It’s hard to believe, that of all the Christmas tropes, that no one had exploited the Secret Santa motif for horror audiences – until Andrew Shaffer.
While his novel Secret Santa is more Christmas adjacent than yuletide-filled caper, it is an interesting take on when a present has deadly consequences.
We follow Lussi, an aspiring publishing editor, who manages to wangle a job at a mysterious publisher who has allegedly never made profit, yet continues to function year upon year.
Soon she realises everything is not what it seems, with what we think initially is a Rosemary’s Baby style twist before things take a more fantastical turn.
At a brisk 215 pages, Secret Santa will be a quick read, but it also keeps you turning pages with its twists and turns plus the need to know the big mysteries underlying the narrative.
It may not be as Christmassy as say a Gremlins or Black Christmas, but Secret Santa certainly offers a highly entertaining story with just enough sprinkle of seasonal menace.
Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer is available in paperback and e-book formats now.
Bloody Flicks 