Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume I, as will be the case in all subsequent volumes, is comprised of short stories, suitable for family reading, placed in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. The stories of this volume are fiction, with the writers showing, in print, the beauty of the region in their stories of romance, the intrigue of the Ozarks in their fantasy and adventure tales, or the historical significance of the area in the fictionalized stories of the Ozark Bluff Dwellers or the roles of some Ozark residents during the Civil War. And, of course, the book would not be complete without a tale or two of supernatural beings dedicated to the folklore that is a part of the Ozarks. In compiling this and future volumes to follow, we invited published writers with Ozark connections to submit stories for possible inclusion. In doing so, our only stipulation was that the works be short stories and fit some definition of mystery. From the submissions, we selected stories from nineteen prolific writers for this first volume. You will be amazed at the tales. Enjoy, but be forewarned and selective. Reading of some selections in the evening, especially on a dark, stormy night, is at your own risk.