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Secret Santa
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Horror (2020)The Office meets Stephen King, dressed up in holiday tinsel, in this fun, festive, and frightening horror-comedy set during the horror publishing boom of the ’80s, by New York Times best-selling satirist Andrew Shaffer.
Out of work for months, Lussi Meyer is desperate to work anywhere in publishing. Prestigious Blackwood-Patterson isn’t the perfect fit, but a bizarre set of circumstances leads to her hire and a firm mandate: Lussi must find the next horror superstar to compete with Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Peter Straub. It’s the ’80s, after all, and horror is the hottest genre.
But as soon as she arrives, Lussi finds herself the target of her co-workers' mean-spirited pranks. The hazing reaches its peak during the company’s annual Secret Santa gift exchange, when Lussi receives a demonic-looking object that she recognizes but doesn't understand. Suddenly, her coworkers begin falling victim to a series of horrific accidents akin to a George Romero movie, and Lussi suspects that her gift is involved. With the help of her former author, the flamboyant Fabien Nightingale, Lussi must track down her anonymous Secret Santa and figure out the true meaning of the cursed object in her possession before it destroys the company—and her soul.
Out of work for months, Lussi Meyer is desperate to work anywhere in publishing. Prestigious Blackwood-Patterson isn’t the perfect fit, but a bizarre set of circumstances leads to her hire and a firm mandate: Lussi must find the next horror superstar to compete with Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Peter Straub. It’s the ’80s, after all, and horror is the hottest genre.
But as soon as she arrives, Lussi finds herself the target of her co-workers' mean-spirited pranks. The hazing reaches its peak during the company’s annual Secret Santa gift exchange, when Lussi receives a demonic-looking object that she recognizes but doesn't understand. Suddenly, her coworkers begin falling victim to a series of horrific accidents akin to a George Romero movie, and Lussi suspects that her gift is involved. With the help of her former author, the flamboyant Fabien Nightingale, Lussi must track down her anonymous Secret Santa and figure out the true meaning of the cursed object in her possession before it destroys the company—and her soul.
220 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2020
About the author
Andrew Shaffer
43 books1,475 followersAndrew Shaffer is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen books. He lives with his wife, novelist Tiffany Reisz, in Louisville, Kentucky, where he teaches at Lexington's non-profit Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning and Louisville Literary Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 921 reviews
January 3, 2023
Christmas horror comedy!🎁😱
3.5⭐
It's the 80s in New York City. After being laid off, Lussi Meyer desperately needs a job. She lands an interview with a prestigious publisher Blackwood-Patterson and met the old man Blackwood himself. He dismissed her right off the bat as he already found someone else. An unfortunate event occurred during the interview and Mr. Blackwood died the following day. Who's to know how the interview went? 🤷♀️
Lussi got the job and after the office gift exchange in mid-December, weird things follow. Lussi suspects it has to do with the gift she received!
The is a fun and festive story. I enjoyed the German folktale. However, I had to remind myself that this is in the 80s, I didn't feel it. If it weren't for the typewriter or long distant family & friend landline plan it could've been today. I also enjoy the setup of the story in the first half more than the horror that follows. I like good endings and this story delivers that.
3.5⭐
It's the 80s in New York City. After being laid off, Lussi Meyer desperately needs a job. She lands an interview with a prestigious publisher Blackwood-Patterson and met the old man Blackwood himself. He dismissed her right off the bat as he already found someone else. An unfortunate event occurred during the interview and Mr. Blackwood died the following day. Who's to know how the interview went? 🤷♀️
Lussi got the job and after the office gift exchange in mid-December, weird things follow. Lussi suspects it has to do with the gift she received!
The is a fun and festive story. I enjoyed the German folktale. However, I had to remind myself that this is in the 80s, I didn't feel it. If it weren't for the typewriter or long distant family & friend landline plan it could've been today. I also enjoy the setup of the story in the first half more than the horror that follows. I like good endings and this story delivers that.
March 25, 2021
“The horror hadn’t begun with Lussi... but it could end with her.”
