Ding Dong Bell, The Kitten in the Well

by Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen

A clean and cosy short story, featuring the popular Gershwin family in Knavesborough. This is your chance to revisit the 1990s and meet Rhapsody, Harmonia and Psalmonalla Gershwin, the spunky sisters and their curious kitten.
It all begins quite innocently with a visit to an old cat woman, but no matter what the Gershwins stick their noses in, something sinister will happen.

20 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2014

About the author

Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen is a teacher from Denmark, teaching English at upper secondary level. In her spare time she reads and writes crime fiction in English and Danish, and in 2010 she sold her first flash stories to American magazines or publishers.


One story appeared in Discount Noir (edited by Ste Weddle & Patricia Abbott)

Since then she has published two collections of flash fiction, "Candied Crime" (humour) and "Liquorice Twists" (a bit darker).

Her bestsellers are the romantic ghost story "Heather Farm" (suspense plus romance in the Dunes near the Danish west coast) and the cosy novel "The Cosy Knave" (European title: "Murder deLight")

Reviews

[bibliolatry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story, but cliffhanger ending

[Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I began reading author Dorte Hummelshoj Jakobsen’s latest short stories, I wasn’t sure what I would encounter (other than an intriguing read) since the title referred to a kitten and a well.

What I found was a charming and suspenseful story that brought smiles and a touch of heartache. It’s a story easily read in a short time that leaves you wanting more.

Ursula Abbott is an elderly lady with a good number of cats living on the farm of Vernon Alnwick in the village of Knavesborough, Yorkshire. When Rev. George Gershwin visits with her, she seems to think she will soon be evicted from her house. Believing in Alnwick’s kindness, the good reverend thinks nothing else about it.

Days later Ursula’s son comes and removes all the cats from his mother’s home due to complaints of the smell. Within days, Ursula is discovered dead in her bed of an apparent heart attack.

When the kitten belonging to the reverend’s daughter goes missing, a search turns up nothing. A short time later, a smell fills their house and a handyman has to be called in to discover the cause of the odor.

As Rev. Gershwin puts the pieces together, a chilling discovery is made.

DING DONG BELL, THE KITTEN IN THE WELL is a fast read that draws you in quickly. The characters are refreshing and well-developed.

The author’s descriptions and eye for detail places the reader in the middle of the action. The setting is a charming English countryside that envelops the reader transporting them to a different place and era. The author weaves a tale of suspense with humor for a well-balanced story.

This is a fast-moving story you don’t want to miss.

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like I was living in an English village with the authors descriptive writing. I could picture the gardens, the countryside and see the characters. It made for an interesting short story.I would like to read more from this author as this is the second short story I have read of hers.

This probably should get 4 stars but as a cat lover, well I just couldn't. You'll have to read it to understand. Since this was very short,I don't like to spoil a story for anyone else.

[sheila · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. No. No.

I do not like the story and will not, can not read another from this writer. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't have given one star.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story. An odd little mystery in a Yorkshire village.

[Kathryn Parry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not enough to get you hooked into the story.