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'Twas the Night: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 13 Oct 26"A yuletide Midsommar drenched in eggnog and blood." -CLAY MCLEOD CHAPMAN, author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes
A young reporter follows a string of disappearances into the middle of a terrifying Christmas cult inspired by our favorite holiday classics.
You better watch out. You better not cry.
It’s Christmas in the village of Yule, Maine.
In fact, it’s always Christmas in Yule. Here, Santa Claus isn’t a storybook figure. He’s an icon. A god. The villagers don’t just believe in him—they worship him. And the world is better for it.
Halley Belanger hates Christmas, and she doesn’t have much love for Santa either. But when a string of child disappearances across Maine seems to spare only the village of Yule, Halley—a sharp, skeptical reporter—decides to investigate.
What she finds is a town that guards its secrets with gingerbread smiles and a snow globe sheen. Outsiders aren’t welcome. She isn’t welcome. And something sinister is keeping the Christmas spirit alive.
As Halley digs deeper, she begins to uncover the horrifying truth behind Yule’s eternal cheer. Christmas comes at a grisly cost. And Santa Claus is no saint.
"The gleefully unhinged tale of holiday horror you've been waiting for." -ERIC LAROCCA, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
A young reporter follows a string of disappearances into the middle of a terrifying Christmas cult inspired by our favorite holiday classics.
You better watch out. You better not cry.
It’s Christmas in the village of Yule, Maine.
In fact, it’s always Christmas in Yule. Here, Santa Claus isn’t a storybook figure. He’s an icon. A god. The villagers don’t just believe in him—they worship him. And the world is better for it.
Halley Belanger hates Christmas, and she doesn’t have much love for Santa either. But when a string of child disappearances across Maine seems to spare only the village of Yule, Halley—a sharp, skeptical reporter—decides to investigate.
What she finds is a town that guards its secrets with gingerbread smiles and a snow globe sheen. Outsiders aren’t welcome. She isn’t welcome. And something sinister is keeping the Christmas spirit alive.
As Halley digs deeper, she begins to uncover the horrifying truth behind Yule’s eternal cheer. Christmas comes at a grisly cost. And Santa Claus is no saint.
"The gleefully unhinged tale of holiday horror you've been waiting for." -ERIC LAROCCA, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 13, 2026
About the author
Kevin Johnson
1 book21 followersKevin Johnson grew up reading Goosebumps and roaming the horror aisles of the nearest Blockbuster Video. He studied Creative Writing at Florida State University and currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife and a rambunctious long-haired miniature dachshund named Pepper. ‘Twas The Night is his debut novel. You can find him on social media @bookevinjohnson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC for review. To be published October 13, 2026.
2 stars
Santa goes evil in this debut horror which I’m sorry to say I did not love. It was silly, but blessedly short, so there’s that. If holiday themed horror is your thing maybe you’ll have a better time with it than I.
2 stars
Santa goes evil in this debut horror which I’m sorry to say I did not love. It was silly, but blessedly short, so there’s that. If holiday themed horror is your thing maybe you’ll have a better time with it than I.
Want to Read
March 3, 2026I LOVE Christmas Horror stories! this one sounds fun!
** UPDATE ARC REC'D THANK YOU SO MUCH!! **
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
** UPDATE ARC REC'D THANK YOU SO MUCH!! **
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Twas The Night by Kevin Johnson, narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw. haley is in search of missing children in Maine and definitely wants to know why no children ever go missing from the small town of Yule. When she arrives the snow is spitting the winds are blowing and no one is out and about in this picture perfect winter wonderland her truck breaks down and she has no choice but to go knock on doors and try to find assistance. luckily for Haley in the town with no visitors they do have a bed-and-breakfast and although she initially gets greeted with a rifle eventually she is welcomed in to Bob and his husband‘s home and although they’re nervous to have her they let her stay still and all. despite her reluctant hosts tell her not to go out the house she takes every opportunity to investigate every gathering and get together and even wind up making a friend with little Ralph a boy she recognizes as one of the missing. By the time the story is over the song grandma got ran over by a reindeer has a totally different meaning and although I didn’t really get why Santa was evil nor did I understand why the hooded guy with the cloak would come get the children I knew it was because they needed elves but what did he have to do with anything anyway this was still a pretty good book and if you like horror and twisted fairytales then you’ll definitely enjoy this one I thought the narrator did a great great job and made the book that much better. I love Christmas horror and this one did not disappoint. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
September 20, 2026
Thank you, William Morrow Paperbacks and HarperAudio Adult, for the ARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review!
Santa is back, and he’s badder than ever!
What first drew me to this book was the fact that it had been marketed as being like ‘Midsommar drenched in eggnog and blood.’ I am a huge fan of the movie, so I was super excited to read this one! I was not let down at all, and for a debut novel, it was great. I loved the idea that Santa is real in this world and that this tiny town has a ritual around Santa that everyone in the town does because they need to keep him happy. Halley goes to Yule, Maine, a tiny town filled with its own secrets, and no one is welcoming towards her. They don’t like outsiders, so they don’t like Halley. But soon, Hallie starts to uncover more about the town and the sinister things they are doing to keep it alive.
There was an eeriness to this novel that you won’t be able to shake. When you’re reading the story. You get the warm, cozy New England vibes, but the horror aspect just adds another layer. You very much get a cult vibe about all the people living there; we especially see this when Halley was brought to the school. I think that’s when I was like, okay, these people are kinda cuckoo! I loved learning more about the town's history through Halley and trying to figure out what was going on and why Santa was so important.
I loved the audiobook. I am very much an immersive reader. There is only one narrator, but they knocked it out of the park! You can feel the urgency and hesitation in their voice. I wish there were a little more difference in the narrator’s voice when playing different characters, but it was still a very good performance! The narration didn’t drag on, and I felt like it all flowed smoothly!
Overall, this is such a good holiday read, and I can’t recommend it enough!
Santa is back, and he’s badder than ever!
What first drew me to this book was the fact that it had been marketed as being like ‘Midsommar drenched in eggnog and blood.’ I am a huge fan of the movie, so I was super excited to read this one! I was not let down at all, and for a debut novel, it was great. I loved the idea that Santa is real in this world and that this tiny town has a ritual around Santa that everyone in the town does because they need to keep him happy. Halley goes to Yule, Maine, a tiny town filled with its own secrets, and no one is welcoming towards her. They don’t like outsiders, so they don’t like Halley. But soon, Hallie starts to uncover more about the town and the sinister things they are doing to keep it alive.
There was an eeriness to this novel that you won’t be able to shake. When you’re reading the story. You get the warm, cozy New England vibes, but the horror aspect just adds another layer. You very much get a cult vibe about all the people living there; we especially see this when Halley was brought to the school. I think that’s when I was like, okay, these people are kinda cuckoo! I loved learning more about the town's history through Halley and trying to figure out what was going on and why Santa was so important.
I loved the audiobook. I am very much an immersive reader. There is only one narrator, but they knocked it out of the park! You can feel the urgency and hesitation in their voice. I wish there were a little more difference in the narrator’s voice when playing different characters, but it was still a very good performance! The narration didn’t drag on, and I felt like it all flowed smoothly!
Overall, this is such a good holiday read, and I can’t recommend it enough!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The giant nutcrackers would have been enough for me. I need everyone in Yule, Maine, to understand that once your Christmas decorations become large enough to potentially identify my body, we have crossed out of “festive” and directly into “I am leaving this town before somebody puts my organs in an Advent calendar.” Then there’s an army of creepy snowmen. Everyone is smiling. Nobody appears concerned. Halley, babe, your investigative instincts are impressive, but my investigative process would have been seeing one twelve-foot nutcracker, whispering “absolutely the fuck not,” and investigating the fastest route back to the interstate.
Halley Belanger, unfortunately, has the exact personality type that hears “please stop asking questions about the isolated Christmas village” and thinks, interesting, I should absolutely drive directly into the isolated Christmas village. She’s a reporter chasing a string of missing children across Maine, except somehow Yule has been completely spared. Yule, where Christmas is basically a municipal religion and Santa Claus isn’t a cute story parents tell children. Santa is REAL in this world. Everybody knows he’s real. Humanity discovered that an immortal man conducts annual home invasions via chimney and apparently went, “Great, finally something we can all agree on.” Yule took that relationship several thousand horrifying steps further and said, actually, what if we made him God?
And Halley HATES Christmas. Perfect. Incredible staffing decision. Send the woman who looks spiritually exhausted by tinsel into the town where Christmas has become a full-time occupation. She arrives with the emotional energy of someone who has already heard “All I Want for Christmas Is You” seventeen times at Target and is prepared to fistfight the next wreath that looks at her funny. She’s prickly. She’s suspicious. She has no interest whatsoever in joining hands for a carol. I loved her immediately. She also very obviously has more invested in this situation than she’s telling anybody, and the longer she stays in Yule, the clearer it becomes that this is not simply an ambitious reporter who stumbled onto the world’s most upsetting Christmas feature story. Halley came here carrying baggage. Large baggage. Angry baggage. Baggage that apparently requires sleigh transportation.
Meanwhile, everyone in Yule is behaving exactly like people who have been participating in something unspeakable for generations and would really appreciate it if the nosy woman with follow-up questions could stop ruining Christmas. Nobody gives a normal answer. Everybody knows something. Traditions are treated like legally binding contracts with God. Mardi has enough steel in her spine to reinforce a bridge, and then Bob and Barry show up and somehow make me emotionally invest in people living inside a town where my previous position had been BURN THE ENTIRE ZIP CODE. Their dry back-and-forth with Halley made them feel like actual people instead of additional names for my eventual police statement, and suddenly I cared. Rude. I was perfectly happy distrusting everyone.