Lussi Meyer is in desperate need of a job and finds one at the prestigious Blackwood-Patterson publishing house. She quickly finds herself the target of pranks by her coworkers, which culminates in a strange gift at the Secret Santa gift exchange. Her coworkers begin falling victim to horrific accidents and Lussi thinks her gift might be to blame.
First and foremost, Secret Santa is a fun, breezy read - the author has a sense of humour that I just automatically clicked with. And 80s horror?! YES PLEASE. There are pop culture references galore in here, particularly pertaining to the horror genre, which I obviously loved! Although I did grow a little tiresome of the constant references to finding “the next Stephen King”. I was also a fan of the publishing house setting, as I always enjoy reading about the ins and outs of publishing.
This could be due to my own general lack of focus lately, but sometimes I struggled to keep track of characters. Especially the two named Frederick and Fabien - yes their names are quite different but two male names beginning with F got me like ??? I hate having to constantly stop and think “wait, which one is which again??” I also think I’d have liked Secret Santa more if it was darker and scarier. When I read horror I want it to be dark AF and veer on crossing the line, and that’s not for everyone of course, but just a personal preference of mine!
I’d file this under “tame horror” but still recommend picking it up for some festive fun! It poked fun at itself, which I always appreciate. 3.5 stars.
Lussi Meyer is in desperate need of a job and finds one at the prestigious Blackwood-Patterson publishing house. She quickly finds herself the target of pranks by her coworkers, which culminates in a strange gift at the Secret Santa gift exchange. Her coworkers begin falling victim to horrific accidents and Lussi thinks her gift might be to blame.
First and foremost, Secret Santa is a fun, breezy read - the author has a sense of humour that I just automatically clicked with. And 80s horror?! YES PLEASE. There are pop culture references galore in here, particularly pertaining to the horror genre, which I obviously loved! Although I did grow a little tiresome of the constant references to finding “the next Stephen King”. I was also a fan of the publishing house setting, as I always enjoy reading about the ins and outs of publishing.
This could be due to my own general lack of focus lately, but sometimes I struggled to keep track of characters. Especially the two named Frederick and Fabien - yes their names are quite different but two male names beginning with F got me like ??? I hate having to constantly stop and think “wait, which one is which again??” I also think I’d have liked Secret Santa more if it was darker and scarier. When I read horror I want it to be dark AF and veer on crossing the line, and that’s not for everyone of course, but just a personal preference of mine!
I’d file this under “tame horror” but still recommend picking it up for some festive fun! It poked fun at itself, which I always appreciate. 3.5 stars.
December 12, 2020
Thank Krampus for Christmas horror.
I could just read any ol' books during December-just like I could watch any ol' movies too--but why would I do that when I can read and watch Christmas books and movies? There is absolutely nothing quite like sitting by the fire in the glow of the Christmas tree reading bloody, gory things with a holiday theme.
SECRET SANTA is a horror-comedy set in the '80s. A mash-up of all the camp and fun of GREMLINS laced with office humor/drama.
Lussi Meyer is an editor laid off from one publisher and desperate to find employment with another publisher. Horror is the hottest genre and Lussi finds herself accepting a position with the impossible task of 'finding the next Stephen King'.
Shaffer's writing is sharp and witty with a sense of humor that appeals to me. He perfectly captures the spirit of being the new girl in an office with a very tight inner-circle. As the title suggests, an office Christmas party, complete with a White Elephant gift exchange is the start of Lussi's horror journey. I think Shaffer strikes a delicate balance with the comedy and the horror, much like Quirk's star black comedy writer, Grady Hendrix.
However, I wanted the volume turned up a hair more on the horror and dialed back on the slow-burning plot set-up. I enjoyed the German "Christmas Witch" folklore and all the '80s slasher 'one-by-one' kill scenes but it was more campy than scary.
This is a character driven novel dripping with more sarcasm and wit than blood, but it's wildly entertaining and if you're like me and you LOVE Holiday Horror, this is as good as it gets.
