ESL Mystery Story – The Suitcase by the Café (Part 1)
- Rose Sensei
- Aug 13
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 17
An ESL Mystery Story to Learn & Practise English Listening Skills
Do you love a good ESL mystery? Get ready to practise your English while enjoying a short story that’s full of suspense, emotion, and discovery.
In The Suitcase by the Café, you'll follow Emma, a writer who finds a strange suitcase that leads her on an unexpected journey.
This story is perfect for ESL/EFL learners at Pre-Intermediate level and above.
You’ll learn new vocabulary, test your listening or reading comprehension, and reflect on what you might do in Emma’s shoes.
🎥 Watch the Lesson Video
We also have a YouTube lesson version of this lesson, with 🗣️voice narration + a quiz!
🔹Watch it here on YouTube:
👉Listening Practice - The Suitcase By the Cafe https://youtu.be/NwI59qZQvj4
Before we dive in, watch this 40-sec 🎥Shorts for a quick vocabulary challenge! 👉What's in the Suitcase? https://tinyurl.com/5n8d3acy
🎯 How to Use This Story for Learning:
Make the most of this lesson with these simple tips:
✅ Listen once for the story. Just enjoy the mystery!
✅ Listen or read again. This time, pause to understand key words.
✅ Use the vocabulary journal. Note down new words and write your own examples.
✅ Do the comprehension questions. Practise reading or listening skills.
✅ Talk or write. Use the discussion prompt at the end to express your opinion.
🔗 You can also download the free worksheet and vocabulary list below to
help you study!
✅ What You’ll Learn in This Lesson:
Vocabulary: abandoned, curious, glance, hesitate, and more
Listening or reading practice
Critical thinking and storytelling
How to use vocabulary in your own sentences
🎙️ Listening Script: The Suitcase by the Café
It was a rainy Tuesday afternoon when Emma stepped into her favourite café, The Honey Bean.
The warm smell of coffee and cinnamon filled the air. She ordered her usual—a flat white—and found her usual seat by the window.
Emma was a freelance writer, and this café had become her second home. She opened her laptop and tried to focus on her article, but something caught her eye.
Near the counter, by the umbrella stand, sat a suitcase. It looked ordinary, brown with silver zips. But no one was near it.
Emma took a quick glance around.
No one seemed to notice the suitcase, or perhaps they were ignoring it. She felt curious.
Why would someone leave a suitcase there? Was it abandoned?
After ten minutes, the suitcase was still there. Emma closed her laptop and stood up. She walked to the counter and leaned in.
"Excuse me," she said to the barista, "do you know who left that suitcase?"
The barista looked puzzled. "I’ve no idea," he replied. "It’s been there since before I started my shift."
Emma walked back to her table but kept looking at the suitcase.
She couldn’t stop thinking about it. Should she say something? Should she check it?
She hesitated, then approached the café manager. "I think we should check what’s inside," she said softly. "Just in case."
The manager nodded. “Go ahead—carefully.”
Emma crouched beside the suitcase and slowly opened it.
Inside were some surprising contents:
a pair of worn ballet shoes
an old paperback book with several pages marked
a sealed envelope with her initials — E.M. — on it
Emma’s heart skipped a beat.
She picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside was a short note, written in neat handwriting:
"Find me at the place where stories live."
She stared at the words, confused… and then, she suddenly recognised the handwriting.
It was from Lily—her childhood friend. The one who had moved away ten years ago. The friend she hadn’t spoken to in ages.
What was this? A joke? A message? A game?
Emma knew she had to figure out what it all meant.
And she had a feeling the answer was waiting for her somewhere — maybe at the town library...
📘 Vocabulary List: The Suitcase by the Café – Part 1
Level: Pre-Intermediate
Word | Meaning | Example Sentence |
abandoned | left behind or forgotten | The suitcase looked abandoned near the café counter. |
curious | wanting to know or learn more | Emma felt curious about the suitcase and its owner. |
glance | a quick look | She took a glance at the suitcase, then looked away. |
hesitate | to pause before doing something | Emma didn’t hesitate to speak to the café manager. |
contents | the things inside something | The contents of the suitcase were very strange. |
whisper | to speak very quietly | She whispered to the barista so no one would hear. |
note | a short written message | The note inside the envelope had a mysterious message. |
recognise | to know something or someone from before | Emma recognised the handwriting immediately. |
figure out | to solve or understand something | She had to figure out what the message really meant. |
🧠 Comprehension Questions
Story: The Suitcase by the Café – Part 1
Level: Pre-Intermediate and above
✨ Multiple Choice (Choose the correct answer)
1. What kind of place is “The Honey Bean”?
A) A bookshop
B) A café
C) A library
D) A bakery
2. What does Emma usually order?
A) A latte
B) A black coffee
C) A flat white
D) A hot chocolate
3. Where does Emma notice the suitcase?
A) Outside the café
B) On the counter
C) Near the umbrella stand
D) Under a table
4. What does Emma do before opening the suitcase?
A) She calls the police
B) She takes it home
C) She asks the barista and the manager
D) She posts about it online
✨ Short Answer Questions
5. What are three things Emma finds inside the suitcase?
_____________ _____________ _______________
6. Who does Emma think the note is from?
______________________
7. What is written in the note?
______________________________
8. What does Emma decide to do at the end of the story?
______________________________
✨ Think & Talk / Writing Prompt
9. What do you think will happen next? If you were Emma, would you follow the clue? Why or why not?
✅ Correct Answer:
B) A café
C) A flat white
C) Near the umbrella stand
C) She asks the barista and the manager
✎ Ballet shoes, an old book, and a sealed envelope
✎ Her childhood friend, Lily.
✎ “Find me at the place where stories live.”
✎ She decides to go to the town library to find out more.
🧠 Now Try These Activities:
🖍️ Start Your Mini Vocabulary Journal
What’s in the suitcase… and who left the note?
Emma’s mystery has only just begun. Will she find her childhood friend? Or is something else waiting at the town library?
We’ll find out in Part 2 of the story — coming soon!
💬 Tell us in the comments:
What do you think “the place where stories live” means?
📥 Download the worksheet and vocabulary journal template to keep learning!
📺 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the podcast version, quizzes, and English Shorts inspired by this story!
📌 Save this post for your next English study session!
🔔 Practice More:Want to improve your listening and speaking skills?
🎥 Check out our YouTube Channel Playlist:
🔗ESL Listening Practice With Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/37rf8e23
🔗Learn Grammar Through Engaging Stories https://tinyurl.com/bvwvckfu
🔗Quick and Easy Vocabulary https://tinyurl.com/44chnrb9
📖 Prefer Reading?
Check out the related links below ⬇️
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Thank you for reading. See you soon!
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