Playing the Piper: A Pied Piper Retelling

by Jes Drew

The Piper's tune comes with a cost . . .

Carina is a widow whose only focus is raising her young son. The last thing she needs is adventure. But when a mysterious bard comes to town, that is exactly what finds her. Because while he seems to hold the entire town in a spell, the Piper's focus is entirely on her.

Just because adventure is the last thing Carina needs doesn't mean it's not what she longs for. And whether it wants her or not, it is coming for her. Because where the Piper goes, danger follows . . .

Playing the Piper is a spooky sweet short story retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamelin set in the world of Constantinium featuring healing hearts, just kisses, and a very strange plague.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Fairy Tale Retellings

73 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2025

About the author

Jes Drew is the author of 60+ books including the Cursed Fae of Orphydice Manor Series, the Sunset at Dawn trilogy, Love of Legends, and Bound by Death.

She has three degrees, including a Master of Arts in Behavioral Counseling. A gremlin that resembles a cat keeps her busy when she's not writing about hard-won happily ever afters.

Reviews

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A somber yet different take on the Pied Piper story that I throughly enjoyed.

Both Carina and the Piper go through such hard, life altering things yet still keep going in a way that’s inspiring, especially in how they interact with Carina’s young son which was so sweet and wholesome. 🥰

The whole rat thing of the tale being tied to magic and the price that needs to be paid? SUPER creepy and perfect for a fall or Halloween read without being too overboard on the creep scale which as a sensitive chicken I appreciated, lol.

A wonderful short book I will definitely read again; I can’t wait to check out more books in this world!


‼️Content‼️

Violence: a rat is stabbed with a sword (not detailed); injuries and blood (not detailed); rats are drowned in a river (not shown or detailed); a curse makes people magically dance

Sexual: a kiss (not detailed)

Other: magic; magical abilities and visions; death and grief; undead rats; a character is accused of using witchcraft (they’re not); children are magically “abducted”


****Note: I received a free copy of the book from the author/publisher. All thoughts and opinions are most assuredly my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review. If I was I wouldn’t have read it. 😜****

[Katherine Weda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, semi-sweet twist on the original tale in true Jes Drew style.

[Luminea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming Pied Piper fairytale retelling is a sweet story of grief, magic, and second chances.

Carina is a widow struggling to make ends meet and care for her young son after her husband's death in a war. When a bard arrives in her village and takes an interest in her, Carina is understandably reserved; but Austein is determined to fulfill his promise to keep his friend's family safe.

Both Carina and Austein's lives have been touched by sorrow and hardship, so I appreciated that this was not a story about "insta-love." It takes time for the characters to establish trust and genuine connection, but what I found so touching is how their mutual love of children gave them common ground.

Lovers of slow-burn fantasy romance and fairytale retellings will enjoy this heartwarming novella!

Many thanks to the author and Book Sirens for providing me with a free copy of Playing the Piper. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Thoroughly Clean Indies]

{47 print pages}

Genre: Fantasy, fairy/folk tale retelling [of the Pied Piper]
Tropes: Fated love, he “falls” first, visions
Setting: Strasbourg
Writing style: Single POV except for a second in prologue, 1st person, present tense
Tone: Even
Character- or plot-driven: Hard to categorize

Romance: Yes
Clean level: Quick mouth kiss. A couple instances of tame innuendo. Someone asks someone about a “tryst” (it wasn’t one).

*There is a glossary of in-world terms at the beginning of the book.

A very original idea. In this retelling, the Piper is a hero rather than a villain. Unfortunately, the story moves very quickly, which ultimately detracts from its effectiveness. The relationship between the protagonists moves too rapidly to be believable. I would like to see the story expanded into a full-length novel, allowing for more natural pacing and deeper development of the characters and their relationship.

Favorite quotations:
• My son’s eyes are bulging with fascination just like his cheeks are bulging with sweet cake.
• “I beg your pardon!” “Consider my pardon begged.”


(I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am gratefully—voluntarily—leaving a review.)

[Moonburst · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Carina's husband passed in the war, she hasn't had time to think of anything but providing for herself and her young son. But when a mysterious minstrel comes into town, he seems fixated on Carina. The Piper has real talent, but his magical services have a cost. When the cost remains unpaid, Carina finds herself helping the Piper mitigate costs in unexpected ways.

Carina is a caring mother who hasn't completely gotten over the loss of her husband. Life is much harder now, and she's also grieving the life she would have had if her her husband hadn't died. She has a strong sense of justice, and while the Piper makes her uneasy with his claims and flirtations, she doesn't let that prevent her from lending aid. Her conflicted viewpoint gives an interesting depth and feeling to the story.

Playing the Piper is a short retelling of the Pied Piper that explores debts, healing, and following your heart. A fun, mildly eerie read perfect for the fall season.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playing the Piper is a lovely retelling of the Pied Piper legend that asks an intriguing question: what if the Pied Piper wasn't such a bad guy after all?