The deeper Halley gets into what Yule is doing and why these children keep disappearing, the more I kept thinking, surely this cannot become MORE Christmas cult. Friends, it can always become more Christmas cult. Halley is digging through local history, Santa lore, suspicious villagers, and the increasingly obvious fact that Yule has built its entire existence around a bargain that nobody should have signed without at least letting an attorney glance at the fine print. Then familiar Christmas traditions start clicking into place differently and I’m sitting there realizing that perhaps we, as a society, have been remarkably casual about the mythology surrounding the omniscient immortal man who watches children sleep.
And when this thing finally gets bloody, GOOD LORD. Santa is not coming down the chimney to eat your cookies. Santa has grievances. Santa has management issues. Santa should not be permitted around employees, livestock, children, or really anything with a pulse without OSHA, HR, animal control, and several federal agencies standing nearby with clipboards. The more we learn about the elves and reindeer, the more I’m thinking, has anybody checked on working conditions at the North Pole? Is there a union? Can there PLEASE be a union? Because at a certain point “jolly old elf” stops sounding whimsical and starts sounding like something corporate made everyone put in their email signature.
But underneath all this completely deranged Christmas business, Halley’s anger got me. Because eventually you realize there’s a difference between somebody who wants answers and somebody who has spent years arranging their entire life around the moment they finally get them. Halley has built herself around what happened to her, and once you understand that, some of those sharp edges stop looking like attitude and start looking like the only armor she knows how to wear. She is completely comfortable treating herself like the acceptable casualty of her own mission. Then other people start mattering to her. Which is deeply inconvenient when you have already blocked off your emotional calendar for revenge and possibly dying.
I did, however, want to corner Santa after all this and demand significantly more information. Sir. Sit down. We have follow-up questions. There is SO much deeply weird mythology tucked into this world, especially the fact that Santa is openly real outside Yule and has somehow become this enormous unifying cultural force, and I needed to know what the hell that has done to normal human society. Does Santa come up in presidential debates? Are there Santa conspiracy theorists even though HE IS CONFIRMED? What is Christmas morning like for insurance companies? I have QUESTIONS. And by the time Halley started closing in on the confrontation we’d been preparing for, I was mentally tapping my watch like, ma’am, respectfully, I have put on my fighting clothes. But once everybody starts making their final terrible decisions, things get mean, messy, bloody, and festive in a way that would get an entire Hallmark executive team escorted from the premises.
Four stars from me. 'Twas the Night gave me exactly the kind of Christmas horror nonsense I want under my tree: creepy small-town cult behavior, emotionally compromised people making deeply unsafe choices, disturbing Santa lore, reindeer business, suspicious holiday décor, and enough blood that eventually the red-and-green color scheme starts feeling less like decorating and more like advance notice. I finished entertained, emotionally attached to people I had specifically told myself not to get attached to, mildly hostile toward nutcrackers, and completely comfortable rescinding Santa’s invitation to my home. He can leave the presents at the property line.
Merry Mayhem Prize: For Turning “Santa Knows When You’ve Been Bad or Good” Into Information That Should Require a Restraining Order
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. I asked for an early Christmas present and received missing children, a Santa cult, workplace violations at the North Pole, homicidal holiday energy, and a permanent distrust of decorative nutcrackers. Five golden rings would have been less complicated, but here we are.
Halley Belanger, unfortunately, has the exact personality type that hears “please stop asking questions about the isolated Christmas village” and thinks, interesting, I should absolutely drive directly into the isolated Christmas village. She’s a reporter chasing a string of missing children across Maine, except somehow Yule has been completely spared. Yule, where Christmas is basically a municipal religion and Santa Claus isn’t a cute story parents tell children. Santa is REAL in this world. Everybody knows he’s real. Humanity discovered that an immortal man conducts annual home invasions via chimney and apparently went, “Great, finally something we can all agree on.” Yule took that relationship several thousand horrifying steps further and said, actually, what if we made him God?
And Halley HATES Christmas. Perfect. Incredible staffing decision. Send the woman who looks spiritually exhausted by tinsel into the town where Christmas has become a full-time occupation. She arrives with the emotional energy of someone who has already heard “All I Want for Christmas Is You” seventeen times at Target and is prepared to fistfight the next wreath that looks at her funny. She’s prickly. She’s suspicious. She has no interest whatsoever in joining hands for a carol. I loved her immediately. She also very obviously has more invested in this situation than she’s telling anybody, and the longer she stays in Yule, the clearer it becomes that this is not simply an ambitious reporter who stumbled onto the world’s most upsetting Christmas feature story. Halley came here carrying baggage. Large baggage. Angry baggage. Baggage that apparently requires sleigh transportation.
Meanwhile, everyone in Yule is behaving exactly like people who have been participating in something unspeakable for generations and would really appreciate it if the nosy woman with follow-up questions could stop ruining Christmas. Nobody gives a normal answer. Everybody knows something. Traditions are treated like legally binding contracts with God. Mardi has enough steel in her spine to reinforce a bridge, and then Bob and Barry show up and somehow make me emotionally invest in people living inside a town where my previous position had been BURN THE ENTIRE ZIP CODE. Their dry back-and-forth with Halley made them feel like actual people instead of additional names for my eventual police statement, and suddenly I cared. Rude. I was perfectly happy distrusting everyone.
The deeper Halley gets into what Yule is doing and why these children keep disappearing, the more I kept thinking, surely this cannot become MORE Christmas cult. Friends, it can always become more Christmas cult. Halley is digging through local history, Santa lore, suspicious villagers, and the increasingly obvious fact that Yule has built its entire existence around a bargain that nobody should have signed without at least letting an attorney glance at the fine print. Then familiar Christmas traditions start clicking into place differently and I’m sitting there realizing that perhaps we, as a society, have been remarkably casual about the mythology surrounding the omniscient immortal man who watches children sleep.
And when this thing finally gets bloody, GOOD LORD. Santa is not coming down the chimney to eat your cookies. Santa has grievances. Santa has management issues. Santa should not be permitted around employees, livestock, children, or really anything with a pulse without OSHA, HR, animal control, and several federal agencies standing nearby with clipboards. The more we learn about the elves and reindeer, the more I’m thinking, has anybody checked on working conditions at the North Pole? Is there a union? Can there PLEASE be a union? Because at a certain point “jolly old elf” stops sounding whimsical and starts sounding like something corporate made everyone put in their email signature.
But underneath all this completely deranged Christmas business, Halley’s anger got me. Because eventually you realize there’s a difference between somebody who wants answers and somebody who has spent years arranging their entire life around the moment they finally get them. Halley has built herself around what happened to her, and once you understand that, some of those sharp edges stop looking like attitude and start looking like the only armor she knows how to wear. She is completely comfortable treating herself like the acceptable casualty of her own mission. Then other people start mattering to her. Which is deeply inconvenient when you have already blocked off your emotional calendar for revenge and possibly dying.
I did, however, want to corner Santa after all this and demand significantly more information. Sir. Sit down. We have follow-up questions. There is SO much deeply weird mythology tucked into this world, especially the fact that Santa is openly real outside Yule and has somehow become this enormous unifying cultural force, and I needed to know what the hell that has done to normal human society. Does Santa come up in presidential debates? Are there Santa conspiracy theorists even though HE IS CONFIRMED? What is Christmas morning like for insurance companies? I have QUESTIONS. And by the time Halley started closing in on the confrontation we’d been preparing for, I was mentally tapping my watch like, ma’am, respectfully, I have put on my fighting clothes. But once everybody starts making their final terrible decisions, things get mean, messy, bloody, and festive in a way that would get an entire Hallmark executive team escorted from the premises.
Four stars from me. 'Twas the Night gave me exactly the kind of Christmas horror nonsense I want under my tree: creepy small-town cult behavior, emotionally compromised people making deeply unsafe choices, disturbing Santa lore, reindeer business, suspicious holiday décor, and enough blood that eventually the red-and-green color scheme starts feeling less like decorating and more like advance notice. I finished entertained, emotionally attached to people I had specifically told myself not to get attached to, mildly hostile toward nutcrackers, and completely comfortable rescinding Santa’s invitation to my home. He can leave the presents at the property line.
Merry Mayhem Prize: For Turning “Santa Knows When You’ve Been Bad or Good” Into Information That Should Require a Restraining Order
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. I asked for an early Christmas present and received missing children, a Santa cult, workplace violations at the North Pole, homicidal holiday energy, and a permanent distrust of decorative nutcrackers. Five golden rings would have been less complicated, but here we are.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✨ARC REVIEW✨
4.5⭐️ Definitely impressed with this debut. I can honestly say I’ve never read a story about a secluded village with a twisted, cult-like devotion to Santa Claus. And not about the festive Christmas cheer we’re all used to.
Clever writing that takes familiar holiday traditions and transforms them into nightmares that keep the tension building—think The Wicker Man meets Silent Night. If you’re looking for a dark, investigative horror this book is an absolute must-read that will make you look at Santa Claus in a whole new light. Well done.
4.5⭐️ Definitely impressed with this debut. I can honestly say I’ve never read a story about a secluded village with a twisted, cult-like devotion to Santa Claus. And not about the festive Christmas cheer we’re all used to.
Clever writing that takes familiar holiday traditions and transforms them into nightmares that keep the tension building—think The Wicker Man meets Silent Night. If you’re looking for a dark, investigative horror this book is an absolute must-read that will make you look at Santa Claus in a whole new light. Well done.