I could just read any ol' books during December-just like I could watch any ol' movies too--but why would I do that when I can read and watch Christmas books and movies? There is absolutely nothing quite like sitting by the fire in the glow of the Christmas tree reading bloody, gory things with a holiday theme.
SECRET SANTA is a horror-comedy set in the '80s. A mash-up of all the camp and fun of GREMLINS laced with office humor/drama.
Lussi Meyer is an editor laid off from one publisher and desperate to find employment with another publisher. Horror is the hottest genre and Lussi finds herself accepting a position with the impossible task of 'finding the next Stephen King'.
Shaffer's writing is sharp and witty with a sense of humor that appeals to me. He perfectly captures the spirit of being the new girl in an office with a very tight inner-circle. As the title suggests, an office Christmas party, complete with a White Elephant gift exchange is the start of Lussi's horror journey. I think Shaffer strikes a delicate balance with the comedy and the horror, much like Quirk's star black comedy writer, Grady Hendrix.
However, I wanted the volume turned up a hair more on the horror and dialed back on the slow-burning plot set-up. I enjoyed the German "Christmas Witch" folklore and all the '80s slasher 'one-by-one' kill scenes but it was more campy than scary.
This is a character driven novel dripping with more sarcasm and wit than blood, but it's wildly entertaining and if you're like me and you LOVE Holiday Horror, this is as good as it gets.
Read
July 9, 2020There’s a lot of big hair in this book.
December 9, 2021
*Many thanks to Edelweiss, Quirk Books, and Andrew Shaffer for a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review! Now available in all formats!*
Lussi Meyer has always been in publishing, and lives for horror. When she gets let go from her previous indie pub house (after it's acquired by the one of the Big Guys), she sets her sights on Blackwood-Patterson...the only game in town that might have her, determined to bring the 80's horror craze along with her and skyrocket the publishing house to fame along the way. Once she gets hired at Blackwood, however, she ends up with far more than she bargained for---a cadre of coworkers who don't take kindly to her and a strange package addressed to her at the Secret Santa gift exchange...that nobody wants to claim. Once the bodies start collecting, however, Lussi fears that the mysterious doll she received might be at the center of the nightmare. Can her friend and oh-so-fabulous author Fabien help her discover the demonic origins of the doll and its true intentions long enough for her to keep her coveted position....and keep the building, the company, and its inhabitants alive?
I have always been a fan of campy, schlocky 80's-style horror, so when I heard about this Secret Santa gift exchange gone horrifically wrong...in the PUBLISHING world no less? I was completely sold. However, while the 80's references were certainly in your face at times (TEDDY RUXPIN! SHOULDER PADS!), there wasn't much camp to be found here for me, and I only recorded one snicker throughout the entire book. Something about this humor just didn't click. Granted, the comparisons to The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires might be warranted since I didn't particularly enjoy that book either. This should have been a quick read, but it wasn't for me. The one bright spot was all of the insights and jibes at the quirks of the publishing world: I found all of that snark and 'insider info' more interesting than the book itself.
While this book didn't work for me, I do think it would have made a FANTASTIC Tales From the Crypt episode...maybe in another lifetime! 3.5 ⭐️
Lussi Meyer has always been in publishing, and lives for horror. When she gets let go from her previous indie pub house (after it's acquired by the one of the Big Guys), she sets her sights on Blackwood-Patterson...the only game in town that might have her, determined to bring the 80's horror craze along with her and skyrocket the publishing house to fame along the way. Once she gets hired at Blackwood, however, she ends up with far more than she bargained for---a cadre of coworkers who don't take kindly to her and a strange package addressed to her at the Secret Santa gift exchange...that nobody wants to claim. Once the bodies start collecting, however, Lussi fears that the mysterious doll she received might be at the center of the nightmare. Can her friend and oh-so-fabulous author Fabien help her discover the demonic origins of the doll and its true intentions long enough for her to keep her coveted position....and keep the building, the company, and its inhabitants alive?
