The Very Naughty List: Part Two

The Very Naughty List Series #2

by Michael D.A. Clarke

Last Christmas, Santa Claus was locked away for the Merryvale Shopping Mall Massacre.

But prison didn’t bury his legend — it fed it. In the shadows of his cell, a cult of true believers began to grow. They didn’t see madness in his killings; they saw justice. To them, Santa wasn’t a monster at all, but the only one bold enough to punish the wicked when the system failed.

Then the letters arrived. Thousands of them. Not lists for toys, but names. Abusers. Bosses. Landlords. Politicians. Each envelope a plea for vengeance. Each one adding another mark to Santa’s Very Naughty List.

In this dark, brutal, and wickedly funny sequel, Santa longs to grant those bloody wishes. But locked behind bars, his hands are tied… unless a little Christmas magic finds a way to set him free.

Genres: Horror, Christmas

214 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2025

About the author

Michael D. A. Clarke believes that by adding in his initials and speaking in the third-person, he may come across as a real writer. In reality, he's not quite sure if he is a real writer as he has only written a few books. I mean, he did write them - so, by definition he's definitely a real writer, right? The question should be, "Is he a good writer?" That's for you to decide. But take comfort in knowing that Michael D. A. Clarke has been writing words since he was just 5 years old and has written many words since then.

Reviews

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell Hallmark to look away because Santa is done singing in snow globes and kissing widowed bakers in peppermint-scented barns. Our guy is in PRISON, building a CULT like it’s a Pinterest hobby and honestly? I was rooting for him.

The letters though. The LETTERS. Thousands of “hey bestie, please eliminate my landlord” requests. I was cackling, horrified, and also taking notes? (KIDDING. probably.)

This sequel is dark, bloody, and somehow laugh-out-loud funny in that “I’m definitely going to hell but the ride will be festive” kind of way. Gives you moral whiplash: one minute you’re like “Santa no” and the next you’re like “Santa actually yes.”

He’s the holiday anti-hero of the people. The Patron Saint of Fed Up.

My favorite part? The way it leans into the myth-making. Legends don’t die in prison cells. They sharpen their candy canes into weapons.

If you love: • Chaotic holiday energy • Cult vibes but make it cozy • Humor so dark it turns the Christmas lights off • The concept of Santa Claus looking directly at the camera like “I WILL DO CRIMES AGAIN”

Then yeah. This book owns me now.
I loved every second of this book. Perfect for the beginning of the holiday season 🤭👌

[Sandra Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so this one wasn’t quite like the first one. This one felt more like Jokers reasoning. I’m not gonna lie, when Needmores part came in I was oww and aha’ing so much. Not gonna lie, I personally could see him so clearly haha. Anyways, back to the review. I enjoyed this read. I will say I expected a little more gore and terror so this hit almost more in the psycho thriller genre but it was enjoyable still. I’m happy I was given a chance to review this authors work.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely not the Santa of my childhood.... jeez! The combination of horror and humor is top tier. And honestly... I am kind of Team Santa 🤷 those fuckers had it coming anyway.

Hey Santa.... I've got a few people to add to the list..... KIDDING...IM KIDDING. 👀

[The_5ft_reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a way to kick off my xmas reads.....

I loved the first book and this follow up does not disappoint, theres just as much gore and lots of dark humour .... Santa's now got a cult following 😳

[Jenny Coyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this follow up to The Very Naughty List. It was a bit of a slow burn, but around halfway in it picked up speed and the suspense never let up! It's amazing how a character can evolve from someone you despise and even pity a little, but end up rooting for in the end.

[Lou Canning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what fun!! This book was fun, gory, rather violent and very funny! And all set around the best time of year, Christmas time!!
Michael is a new author to me but I will be reading more of his work for sure.
I loved it!!

[Honey Dy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Christmas, Santa Claus went full slasher mode and landed himself in prison for the Merryvale Shopping Mall Massacre. Gave him some time to cool down right?
WRONG.