September 19, 2026
Thanks to Macmillan audio for gifted access to this audiobook. All opinions below my own.
Wow! This is what I’ve always hoped for when it comes to holiday horror. Usually we get a little slasher with snow and a jingle bell or two in the background, but this was an all out reimagining of Santa lore. Halley is a reporter in the small Maine town of Yule investigating a series of missing children. And all the clues point back to the big man, who is worshipped like a God. The truth is more gruesome than you could imagine.
It’s hard to believe that a holiday horror thriller could get a five star rating… But I loved every second of this one. It pulls no punches. The Santa lore is top-notch and well-thought-out and it builds to a crescendo of action filled with revenge. Seriously at this one to your holiday TBR for a little something different.
Wow! This is what I’ve always hoped for when it comes to holiday horror. Usually we get a little slasher with snow and a jingle bell or two in the background, but this was an all out reimagining of Santa lore. Halley is a reporter in the small Maine town of Yule investigating a series of missing children. And all the clues point back to the big man, who is worshipped like a God. The truth is more gruesome than you could imagine.
It’s hard to believe that a holiday horror thriller could get a five star rating… But I loved every second of this one. It pulls no punches. The Santa lore is top-notch and well-thought-out and it builds to a crescendo of action filled with revenge. Seriously at this one to your holiday TBR for a little something different.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
'Twas the Night.
I was going to save this for Halloween but I was in the mood for something scary.
But I usually am.
I love horror, especially Christmas horror.
** Minor not jolly non-spoilers ahead **
While many holiday horror books recycle the same slasher-stalking-young-teens premise, 'Twas the Night brings an original twist to the genre by reimagining Santa as something far darker—like Krampus or robot Santa from Futurama.
The author does a good job building the town of Yule and its grim bargain: sacrificing children to keep Christmas alive.
The setup is disturbing and grounded, especially when the story leans into folklore (which I love) and suggests Santa is an ancient, resilient force rather than a jolly, fat man in a red suit.
But I wanted more mythology and exposition—how did this version of Santa come into our reality?—but the world that is presented feels believable and strange as only reality can be sometimes.
Halley is a smart, resourceful, and sympathetic protagonist; you know she's more than who she claims to be.
I love how her dad's love and guidance kept her alive, partly by teaching her the tools for revenge but also giving her the support and stability she needed so desperately.
As an animal lover, I was excited when Rudolph made his appearance—no story about Santa is complete without Rudolph.
My only real disappointment was the final showdown between Halley and Santa: it felt anticlimactic compared with what I’d hoped for and Halley's constant insistence on vengeance and that she couldn’t wait another year to kill him.
The book delivers a fresh perspective on the Santa myth with strong horror elements, pulling from folklore that kept my attention.
I look forward to the author's next book.
I was going to save this for Halloween but I was in the mood for something scary.
But I usually am.
I love horror, especially Christmas horror.
** Minor not jolly non-spoilers ahead **
While many holiday horror books recycle the same slasher-stalking-young-teens premise, 'Twas the Night brings an original twist to the genre by reimagining Santa as something far darker—like Krampus or robot Santa from Futurama.
The author does a good job building the town of Yule and its grim bargain: sacrificing children to keep Christmas alive.
The setup is disturbing and grounded, especially when the story leans into folklore (which I love) and suggests Santa is an ancient, resilient force rather than a jolly, fat man in a red suit.
But I wanted more mythology and exposition—how did this version of Santa come into our reality?—but the world that is presented feels believable and strange as only reality can be sometimes.
Halley is a smart, resourceful, and sympathetic protagonist; you know she's more than who she claims to be.
I love how her dad's love and guidance kept her alive, partly by teaching her the tools for revenge but also giving her the support and stability she needed so desperately.
As an animal lover, I was excited when Rudolph made his appearance—no story about Santa is complete without Rudolph.
My only real disappointment was the final showdown between Halley and Santa: it felt anticlimactic compared with what I’d hoped for and Halley's constant insistence on vengeance and that she couldn’t wait another year to kill him.
The book delivers a fresh perspective on the Santa myth with strong horror elements, pulling from folklore that kept my attention.
I look forward to the author's next book.
October 3, 2026
Yes, yes. I did read a Christmas book in October! But I’m very glad that I did. ‘Twas The Night is Sick and sadistic imagining of the Yule holiday and Santa clause and I’m not talking Scott Calvin.
The book doing a great job of setting a gritty, tense but, fun and festive environment. From the first image of Haley walking into the bar to the town of Yule, the holiday spirit is all around. The characters are great. Haley wasn’t my biggest fan starting off but, she definitely grew on me as the book went. Bob on the other hand was the true main character in my eyes. All I could think of was Leslie Jordan when imagining Bob. Super funny and just had BDE. I also liked Barry and Ralph. The reimagining of Santa especially in his true broken down form was very interesting and an amazing shift. It really put things into perspective for the people of Yule. Who they were really living for.
The mix of: Christmas Horror, Thriller, and mystery worked so well. The twists and turns that were in the book were laid out perfectly and I didn’t see most of them coming which is always fun! Btw, Chapter 7 & Chapter 12 🤯🤯🤯.
The only con I have is with the ending. I wish we got more of a conclusion for Haley and what exactly happened. The epilogue didn’t click for me. I see what it was going for but, felt off.
Overall, I think this is one of the best horror Christmas novels I have ever read and hope we get more like it. It’s a definite must read and wouldn’t be Suprised if it became a cult classic. The book comes out
13-OCT-2026.
The book doing a great job of setting a gritty, tense but, fun and festive environment. From the first image of Haley walking into the bar to the town of Yule, the holiday spirit is all around. The characters are great. Haley wasn’t my biggest fan starting off but, she definitely grew on me as the book went. Bob on the other hand was the true main character in my eyes. All I could think of was Leslie Jordan when imagining Bob. Super funny and just had BDE. I also liked Barry and Ralph. The reimagining of Santa especially in his true broken down form was very interesting and an amazing shift. It really put things into perspective for the people of Yule. Who they were really living for.
The mix of: Christmas Horror, Thriller, and mystery worked so well. The twists and turns that were in the book were laid out perfectly and I didn’t see most of them coming which is always fun! Btw, Chapter 7 & Chapter 12 🤯🤯🤯.
The only con I have is with the ending. I wish we got more of a conclusion for Haley and what exactly happened. The epilogue didn’t click for me. I see what it was going for but, felt off.
Overall, I think this is one of the best horror Christmas novels I have ever read and hope we get more like it. It’s a definite must read and wouldn’t be Suprised if it became a cult classic. The book comes out
13-OCT-2026.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was an interesting read for me. Stick with me here for a minute. I am not a big reader of horror however it is a genre I have challenged myself to dip my toes into this year. I am, however, a lover of all things Christmas.
‘Twas the Night is very atmospheric. The author does an amazing job painting a picture that you can visually see unfolding before your eyes and I was quickly drawn in. As the story began to unfold, I started to struggle. In part because emotionally with my love of Christmas I had a hard time with the turn it was taking, but on the other hand I was completely hooked on the story and could not turn away. (I know that is vague, but I don’t want to give anything away!) It was a push and pull for me all the way through.
Once I was finished, my brain would not shut off, and I could not stop thinking about it. For me, any time a book leaves me thinking about it long after I have finished, kudos to the author!
'Twas the Night was a fast paced, action packed and thrilling read with plenty of twists and turns. This debut novel did not leave me disappointed and for the horror readers out there, it is the perfect choice for the holiday season….or any time of year.
After reading the book I had the opportunity to listen to the audio version as well (which I will take any chance I can get because it is always a different experience for me). The production team and narrator Mia Huctchinson-Shaw did a wonderful job of bringing this story to life. I got so wrapped up in the telling of it that I even jumped a few times.
Thank you to William Morrow for the gifted copy of this book and Harper Audio for the audio version as I gently wade a little further into the land of horror!
‘Twas the Night is very atmospheric. The author does an amazing job painting a picture that you can visually see unfolding before your eyes and I was quickly drawn in. As the story began to unfold, I started to struggle. In part because emotionally with my love of Christmas I had a hard time with the turn it was taking, but on the other hand I was completely hooked on the story and could not turn away. (I know that is vague, but I don’t want to give anything away!) It was a push and pull for me all the way through.
Once I was finished, my brain would not shut off, and I could not stop thinking about it. For me, any time a book leaves me thinking about it long after I have finished, kudos to the author!
'Twas the Night was a fast paced, action packed and thrilling read with plenty of twists and turns. This debut novel did not leave me disappointed and for the horror readers out there, it is the perfect choice for the holiday season….or any time of year.
After reading the book I had the opportunity to listen to the audio version as well (which I will take any chance I can get because it is always a different experience for me). The production team and narrator Mia Huctchinson-Shaw did a wonderful job of bringing this story to life. I got so wrapped up in the telling of it that I even jumped a few times.
Thank you to William Morrow for the gifted copy of this book and Harper Audio for the audio version as I gently wade a little further into the land of horror!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was so much fun in a disturbing way. I feel like I am right on the bullseye if you were shooting an arrow at the target audience for this book. I really enjoy holiday based horror, the holiday doesn’t matter, I will read it, but this was fantastic.
It starts off with dark, creepy vibes when she ends up in the small town. You don’t know exactly what’s wrong but you know that that town has secrets. When I found out what the secrets were, it was so unexpected, but it gave me a whole new spark of interest because WHAT?
I don’t think this was at all what I thought it was going to be, but it was so much better.