I really enjoyed the twist on the classic tale, especially the way it reimagines the Piper's role and motivations. There's also a sweet touch of romance woven into the story that adds warmth without overpowering the plot.

While the book isn't exactly lighthearted, it offers a more hopeful and satisfying outcome than the original legend. If you enjoy fairy tale retellings that put a fresh spin on familiar stories, this one is well worth picking up.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Danie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet short story. While it was sweet and had plenty of romance... it was also sad.

This book is mild, even though it has darker themes (waar, death, plague). Nothing was descriptive and this made it very easy to read and digest.

This was a very short read and it matched the original tale well. This would be a great read if you are waiting for an appointment or want a short story to read on your lunch break/before bed/in limited spare time.

I really liked the Piper. I think adding visions to the story gave it aa unique twist.

Overall, I recommend this story to those who enjoy retellings

I received an ARC all thoughts are my own.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This goes back to the olden times story of the Pied Piper. Austin is the Piper and had met Carina’s husband, Everard, before he passed away. He has been ghosting Carina and they became close when the townspeople put Austin in socks and she got him out. Austin could tell something bad was coming, but had a hard time describing it, until the plague came and that was his bad news. Carina, her son Everard, named after Gigi’s dad Carina’s husband survived this horrible disease and left on Austein’s horse with him and going on adventures with him.

I received an early, free AR copy and am giving my honest, free and voluntary review

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the idea of this book and that the cover was so well done and that the concept was a Pied Piper retelling, I thought the story was really well done and worked as a original story. Jes Drew has a strong writing style and was engaged with everything that was happening with the characters. The characters were developed perfectly and was hooked from the first page. It was everything that I wanted and was glad I got to read this and thought it worked in the Chronicles of Constantinium series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always enthralled by diving into fairytale retellings, and Playing the Piper, while a short read, did not disappoint! Widow Carina has captivated the new and mysterious Piper who has come to town. His unique abilities has made a name for himself, but this magic comes with a cost. This is when Carina comes into play assisting him. This was an entertaining read, and with its mysterious and eerie nature, perfect for this time of year!

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read and how the author interpreted the classic tale. A factor that I especially liked was the way that grief is portrayed between the two MCs. Though it’s short, you can see how the characters grew with their loss in their own ways. But it’s not particularly dreary, there’s adventure and intrigue.


(Ps. In all the books I’ve read, this is the first I really felt compelled to say anything about online :))

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and sweet novella retelling of the Pied Pipper. I've always loved this tale when I was younger, and this retelling didn't disappoint.

The Piper's magic must be paid, or there will be consequences that he has no control over.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great short, clean retelling of the Pied Piper! I loved this angle of the story, with its redeeming qualities! There was plenty of the original tale here, along with a few twists that made it new and refreshing. Death and grief were present, but there was also mercy, hope, and love. It was very well told! I received an ARC copy and this is my review.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice fantasy/fairytale retelling.. I liked it very much.. It is sweet and quick-to-read, with danger and suspense..

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ariana Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story

It’s short but it’s very sweet and gets a lot in. I’m always here for a second chance romance. And I love seeing more of this world. Plus the audiobook was great to listen to!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet tale of the pied piper. There's not really much to say. It is short and sweet and follows the original well while also changing the perspective.

[Tami Willard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read spin-off the fairy tale The Pid Pipper.

Visions from his mother and playing the pipes from his father.

Everything has a price per the curse

[aem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice reimagining and improved version of Pied Piper of Hamlin. This piper is more sympathetic!

[Tanvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a unique take on the Pied Piper Story, one which is both sad and beautiful.

This short story is well written and a good option for a quick read.

[Grace Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book during a promotional event. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I’m obsessed with the Pied Piper right now, so I decided to give this short story a try. This was a very somber take on the hunting tale, and I absolutely fell in love with the magic system and the characters. How magic always has a price and must be paid? Yes, please! Carina and the Piper were made for each other. I loved how they bonded from caring for her son.

A friend had told me how the plague in this story was inspired by the Dancing Plague of 1518, which is absolutely bizarre and sooo interesting, and I loved this little fact so much.

I loved how this is part of a shared world of Constantinium, but never in this story did I feel like I was missing any information and was able to fully immerse myself in this world and characters.

I only wish this was a longer story. While I thought it did a good job with wrapping stuff up, I did think some parts were a bit rushed, particularly the plague itself. Though this is a common issue I have with novellas, and overall, I really enjoyed.

Content in Book:

1. A briefly mentioned war. (Recruiting children to fight in a war, mentions of losing someone from the war, etc.)
2. Rats. (Rats attacking people. Killing rats.)
3. Magic. (Being able to control people/animals with music. Needing payment in order to perform music otherwise bad things happen. Being able to see the future. Etc.)
4. A plague.
5. Romance with sweet kisses only.

Who I Would Recommend This Book To:

Those who want a “Pied Piper” retelling. Those who want a book about a single parent. Those who want a somber story. Those who want a book with music magic. Those who want a book about a strange plague. Those who want a book set in the world of Constantinium.

[Kiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and sweet twist on the Pied Piper.