Prison didn’t tame him. In fact, it turned him into a folklore icon with a legion of fans, in fact, it turned into a cult following where “Merry Christmas, Season’s greetings” is worshipping a jolly, blood-soaked vigilante.

Thousands of letters start flooding in — not for the usual toys, but for revenge — Santa’s Naughty List becomes a target for abusers, awful bosses, landlords, and crooked politicians…

The real mastermind behind all this madness is none other than the man himself, Michael D. A. Clarke. Not only does he writes horror, he engineered it.

The creativity in this sequel is next-level, and the sequel was nothing that I had expected, in fact, it was better.

What Clarke handed me was something darker, funnier, sharper, and completely deranged.

Its BRUTAL. Its TWISTED, and Inventive as hell.

And honestly?

I wish all Festive chaos was this much fun!

Thank you to my book friend Ashley from @mostly.macabre.bookworm who did this as a buddy read with me...mind you she finished this waaaaayyyy before me, and without any spoilers, told me it was Michael's best one yet...and i tend to agree.

So bring on book three, because once Michael gets creative, we all get carnage, and I, for one, am ready🎅🔪✨

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Santa’s first “adventure,” I was crossing my fingers for a sequel—and this is exactly the one I was hoping for. This story adds real depth and substance to an already brilliant gore fest, layering in purpose, emotion, and an exploration of forgiveness versus revenge. When faced with those two choices… what would you pick?

The narrative threads are woven seamlessly, with clever reveals that had me going, “Ohhh, so that’s…!” Santa is as gloriously gory as ever, and once again I found myself rooting for him—especially after learning more about how he became the man (or monster) he is.

The opening scene was one of my favorite moments: the vivid imagery and the switch between what’s seen and what’s felt are fantastic. And those bonus extras at the end? A perfect glimpse into the twisted, brilliant mind of Michael D A Clarke :)

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal, I enjoyed it just as much as the first one. I really appreciated the growth in the writing - the editing was more polished, there was more of a backstory and a solid plot. The carnage was also extremely satisfying. I loved Book 1 for the vibes, but this one I enjoyed as a whole.

Not gonna lie, the way I was cackling at President Needmore's similarities to another president...and I just loved how this story became one of justice for the working class and people who have been taken advantage of by late stage capitalism. It was actually quite smart, and felt very cathartic.

This duology was such a treat - I loved it. I loved how things escalated. I highly recommend this for the holiday season, especially if you wish Santa would bring you some vigilante justice for Christmas this year.

[Alix Kampen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Very Naughty List Part Two, it was longer and much better written than the first. What I appreciated most was how the characters and storyline came together. There was a lot more depth and development here, which I think made a big difference. Instead of just being focused on the gore, the story built up the characters in a way that made the shocking moments hit even harder. It felt like a real punch to the gut when the intense scenes happened. Overall, I would definitely recommend giving it a read. It’s a great mix of engaging storytelling and well-done suspense. I’m really hoping there is a part three!!

[Angela Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Santa,

You haven't killed my spirit. In fact I'm ready for this saga to continue.

Your loyal supporter

This was another fun read by Michael D. A.
Clarke. I enjoyed getting to hear a bit of Santa's backstory. It truly put into perspective Santa's motives.

Again, Michael does a great job of writing a short and concise horror novel. I believe everyone who's into this genre would enjoy. I will definitely be checking out more of his works. I cannot wait to see what else he has in store for us readers.

[•mikaela• :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slay Santa, or should I say sleigh? 💀😂

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! This one had a very different vibe. I liked the first one better, but this one was intense. Makes you not want to be on Santa’s list! 🤣🎅🏻

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt this one wasn't as good as it's predecessor. In this one Santa Clause is in prison for most of the story. And he need outside help to release him so he can punish the naughty.

[Jine · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off the little happy Christmas drawings mixed in with this disturbing story was perfect!
I really liked the second part of the story
Santa is now in jail but he has fans! Lots of letters of people who want him out and take care of the naughty once again!!
My only complaint I wanted it longer! Loved this!