I have always been a fan of campy, schlocky 80's-style horror, so when I heard about this Secret Santa gift exchange gone horrifically wrong...in the PUBLISHING world no less? I was completely sold. However, while the 80's references were certainly in your face at times (TEDDY RUXPIN! SHOULDER PADS!), there wasn't much camp to be found here for me, and I only recorded one snicker throughout the entire book. Something about this humor just didn't click. Granted, the comparisons to The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires might be warranted since I didn't particularly enjoy that book either. This should have been a quick read, but it wasn't for me. The one bright spot was all of the insights and jibes at the quirks of the publishing world: I found all of that snark and 'insider info' more interesting than the book itself.
While this book didn't work for me, I do think it would have made a FANTASTIC Tales From the Crypt episode...maybe in another lifetime! 3.5 ⭐️
December 28, 2020
Thank you Quirk Books for sending me a copy of Secret Santa in exchange for an honest review! My full thoughts can be seen in my CHRISTMAS HORROR recommendation video HERE.
Christmas horror has been a favorite sub-genre of mine since I was a five-year-old watching The Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time. That love only escalated when I saw the Tales from the Crypt episode called "And All Through The House" and the trashy horror masterpiece Silent Night, Deadly Night. I credit these films for getting me hooked on Christmas horror, but I do have a big problem with it... There isn't nearly enough to read or watch. Fortunately, it seems Andrew Shaffer and the fine folks at Quirk Books knew I needed more Christmas horror in my life, and I needed it to be set in the '80s with lots of vintage horror references. They nailed it on the head with Secret Santa.
This book IS me. It is quirky, spooky fun with a retro flare and a love of all things vintage horror. The terror is wrapped up nice and tight with total hilarity, leading me to not just laugh, but guffaw on several occasions. Therefore, I can easily recommend this to the chickens of the world who are still curious to try horror. Secret Santa is just spooky enough without scaring the baby bejesus out of you.
But at the end of the day, Secret Santa is for the horror nerds out there who are well-versed in vintage horror! If this is you, you owe it to yourself to pick up Secret Santa before the arrival of next Christmas. A total 5 stars from me!
Christmas horror has been a favorite sub-genre of mine since I was a five-year-old watching The Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time. That love only escalated when I saw the Tales from the Crypt episode called "And All Through The House" and the trashy horror masterpiece Silent Night, Deadly Night. I credit these films for getting me hooked on Christmas horror, but I do have a big problem with it... There isn't nearly enough to read or watch. Fortunately, it seems Andrew Shaffer and the fine folks at Quirk Books knew I needed more Christmas horror in my life, and I needed it to be set in the '80s with lots of vintage horror references. They nailed it on the head with Secret Santa.
This book IS me. It is quirky, spooky fun with a retro flare and a love of all things vintage horror. The terror is wrapped up nice and tight with total hilarity, leading me to not just laugh, but guffaw on several occasions. Therefore, I can easily recommend this to the chickens of the world who are still curious to try horror. Secret Santa is just spooky enough without scaring the baby bejesus out of you.
But at the end of the day, Secret Santa is for the horror nerds out there who are well-versed in vintage horror! If this is you, you owe it to yourself to pick up Secret Santa before the arrival of next Christmas. A total 5 stars from me!
December 28, 2021
I picked this one up on a whim, since it's the holiday season, without any expectations. I'm happy to say this one was a blast to read and overall a great book!!
I was born/raised in Germany, and the entire mother's side of my family is German, however I had never heard of the German folklore this novel is based on, who knew?!! In parts comedy, other parts murder mystery and horror, this one kept me entertained and enthralled throughout. I full-heartedly recommend anyone looking for a shorter, refreshingly fun horror novel go out and pick this one up - hopefully you'll have just as much fun reading it as me!
I was born/raised in Germany, and the entire mother's side of my family is German, however I had never heard of the German folklore this novel is based on, who knew?!! In parts comedy, other parts murder mystery and horror, this one kept me entertained and enthralled throughout. I full-heartedly recommend anyone looking for a shorter, refreshingly fun horror novel go out and pick this one up - hopefully you'll have just as much fun reading it as me!
