An author who gives regular talks at Dorset libraries and bookshops has launched a short story podcast.

Crime fiction writer Rachel Amphlett, who until recently called the Dorchester area home, is aiming the podcast at mystery fans.

Now based just over the border in Somerset, Rachel will be releasing a new mystery story with a deadly twist each week on Case Files: Short Crime Fiction Stories.

Season one begins on September 26 with Special Delivery. Each episode is less than an hour long so you can get a crime fiction fix in your lunch hour.

Rachel’s inspiration for Case Files stems from reading short stories by Stephen King, Richard Matheson, Rod Serling and Roald Dahl.

She said: “They wrote short stories where the good guys didn’t always win, where I found myself smiling at what the bad guys sometimes got away with. I’d often feel a shiver of anticipation as the page turned and the author posed the question ‘What if?’"

Rachel has written more than 30 crime novels and short stories. The plot twist of finding readers through podcasts rather than print came during lockdown.

She said: “I’ve written lots of short stories over the past two years and I attended the Frankfurt Book Fair which put everything online in October 2020. One of the sessions was by Bookwire which had done research into how people use eBooks, digital audiobooks and podcasts.

“True crime podcasts are popular, you’ve got scripted audio drama like radio plays, and you’ve got some people who take their audiobooks and serialise them. But as far as I can find, there are no crime fiction or murder mystery publishers regularly sharing new stories by their authors on podcasts. I thought, why not give it a go?

“In 10 years’ time, somebody who might have found my work from this podcast, might read all my books. Or listen to all my audiobooks or follow them all through the library.”

Case Files: Short Crime Fiction Stories is available on all major podcast apps including Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. For episode updates go to www.shortcrimestories.com.