[ OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST 2019 SHORTLISTED ] [ FEATURED ON MYSTERY ] Mikaela didn't want anything to do with her past. Her life already changed to a drastic extent when she had to be the sole witness of an "accident". 10 years later, a new accident pulled her back to her hometown. Because it resembled something she dreaded for long. But things aren't the same in Glenville, and she realises that she wasn't the only one who knew what happened that night. People have changed. There were new perspectives, new love, too much hallucinations (or are they?) topped up with self-fed lies and bitter truths. But we know that what we know doesn't always come true. And the ride to knowing about the fact that you don't know is a bumpy one. But to find out who the other person is who knows about night other than her could cost her many things - even her own sweet life. TW

Psychopath (noun): saɪkəpæθ / SAI-ko-path a person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behavior. "Never before in my life had I ever felt more vulnerable. More...hunted." Because of a fatal blow to the head that caused amnesia, Katelyn Winters had to start her life all over again. Everybody around her is a stranger, even the ones that claim to be her family. Soon, however, things start to emerge which lead Katelyn to believe that someone around her is spinning an intricate web of lies. Add that to a serial killer on the loose who seems hauntingly obsessed with Katelyn. As she runs around in circles through the labyrinth, trying to find her way to the truth, there can only be two outcomes: either she'll find a truth that will shatter everything she's ever known OR she will fall prey to the predator that had always been just around the corner... BEST RANKING: #8 IN MYSTERY/THRILLER

[ONC 2020 Shortlister] Something evil dwells in the black lake by the misty woods, something that will claim the souls of those who dare to dive into its realm. Lynn Morris is ready to enjoy some well-deserved holidays in the company of her closest friends. And that house on the lakeshore looks like a dream come true and is exactly what she needs. Or that's what she thinks. It takes her diving into the lake, it takes a blood-curdling vision for her to know they shouldn't have touched the waters. Something is watching her; ready to turn her holidays into the worst nightmare ever had. When reality and illusions start clashing in a never-ending war, will she be able to remain sane and save her friends? Or will she fall prey to the darkness growing in her own mind? *ONC 2020. Prompt #40.

When Isabelle Donovan disappears without a trace, her case eerily resembles another woman's unexplained vanishing just a year before---raising chilling questions about what truly links these two mysteries. Isabelle Donovan doesn't show up to work, which causes immediate concern. Known for her impeccable attendance, Isabelle would never miss a day without notice. The police launch a swift investigation, with initial suspicion falling on her estranged husband, Scott Donovan, from whom she separated six months earlier. Scott claims ignorance regarding Isabelle's disappearance, but his alibi begins to unravel when her best friend comes forward with unsettling new information. A year earlier, another young woman vanished under eerily similar circumstances. Though her body was never recovered, police remained convinced her husband was responsible---despite lacking proof. As the search for Isabelle intensifies, troubling questions emerge. What truly led to the end of Isabelle's marriage? Is Scott harboring secrets, or is he a scapegoat for a deeper mystery? And could Isabelle's case be linked to the earlier disappearance? If so, does that clear Scott-or deepen his guilt? In this story, innocence is elusive and every character harbors secrets. Because here, nobody is innocent.