December 25, 2020
This was a decent holiday read, but it could've used a rewrite in a lot of areas. I loved the setting of this old literary publishing company and our protagonist, but there wasn't enough intrigue or a creepy factor that could keep me interested. It's length probably should excuse it's very slow-paced first half, but I actually found myself enjoying that part the most while being introduced to the characters. There was a lot of something going on in the second half, and from there I thought it derailed.
August 29, 2020
I was so excited to read this – I love books set in the publishing world, I love trash horror, and I love short novels. Perfect.
Unfortunately, I didn't find this scary or horrific at all – it's clear that the author usually writes crime novels, as this felt a lot more like a crime novel with some schlocky horror elements (specifically: Nazi devil doll) tacked on. And I LIKE schlocky horror, but I think if you're going to use it, then it has to be a central part of the story – and it has to be actually scary.
I hope that this is part of a series (like the Hammer Horror novellas) and there will be more by different authors. I love the setting of the 1980s horror novel boom, and I love the format – I just want my horror fiction to be actually scary.
Unfortunately, I didn't find this scary or horrific at all – it's clear that the author usually writes crime novels, as this felt a lot more like a crime novel with some schlocky horror elements (specifically: Nazi devil doll) tacked on. And I LIKE schlocky horror, but I think if you're going to use it, then it has to be a central part of the story – and it has to be actually scary.
I hope that this is part of a series (like the Hammer Horror novellas) and there will be more by different authors. I love the setting of the 1980s horror novel boom, and I love the format – I just want my horror fiction to be actually scary.
December 1, 2022
This was a bit of a slog to get through. I was hoping for a Christmas themed horror novel and what I got was a slow paced, drawn out mystery with supernatural themes. No Christmas feel at all to this other than a "secret santa" gift giving which takes one chapter.
Quite boring and nothing original and the ending was meh. I did finish it however but was expecting so much more.
Quite boring and nothing original and the ending was meh. I did finish it however but was expecting so much more.
December 23, 2021
First off, can we all take a second to appreciate how fabulous and Gremlins like this cover is? Good, now that you’ve feasted your eyes, listen to me gush about this FANTASTIC Christmas horror. Now I’m not a huge fan of Christmas so I was hesitant to pick this book up despite seeing it all over #bookstagram but I’m so damn glad I did because I loved it SO much. This is the kind of Christmas story I can get behind where there’s mysterious creepy gifts and coworkers suddenly dying in weird, awful ways. I was just so sucked into this book and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, I felt like I was a kid running down the stairs at the speed of light to see what Santa left me. And if what he left me is this book then I’m one happy horror loving nerd! The beginning was perfect, the middle was perfect, the end was perfect, THE WHOLE BOOK WAS PERFECT. It gave me Edgar Allan Poe vibes and Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix vibes all mixed together and it was such a perfect combination. I could gush on and on but I’ll stop here before I embarrass myself and just urge you to give yourself the gift of this book for Christmas!
September 11, 2021
This might have been a 3.5-4 star read for me if the book description hadn't oversold it as "The Office meets Stephen King." It fails to deliver on both fronts; the "funny" wasn't very funny and the "scary" wasn't very scary. I've watched the Office many times and this was no the Office. Also, I'm getting tired of horror writers/books comparing themselves to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc. and not delivering (especially if you're just rehashing a concept that's been done numerous times. Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Richard Matheson and many others have written demonic doll stories better). All they're doing is building expectations that they are going to have a hard time meeting.
You could tell the author was going for quirky characters, but most of them were just weird and not that likeable. I didn't hate them, but I didn't really care what happened to them. I never felt like the main character was in any kind of danger and that kills horror books for me. There was no building tension or ominous atmosphere as the book progressed.
Overall, it was still a fun, quick read. The author didn't try to turn a 200 page story into a bulkier 3-400 page novel, which I appreciate. I went in with high expectations after seeing the description and seeing this as a write in vote for the Goodread horror nominations. It fell short and I was a little hard on it, but I don't regret reading this one.
You could tell the author was going for quirky characters, but most of them were just weird and not that likeable. I didn't hate them, but I didn't really care what happened to them. I never felt like the main character was in any kind of danger and that kills horror books for me. There was no building tension or ominous atmosphere as the book progressed.
