Mysteries are fun, particularly when they involve murder. Short mystery stories are a great way to take a break from our busy jam-packed lives and escape for a little time from reality into the world of fiction. By their very nature, short stories are single-minded. There are fewer characters to follow. And the pace is fast.

THE STORIES

HOLLYWOOD – Stars get special treatment in "Tinsel Town." The loss of a son causes a bereaved mother to buck the odds in an effort to payback an uncaring actor.

SNAP – Tired of living under the domination of women causes Bill to takes things into his own hands. The result is briefly liberating, but the consequences are deadly.

GEMINI – Identical twins are reunited when a sister is assigned the task of assassinating the other. A plan is devised to avert one murder, which can end in both their deaths.

WISHES – A stranger offers a born loser a way out of his miserable existence. The man can have whatever he wants, but he does not consider the final outcome.

SCHEME – A body washes up on the South Jersey shore. What appears to be a simple case of murder turns out to be a complex and well orchestrated killing plot.

ANGELS – Digging for buried treasure was Kurt Mason's job. After finding a special piece of antiquity he is thrust into a world-wide adventure that could cost him his life.

SOBER – Selecting the right AA sponsor may produce major changes in an individual's life. Agreeing to sponsor the wrong person could have deadly results.

WRITERS – Husband and wife authors live in an isolated country home. She comes to believe he is planning to murder her. It could be her imagination or a glimpse of reality.

REDEMPTION – Most people would welcome the opportunity to eliminate poor choices made in the past. But does a death row prisoner deserve a second chance at life?