It starts off with dark, creepy vibes when she ends up in the small town. You don’t know exactly what’s wrong but you know that that town has secrets. When I found out what the secrets were, it was so unexpected, but it gave me a whole new spark of interest because WHAT?
I don’t think this was at all what I thought it was going to be, but it was so much better.
June 8, 2026
Ohhh I love Christmas horror.
This book takes place in a reality where Santa Claus is unquestionably real, and somehow his existence has become one of the few things that unites nations, cultures, and religions. Honestly, that premise alone sold me.
The story follows a journalist working for a small online publication who is desperate for the story that will finally put her on the map. While investigating a string of missing children, she follows the trail to an isolated town that is very clearly not interested in outsiders asking questions.
Once she gets there, things become much stranger than she expected. The deeper she digs, the more she uncovers, and while she does eventually find what she’s looking for, it comes at a cost.
This was just a really fun read. It balances mystery, horror, and Christmas weirdness in a way that kept me engaged the whole time. The worldbuilding around Santa and the holiday itself was probably my favorite part. It takes a familiar idea and twists it into something much darker.
I’m not even a Christmas person, which makes my love of Christmas horror a little confusing, but apparently this is one of my genres now. And books like this are exactly why.
This book takes place in a reality where Santa Claus is unquestionably real, and somehow his existence has become one of the few things that unites nations, cultures, and religions. Honestly, that premise alone sold me.
The story follows a journalist working for a small online publication who is desperate for the story that will finally put her on the map. While investigating a string of missing children, she follows the trail to an isolated town that is very clearly not interested in outsiders asking questions.
Once she gets there, things become much stranger than she expected. The deeper she digs, the more she uncovers, and while she does eventually find what she’s looking for, it comes at a cost.
This was just a really fun read. It balances mystery, horror, and Christmas weirdness in a way that kept me engaged the whole time. The worldbuilding around Santa and the holiday itself was probably my favorite part. It takes a familiar idea and twists it into something much darker.
I’m not even a Christmas person, which makes my love of Christmas horror a little confusing, but apparently this is one of my genres now. And books like this are exactly why.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This story was so atmospheric and creepy in the best ways. I could not stop feeling the cold and trying to unravel the mystery while also feeling the holiday make itself known. We got all the Christmas vibes with a dash of the unsettling nervousness of the town and our main character. I thought the narration by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was superb and haunting. The story unfolds beautifully although it dragged a little by the 80% mark but bounced back with the last two chapters.
*I received an advanced Audio copy from HarperAudio and NetGalley. A big thank you to them.*
*I received an advanced Audio copy from HarperAudio and NetGalley. A big thank you to them.*
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Creepy Santa, small town, and missing children I read a long as I listen to this one and what a wild ride it was! I would definitely recommend this to all my horror lovers to read/listen to over Christmas not only did Kevin Johnson do any amazing job writing this book the narrator also did a good job on the audio for this book!
Thank you so much to HarperAudio Adult, William Marrow, and Netgalley for the Audiobook/E-Arc to read and review!
Thank you so much to HarperAudio Adult, William Marrow, and Netgalley for the Audiobook/E-Arc to read and review!
July 25, 2026
I am a sucker for a good horror story set during the holidays. The juxtaposition of what should be a jolly good time and the terrifying frights of the horrors that take place is something I cannot get enough of.
'Twas The Night
by Kevin Johnson scratches the itch with a uniquely horrifying tale set in my home-state of Maine.
You better watch out. You better not cry. It’s Christmas in the village of Yule, Maine.
In fact, it’s always Christmas in Yule. Here, Santa Claus isn’t a storybook figure. He’s an icon. A god. The villagers don’t just believe in him—they worship him. And the world is better for it. Halley Belanger hates Christmas, and she doesn’t have much love for Santa either. But when a string of child disappearances across Maine seems to spare only the village of Yule, Halley—a sharp, skeptical reporter—decides to investigate.
What she finds is a town that guards its secrets with gingerbread smiles and a snow globe sheen. Outsiders aren’t welcome. She isn’t welcome. And something sinister is keeping the Christmas spirit alive. As Halley digs deeper, she begins to uncover the horrifying truth behind Yule’s eternal cheer. Christmas comes at a grisly cost. And Santa Claus is no saint.
The Christmas tale set in the horror genre is the key reason why I picked up 'Twas The Night , but the fact that it takes place in the fictional Maine town of Yule sealed the deal. As a Mainer I tend to get overexcited about stories taking place in my backyard, as we have a special state with a vast variety of people, towns, communities and geography that make setting stories here something unlike anywhere else. Why not a Christmas horror story that is not just a random holiday tale, but one that features the big guy himself.
We have read or seen our far share of holiday horrors, even those involving Santa, but Johnson takes this story in a fresh direction. 'Twas The Night twists the love and affection we all feel for the big guy in red around the holiday season and takes it to a new level. The almost cult-like worshipping of Santa and the relation to a string a missing children not only is creepy, but also heartbreaking made even worse by the jolliness we all want to feel around the holidays.
When 'Twas The Night opened, I could vividly see the Town of Yule as well as the people within that would not leave my head. As a Mainer I would hope there is actually no place in my state like Yule, but could see it like I had been there before. An atmospheric setting is what hooked me from the outset, but it's the eerie characters within this book that had me staying around. Most of these characters are not likable, but there was something pushing me to want to know more.
'Twas The Night is an eerie, atmospheric horror story that adds more horror to the holidays in a fresh way. Kevin Johnson comes out swinging in his debut novel with a terrifying tale of a cult-like worshipping of Santa that is has creepy as it is frightening. Johnson delivers on a chilling holiday nightmare that transforms Christmas cheer into pure dread.
'Twas The Night hits bookstores everywhere on October 13, 2026 from William Morrow.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of 'Twas The Night from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
You better watch out. You better not cry. It’s Christmas in the village of Yule, Maine.
In fact, it’s always Christmas in Yule. Here, Santa Claus isn’t a storybook figure. He’s an icon. A god. The villagers don’t just believe in him—they worship him. And the world is better for it. Halley Belanger hates Christmas, and she doesn’t have much love for Santa either. But when a string of child disappearances across Maine seems to spare only the village of Yule, Halley—a sharp, skeptical reporter—decides to investigate.
What she finds is a town that guards its secrets with gingerbread smiles and a snow globe sheen. Outsiders aren’t welcome. She isn’t welcome. And something sinister is keeping the Christmas spirit alive. As Halley digs deeper, she begins to uncover the horrifying truth behind Yule’s eternal cheer. Christmas comes at a grisly cost. And Santa Claus is no saint.
The Christmas tale set in the horror genre is the key reason why I picked up 'Twas The Night , but the fact that it takes place in the fictional Maine town of Yule sealed the deal. As a Mainer I tend to get overexcited about stories taking place in my backyard, as we have a special state with a vast variety of people, towns, communities and geography that make setting stories here something unlike anywhere else. Why not a Christmas horror story that is not just a random holiday tale, but one that features the big guy himself.
We have read or seen our far share of holiday horrors, even those involving Santa, but Johnson takes this story in a fresh direction. 'Twas The Night twists the love and affection we all feel for the big guy in red around the holiday season and takes it to a new level. The almost cult-like worshipping of Santa and the relation to a string a missing children not only is creepy, but also heartbreaking made even worse by the jolliness we all want to feel around the holidays.
When 'Twas The Night opened, I could vividly see the Town of Yule as well as the people within that would not leave my head. As a Mainer I would hope there is actually no place in my state like Yule, but could see it like I had been there before. An atmospheric setting is what hooked me from the outset, but it's the eerie characters within this book that had me staying around. Most of these characters are not likable, but there was something pushing me to want to know more.
'Twas The Night is an eerie, atmospheric horror story that adds more horror to the holidays in a fresh way. Kevin Johnson comes out swinging in his debut novel with a terrifying tale of a cult-like worshipping of Santa that is has creepy as it is frightening. Johnson delivers on a chilling holiday nightmare that transforms Christmas cheer into pure dread.
'Twas The Night hits bookstores everywhere on October 13, 2026 from William Morrow.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of 'Twas The Night from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“'Twas the Night” by Kevin Johnson is the kind of book that takes a seemingly ridiculous premise—What if Santa Claus was real and that was a problem?—and somehow turns it into a genuinely fun Christmas horror thriller.
First of all, the worldbuilding immediately grabbed me. In this universe, Santa Claus isn't a myth, a legend, or something parents tell their kids. He's 100% real, universally accepted, and one of the few things that unites people across nations, cultures, and religions. Honestly, I could have read an entire book just about the implications of that idea.
Instead, Kevin Johnson decides to ask a much more important question: What if Santa is kind of terrifying?
The story follows Halley Belanger, a journalist working for a small online publication who's desperately looking for the story that will finally make her career. When children start disappearing across Maine, except in one strangely cheerful town called Yule, Halley begins investigating. Naturally, this leads her directly into what appears to be the most suspicious Christmas town ever created. Seriously, the second Yule appears on the page, every horror alarm in your brain starts going off.
The town is permanently festive. The residents are secretive. Nobody seems particularly interested in answering questions. There are giant nutcrackers, creepy snowmen, strange traditions, and an overwhelming feeling that everyone knows something they're not telling Halley. The entire place feels like a Hallmark Christmas movie directed by someone who clearly needs therapy.
The atmosphere is easily one of the book's strongest features. It captures that cozy Christmas feeling while simultaneously making it deeply unsettling. It's like opening a beautifully wrapped present and finding a curse inside.
