Click here to read an interview about my story "The Yellow Speck."

Story:

A Scandal in Bohemia

Author:

Arthur Conan Doyle

Genre:

Private Detective

Summary:

Some people are hard to forget. Often, it’s romantic.

In today’s story, Sherlock Holmes is asked to recover a sensitive photograph, but the case becomes more about the woman who captures his attention.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 Greater Phoenix Writing Group

Writing alongside other participants and sharing my own work

Saturday, July 11th, 10·00 AM–12·30 PM

Free admission

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:10 - Introduction

1:06 - Story

51:46 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly newsletter featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. The original text of Arthur Conan Doyle’s “A Scandal in Bohemia” is in the public domain. This adaptation, updated for modern readers, is copyrighted © 2026 by Nikita Costiuc.

Click here to see Daria and me at the Arizona Author Book Festival.

Story:

A Retrieved Reformation

Author:

O. Henry

Genre:

Crime Suspense

Summary:

Can people really change?

If you think about those you’ve known for years, you might say no. But think about yourself. Would you want people judging you by the way you were a year ago?

In today’s story, a safecracker starts over in a quiet town. But a lawman is on his trail, and the past isn’t done with him yet.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 Greater Phoenix Writing Group

Writing alongside other participants and sharing my own work

Saturday, June 6th, 10·00 AM–12·30 PM

Saturday, June 13th, 10·00 AM–12·30 PM

Free admission

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:09 - Introduction

0:54 - Story

18:58 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly newsletter featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. The original text of O. Henry’s “A Retrieved Reformation” is in the public domain. This adaptation, updated for modern readers, is copyrighted © 2026 by Nikita Costiuc.

Click here to see Daria and me at the Polish festival.

Story:

The Lost Innocence of Ernesto Guillén

Author:

Tom Larsen

Genre:

Police Procedural

Summary:

Living in the United States (and other Western countries), we have a clear picture of what justice looks like.

But today’s story takes place in rural Ecuador, where justice is a lot less official. A young detective investigates the murder of a foreign cyclist, and the whole town seems to know more than it’ll say. The rookie loses something of his own before the case is over.

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:11- Introduction

1:14- Story

32:08 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. “The Lost Innocence of Ernesto Guillén” is copyrighted © 2025 by Tom Larsen and is shared here with the author’s permission. Learn more about Tom Larsen here.

Click here to read Nikita's story "A Yellow Speck" (about a ten-minute read.)

Story:

Creativity

Author:

John M. Floyd

Genre:

Psychological Suspense

Summary:

You know the kind of people who act like they’re concerned when they're really after juicy details?

That’s the person we meet in today’s story: a woman who asks too many questions and suffers the consequences.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

I’m getting settled in Phoenix, so there are no public events to share just yet.

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:08- Introduction

1:10- Story

8:22 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. “Creativity” is copyrighted © 2000 by John M. Floyd and is shared here with the author’s permission. Learn more about John M. Floyd at www.johnmfloyd.com.

Story:

Ice Sailor

Author:

Laird Long

Genre:

Historical Mystery

Summary:

Some people don’t keep secrets, they trade them.

In today’s story, a crewman is found dead, and Henry Hudson has to figure out who’s actually on his side as his ship sits trapped in ice.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 “Drop In and Write” Writing Group

Giving feedback, sharing my own work, and participating in great conversations

Every Thursday, 5·30–7·00 PM

Free admission

🍽️ Feast Kitchen – Volunteering

Helping immigrant chefs serve delicious food

• Wednesday, March 11th, 4·00–8·00 PM

Menu items range from $15–$25

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:10 - Introduction

1:04 - Story

30:40 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. “Ice Sailor” is copyrighted © 2006 by Laird Long and shared here with the author’s permission.

Story:

The Getaway

Author:

O. F. Lewis

Genre:

Psychological Suspense

Summary:

Sometimes when you try to escape a difficult situation, you end up someplace worse.

In today’s story, two prisoners spend months digging a tunnel out of the yard, only to break through into a new kind of bad idea.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 “Drop In and Write” Writing Group

Giving feedback, sharing my own work, and participating in great conversations

Every Thursday, 5·30–7·00 PM

Free admission

🍽️ Feast Kitchen – Volunteering

Helping immigrant chefs serve delicious food

• Saturday, February 7th, 3·30–7·30 PM

• Saturday, February 14th, 10·30–2·00 PM

Menu items range from $15–$25

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:10 - Introduction

1:02 - Story

16:43 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. The original text of O. F. Lewis’s “The Getaway” is in the public domain. This adaptation, updated for modern readers, is copyrighted © 2026 by Nikita Costiuc.

