A Christmas to Kill For: A Short Story

by Nadija Mujagic

Christmas has never been this chilling…

On a snowy Christmas Eve, Jesse hears a gunshot—and her boyfriend Gavin suddenly disappears. She knows something is terribly wrong. But the real horror begins when she takes in a stranded stranger… only to realize he wasn’t truly lost.

Jesse isn’t the easy target he thinks she is—she’s been watching him for months.

Tonight, the hunter becomes the hunted.

A twist-packed, chilling Christmas thriller for fans of dark holiday suspense.

Pour some cocoa, lock the doors, and settle in—this Christmas, danger is waiting in the silence of the night.

Genres: Horror, Christmas

72 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2025

About the author

Nadija has written several psychological thrillers and a memoir series. In her spare time, she enjoys playing sports and electric bass guitar.

Reviews

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the plan backfires….

3.5 ⭐️ | This is not at all what I was expecting in this short Christmas thriller! I’m glad I went in blind, it made the shock factor that more intense. There was definitely way more to Jesse’s story than I bargained for & Gavin was simply the worse. A manipulating narcissist that finally met his match. Quick & fun read, if you like open-ended endings.

[Read, React, Repeat! Book Club · Rating 1 out of 5]

As you can tell from the title, this is not your typical warm & fuzzy Christmas tale. This suspense/thriller was disturbing on so many levels. The two main characters were both despicable, each in their own way, and the supporting characters were equally morally challenged. To make matters even worse, this story lacked a definitive ending, which I find super frustrating!

The only good thing about this book was that it was extremely short!

Recommend: No.

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect festive short story
5 ✨s

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas To Kill For by Nadija Mujagic
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is such a fun and exciting short thriller story!!
I was at the edge of my seat for this fast read!! The surprises and twists had my jaw dropping! 😱

Jesse is a little on edge this Christmas Eve, but her boyfriend Gavin always seems to puts her at ease. However, something strange has happened and Gavin seems to have disappeared. She’s getting very nervous as to what has happened to him.
In her frantic search, she comes across a homeless man, Peter, and decides in the holiday spirit to invite him for dinner.
What could possibly go wrong?

This is a perfect short story for the holiday season!! A definite must read! Grab it now!!
🎄🎁🎄🎁🩸🎁🎄🎁🎄

[Aiden | bookrot.bby · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a decent short read but the ending just wasn’t enough for me 🤣 I wanted more

[Casie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the book until the very end. What the hell kind of ending was that. I really assumed there would be a book two after that.

[Rachel Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Christmas To Kill For” by Nadija Mujagic is a suspenseful, short holiday thriller that wastes no time pulling you into the danger. This short story is tense, twisty, and delightfully dark. A quick, gripping read that’s perfect for anyone who loves their holiday stories with a murderous edge.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

will there be a part 2?

great pace but confusing ’ending’. I don’t know if I’m a full on fan fan but definitely intrigued enough to read another of her books.

[Tina A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Christmas to Kill For" is Nadija Mujagic's latest twisted short story Christmas thriller, and let me tell you, it’s . . . WOW! 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A carefully planned Christmas dinner goes awry when Jesse’s boyfriend suddenly disappears from her home. Things take a sudden turn after she welcomes a homeless stranger in from the cold to share her warm meal.

From that point on, so many surprising twists are splattered across the pages! And the ending was brilliant and satisfying in that there’s certainty about what’s going to happen, but just enough wiggle room to feed one’s imagination on "how" it'll play out.

I’d love to see a series for any holiday based on Jesse! 🙌🏼

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas to Kill For by Nadija Mujagic is the perfect holiday thriller snack! This read is short and fast-paced, delivering surprise after surprise. The premise where the perpetrator becomes the prey is intriguing and satisfying. If you're looking for a quick, dark, and thrilling escape from the usual Christmas cheer, this is an absolute must-read.

Want to see spoilers or trigger warnings? Check out: https://www.spoiltheplot.com/books/a-...

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't very long but I do feel like you got a lot in just a few pages. I enjoyed it. This a great read for the end of year to reach your reading goal, want a quick suspenseful story, want to read something but are really busy this time of year or you really just enjoy short stories and novellas.

I read the nightmare under the mistletoe last year and also enjoyed. I really do want to get to more stories by Nadija Mujagic.

[Maria Wheeler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This was good for a short story. It definitely wasn't what I expected based off the cover, but the blurb made sense. The beginning confused me a little bit with Gaving suddenly missing and then the FMC (Jesse) all of a sudden taking in a stranger. As I read it, I thought it didnt make sense and random, but it does tie in. The ending definitely makes you wonder what comes next. I would have loved it to be just a tad bit longer to fill in some gaps, but overall it was a great quick read.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Christmas to Kill For” is a tense, twisty holiday thriller that delivers chills with every page. Nadija Mujagic flips the festive season on its head, turning snowy nights and cozy vibes into a deadly game of cat and mouse. Dark, suspenseful, and impossible to put down—Christmas has never been this thrilling!

[Karen Traversy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You need to read this!

Nadija has done it again! This short story had my pulse racing. Scene after scene, twist after twist, I’m absolutely blown away how smoothly this story is written and kept me captivated and my mind racing! Perfectly executed! That ending!

[Phyllis Fried · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short story. It's open ended and I'm not sure if there will be a follow up or I'm expected to fill in the blanks. I did however think Jesse was a bit reckless and Gavin was just plain nasty.
Short story - short review. I did enjoy it

[Hayley Bernard-Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎄🩸I flew through this twisty holiday thriller, and then I read it again! Brilliant story-telling with great characters and an ending I didn’t see coming! If you’re in the mood for a dark, chilling Christmas story be sure to grab this one.🎄🩸

[Megan Pelayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Christmas to Kill For"
This is the first short story I’ve read and first by Nadija Mujagic's.
It was the perfect Christmas thriller. The length and the twists were the perfect amount of thrill. The short story is the perfect way to get a great read in.. especially if you have a busy schedule!

[Kristi Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas to Kill For by Nadija Mujagic

I love this quick paced read with the revenge and how the plot just pulls you in!

Eerie, and almost funny how vengeance turns the tables! A short story to kill for my readers!

Loved how everything turns and twists!

[Kayla Wiklanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't care how cold and snowy it is or if it's the holiday season. No strangers are being invited into my house.

[Crystal O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tick Tock

Short but full of psychological suspense that makes you want more! It will leave you asking what just happened and what did I just read

[Meinfulleffect · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down. Usually horror short stories are perfect for me, but you'd one didn't pack the punch i was looking forward to.

[Shoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, but hated the ending 😭 I wish it was longer.

[Maricel Sonatore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this short read! The author put so many twists and turns into this short read. It kept me on my toes the whole entire time and kept me guessing about what was going to happen next!

[Mama Of 2 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this was fabulous

Nadija never disappoints and this is no exception. I really enjoyed this short story. Not everyone is who they say they are or who you think they are.

[Caitlyn Daviau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disturbing little Christmas thriller. I feel like o didn’t get to connect with this one as much . I kept getting distracted easily and I can’t really describe what this was.

[Jeanne Pocius Dorismond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, Twisty Story

But leaving the story unfinished in the end really didn't work for me. You might feel differently. Give it a try

[KimLovesBooks]

Short and oh so sweet.

This one will take you on a thrilling trip. You'll never guess where this one takes you. Enjoy and happy holidays.

[Hayli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read but an abrupt ending that leaves you needing a few more pages.

[Felicia Hilliard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different spin on a Christmas thriller. I felt it finished too fast, I was looking forward to a nicely wrapped (pun intended) ending.