Santa Claus Comes Tonight!

by Jack Beaumont, Alex McVey (Illustrations)

Betheltown, Where Christmas is a BIG deal. Everyone decorates, everyone participates. In a town seemingly overflowing with Christmas spirit, something nefarious lies beneath the bright lights and holiday cheer. No one wants to be the one with the least amount of Christmas decor...not in Betheltown. Not in a town where the phrase "Santa Claus comes tonight" is spoken in a whisper and is viewed as a threat, not a reason for cheer.Jump in bed, cover up your head 'cause Santa Claus comes tonight!

Genres: Horror, Holiday

37 pages, Paperback

Published November 16, 2016

Reviews

[Jakob J. 🎃 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title is not a double entendre--thus vindicating me for not realizing that was the case before reading Pumpkin Smash. This is not Christmas creature smut. (There is, of course, an erotic story with the same title). It is a holiday answer, of sorts, to Shirley Jackson's The Lottery. An annual, dreadful competition with stakes higher than Santa’s sleigh.

A small Alaskan town celebrates Christmas vehemently, but in the same way the citizens of North Korea ‘worship and revere’ the Dear Leader. Failure to do so will result in an unwanted visit from the tyrannical toy maker on Christmas Eve. Ample Christmas decorations serve as sheep’s blood above the door, warding off the merry monster of death.

It is a goofy premise and I had to laugh when, a mere couple hours after a family loses their firstborn son to the festive fiend, indulge in some ’legend has it’ story time exposition to explain to their youngest why he saw his brother carried off in Santa’s sack. Still a chilling—if perhaps overly brief—holiday horror tale.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cleaning out the shelves, I found this little gem. I'll never think of Santa Claus the same again.

[Cameron Chaney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I forgot that I read this in December. This tiny book has a great concept that would truly benefit from being a full-length novel. Or at least a novella. Sadly, 30 pages isn't enough to explore the themes and go beyond the concept. I would have loved a better ending too. Maybe one day the author will revisit this story and write an expanded version. I would read it.

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

1400 reviews!!! This was a wicked little holiday horror tale. Taking something so pure and magical like Saint Nick and turning him into a bloodthirsty monster. I loved the Santa design and the unique plague that he brought to this town. Great backstory for our lead, Jackson, and his agenda present day. However, the pacing and flow were not in good spots. It all just flew by way too quickly, leaving tons of developmental possibilities in its wake, ending on a limp note. This had so much going for it, but needed a lot more content development and editing to bring it all full circle. Happy holidays, you nasty little Topsiders.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short story. Under 50 pages
This is a slant on Santa that I've never heard before. I've read many fiction Santa stories, even ones that paint him as evil, but never how he is in this story. Creativity usually gets 5 stars for me. Oh yeah, it now feels like Xmas in March lol (for me)