Mark Edward Jones, a retired higher education finance professional, has become an award-winning author of mystery, thriller, and paranormal fiction. Born and raised in Duncan, Oklahoma, Mark developed a love for storytelling when younger. He attended the University of Oklahoma, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science and public administration.

Detective Henry Ike Pierce Series: After retiring in 2017, Mark embarked on a writing career. His debut novel, Peculiar Activities, was released in October 2021, the first book in his Detective Henry Ike Pierce series. This book won first place in the mystery category of the 2019 Oklahoma Writers Federation contest. The second book, Shadowed Souls, was released in 2022, and the third installment, Glass, is expected in 2027. Notably, the Glass manuscript won first place in the mystery category of the 2024 Oklahoma Writers Federation annual contest, marking his second first-place win in five years.

Expanding the series, he is using Henry Ike Pierce’s boss, Eddie Stone, as a character to kick off a new series in 2026. The first book is titled No Pain Wasted, and tells Eddie’s story before Henry Pierce. The follow-up in 2027 is The Costa Dossier.

Friday the 13th Series: Beyond his detective novels, Mark contributes to the periodic Friday the 13th series, a collection of mystery, suspense, and horror stories released each Friday the 13th. His first three stories, A Gentleman from the Darkness (May 2022), Hell is Empty (January 2023), and A Wicked Fate (October 2023), chronicle the chilling exploits of assassin Karanosz Tasev and his unusual family. These stories were compiled and expanded into The Man in the Fedora, released in March 2024.

Additionally, Mark has delved into supernatural suspense with Dormer (September 2024) and Dormer Christmas (December 2024), which follow a group of women on an unexpected witch-hunting journey. These two stories were expanded into She Watches for its March 2025 release. The next is Transmission 13 (February 2026). This story will continue in Echo 13, scheduled for August 2027.

Other Works: Mark’s upcoming sci-fi novel, Tempus Mors, is expected in 2028 and has already won accolades, including third place in the OKC Writers’ Group 2023 contest for Adult Book. A short piece from this story, "Don’t Forget Us," won first place in flash fiction and was named crème de la crème of the contest. "Don’t Forget Us" was also a finalist at WriterCon 2024 and won the flash fiction category in the 2024 Southwest Writers contest. Another flash fiction piece, “Alone in Warsaw,” won the short fiction category in the 2025 Southwest Writers contest. "The Girl in the Locket" and "The Milkman" were published in the December 2025 anthology from the Tornado Alley chapter of Sisters in Crime.

A new series of noir short stories will be released in 2026, beginning with Wrong Day to Quit in April, followed by bi-monthly releases through December. Follow the adventures of private detective Frank "Twitchy" O' Brien in 1935 Alexandria, Virginia.

Personal Life and Interests: Mark and his wife celebrated their forty-fourth anniversary in November 2025. They have three grown children and their first grandson. Mark’s favorite reads are mystery, suspense, and international intrigue novels. He enjoys music from Elvis, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Boz Scaggs, among many others. For more information: LinkTree.