”