As Halley digs deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a horrifying secret tied to the town's relationship with Santa Claus. The mythology takes familiar Christmas traditions and twists them into something much darker. The idea that Christmas itself might come with a deadly cost is both creative and surprisingly effective. There were several moments where I found myself thinking, "Okay, that's messed up but also kind of brilliant."
Halley works well as a protagonist because she's curious, determined, and refreshingly competent. She doesn't spend the entire book making obviously terrible decisions, which is always appreciated in a horror novel. As the mystery unfolds, there are also some revelations about her own past that add another layer to the story and make her connection to the investigation more personal than it initially appears.
This leans more toward thriller territory than full-blown horror for most of its runtime. There are creepy moments, plenty of tension, and a constant sense of unease, but the book focuses more on unraveling the mystery than trying to scare you every five pages. The bloodier and more intense moments are mostly saved for the final stretch, when everything starts coming apart.
I also appreciated how much Christmas folklore and Santa mythology were brought into the story. You can tell the author had fun researching different versions of Santa legends and holiday traditions. Some of those details ended up being some of my favorite parts of the book.
That said, I did find myself wanting more answers by the end. The mythology is fascinating, but there were definitely times where I wished the story dug deeper into who or what Santa actually is and how this entire system came to exist. The premise is so interesting that it occasionally feels like the book is teasing a larger mythology just out of reach.
Still, even with a few unanswered questions, I had a blast with this one. The pacing moves quickly, the setting is wonderfully creepy, and the central idea is unique enough to stand out in a crowded horror market.
Overall, “'Twas the Night” is a fun, atmospheric Christmas horror thriller that asks the question nobody really wanted answered: What if Santa's naughty list had real consequences? If you enjoy creepy small towns, dark holiday folklore, investigative mysteries, and Christmas stories where something feels very, very wrong beneath all the twinkling lights and holiday cheer, this is a festive nightmare worth checking out.
“'Twas the Night” by Kevin Johnson is the kind of book that takes a seemingly ridiculous premise—What if Santa Claus was real and that was a problem?—and somehow turns it into a genuinely fun Christmas horror thriller.
First of all, the worldbuilding immediately grabbed me. In this universe, Santa Claus isn't a myth, a legend, or something parents tell their kids. He's 100% real, universally accepted, and one of the few things that unites people across nations, cultures, and religions. Honestly, I could have read an entire book just about the implications of that idea.
Instead, Kevin Johnson decides to ask a much more important question: What if Santa is kind of terrifying?
The story follows Halley Belanger, a journalist working for a small online publication who's desperately looking for the story that will finally make her career. When children start disappearing across Maine, except in one strangely cheerful town called Yule, Halley begins investigating. Naturally, this leads her directly into what appears to be the most suspicious Christmas town ever created. Seriously, the second Yule appears on the page, every horror alarm in your brain starts going off.
The town is permanently festive. The residents are secretive. Nobody seems particularly interested in answering questions. There are giant nutcrackers, creepy snowmen, strange traditions, and an overwhelming feeling that everyone knows something they're not telling Halley. The entire place feels like a Hallmark Christmas movie directed by someone who clearly needs therapy.
The atmosphere is easily one of the book's strongest features. It captures that cozy Christmas feeling while simultaneously making it deeply unsettling. It's like opening a beautifully wrapped present and finding a curse inside.
As Halley digs deeper into the mystery, she uncovers a horrifying secret tied to the town's relationship with Santa Claus. The mythology takes familiar Christmas traditions and twists them into something much darker. The idea that Christmas itself might come with a deadly cost is both creative and surprisingly effective. There were several moments where I found myself thinking, "Okay, that's messed up but also kind of brilliant."
Halley works well as a protagonist because she's curious, determined, and refreshingly competent. She doesn't spend the entire book making obviously terrible decisions, which is always appreciated in a horror novel. As the mystery unfolds, there are also some revelations about her own past that add another layer to the story and make her connection to the investigation more personal than it initially appears.
This leans more toward thriller territory than full-blown horror for most of its runtime. There are creepy moments, plenty of tension, and a constant sense of unease, but the book focuses more on unraveling the mystery than trying to scare you every five pages. The bloodier and more intense moments are mostly saved for the final stretch, when everything starts coming apart.
I also appreciated how much Christmas folklore and Santa mythology were brought into the story. You can tell the author had fun researching different versions of Santa legends and holiday traditions. Some of those details ended up being some of my favorite parts of the book.
That said, I did find myself wanting more answers by the end. The mythology is fascinating, but there were definitely times where I wished the story dug deeper into who or what Santa actually is and how this entire system came to exist. The premise is so interesting that it occasionally feels like the book is teasing a larger mythology just out of reach.
Still, even with a few unanswered questions, I had a blast with this one. The pacing moves quickly, the setting is wonderfully creepy, and the central idea is unique enough to stand out in a crowded horror market.
Overall, “'Twas the Night” is a fun, atmospheric Christmas horror thriller that asks the question nobody really wanted answered: What if Santa's naughty list had real consequences? If you enjoy creepy small towns, dark holiday folklore, investigative mysteries, and Christmas stories where something feels very, very wrong beneath all the twinkling lights and holiday cheer, this is a festive nightmare worth checking out.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one felt like cracking open a cozy Christmas story and realizing way too late that something is very wrong under the wrapping.
Twas the Night takes the whole “what if Santa was evil?” idea and runs with it in a way that’s more tense than terrifying, but still unsettling enough to keep you hooked.
We follow Halley, a journalist digging into a string of missing children cases that all seem to point back to a remote town called Yule, Maine. And yeah, the second she gets there, it’s clear this place is off. The people, the traditions, the way everyone just accepts what’s happening… it all builds into this quiet, wrong feeling that never really goes away.
The central concept is honestly great. The town’s deal with Santa, sacrificing children to keep Christmas alive for everyone else, is dark in a way that should hit really hard. And there are moments where it does. Especially when the story leans into the folklore and the idea that Santa isn’t just a figure, but something much older and harder to kill.
Halley as a main character worked well enough for me. She’s driven, curious, and not stupid, which matters in a story like this. The reveal about her past adds an interesting layer, even if I wish it had been pushed further because there was more to explore there.
Tone-wise, this leaned more thriller than full horror for me. There are a couple of brutal moments, but it’s not constantly trying to scare you. It’s more about the tension and the unraveling of what’s really going on.
Where it lost me a bit was the back half. Once everything starts building toward the big confrontation, it drags. There’s a lot of setup that doesn’t really pay off in the way you expect, and the final stretch didn’t hit as hard as it should have given how strong the premise is.
I kept waiting for it to go deeper into the mythology. Like, really get into what Santa is, how he became this thing, and why the system exists the way it does. We get pieces, but not enough to fully sell it.
Overall, this had a killer concept and some genuinely creepy ideas, but it never fully commits to being as dark or as intense as it could’ve been.
Still worth picking up if you like:
isolated creepy towns, twisted holiday horror, folklore with a dark edge, and stories where something familiar gets turned into a nightmare.
Twas the Night takes the whole “what if Santa was evil?” idea and runs with it in a way that’s more tense than terrifying, but still unsettling enough to keep you hooked.
We follow Halley, a journalist digging into a string of missing children cases that all seem to point back to a remote town called Yule, Maine. And yeah, the second she gets there, it’s clear this place is off. The people, the traditions, the way everyone just accepts what’s happening… it all builds into this quiet, wrong feeling that never really goes away.
The central concept is honestly great. The town’s deal with Santa, sacrificing children to keep Christmas alive for everyone else, is dark in a way that should hit really hard. And there are moments where it does. Especially when the story leans into the folklore and the idea that Santa isn’t just a figure, but something much older and harder to kill.
Halley as a main character worked well enough for me. She’s driven, curious, and not stupid, which matters in a story like this. The reveal about her past adds an interesting layer, even if I wish it had been pushed further because there was more to explore there.
Tone-wise, this leaned more thriller than full horror for me. There are a couple of brutal moments, but it’s not constantly trying to scare you. It’s more about the tension and the unraveling of what’s really going on.
Where it lost me a bit was the back half. Once everything starts building toward the big confrontation, it drags. There’s a lot of setup that doesn’t really pay off in the way you expect, and the final stretch didn’t hit as hard as it should have given how strong the premise is.
I kept waiting for it to go deeper into the mythology. Like, really get into what Santa is, how he became this thing, and why the system exists the way it does. We get pieces, but not enough to fully sell it.
Overall, this had a killer concept and some genuinely creepy ideas, but it never fully commits to being as dark or as intense as it could’ve been.
Still worth picking up if you like:
isolated creepy towns, twisted holiday horror, folklore with a dark edge, and stories where something familiar gets turned into a nightmare.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to Netgalley for an E-ARC as well as HarperAudio for the ALC.
Publishers are finally listening to horror readers and are beginning to publish horror centric, holiday reads. If you publish it; we'll buy it. Period. (Christmas is not just for romance readers.)
I enjoyed Kevin Johnson's "Twas the Night" but had a few minor changes I would've loved to have seen from the editor.
Similar to Brom's, Krampus, Santa is not a good guy. I wish that the author had elaborated more about the character and given us a full backstory or POV from the perspective of Santa. Tell us more about why he is bad. What caused him to behave this way? Tell us more of who he is as an antagonist. There were references to mythological entities but create and develop your own, fully developed character. What's his backstory?
I enjoyed the snow, the Christmas elements, the character of Halley, and Bob and Barry. I appreciated the inclusion of LGBTQ characters and that they weren't used in a negative method nor a negative plot point.