Overall, it was still a fun, quick read. The author didn't try to turn a 200 page story into a bulkier 3-400 page novel, which I appreciate. I went in with high expectations after seeing the description and seeing this as a write in vote for the Goodread horror nominations. It fell short and I was a little hard on it, but I don't regret reading this one.
December 18, 2021
It's mid 80s and the publishing houses are ruthless! Lussie Meyer, a young horror fangirl for life, has a plan - find a job as a senior editor at Blackwood-Patterson, the most intimidating of all publishers, find the next Stephen King and take the genre to the next level. Although that's not easy in a world that disparages horror and wants to undermine it, she gets a little boost from unexpected places.
Aww, this was a really sweet book... I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the characters and the monster too! Fun, light-hearted Christmas horror, much recommended!
Aww, this was a really sweet book... I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the characters and the monster too! Fun, light-hearted Christmas horror, much recommended!
April 5, 2021
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
An homage to 80s horror and camp, this was pure fun. Honestly, it could have had more campy gore, but it was great none the less.
An homage to 80s horror and camp, this was pure fun. Honestly, it could have had more campy gore, but it was great none the less.
December 23, 2021
3.5 stars
This was so fun! Although the book did not bring anything new to the table, it’s a great story to get lost in.
This was so fun! Although the book did not bring anything new to the table, it’s a great story to get lost in.
December 25, 2022
"Secret Santa" is a fun little Christmas book about a goff exchange gone wrong. The book was set in an ominous publishing house. I loved the 80s feel. The book was full of nostalgia and satire. It was a nice mix of horror and thriller.
Shelved as 'quit-dnf'
December 21, 2020DNF at 40%. So far, the only real horror Secret Santa has to offer is the '80s nostalgia name-dropping ala Peter Clines and the cutesy-coy attempts at humor writing (ex. "Lussi's finely honed publishing instincts told her the basement was probably going to be downstairs."). Is anything spooky or frightening going to happen? I don't know, but I kind of doubt it at this point. And no, an attempted jump scare over a mouse in the basement doesn't fucking count. I'm out!
December 20, 2020
I’m giving this book 5 stars because it was exactly what I needed! I really wanted a Christmas book but I’m not really into contemporary holiday books. I love creepy so what better than a holiday horror story! It was a quick read and surprisingly funny! If holiday horror sounds better than a holiday romance then I think you’ll love it too!
December 4, 2021
A fun Christmas read.
January 15, 2021
Secret Santa was a mixed bag. A run of bad luck has hit Lussi Myer. She’s behind in her share of the rent, she’s lost her beloved editor role in a publishing house and she needs to find something fast! As you delve into this kind of dark comedy horror you realise that a lot of things aren’t as they seem. She lands the position of Senior Editor in the prominent publishing house of Blackwood-Patterson. Well, of course there is the small matter of her interview going horrendously and the boss taking a heart attack right in front of her. When she arrives at the hospital to visit him, she overhears his son on the phone confirming that Mr Blackwood is dead. She ends up getting the role by basically playing on the financial concerns of Mr Blackwood junior.
Despite the terrible circumstances of her gaining employment at the firm, Lussi is incredibly happy. She can make plans to pay her half the rent and just be comfortable. Quickly the events that are taking place in Secret Santa are quite frankly odd. There’s comments that no-one ever leaves their job, but the secretary that had been there for what seems like an eternity left the day after Mr Blackwood’s death. There is a strange atmosphere between the already ordained employees and Lussi, they almost seem numb behind the eyes, and then of course, there is what occurs at the secret Santa exchange.
Lussi has been given a gift even though she had just started her role and hadn’t been given a name to buy for. It appears someone is pranking her. She was given the mysterious doll that was in Mr Blackwood’s office on the day of his heart attack. Lussi being fully aware of these dolls as her grandmother owned one, knows that they can be used to ward off evil spirits. Its an odd gift to receive but she accepts none the less. Still the odd behaviours and events continue. A missing Stollen cake, a broken shin on the intern and the heart attack of the boss.