[Rachell Zinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen, if I thought I liked the first one… well, I loved this one! This one is better than the first one! Love myself a little stabby Christmas book! 🎄 🎅

[Dani (piggindani_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon but I loved it. 🥰

[Kendal Connors · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading these books. If you wanna have a good seasonal horror read, this is the one guys. 10/10 🎅🏻 🔪

[Michelle Nelms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, Gruesome Christmas Horror Story

This was a fun short story. It can be a little campy and a little heavy handed with allegory at times, but sometimes that's the kind of story you're in the mood to read.

It wasn't what I was expecting when I read the synopsis.  I had expected a bit more of a supernatural lean to it, but there's not much of that until later in the story. But then it shows up in force.

I liked the exploration of the injustices inherent in the justice system, corruption in politics, and mankind's desire for the concept of fairness.

There's a lot going on in this short story and initially it feels unrelated but as you read it comes together and makes sense. I very much enjoyed how it worked out in the end. I'm glad this book was brought to my attention; it was the Christmas story I didn't know I needed this year.

[Sharon Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second book as much as the first one. Santa is in prison and receiving some very interesting letters. Not from children who want toys, but from adults looking for revenge and payback for some very deserving people. However, something like that can get out of hand pretty quick.

Does Santa escape from prison? Does he have help? How high up in society can this revenge go? For all the answers and delicious gory details, this is a must read especially after reading the first one.

If you're a fan of horror and don't mind some gore, don't miss out on the excellent writing from this author.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upping the ante from the first book, our psychotic Santa is back and ready to ring those SLAY bells.

Because of what he did in the first book, Santa now sits behind bars in his own special cell being treated like Hannibal Lector. But the people are behind him. They don't see a crazed madman, they see someone who's righting the wrongs of society. He begins to receive thousands of letters but instead of asking for gifts, people give him a hit list. Naughty people who have destroyed lives.

But we'll go all the way to the White House and see how evil and corrupt things can get as the President's son confesses to murdering two kids a year ago and getting away with it. Now it's time for those in power to get rid of anyone who could blow the whistle.

Through the power of the people, Santa will continue his reign of bloody retribution against the naughtiest people of all and become a folk hero along the way.

As always, there's a dark humor threaded throughout which leads to some hilarious situations. But the kills are gruesome again and the story is excellently paced with a lot of interesting characters and a few arcs which come together over the course of the book.

This one is fantastic, fun to read, and entertaining. I highly recommend it.

[Allison | crazypageturner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our favorite mall Santa is back and in quite a different way. He’s famous! It seems that rage killing all the people who wronged him have found a special place in people’s hearts. He’s beloved. He has fans. He receives fan mail. Now a reporter wants to write an article about him and gets to interview him one on one while his fans turn mob like outside the prison.

We pick up one year after the massacre of the mall and the detainment of Santa. Now he sits in a high security glass cell in prison. Santa aka Sam Clarkson had a rough upbringing with a mom who despised him. We find out a bit more backstory about him which I enjoyed.

Santa is receiving letters….letters from adults wanting to do unspeakable things. Unforgivable things. Confessing. Plotting. You hear stories of other people, their personal issues and the revenge plots they are wishing for.

The writing and focus is very much on other characters as well as Santa and how they possibly are connected. Definitely not as gory as the first novel which was a shame, but has more storytelling and suspense as new characters are introduced. A very nice sequel.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael D.A. Clarke returns with a sequel that’s as twisted, gleeful, and darkly hilarious as its predecessor—only this time, Santa’s sleigh is parked behind bars, and the Naughty List is longer than ever.

What begins as a grim continuation of the Merryvale Shopping Mall Massacre quickly morphs into something far more unsettling: a cult of believers, thousands of letters begging for vengeance, and a folk hero forged in blood and broken systems. Clarke’s Santa isn’t just a killer—he’s a symbol, a myth, a reckoning. And somehow, you find yourself rooting for him.