I found portions of the book to be a bit corny. A reindeer is referenced and his name
Publishers are finally listening to horror readers and are beginning to publish horror centric, holiday reads. If you publish it; we'll buy it. Period. (Christmas is not just for romance readers.)
I enjoyed Kevin Johnson's "Twas the Night" but had a few minor changes I would've loved to have seen from the editor.
Similar to Brom's, Krampus, Santa is not a good guy. I wish that the author had elaborated more about the character and given us a full backstory or POV from the perspective of Santa. Tell us more about why he is bad. What caused him to behave this way? Tell us more of who he is as an antagonist. There were references to mythological entities but create and develop your own, fully developed character. What's his backstory?
I enjoyed the snow, the Christmas elements, the character of Halley, and Bob and Barry. I appreciated the inclusion of LGBTQ characters and that they weren't used in a negative method nor a negative plot point.
I found portions of the book to be a bit corny. A reindeer is referenced and his name
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When children begin disappearing across Maine—except in the always-festive town of Yule—skeptical reporter Halley Belanger investigates. What she finds is a secretive village that worships Santa Claus and hides something far more sinister beneath its holiday cheer. As Halley gets closer to the truth, she discovers that Yule’s Christmas spirit comes at a deadly cost.
Told in the third person, the novel primarily follows Halley’s perspective as she sets out in search of—and ultimately discovers—the mysterious town of Yule. Seeking refuge from a blizzard, she takes shelter in an Inn that is not open to the public, though the question of whether her hosts can be trusted lingers.
The story leans into its eerie premise with striking imagery, including towering nutcrackers and an unsettling army of snowmen, creating a distinctly haunting atmosphere.
The author excels at building a vivid setting, immersing the reader in both the sinister charm of Yule and the unsettling reinterpretation of the North Pole. Character development is another strength; as the narrative progresses, the emotional investment in Halley and those around her grows, making their fates compelling to follow.
While the plot unfolds in a somewhat predictable manner, the journey itself remains engaging—the intrigue lies less in what happens and more in how events come together. The horror elements are handled with restraint for much of the book, with blood and gore largely confined to the final quarter, which may appeal to readers who prefer atmosphere over constant intensity.
One lingering question centers on the story’s underlying mythology. The contrast between Santa’s benevolent role in the wider world and his apparent cruelty toward this town and his “elves” feels underdeveloped and somewhat inconsistent, leaving a noticeable gap in the narrative’s internal logic.
Overall, this is a well-crafted and atmospheric horror novel with strong setting and character work, even if its plot follows familiar beats. I would rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Told in the third person, the novel primarily follows Halley’s perspective as she sets out in search of—and ultimately discovers—the mysterious town of Yule. Seeking refuge from a blizzard, she takes shelter in an Inn that is not open to the public, though the question of whether her hosts can be trusted lingers.
The story leans into its eerie premise with striking imagery, including towering nutcrackers and an unsettling army of snowmen, creating a distinctly haunting atmosphere.
The author excels at building a vivid setting, immersing the reader in both the sinister charm of Yule and the unsettling reinterpretation of the North Pole. Character development is another strength; as the narrative progresses, the emotional investment in Halley and those around her grows, making their fates compelling to follow.
While the plot unfolds in a somewhat predictable manner, the journey itself remains engaging—the intrigue lies less in what happens and more in how events come together. The horror elements are handled with restraint for much of the book, with blood and gore largely confined to the final quarter, which may appeal to readers who prefer atmosphere over constant intensity.
One lingering question centers on the story’s underlying mythology. The contrast between Santa’s benevolent role in the wider world and his apparent cruelty toward this town and his “elves” feels underdeveloped and somewhat inconsistent, leaving a noticeable gap in the narrative’s internal logic.
Overall, this is a well-crafted and atmospheric horror novel with strong setting and character work, even if its plot follows familiar beats. I would rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It's very disappointing to have to give this a low rating, as Christmas horror is a particularly fun subgenre, and Kevin Johnson has come at it from an original angle. He has created a world where Santa is an accepted, universal reality and has (implausibly) been a source of global goodwill and relative peace. To the surprise of no one having picked up a horror novel, however, Santa may not be as jolly as he seems. We explore Santa's secret dark side through the eyes of Holley as she explores the mysterious, eternally Christmasy town of Yule.
Holley's journey comes with some satisfying twists and several scenes of festively bloody action. What it lacks, unfortunately, is solid characterization and mythology. In order to facilitate a twist, essential background of the POV character of Holley is withheld from the reader. As is often the case, this is frustrating, because our entire understanding of her motives and who she is falls apart at the reveal. While this could perhaps be forgivable with a strong stable of supporting characters, those are lacking here. We get only the barest outlines of characters: sarcastic gay man, hard-hearted evil village headwoman (with a tragic background), and cute dorky kid.
All of this would have been almost irrelevant if the overall story was fun, gross, or surprising. It's not. Save the aforementioned twist -- which is slightly surprising -- the rest of the story is quite basic with nothing being especially frightening or shocking. I was particularly surprised by the lack of any world building about a world with a recognized Santa. It seems almost irrelevant to have that bit of background, given that the book takes place wholly in a secret, Christmas cult village. Why pique my interest about Santa-inspired world peace if you're going to do nothing with it??
I like Johnson's big idea here, and love that he swung for the fences. I'd happily check out future work from him, but this was not a home run debut.
Thank you to NetGalley and Willaim Morrow for the ARC. It was fun to experience Christmas horror in the spring!
Holley's journey comes with some satisfying twists and several scenes of festively bloody action. What it lacks, unfortunately, is solid characterization and mythology. In order to facilitate a twist, essential background of the POV character of Holley is withheld from the reader. As is often the case, this is frustrating, because our entire understanding of her motives and who she is falls apart at the reveal. While this could perhaps be forgivable with a strong stable of supporting characters, those are lacking here. We get only the barest outlines of characters: sarcastic gay man, hard-hearted evil village headwoman (with a tragic background), and cute dorky kid.
All of this would have been almost irrelevant if the overall story was fun, gross, or surprising. It's not. Save the aforementioned twist -- which is slightly surprising -- the rest of the story is quite basic with nothing being especially frightening or shocking. I was particularly surprised by the lack of any world building about a world with a recognized Santa. It seems almost irrelevant to have that bit of background, given that the book takes place wholly in a secret, Christmas cult village. Why pique my interest about Santa-inspired world peace if you're going to do nothing with it??
I like Johnson's big idea here, and love that he swung for the fences. I'd happily check out future work from him, but this was not a home run debut.
Thank you to NetGalley and Willaim Morrow for the ARC. It was fun to experience Christmas horror in the spring!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of ‘Twas the Night.
This story puts a dark twist on the classic Santa Claus myth by asking: What if Santa was evil?
The story follows Halley, a journalist investigating the disappearance of a large number of children. Her search leads her to Yule, Maine, a secluded town deep in the woods that she suspects is connected to the missing children.
Once Halley arrives, she quickly realizes that the residents of Yule are far from normal. One of the most interesting aspects of the story is the town's horrifying arrangement: Determined to put an end to the cycle, Halley sets out to destroy Santa, only to discover that he's a much more formidable enemy than she anticipated.
For me, this felt more like a thriller with horror elements sprinkled in rather than a true horror novel. There were only a couple of gory scenes.
Unfortunately, once the story began building toward its big confrontation, it lost momentum for me. The author seemed to be setting up an intense showdown between Halley and Santa, but there was a lot of unnecessary filler along the way. Instead of increasing the tension, parts of the story felt drawn out, making the ending less impactful than I had hoped.
This had the potential to be a great horror take on Santa Claus, but I wanted the story to lean harder into the horror, and what made Santa become the person he is. Yes, we get some history of mythology but it wasn’t enough to keep me interested. The premise was strong; I just don't think the execution fully delivered.
This story puts a dark twist on the classic Santa Claus myth by asking: What if Santa was evil?
The story follows Halley, a journalist investigating the disappearance of a large number of children. Her search leads her to Yule, Maine, a secluded town deep in the woods that she suspects is connected to the missing children.
Once Halley arrives, she quickly realizes that the residents of Yule are far from normal. One of the most interesting aspects of the story is the town's horrifying arrangement: Determined to put an end to the cycle, Halley sets out to destroy Santa, only to discover that he's a much more formidable enemy than she anticipated.
For me, this felt more like a thriller with horror elements sprinkled in rather than a true horror novel. There were only a couple of gory scenes.
Unfortunately, once the story began building toward its big confrontation, it lost momentum for me. The author seemed to be setting up an intense showdown between Halley and Santa, but there was a lot of unnecessary filler along the way. Instead of increasing the tension, parts of the story felt drawn out, making the ending less impactful than I had hoped.
This had the potential to be a great horror take on Santa Claus, but I wanted the story to lean harder into the horror, and what made Santa become the person he is. Yes, we get some history of mythology but it wasn’t enough to keep me interested. The premise was strong; I just don't think the execution fully delivered.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When I saw the title of this work, all I could think about was the well-beloved Christmas poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas." But looking at its cover and knowing its genre, it was evident to me that this was not going to be a sugar and spice and everything nice kind of read.
And I was right. This is an unorthodox work, an alternative look at Christmas and holiday cheer. Rather than merriment, it offers a vision of the season where things are not so merry and certainly not so bright. The story is set in a remote and hidden village appropriately named Yule, a place where it seems no one leaves and everyone is beholden to tradition. It is a stark place, where horrifying expectations escalate with the passing of time and the citizenry remains indebted to those traditions, as nightmarish as that might seem.