Story:

$500,000 Reward

Author:

Melville Davisson Post

Genre:

Hardboiled

Summary:

How often do we get bamboozled by first impressions? More than we’d like.

In today’s story, a law enforcement agent meets a homeless person and assumes he’s dealing with a harmless nobody. Then the homeless man opens his mouth and, well, let’s just say the agent learns something.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 “Drop In and Write” Writing Group

Giving feedback, sharing my own work, and participating in great conversations

Every Thursday, 5·30–7·00 PM

Free admission

🍽️ Feast Kitchen – Volunteering

Helping immigrant chefs serve delicious food

• Saturday, January 10th, 3·30–7·30 PM

• Saturday, January 31st, 3·30–7·30 PM

Menu items range from $15–$25

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:10 - Introduction

1:07 - Story

22:22 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. The original text of Melville Davisson Post’s “Five Thousand Dollar Reward” is in the public domain. This adaptation, updated for modern readers, is copyrighted © 2025 by Nikita Costiuc.

Story:

My Christmas Burglary

Author:

Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

Genre:

Psychological Suspense

Summary:

Does anyone actually want to “get what they deserve”? We all hope for more grace than we’ve earned, and we protest when the consequences feel too harsh.

In today’s story, a burglar breaks into a collector’s home on Christmas night and gets something he couldn’t have imagined—or felt he deserved.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 “Drop In and Write” Writing Group

Giving feedback, sharing my own work, and participating in great conversations

Every Thursday, 5·30–7·00 PM

Free admission

🍽️ Feast Kitchen – Volunteering

Helping immigrant chefs serve delicious food

• Saturday, December 13th, 3·30–7·30 PM

• Saturday, December 20th, 3·30–7·30 PM

Menu items range from $15–$25

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:10 - Introduction

1:10 - Story

20:05 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. The original text of Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch’s “My Christmas Burglary” is in the public domain. This adaptation, updated for modern readers, is copyrighted © 2025 by Nikita Costiuc.

Story:

What Do You Mean—Americans?

Author:

Wilbur Daniel Steele

Genre:

Literary Suspense

Summary:

Ever listen to old men grumbling about how the country’s going to hell, kids have no respect, and nothing’s like it used to be?

Usually, it’s just confusion: they don’t get the clothes, slang, or music, so they assume the world is ending. But sometimes it’s deeper: a fear of anything unfamiliar.

Today’s story starts with two old men complaining about the youth. But by night’s end, it’s clear the kids aren’t ruining the country. They’re as American as anyone.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 “Drop In and Write” Writing Group

Giving feedback, sharing my own work, and participating in great conversations

Every Thursday, 5·30–7·00 PM

Free admission

🍽️ Feast Kitchen – Volunteering

Helping immigrant chefs serve delicious food

• Saturday, November 8th, 3·30–7·30 PM

• Saturday, November 22nd, 3·30–7·30 PM

Menu items range from $15–$25

🎤 Feast Kitchen Open Mic

Reading one of my stories

Friday, November 7th, 8·30–9·30 PM

Free admission

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:10 - Introduction

1:20 - Story

34:00 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. The original text of Wilbur Daniel Steele’s “What Do You Mean—Americans?” is in the public domain. This adaptation, updated for modern readers, is copyrighted © 2025 by Nikita Costiuc.

A Trap for the Unwary

Author:

Agatha Christie

Genre:

Crime Thriller

Summary:

Ever had someone drag you back to past?

That’s Olga Stormer’s problem in one of Agatha Christie’s earliest stories. On stage, Olga is a star. Off stage, a blackmailer tries to make a buck off her past life. But Olga doesn’t blink: she protects herself with the performance of a lifetime.

Where You’ll Find Nikita

📝 “Drop In and Write” Writing Group

Giving feedback, sharing my own work, and participating in great conversations

Every Thursday, 5·30–7·00 PM

Free admission

🍽️ Feast Kitchen – Volunteering

Helping immigrant chefs serve delicious food

• Sunday, October 12th, 11·00–1·30 PM

• Saturday, October 18th, 3·30–7·30 PM

Menu items range from $15–$25

Time Stamps

0:00 - Opening

0:11 - Introduction

1:15 - Story

16:00 - Personal Updates

Curated by Costiuc is a monthly podcast featuring curated mystery, thriller, and suspense stories. The original text of Agatha Christie’s “A Trap for the Unwary” is in the public domain. This adaptation, updated for modern readers, is copyrighted © 2025 by Nikita Costiuc.