Dick Byrne Returns in “The Electric Chain”
Havok (Season 13: Encore!)
Havok has published Brian A. Dixon’s "The Electric Chain," a new flash fiction murder mystery featuring expert arson investigator Dick Byrne, as part of their Mystery Monday series. The story is now available online and can be read free of charge for twenty-four hours.
In “The Electric Chain,” Dick Byrne and his protégé, retired paramedic Justine Buchowski, arrive on the scene of an active structure fire to find they have only seconds to connect a series of startling clues and solve a murder—before someone else dies. The new story is the first of the detective's flash fiction mysteries, condensing all of the clues, intrigue, and action of a typical Dick Byrne tale into a compact format of one thousand words. The short story showcases the character's methods and extraordinary skills in a tightly structured narrative designed for maximum impact.
Read "The Electric Chain" for Free
When: Monday, March 2nd
Where: www.gohavok.com
Cost: Free for 24 hours only!
Havok Publishing delivers daily flash fiction across five distinct genres: mystery, science fiction, comedy, thriller, and fantasy. Each weekday brings a new story to readers, with Mystery Monday showcasing the best in compact crime tales of one thousand words or less. Stories published on Havok are free to read for their first twenty-four hours. After that, they become part of the member-only archive, accessible with an annual subscription of $4.99/year.
Brian A. Dixon’s expert arson investigator Dick Byrne made his debut in the pages of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, one of the oldest and most influential magazines of mystery and crime fiction in the world. "The Electric Chain" continues the character's investigations into cases involving fire, chemistry, and explosive drama.
One day. One astonishing investigation. Read "The Electric Chain," available only at Havok.
"The Electric Chain" is available now at gohavok.com. After March 3, 2026 at midnight PST, the story will be accessible to Havok members ($4.99 annual subscription).