The main character is a reporter, determined to the point of extreme stubbornness. These are traits that make for a good investigative journalist but not so smart a thinker when it comes to personal safety. It is her sole mission to uncover a dark truth, and we are along for the ride as things stranger than fiction become reality.
Kudos to the author for developing such a rich setting and for the creative ingenuity in crafting those small details that enrich the imagination. This was my first time looking at the holiday from this perspective, and it left an impression. 'Twas The Night is a high-stakes thriller with a suspenseful edge, elevated by a nightmarish plot, and Halley sits at the vortex of it all.
As I journeyed through the pages, one penultimate question stalked me: what if Christmas and its holiday cheer came with a steep price, one so ugly you would question its very necessity?
And I was right. This is an unorthodox work, an alternative look at Christmas and holiday cheer. Rather than merriment, it offers a vision of the season where things are not so merry and certainly not so bright. The story is set in a remote and hidden village appropriately named Yule, a place where it seems no one leaves and everyone is beholden to tradition. It is a stark place, where horrifying expectations escalate with the passing of time and the citizenry remains indebted to those traditions, as nightmarish as that might seem.
The main character is a reporter, determined to the point of extreme stubbornness. These are traits that make for a good investigative journalist but not so smart a thinker when it comes to personal safety. It is her sole mission to uncover a dark truth, and we are along for the ride as things stranger than fiction become reality.
Kudos to the author for developing such a rich setting and for the creative ingenuity in crafting those small details that enrich the imagination. This was my first time looking at the holiday from this perspective, and it left an impression. 'Twas The Night is a high-stakes thriller with a suspenseful edge, elevated by a nightmarish plot, and Halley sits at the vortex of it all.
As I journeyed through the pages, one penultimate question stalked me: what if Christmas and its holiday cheer came with a steep price, one so ugly you would question its very necessity?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4⭐️T’WAS THE NIGHT was such a fun surprise! I picked up this ARC after spotting it on a Goodreads list of most anticipated fall reads, and I’m so glad I did. I went in with absolutely no expectations, but after deciding to build a Halloween TBR, I thought this would be the perfect test run to see if it deserved a recommendation.
It absolutely does.
This book has just enough quirkiness to keep the subject matter from becoming relentlessly dark and terrifying. The little drops of lyrics and familiar lines from classic Christmas songs were the perfect touch, adding a bit of humor and whimsy while keeping the story firmly rooted in its creepy Christmas atmosphere.
And that atmosphere? So good. While the scary scenes are genuinely unsettling, the rest of the world feels strangely cozy, almost like listening to a creepy campfire tale while surrounded by Christmas lights.
Once the veil of secrecy surrounding Yule begins to lift, though, things become increasingly harrowing and pulse-pounding. This tiny village and its sinister cult are definitely due for some comeuppance, and the race to the ending was wild and incredibly entertaining.
Overall, this was a fast, creepy, quirky read that would be perfect for late October, especially for those of us who are already mentally decorating for Christmas at 12:01 a.m. on November 1st.
IF YOU LIKE...
• Horror with a cozy atmosphere
• Creepy small towns and sinister cults
• Christmas horror with a little humor and quirkiness
• Fast-paced thrillers that save the pulse-pounding moments for the end
A perfect spooky-season bridge between Halloween and Christmas!
*Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of T’WAS THE NIGHT. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It absolutely does.
This book has just enough quirkiness to keep the subject matter from becoming relentlessly dark and terrifying. The little drops of lyrics and familiar lines from classic Christmas songs were the perfect touch, adding a bit of humor and whimsy while keeping the story firmly rooted in its creepy Christmas atmosphere.
And that atmosphere? So good. While the scary scenes are genuinely unsettling, the rest of the world feels strangely cozy, almost like listening to a creepy campfire tale while surrounded by Christmas lights.
Once the veil of secrecy surrounding Yule begins to lift, though, things become increasingly harrowing and pulse-pounding. This tiny village and its sinister cult are definitely due for some comeuppance, and the race to the ending was wild and incredibly entertaining.
Overall, this was a fast, creepy, quirky read that would be perfect for late October, especially for those of us who are already mentally decorating for Christmas at 12:01 a.m. on November 1st.
IF YOU LIKE...
• Horror with a cozy atmosphere
• Creepy small towns and sinister cults
• Christmas horror with a little humor and quirkiness
• Fast-paced thrillers that save the pulse-pounding moments for the end
A perfect spooky-season bridge between Halloween and Christmas!
*Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of T’WAS THE NIGHT. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
It’s like Christmas and Halloween had a baby, and out popped this book!
Kevin Johnson immediately drew me into a cold, bleak Maine winter with vivid imagery and atmospheric descriptions. I could practically feel the dampness in the air and the slushy, dirty snow beneath my boots. Having spent three years living in Maine, I especially enjoyed the familiar-feeling characters and setting, which created this wonderful sense of something eerie and unsettling lurking just beneath the surface.
Hayley is a reporter determined to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of several children in Maine. Her investigation leads her to Yule, a remote, dark northern village with a twisted Christmas cult—and questions about the origins of Santa Claus. And that’s where the real nightmare begins.
For the first half, I was completely hooked. The twists and turns, terrifying characters, and unexpected moments had me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, once Santa Claus himself entered the picture, the story took a turn that became harder for me to believe and, ultimately, less intriguing. My suspension of disbelief simply couldn’t quite keep up with where the story went, and I found myself tuning out more than I wanted to.
I also struggled with the amount of gratuitous language, which pulled me out of the story at times.
Still, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the creepy premise, and that deliciously strange Christmas-meets-horror setup. If you like your holiday reading with a generous helping of darkness, this may be one to add to your winter TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Kevin Johnson for the complimentary audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
It’s like Christmas and Halloween had a baby, and out popped this book!
Kevin Johnson immediately drew me into a cold, bleak Maine winter with vivid imagery and atmospheric descriptions. I could practically feel the dampness in the air and the slushy, dirty snow beneath my boots. Having spent three years living in Maine, I especially enjoyed the familiar-feeling characters and setting, which created this wonderful sense of something eerie and unsettling lurking just beneath the surface.
Hayley is a reporter determined to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of several children in Maine. Her investigation leads her to Yule, a remote, dark northern village with a twisted Christmas cult—and questions about the origins of Santa Claus. And that’s where the real nightmare begins.
For the first half, I was completely hooked. The twists and turns, terrifying characters, and unexpected moments had me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, once Santa Claus himself entered the picture, the story took a turn that became harder for me to believe and, ultimately, less intriguing. My suspension of disbelief simply couldn’t quite keep up with where the story went, and I found myself tuning out more than I wanted to.
I also struggled with the amount of gratuitous language, which pulled me out of the story at times.
Still, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the creepy premise, and that deliciously strange Christmas-meets-horror setup. If you like your holiday reading with a generous helping of darkness, this may be one to add to your winter TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Kevin Johnson for the complimentary audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
September 24, 2026
‘Twas the Night by Kevin Johnson
A dark Christmas horror that left me absolutely SPEECHLESS! 🎄🔪
WHAT. DID. I. JUST. LISTEN. TO?!
Kevin Johnson absolutely NAILED IT with this debut! The plot, the concept, the execution, and THAT PLOT TWIST?! Every single element was on point. I went into this audiobook expecting a dark, twisted Christmas horror story, but I was NOT prepared for what I got.
The way everything unfolded had me completely hooked. Just when I thought I had things figured out, I was proven SO wrong. That twist left me speechless, dumbfounded, and questioning everything—in the absolute BEST way possible. I genuinely needed a moment to process what I had just listened to!
This is the kind of horror that makes you wish you could experience it for the first time all over again. Dark, disturbing, unpredictable, and brilliantly twisted. I refuse to spoil a single thing because this is one of those books you NEED to go into blind.
If you're looking for a Christmas read that trades cozy holiday cheer for something sinister, shocking, and completely unhinged, THIS IS YOUR BOOK!
Kevin Johnson, if this is what you're delivering with your debut, I cannot WAIT to see what you come up with next!
🎧 Audio experience: 5/5 ⭐
🎄 Overall rating: 5/5 ⭐
An absolute MUST-READ for dark horror lovers, especially those who enjoy their Christmas stories with a seriously twisted edge!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.
A dark Christmas horror that left me absolutely SPEECHLESS! 🎄🔪
WHAT. DID. I. JUST. LISTEN. TO?!
Kevin Johnson absolutely NAILED IT with this debut! The plot, the concept, the execution, and THAT PLOT TWIST?! Every single element was on point. I went into this audiobook expecting a dark, twisted Christmas horror story, but I was NOT prepared for what I got.
The way everything unfolded had me completely hooked. Just when I thought I had things figured out, I was proven SO wrong. That twist left me speechless, dumbfounded, and questioning everything—in the absolute BEST way possible. I genuinely needed a moment to process what I had just listened to!
This is the kind of horror that makes you wish you could experience it for the first time all over again. Dark, disturbing, unpredictable, and brilliantly twisted. I refuse to spoil a single thing because this is one of those books you NEED to go into blind.
If you're looking for a Christmas read that trades cozy holiday cheer for something sinister, shocking, and completely unhinged, THIS IS YOUR BOOK!
Kevin Johnson, if this is what you're delivering with your debut, I cannot WAIT to see what you come up with next!
