Queen Bee

by Heather Day Gilbert

There can only be one.

In an effort to shield her foster daughter from a stalker at school, Twila relocates to a farmstead in an Appalachian radio quiet zone. Alongside battered women who have taken shelter at Cooper's Corner, Twila and her mute teen hope to find sanctuary caring for cows, chickens, and honeybees.

But their peace turns out to be short-lived when a man with an injured ankle and a flimsy story shows up in the woods. Before Twila can shuttle him off to a doctor, a straight-line windstorm rips through the area, downing trees and power lines and cutting off the well water.

As tempers flare and dark sides surface, Twila realizes she can't trust anyone. When one of the women goes missing in the night, she fears the worst has happened.

Like a tenacious queen bee, Twila plans to sting first and ask questions later. If push comes to shove, she's ready to sacrifice herself so her traumatized daughter can finally live again.

Fans of Agatha Christie are sure to enjoy this clean, fast-paced psychological thriller set in West Virginia by RWA Daphne Award-winning author Heather Day Gilbert.

*This novella was previously published in the 12-book DON'T BLINK collection in October 2025.*

90 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 9, 2026

About the author

Heather Day Gilbert, an RWA Daphne du Maurier Award-winning author and 2-time ECPA Christy Award finalist, enjoys writing contemporary mysteries/psychological thrillers and Viking historicals. She brings authentic family relationships to the page, and she particularly delights in heroines who take a stand to protect those they love. Avid readers say Heather's realistic characters—no matter what century—feel like best friends. When she's not plotting stories, this native West Virginian can often be found hanging out with her husband and four children, playing video games, or reading Agatha Christie novels.

Find out more at heatherdaygilbert.com.

Reviews

[Werner · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a mystery writer, my Goodreads friend Heather Day Gilbert is a go-to author for Barb and I (and I'm a fan of her historical fiction as well, though Barb's mostly not into that genre). Though she's the author of several mystery series, this particular tale is a stand-alone, the newest of two forays she's made into the sub-genre of psychological suspense. It does have a tie-in to the earlier one; Twila, our protagonist (no last name is ever given), is a "virtual assistant" for authors --that's a human who does her assisting through the Internet, not an AI!-- and her top client is Alexandra Dubois, the heroine of Queen of Hearts. (If you want to read both books, the latter should be read first, since this one contains a spoiler for it.) 36-year-old bachelorette Twila's also a foster mom, to 15-year-old Isabella "Izzy" Falzone, who's been selectively mute ever since being traumatized 11 years ago, at the age of four, when her mother was murdered in the apartment they shared.

Just as she did in the first two novels of her A Murder in the Mountains series (though here the device is only used in a very short Prologue), the author gives us the chilling perspective of the as-yet unnamed antagonist who intends to "eliminate" Izzy as a possible witness to the fateful event when her mom died --and who makes a disturbing reference to getting Twila and Izzy to run into a trap. With that fresh in our minds, we meet the latter two about to arrive at Cooper's Corners, a small farm that also serves as a shelter for a handful of battered women. It's located near the real-life national observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, in the surrounding radio quiet phone that (at the time this was written) greatly restricted cell phone and Internet access in the area. (The scientists at the observatory are listening for extraterrestrial radio signals, if any, so don't want any earth-based ones to confuse the issue.) Izzy's been stalked at her school, and her social worker suggested the off-grid location as a place to hide out. But it's about to become even more isolated, as a massive electrical storm completely knocks out all electrical power in the area....

This book exhibits some of the same positives that tend to characterize all of Heather's writing in the mystery genre (broadly defined). She's thoroughly at home in the rural West Virginia setting (it's her native state). The writing style is clear and competent, with a fast pace (the main story line takes place in just a few days, and with only 107 pages, this is a quick read). As in all of this author's work, there's no bad language, sexual content, nor graphic violence; she's an evangelical, and a few references are made to characters praying at times, but there are no other religious references here. I guessed one aspect of the denouement as soon as a particular character was introduced; but (typically for a thriller), there were major surprise developments I never saw coming. (Well played, Heather!) There's also an element of low-key, clean romance. Overall, this is a more plot-driven than character-driven narrative, and it's not philosophically nor psychologically very deep. But if what you want is light, undemanding entertainment, this will provide it handsomely.

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short novella packs a punch and tells a complete story. There is excitement and tension as Twila and her foster daughter flee from danger only yo find it knocking on their hideaway door. Plus add a violent wind storm and a power outage to the mix and things get doubly complicated. Twists I did not see coming. It was crafted so well I questioned everyone and everything.
This makes me want to check out the Queen of Hearts series by this author.
* A complimentary copy was provided by the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.*

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

Sometimes short stories fall flat, but this one exceeded all my expectations! We got a glimpse of Henry and Alex from queen of hearts, and then fell in love with Izzy & Twila & Jude! In such a short amount of pages, I felt so connected to the characters and even shed tears at the end! Heather, you honestly knocked this one out of the park! 🩷

[Allyson Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful novella. Formerly part of the Don't Blink collection, Queen Bee is a quick suspense read with a twist at the end. I enjoyed Twila's story.

[Wilani Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful suspense. I never saw the twist at the end coming

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

" . . . . a man had started stalking Izzy outside her private school."

Moving to Cooper's Corner with her foster daughter Izzy, a working farm that also served as a women's shelter, Twila hopes that the off-grid location will provide both of them a protective respite from constantly looking over their shoulders, expecting any minute to see Izzy's stalker. Witnessing her mother's murder at a very young age had afflicted Izzy with selective mutism, but perhaps Izzy's memory of that day also included someone who was determined not to be exposed.

This short, but suspensful story was filled with unexpected twists that resulted in a most satisfying conclusion.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention from the first page and held me captive until I had absorbed every word. This is an edge-of-your seat suspense that will have you wondering what will happen next. The characters are well developed and I loved the sense of community they experienced on the farm. The anxiety Twila felt was understandable and I admired her love and dedication to Izzy. A great twist at the end that will have you gasping in shock!

Thank you to the author and WoodHaven Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Suspense

[Martyn Beeny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen Bee packs an impressive amount of suspense into a short novella. The isolated Appalachian setting, vulnerable yet determined heroine, and steadily rising tension create an engaging psychological thriller that keeps the pages turning. The mystery unfolds at just the right pace, while the emotional stakes give the story added depth.

A gripping, clean thriller that will especially appeal to fans of character driven suspense and closed circle mysteries.

[Robin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short suspenseful read. Twila and Izzy relocate to an isolated women’s shelter and farm. But has Izzy’s stalker followed them? Well-done on the suspense and not knowing who to trust. I enjoyed this and will look for others by this author.
I received a free copy from the author, and this is my honest and voluntary review.