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Advent of Evil
Welcome to Marshport, Maine — a quaint, little coastal town preparing for their annual Winter Wonderland Festival. But beneath the lights and holiday cheer, something evil is stirring — and it’s not a mouse.
When a mysterious package arrives on the doorstep of veteran police officer Matthew Klein and his family's home, it seems, at first, like a harmless holiday gift. However, there’s no tag and no sender. Inside lies an antique wooden advent calendar with strange engravings and twenty-four doors that each shelter something dark and unspeakable.
The line between reality and nightmare quickly becomes blurred as Matthew races to figure out the calendar’s origin and who sent it. But as each door is opened, and Marshport is thrust into a sinister nightmare, Matthew realizes the terrifying truth and is forced to relive the horrors from his past that refuse to stay buried.
The countdown has begun. And once that first door is opened …there’s no turning back.
ADVENT OF EVIL is an advent calendar-style horror story, written by Scott Donnelly (Cheater, Cheater, Return to Point Pleasant, Sea Devil & more), based on a concept by Darren Marlar (host of Weird Darkness). Read it one day at a time, or all at once. And listen to the audio production on the Weird Darkness Podcast (December 1st - 24th, 2025.)
When a mysterious package arrives on the doorstep of veteran police officer Matthew Klein and his family's home, it seems, at first, like a harmless holiday gift. However, there’s no tag and no sender. Inside lies an antique wooden advent calendar with strange engravings and twenty-four doors that each shelter something dark and unspeakable.
The line between reality and nightmare quickly becomes blurred as Matthew races to figure out the calendar’s origin and who sent it. But as each door is opened, and Marshport is thrust into a sinister nightmare, Matthew realizes the terrifying truth and is forced to relive the horrors from his past that refuse to stay buried.
The countdown has begun. And once that first door is opened …there’s no turning back.
ADVENT OF EVIL is an advent calendar-style horror story, written by Scott Donnelly (Cheater, Cheater, Return to Point Pleasant, Sea Devil & more), based on a concept by Darren Marlar (host of Weird Darkness). Read it one day at a time, or all at once. And listen to the audio production on the Weird Darkness Podcast (December 1st - 24th, 2025.)
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2025
4 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Scott Donnelly
82 books43 followersScott Donnelly is an indie author based in Grove City, Ohio, where he lives with his wife and three children. Scott is best known for his horror titles "Mothman: Return to Point Pleasant", “Sea Devil”, “A Monster in a Diner”, “Where it’s Always Spooky Season” (which won a 2023 Pen Craft Book Award) and "Cheater, Cheater" (which is receiving a 2024 film adaptation from writer/director Del Kary and distribution from SRS Cinema). Scott is also the creator and head writer of Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids, a horror podcast geared towards kids 8 and up. In addition to writing fiction, Scott also freelances for Weird Darkness Publishing as an editor and cover designer.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 24, 2025
Advent Of Evil is a super charged demonic story that takes place around Christmas and features a unique and terrifying premise.
Matthew is a police officer for a small town in Maine. He has a wife and two boys and his life is good.
Until December 1st when a strange package is left on his doorstep with no return address. It's an advent calendar made from antique wood and intricate carvings.
But behind each door isn't a treat or toy. They unleash horrors on himself, his family, and the town itself. Each "gift" comes with horrifically dire consequences. And when he tries to get rid of it, it comes back. A demonic presence controlling and manipulating everything knows about Matthew's past, a tragic fire which killed his parents and brother, a spirit board, and the guilt he's racked himself with ever since.
And events are only going to get worse as the doors to the calender are opened day by day.
This novel has a fantastic Christmas horror/demonic vibe mixed together like nothing else you've read before. It's horrific, hair raising, and will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat as you read. An explosive, wild, out of control ending will make you rethink what you believed before.
This one is great and I highly recommend it.
Matthew is a police officer for a small town in Maine. He has a wife and two boys and his life is good.
Until December 1st when a strange package is left on his doorstep with no return address. It's an advent calendar made from antique wood and intricate carvings.
But behind each door isn't a treat or toy. They unleash horrors on himself, his family, and the town itself. Each "gift" comes with horrifically dire consequences. And when he tries to get rid of it, it comes back. A demonic presence controlling and manipulating everything knows about Matthew's past, a tragic fire which killed his parents and brother, a spirit board, and the guilt he's racked himself with ever since.
And events are only going to get worse as the doors to the calender are opened day by day.
This novel has a fantastic Christmas horror/demonic vibe mixed together like nothing else you've read before. It's horrific, hair raising, and will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat as you read. An explosive, wild, out of control ending will make you rethink what you believed before.
This one is great and I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review