“Twist Phelan is one of the most celebrated of current crime short-story writers. […] Her short stories are all standouts.”
For the Good of the Game
The Mystery Review
Red Herring Magazine
A Trader’s Lot
Wall Street Noir
Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
Finalist, Derringer Award, Best Short Story of the Year (Short Mystery Fiction Society)
Floored
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
The Peahen
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
A Stab in the Heart
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Winner, Thriller Award, Best Short Story of the Year (International Thriller Writers Association)
Finalist, Derringer Award, Best Short Story of the Year (Short Mystery Fiction Society)
Talk to Me
American Crime Writer’s League Presents America Past, America Present
Time Will Tell
Mystery Writers of America Presents The Prosecution Rests
Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
Finalist, Arthur Ellis Award, Best Crime Short Story of the Year (Crime Writers of Canada)
Selection, By Hook or By Crook and 27 More of the Best Crime and Mystery Stories of the Year
Happine$$
Mystery Writers of America Presents The Rich and The Dead
Finalist, Thriller Award, Best Short Story of the Year (International Thriller Writers Association)
Finalist, Anthony Award, Best Short Story of the Year (Bouchercon World Mystery Convention)
The Fourteenth Juror
Mystery Writers of America Presents Vengeance
Distinguished Story Selection, The Best American Mystery Stories
Footprints in Water
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Revue Alabis
Winner, Thriller Award, Best Short Story of the Year (International Thriller Writers Association)
Winner, Arthur Ellis Award, Best Crime Short Story of the Year (Crime Writers of Canada)
Winner, Colorado Authors League Award, Best Short Story of the Year
Selection, Top Fifteen Short Stories of the Year (SleuthSayers.org)
Selection, Top Five Police Stories of the Decade (SleuthSayers.org)
Top Ten, Launch Pad Prose Competition
Top Twenty, Thriller Short Story (Prose) Projects All-Time (Coverfly)
Game
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Finalist, Arthur Ellis Award, Best Crime Short Story of the Year (Crime Writers of Canada)
Finalist, Shamus Award, Best Crime Short Story of the Year (Private Eye Writers of America)
Rude Awakening
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Fathers-in-Law
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Finalist, Thriller Award, Best Short Story of the Year (International Thriller Writers Association)
Used To Be
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Finalist, Award of Excellence, Best Short Story of the Year (Crime Writers of Canada)
The Bridge
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Longlist, Irish Book Awards Short Story of the Year
The Kindness of Strangers
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Seventh Place, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Readers’ Choice Award
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
List of Contributors
The Dark City Crime & Mystery Magazine
Mystery Tribune
Judge Not
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Highly Commended, Irish Book Awards Short Story of the Year
Finalist, Derringer Award, Best Short Story of the Year (Short Mystery Fiction Society)
Soon It’ll Be Over
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Sorry Sorry
Mystery Tribune
Shortlist, Pulp Fictional Flash Fiction
Aim
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Selection, The Best Private Eye Stories Of The Year 2025
Finalist, Award of Excellence, Best Crime Novella of the Year (Crime Writers of Canada)
Artificial Hearts
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
An Ounce of Prevention
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Seventh Place, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Readers’ Choice Award
Bertha
Friend of the Devil: Crime Fiction Inspired by Songs of the Grateful Dead
Good Shoes
Coolest American Stories 2025
Selection, The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2025
Double Parked
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Finalist, Thriller Award, Best Short Story of the Year (International Thriller Writers Association)
Third Place, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Readers’ Choice Award
Dupe
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Pay Dirt
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
The Border
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Eighth Place, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine Readers’ Choice Award
Authorized Treatment
Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
***
Mystery Writers of America Six-Word Mystery Contest
“Window jimmied. Intruder shot. Keys noticed.”
Finalist, Police Procedural category
“Born triplets. But three’s a crowd.”
Winner, Thriller category
“Conductor arrested; excessive sax and violins.”
Finalist, Police Procedural category
Finalist, Cozy category
“Musician’s notes held key to murder.”
Finalist, Police Procedural category
Finalist, Cozy category
“Ear mailed today. Now they’d listen.”
Finalist, Romance and Lust category
“Library heist: Thieves booked—novel escape!”
Winner, Thriller category
“Tailor buttonholed; alibi unravels. Stitched up.”
Finalist, Thriller category
“Chef poisoned diners. Poor thyme management.”
Finalist, Cozy category
“Locksmith picked off. Key evidence missing.”
Finalist, Romance/Lust category
***