Mystery Story Writing Competition - 2022

We’re delighted to announce the winners of this year’s Mystery Story Writing Competition for young people aged between 8 and 18 years who live or go to school or college in the county of Devon.

This year we partnered with Libraries Unlimited, Torquay Museum and Literature Works to help spread the word across the county. Our judging panel looked for originality, character, plot and use of language in each (up to 1000- word) entry we received. Thank you to all of you who entered!

Here are the winners and their wonderful stories. Simply click the link which displays the title to read the winning entries.

Category 8-13 years:

• 1st Prize: Elsa Rogers, 11 years of age: Dew and Dawn Dice with Death
• 2nd Prize: Cecily Fox, 13 years of age: Pin a Death Upon a Wall
• 3rd Prize: Sorcha Feiler, 11 years of age: Red Mist

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

• Eve Aylott, 9 years of age: The Adventure of Stagitha Bristi
• Ramona Middleham, 11 years of age: Quite a Floral Murder

Category 14-18 years:

• 1st Prize: Emma Shakespear Bright, 18 years of age: The Showman’s Curse
• 2nd Prize: Alexandra Yates, 14 years of age: You’ve Been Framed!
• 3rd Prize: Jasmine Fuller, 18 years of age: Out of the Frying Pan

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

• Erin Davies, 14 years of age: Silent Scream

The winners received their prizes from International Agatha Christie Festival Writer in Residence, thriller writer, Dr Ruby Gupta, at an award ceremony at Torquay Museum on Saturday 17th September.

First Prize winners in each category received an Apple iPAD mini © kindly sponsored by Wollens and PKF Francis Clark.

Second Prize winners in each category received a Waterstones Gift Voucher to the value of £50.00, kindly sponsored by Waterstones.

Third Prize winners in each category received a Waterstones Gift Voucher to the value of £25.00, kindly sponsored by Waterstones.

All six winners were presented with a copy of the 1000-piece Agatha Christie jigsaw puzzle, kindly sponsored by Laurence King Publishing.

Congratulations to all the winners and huge thanks to our generous sponsors.