Dormer: A Friday the 13th Story #5

by Mark Edward Jones

Olivia Kraevitz may be known as the nosy neighbor, but she prides herself on her ability to gather information. When her eccentric neighbor, Vivian Johnson, stops retrieving her mail, it seems she and her son have vanished. Determined to uncover the truth, Olivia enlists her friends to explore Vivian's house.

Brandy Looking, Vivian’s enigmatic caregiver, is an oddball in a neighborhood of eccentrics. Her pale makeup highlights blue dot tattoos on her forehead, connected by an arc between her brows. Brandy despises Olivia’s prying eyes, and soon, Olivia finds herself marked with blue dots, just like Brandy.

Undeterred, Olivia and her friends venture into Vivian’s house, where the body count begins. As the neighbors attempt to escape, Brandy has other plans for her visitors. With so many unexpected opportunities, Brandy must keep her head to savor them all.

Dormer will enchant you with the tale of Brandy Looking, your soon-to-be favorite imp, who transforms an attic with a dormer window into her observatory. The dormer, a nod to its medieval roots, symbolizes a vantage point from which one can see … and be seen. In this chilling story, remember ... you never know who’s watching.

69 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 13, 2024

About the author

Mark Edward Jones writes mystery, crime, noir, and speculative fiction. His work includes the Frank “Twitchy” O’Brien mysteries, the Eddie Stone series, the Henry Ike Pierce mysteries, and the science-fiction stories Transmission 13 and Echo 13. His fiction has received awards and recognition from regional and national writing organizations.

Mark and his wife have celebrated over four decades together. They have three grown children and one grandson.

Reviews

[Robert Herold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alternately Hilarious and Horrifying
Dormer, a wonderful new novelette by Mark Edward Jones, features a hilarious group of senior citizens confronting a terrifying witch. The dialogue between the seniors will make you chuckle, but these busy-body amateur sleuths get involved in a deadly investigation into a missing neighbor. Will any of them live to play another game of mahjong? Read this marvelous tale to find out.

[Susie Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

If ever there was an oxymoron of a tale The Dormer is the one. Who knew a horror story could be laugh-out-loud funny and still scare the pants off you? Mark Edward Jones created a cast of zany senior citizen characters that won’t be trifled with. Don’t let the snappy, deadpan dialog fool you…these nosy Nellies are dead serious when a neighbor goes missing. A fun horror story….Whoddathunk?

[Alicia Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little horror short story. Dormer had a cast of wacky characters, a unique premise and some good ole' jump scares. I loved the nod to Bewitched's Glady Kravitz. A humorous, well-written story.