OMG! Doing this review required a lot of thought as to how I would rate this book. I’ll explain in a minute.
Santa’s Little Helper is a horror/occult novel that will have the hair on the back of your neck and arms standing straight up from front cover to back cover. It is by far the creepiest book I have ever read! Also, if you don’t have a phobia about Santa elf dolls by the end, there is something really, really wrong with you.
The story takes place in a small town in Missouri. Several weeks before Christmas, the parents of four, five-year old’s, each find a white box left on their porch. Inside each box is an elf doll and a book titled Santa’s little Helper. Of course, the parents give the doll and book to their children, all believing someone had left a Christmas gift.
However, as they soon learn, the children have been chosen because they are special but the elf dolls are not Christmas presents. Instead they are more like elf versions of Chucky. Elves that stalk each child and their parent or parents so, that they may claim the special children come Christmas day.
At school, the four realize they have all have received an evil elf and, with the help of their teacher, set out to create a plan to rid themselves of the elves. Only, to be foiled by a giant snow storm that traps each of them, their parents and their elf in their house for days. Days that end with a power failure, leaving them in the dark of light and the dark of evil.
Okay, I’ve probably already given away more than I should.
I am not a fan of horror stories. Nor do they normally creep me out but, Santa’s Little Helper got to me! It had me looking over my shoulder, checking doors to make sure they were locked before I turned the lights out: Making sure all night lights were on and had new bulbs.
I’m almost afraid to admit this next part. I actually stopped reading it (Twice) because it creeped me out so much. I just had to walk away from it for several days each time, to get it out of my head! (BTW, I will never, never buy or even look at an elf doll again; as long as I live!)
And, that is what I call outstanding writing! It is still nothing I would pick up to read (especially having now read it) but, if you’re into horror stories, this is your book! The story line is outstanding, the characters well developed and … and …it’s just friggin creepy as hell.
So, why four butterflies? First, because it’s too long. Fifty or so pages worth could easily be deleted with little to no impact on the story. I would also suggest starting that process by deleting “little” about 10,000 times. (I promise; I will now never use that word in my books.) One reviewer commented on the wonderful editing but I don’t know how they missed a considerable number of errors. Finally, I found the characters being five years old close to impossible to believe. Seven would have worked much better.
All in all, though, excellent writing and a fantastic horror story.