Secret Santa was a solid read, but I think the authors brand of comedy was lost on me. I know where he was trying to take it, but he shot way past it in my opinion. The eighties references were pretty cool, and I did get “The Southern Book Clubs Guide To Slaying Vampires” but I enjoyed that one better. The book was relatively short but did take me a while to get through because I just couldn’t completely gel with it.
Despite the terrible circumstances of her gaining employment at the firm, Lussi is incredibly happy. She can make plans to pay her half the rent and just be comfortable. Quickly the events that are taking place in Secret Santa are quite frankly odd. There’s comments that no-one ever leaves their job, but the secretary that had been there for what seems like an eternity left the day after Mr Blackwood’s death. There is a strange atmosphere between the already ordained employees and Lussi, they almost seem numb behind the eyes, and then of course, there is what occurs at the secret Santa exchange.
Lussi has been given a gift even though she had just started her role and hadn’t been given a name to buy for. It appears someone is pranking her. She was given the mysterious doll that was in Mr Blackwood’s office on the day of his heart attack. Lussi being fully aware of these dolls as her grandmother owned one, knows that they can be used to ward off evil spirits. Its an odd gift to receive but she accepts none the less. Still the odd behaviours and events continue. A missing Stollen cake, a broken shin on the intern and the heart attack of the boss.
Secret Santa was a solid read, but I think the authors brand of comedy was lost on me. I know where he was trying to take it, but he shot way past it in my opinion. The eighties references were pretty cool, and I did get “The Southern Book Clubs Guide To Slaying Vampires” but I enjoyed that one better. The book was relatively short but did take me a while to get through because I just couldn’t completely gel with it.
January 7, 2021
This is the very first book I've ever won from a Goodreads giveaway! Big thanks goes out to Goodreads as well as the author and publisher. This was a really fun book to read. It was also fairly cheesy but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I felt like there was some good humor at times too. I wouldn't really say it's super scary. There were some creepy parts and some gory parts too. I enjoyed all the 80s references. I respect that the author states Stephen King was a big influence. As long as you know not to take it too seriously, you should enjoy this book.
December 31, 2021
Secret Santa is marketed as "The Office meets Stephen King," but it's not funny enough to be compared to a comedy show and it's definitely not scary enough to call it a horror novel.
Some ideas seemed promising, but sadly the implementation was neither interesting nor memorable.
Some ideas seemed promising, but sadly the implementation was neither interesting nor memorable.
January 15, 2021
Prob 2.5
I didn't mesh with it as much as I would have liked
I didn't mesh with it as much as I would have liked
December 23, 2021
A fun, quirky book for the holidays. I kept seeing this book appear in social media groups and thought it was about time I read something a little more light humoured. I really enjoyed the retro 80s style of this novel. And considering the plot is based on publishers, this author is writing what he knows and does it well. I don't know why but I expected a 'critters' take over Christmas book. It was much more than that.
December 14, 2021
It did not fulfill with horror, humor, or Christmas. It was mostly concerned with publishing industry.
December 28, 2022
If you want a quick Christmasy horror read this is the perfect book. It’s an easy read. The writing style is enjoyable. I liked the story a lot and I loved the spelling of Lussi’s name. 😄
November 21, 2023
A standout holiday horror novel! There is a lot of witty writing and very interesting occultism explored (this is more of what I wanted from Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno Garcia)
Thoughts and notes along the way...
•The beginning quotes 🤣🤣🤣 and WOW that opening chapter!!!
•This blackwood guy is an idiot...
"One need not read a book to make an informed opinion about its content."
•I am extremely enjoying reading through this characters POV, also there have been at least 2 Shirley Jackson shout outs!!!
•"Was this what working in the world of dreary, Too serious literary fiction did to you? If so, she dodged a silver bullet." I love the writing. It is so humorous and on point. I also LOVE books set in the publishing world or to do with writers/editors/etc!
•This book is fantastic 👏 👌 🙌 😀 it's reading so quick, to the point, interesting, mysterious!!! Loving it!!!!
