Two potions, a botched delivery, and a mess of spells to reverse before midnight. No problem…?

a novella

When I took the job at Penelope’s Potion Emporium, I envisioned mixing adorable love potion packs and selling Instant Makeover fairy dust. So far, all I do is fetch coffee and work overtime doing my boss’s paperwork. But as she always reminds me, it’s not like I have a life.

Tonight is supposed to be my chance to do more than work. I have the dress, the perfect glass slippers, and an invite to handsome (and single!) Brock Marzipan’s Valentine Ball. Finally, I’ll get to dance the night away and perhaps secure a business deal to fix my totally broke status. But my boss has other plans. Still, I can make her deliveries and get to the party, right?

Except I might have mixed up a few orders. And that’s just the beginning. Once my ex, Detective Tiger Sagelake, gets involved, the glitter hits the fan. I’ll have to help him ferret out an evil scheme and reverse rogue spells before the clock chimes midnight or else I’ll be spending ten-to-twenty Valentines in jail.

There’s only one way out … or is there? A weekend getaway turns nightmarish in this addictive YA mystery thriller novella for fans of Christopher Pike.

Sisters Ashleigh and Kari’s idyllic beach weekend takes an unexpected turn when a violent storm forces them to take refuge in a desolate hilltop mansion. At first, all seems perfect—too perfect. The proprietors are charming, the food delicious, and the mansion’s whimsical pink fashion-doll theme is something out of a fairytale.

But their sense of security soon unravels. It seems danger lurks around every corner. What possessed another guest to throw herself down the stairs? And those whispered cries for help … are they coming from inside the walls?

When Kari vanishes without a trace, Ashleigh realizes things are far more sinister than she imagined. Will Ashleigh conquer the dark forces at play and save her sister, or will their one night at Hilltop Manor turn into eternity?

A haunting and electrifying debut from author Jennifer Dyer, “One Night at Hilltop Manor” is a Twilight Zone-esque story that will keep readers enthralled until the last chilling page. For fans of Lindsay Currie and R.L. Stein.