The writing is razor-sharp, laced with biting satire and bursts of brutal imagery. It’s a story that dances between horror and humor, never losing its emotional pulse. The pacing is relentless, the characters vivid, and the moral ambiguity deliciously murky.

If you like your Christmas tales with a side of carnage and a wink of justice, this one’s a sleigh ride through the shadows. Just don’t expect jingle bells—expect sirens.

[Kaya Parkinson-Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book, and the second did not disappoint in the slightest, honestly, five stars isn’t enough. This installment delivers the perfect mix of origin story and sequel, adding depth and context while still driving the story forward at a relentless pace. It pulls you in from the very beginning and never lets go.

This is horror done right: dark, brutal, and unapologetically gory. If you love your horror bloody and intense, this one delivers in spades. Somehow, it even managed to flip the script. I found myself actively rooting for Santa this time around. He’s transformed into a full-on vigilante anti-hero, giving the story strong Purge vibes that make the chaos feel strangely satisfying.

Twisted, thrilling, and wildly entertaining, this book cements the duology as a standout in seasonal horror. A must-read for horror lovers who aren’t afraid of a little gore.

[Kallie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a little bit different than the first, but I still liked it. The way the author described some of the scenes, especially the first one, was so clear. I could picture the scene so well. Michael starts off writing about Sam as a boy who simply wanted to be loved for Christmas. It ends with Sam becoming... creative with his Christmas decorations, which his mother did not appreciate.

This Santa is dark, filled with horror with a sparkle of humor and justice in a way. This book is the psycho thriller Christmas book you never knew you needed. I am honored to be able to write a review for this author as his books jump straight in with a twist into horror. The letters Santa had received in prison for death requests were insane. Experience a moral whiplash with the new version of Santa and read The Very Naughty List: Part Two today.

[Amanda (edgybookvixen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start off by saying that Part 1 was my absolute favorite! It was gory, thrilling, and had a great plot! The little psycho rhymes were one of my favorite parts too (also appears in part 2).
Part 2: I definitely enjoyed it just as much as the first. One thing I noticed was in part 1 Santa's name was Charles and in part 2 it's Sam? Part 2 dives into "Santa's" childhood and how he became so obsessed and delusional. Then to present day where he's locked up for the Merryvale Mall Massacre.
We only got gore at about the 80% mark which was a bit disappointing but the gore factor definitely made up for it in the parade! Either way about it, I still enjoyed the second part of this story very much!

[Clare Johnstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Very Naughty List - Part 2
By Michael D.A. Clarke
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a great Christmas horror read!
Following on from Part 1, the story begins back in his childhood. And we see that he didn't have a great upbringing. We see him as a young boy spiralling and struggling to perceive what is real and what is all in his head.
Fast forward.... he was wrongly accused of something and set out to get his revenge on who did wrong by him. He takes his role of Santa very seriously!!
This is full of blood and gore and not for the fainthearted!
As you get further into the story, you soon realize that Santa has become somewhat of a martyr for the people also been treated wrong by others, and what develops is a mission to make their wishes come true.
This was a great read, and if you like Christmas, blood and gore, and a revenge plot, then you should give this a read. I would say you should really read Part 1 so you get the full story.

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael has done it again! Part two brings us more of the blood, gore, and dark humor that we've come to expect from Santa. Now he's in prison, but he has a following and they have lots of names to add to his list. The kills are horrific, gruesome, and too interesting to turn away from. This story is a little longer than part one and so much more of everything. It was a fun and easy read. Can't wait for more.

[jamie d mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is a continuous from part one. In this book Santa gained tons of fans. All of his fans has a naughty list of their own and they need Santa help in killing those on their naughty list.

It was steady paced. A Good storyline. I prefer the first book but sequels aren’t always as good as the first one.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Santa Santa. Things got worse for him. Then they got better. Can I say better?
This was a wild ride of the fans of locked up Santa. Fan mail and exactly what do you want for Christmas?
Anyone driving you mad? Anyone who should be top of the list? And I don’t mean as a gift recipient.
Great follow up to book one and a definite wild (sleigh) ride