•Huh...another natzi occult story similar to silver nitrate...
•This has such a feminist under-current to it and I love it! 💯👏
•I feel like I was especially enjoying this for the first half and the ending didn't quite stick the landing for me. I expected something else from it and I feel almost like the book just ends and left me wanting more.
Thoughts and notes along the way...
•The beginning quotes 🤣🤣🤣 and WOW that opening chapter!!!
•This blackwood guy is an idiot...
"One need not read a book to make an informed opinion about its content."
•I am extremely enjoying reading through this characters POV, also there have been at least 2 Shirley Jackson shout outs!!!
•"Was this what working in the world of dreary, Too serious literary fiction did to you? If so, she dodged a silver bullet." I love the writing. It is so humorous and on point. I also LOVE books set in the publishing world or to do with writers/editors/etc!
•This book is fantastic 👏 👌 🙌 😀 it's reading so quick, to the point, interesting, mysterious!!! Loving it!!!!
•Huh...another natzi occult story similar to silver nitrate...
•This has such a feminist under-current to it and I love it! 💯👏
•I feel like I was especially enjoying this for the first half and the ending didn't quite stick the landing for me. I expected something else from it and I feel almost like the book just ends and left me wanting more.
December 22, 2021
4.5 stars rounded up for GR. I really enjoyed this! In my opinion, the best part of the story is all the pop culture, horror, and literary references. Overall, this was a quick and easy read, but it had a wonderful setting. Honestly, the story is pretty simple, but the biggest reason to check it out is that it's the perfect Christmas read -- very thematic! I had a blast reading this one -- definitely recommend to people who enjoy books about books and/or to those who love Christmas horror.
December 18, 2021
Fun and entertaining. 3.5 but decided to round up because I'm feeling generous.
December 18, 2020
"Horror took you right to the precipice, where you could stare into the darkness without falling in. Without losing yourself. She enjoyed that feeling, giving death the finger."
This was cheesy 80’s holiday horror at its finest!
It’s no secret, like at all, that I don’t like Christmas. It’s one of the worst holidays in my opinion. But will I wish people a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays and celebrate the holiday with friends and family? Yes, I’m not a complete dick. But I do love horror and by that I mean, I love everything horror. And that’s right dear readers, even Christmas Horror.
The cover is what caught my attention with this book. It reminded me of Black Christmas mixed with Critters with a dash of Puppet Master. After that, I knew that I needed this book in my life and part of my collection.
Andrew takes you right into the weird and the bizarre from the first page. There’s no leading up to anything with him, it’s like diving head first into an icy pond. And if you make it past the prologue and think that it was weird, wait until you get further in. It only gets better and weirder as the pages go on. I was hooked.
Secret Santa was a fantastic read. It was full of dark humor and a bizarre little critter who you can’t help but root for. This short read was bizarre, funny, and pure holiday gold. I love when authors don’t hold back on anything and write exactly what they want to. I really hope Andrew continues to write for the horror genre because I need more books like this one!!
This was cheesy 80’s holiday horror at its finest!
It’s no secret, like at all, that I don’t like Christmas. It’s one of the worst holidays in my opinion. But will I wish people a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays and celebrate the holiday with friends and family? Yes, I’m not a complete dick. But I do love horror and by that I mean, I love everything horror. And that’s right dear readers, even Christmas Horror.
The cover is what caught my attention with this book. It reminded me of Black Christmas mixed with Critters with a dash of Puppet Master. After that, I knew that I needed this book in my life and part of my collection.
Andrew takes you right into the weird and the bizarre from the first page. There’s no leading up to anything with him, it’s like diving head first into an icy pond. And if you make it past the prologue and think that it was weird, wait until you get further in. It only gets better and weirder as the pages go on. I was hooked.
Secret Santa was a fantastic read. It was full of dark humor and a bizarre little critter who you can’t help but root for. This short read was bizarre, funny, and pure holiday gold. I love when authors don’t hold back on anything and write exactly what they want to. I really hope Andrew continues to write for the horror genre because I need more books like this one!!
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