🎧 Audio experience: 5/5 ⭐
🎄 Overall rating: 5/5 ⭐
An absolute MUST-READ for dark horror lovers, especially those who enjoy their Christmas stories with a seriously twisted edge!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
All I can say is WOW. I mean this book was phenomenal! I’m a huge Christmas horror fan, but I did not expect how much I would love this book! I’d go so far as to say this is one of my top reads of the year. If you’re looking for a way to describe this book, I would say it’s like the tv show From if it were set in Christmasland (from NOS4A2). Halley was the ultimate character in my opinion. Slightly unlikeable and more than a little unhinged, but you know at some point something crazy is going to go down that shows you what she’s really about. I had a feeling about what her deal was, but it was soooooo much better than I expected! Ralph was the perfect person to give her something to be better for. And Bob and Barry were the epitome of perfection. I mean really, if we’re talking dream B-characters, that would be them in a nutshell. Or chestnut shell? Sorry not sorry. Anyway, Johnson clearly did a ton of research on Christmas lore going all the way back to pagan ritual. And it didn’t even seem like an info dump. The way he seamlessly introduced everything was pure gold. And the narrator absolutely nailed it. I already liked her, but the way she presented this made me feel like I was in the story with her. I can’t say enough good things about this book. If you are a Christmas horror fan in any way, you absolutely need to read this book!
Huge thanks to HarperAudio Adult | William Morrow Paperbacks and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
Huge thanks to HarperAudio Adult | William Morrow Paperbacks and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
'Twas the Night by Kevin Johnson is a Christmas horror thriller that takes familiar holiday traditions and twists them into something much darker. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, and the combination of the story and narration worked very well.
Halley has never been a fan of Christmas, but when a string of child disappearances leads her to investigate, she finds herself in the village of Yule, Maine. There she uncovers a town filled with dark secrets, and the deeper she digs, the more she realizes just how connected she is to the mystery. And if you're expecting the Santa we're all familiar with, think again. He is definitely not the hero of this story.
This is a dark read with high stakes and a growing sense of dread throughout. The story cleverly weaves classic holiday tropes into the horror elements, creating a world that feels both familiar and unsettling.
The atmosphere perfectly complements the plot, enhancing the tension as the mystery unfolds and the danger grows. Combined with strong worldbuilding and an engaging cast, it made for a story that was difficult to put down. Overall, I thought the execution was excellent. If you enjoy Christmas horror with a darker edge, plenty of suspense, and a fresh take on holiday traditions, this is one worth checking out.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Audio for the advanced listener copy. This is my honest review.
Halley has never been a fan of Christmas, but when a string of child disappearances leads her to investigate, she finds herself in the village of Yule, Maine. There she uncovers a town filled with dark secrets, and the deeper she digs, the more she realizes just how connected she is to the mystery. And if you're expecting the Santa we're all familiar with, think again. He is definitely not the hero of this story.
This is a dark read with high stakes and a growing sense of dread throughout. The story cleverly weaves classic holiday tropes into the horror elements, creating a world that feels both familiar and unsettling.
The atmosphere perfectly complements the plot, enhancing the tension as the mystery unfolds and the danger grows. Combined with strong worldbuilding and an engaging cast, it made for a story that was difficult to put down. Overall, I thought the execution was excellent. If you enjoy Christmas horror with a darker edge, plenty of suspense, and a fresh take on holiday traditions, this is one worth checking out.
Thank you Netgalley and Harper Audio for the advanced listener copy. This is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Children are going missing, and Halley, a “reporter,” is determined to find out why. Her investigation leads her to Yule, Maine—a quiet, quaint little town that dedicates its entire existence to Christmas and Santa.
And honestly… Yule is WEIRD.
Once Halley gets there, things become much stranger than she expected. This isn’t just a town that loves Christmas—Santa is worshipped, outsiders aren’t exactly welcomed, and there’s a much darker side hiding underneath all that holiday cheer.
The deeper Halley digs, the more she uncovers, and I loved watching the mystery slowly unravel. There’s something especially creepy about taking all those familiar Christmas traditions and putting a much darker, sinister spin on them. The gingerbread smiles and picture-perfect Christmas atmosphere definitely do NOT mean everything is merry and bright.
Halley is skeptical, determined, and willing to keep digging even when Yule makes it very clear she should probably stop. And while she does eventually find what she’s looking for, it comes at a cost.
This definitely leans into holiday horror, with a creepy cult-like atmosphere, disappearances, secrets, and a version of Santa that is VERY far from the jolly guy we grew up with.
Mia Hutchinson-Shaw did a great job narrating and bringing Halley and the unsettling atmosphere of Yule to life.
If you’re looking for a Christmas story that takes the holiday spirit in a MUCH darker direction, this one is definitely worth checking out.
And honestly… Yule is WEIRD.
Once Halley gets there, things become much stranger than she expected. This isn’t just a town that loves Christmas—Santa is worshipped, outsiders aren’t exactly welcomed, and there’s a much darker side hiding underneath all that holiday cheer.
The deeper Halley digs, the more she uncovers, and I loved watching the mystery slowly unravel. There’s something especially creepy about taking all those familiar Christmas traditions and putting a much darker, sinister spin on them. The gingerbread smiles and picture-perfect Christmas atmosphere definitely do NOT mean everything is merry and bright.
Halley is skeptical, determined, and willing to keep digging even when Yule makes it very clear she should probably stop. And while she does eventually find what she’s looking for, it comes at a cost.
This definitely leans into holiday horror, with a creepy cult-like atmosphere, disappearances, secrets, and a version of Santa that is VERY far from the jolly guy we grew up with.
Mia Hutchinson-Shaw did a great job narrating and bringing Halley and the unsettling atmosphere of Yule to life.
If you’re looking for a Christmas story that takes the holiday spirit in a MUCH darker direction, this one is definitely worth checking out.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐/5 | 0 Spice
I am an ARC reader and was given a free copy of this book--however, I am leaving a review on my own accord. All opinions and thoughts are entirely my own.
It was my first time reading something from this author, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I would characterized this story as a Christmas Thriller/Horror. No spice, is that's what you're looking for this book is not for you. I really appreciate the amount of research that went into the Christmas holiday and folklore, including its pagan origins and touching on the fact that Santa is not really a person but an entity.
I really enjoyed the interwoven classic Christmas stories throughout the story. The plot in my opinion was original as I have not seen anything like it, the closest thing I can think of was Stephen Kings IT but make it Santa Claus LOL. It was a privilege to read this, and it may become my yearly cozy Christmas Thriller read.
The reindeers, the elves, the town of Yule--I really enjoyed the story and the little jokes scattered about. The plot twist about the main character I must say took me by surprise, I didn't see that coming and I am usually really good at guessing the endings before they happened.
the epilogue was a very nice touch!
I am an ARC reader and was given a free copy of this book--however, I am leaving a review on my own accord. All opinions and thoughts are entirely my own.
It was my first time reading something from this author, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I would characterized this story as a Christmas Thriller/Horror. No spice, is that's what you're looking for this book is not for you. I really appreciate the amount of research that went into the Christmas holiday and folklore, including its pagan origins and touching on the fact that Santa is not really a person but an entity.
I really enjoyed the interwoven classic Christmas stories throughout the story. The plot in my opinion was original as I have not seen anything like it, the closest thing I can think of was Stephen Kings IT but make it Santa Claus LOL. It was a privilege to read this, and it may become my yearly cozy Christmas Thriller read.
The reindeers, the elves, the town of Yule--I really enjoyed the story and the little jokes scattered about. The plot twist about the main character I must say took me by surprise, I didn't see that coming and I am usually really good at guessing the endings before they happened.
the epilogue was a very nice touch!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 ⭐ ARC Review - A true Christmas horror story complete with a Christmas cult and so much lore.
🎅🏼 For Fans of:
- Christmas horror
- horror
- journalist FMC
- cult vibes
- children missing
- Santa conspiracy theory
- single POV
✏️ Spoiler-Free ARC Review
Halley is a journalist who has finally found the mysterious town where children disappear. Once she arrives, she is told not to leave the inn but she’s here to get to the bottom of everything. Too bad for them, this town is a Christmas cult and she’s a Christmas hater and will do anything to save these children.
I loved the cult village, the lore, the backstories, and really just how everything came together for this book. It was so well done and a true Christmas horror book.
By the end, I was so happy with this one. If you get halfway, it does slow down for just a moment but then we’re full force ahead and boy is it a ride. Maybe even a… sleigh ride? 🛷🤪
🖤 Thank you to author Kevin Johnson and publisher William Morrow of Harper Collins Publishing for the advanced reader copy (ARC) via NetGalley.
As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!
📚 Book: ’Twas the Night by Kevin Johnson
📅 Release Date: October 13, 2026
⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5
🎅🏼 For Fans of:
- Christmas horror
- horror
- journalist FMC
- cult vibes
- children missing
- Santa conspiracy theory
- single POV
✏️ Spoiler-Free ARC Review
Halley is a journalist who has finally found the mysterious town where children disappear. Once she arrives, she is told not to leave the inn but she’s here to get to the bottom of everything. Too bad for them, this town is a Christmas cult and she’s a Christmas hater and will do anything to save these children.
I loved the cult village, the lore, the backstories, and really just how everything came together for this book. It was so well done and a true Christmas horror book.
By the end, I was so happy with this one. If you get halfway, it does slow down for just a moment but then we’re full force ahead and boy is it a ride. Maybe even a… sleigh ride? 🛷🤪
🖤 Thank you to author Kevin Johnson and publisher William Morrow of Harper Collins Publishing for the advanced reader copy (ARC) via NetGalley.
As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!
📚 Book: ’Twas the Night by Kevin Johnson
📅 Release Date: October 13, 2026
⭐ Rating: 4 out of 5
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