Anyone who remembers those classic straight to video horrors and classic slasher movies will be right at home here in what could be one of the most fun throwbacks and homages I have read in ages.

Taking the old school ‘70’s and’80’s formula and giving it a slight makeover for a modern, progressive society—this has every classic trope you want in your slasher film squeezed in with deliberate care;

Dysfunctional family? Check!
Old house with previous occupants mysteriously killed at Christmas? Check!
Small town diner? Check!
Mad preacher, big moustachioed sheriff? Check!
Sectrets, twist and turns? Check!
Blood, gore and over the top violence? Triple check!

A fast flowing, decently written story supported by plenty of dark humour and snappy dialogue and once it hits its stride, a chain of hilarious and inventive blood soaked deaths. When you compare one murder to a human tube of toothpaste being compressed by a car… well you get the idea!

The author is clearly having a lot of fun reliving many classic horror films and consequently it’s easy to get swept away in their enthusiastic pursuit of slasher mayhem and enjoy a grisly story that hits every slay bell to the perfect note.

With some chapters hilariously (to me—I don’t care) ending on a Christmas one liner pun, you better watch out and you better not cry, because the best holiday horror has just slid into town.

Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! ( )