Walking in the Darkness is Perhaps Getting Closer to the Light…

Now push your limits!

We invite you to embark on the journey.

WHY DETECTIVE STORIES?

Berna Moran describes detective stories as “a narrative genre that first and foremost expresses trust and faith in logic, as it presents the solution to a seemingly unsolvable mysterious murder.” The master of detective fiction, Ahmet Ümit, says, “… detective stories, as a whole, entertain, inform, criticize, but above all, subtly challenge our intelligence, encouraging us to think.”

Detective stories attract readers in many ways. Mystery, excitement, psychological analyses of characters, and their complex relationships, tension, the commission of crimes, the evaluation of evidence, and the capture of the criminal—or perhaps the failure to find them—are all elements that draw in the audience. The genre is also multifaceted and layered, as it conveys societal and social structures, class relations, justice systems, political balances, and inconsistencies of the time.

We are aware that detective stories walk hand in hand with harsh reality. Sometimes they depict the decaying nests of cults, the deep, hard-to-understand labyrinths of psychology, abuse, or mafia formations within law enforcement. In addition to all this, detective works highlight how intelligent and courageous women detectives, often not taken seriously, navigate treacherous paths full of mines. Interest in detective fiction has been growing steadily in recent years. We also wanted to support this festive rise, hear the voices of emerging detective writers, and bring them to light.

The project coordinators of this story contest are Yasemin Seven Erangin, Ülkü Yağmur, and Aliye Düzgün Çadırcı. The jury includes Ayşe Erbulak, Sevil Atasoy, Adnan Gerger, Aşkın Zengin Akkuş, and Melih Günaydın.

The Karanlık Öyküler Detective Story Contest is open to anyone who is 18 years or older. Those wishing to participate in the contest should send their stories to the email address karanlik.oykuler1@gmail.com

In the Karanlık Öyküler Detective Story Contest, along with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, one honorary mention award will also be given. All stories deemed worthy of publication by the jury will be compiled in a collection bearing the same name as the contest. The book, made up of works that qualify for inclusion, will be published by Ayrıkotu Kitap Yayınları and made available to readers.

Applications for the contest began on December 16, 2024, and the final deadline for participation is March 20, 2025. The shortlist will be announced on April 20, 2025. The winners will be revealed on the day of the book launch, which will be held in line with the spirit of the detective story contest, to preserve the mystery and elevate the excitement.