The Elves Made Me Do It

by Hayley Bernard-Ryan

This holiday season, a recent string of unexplainable deaths in the city of Philadelphia are leaving homicide detectives Clay Langston and Gabriel Shepherd at a loss. The only clue is a cryptic note pinned to each of the victims' bodies...

The Elves Made Me Do It.

Aidan Cutler's life has been thrown into chaos. Following the recent death of his brother, he has been seeing and hearing things that don't make sense. Odd, twisted shadows on the walls. Giggling in the dark. A sinister voice whispering instructions in his head. He wakes up in strange places with no recollection as to how he got there. Aidan fears he's losing his mind.

Or is it something worse?

40 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 23, 2025

About the author

Hayley Bernard-Ryan is a dark fiction writer who lives right outside Philadelphia. She is the author of the horror fantasy novel “Wrathburn”, a young adult horror novella “The Hookman Legacy” and a Christmas occult thriller short story “The Elves Made Me Do It”. Several of her other short stories have appeared in anthologies such as “Thrills and Chills: A Halloween Anthology”, “Horror for the Holidays”, “Table for Ten: A Horror Anthology” and “Thousand Word Thrills: Short Story Collection”. When she’s not frightening readers with her writing, Hayley enjoys drawing, traveling, going to concerts, running, and watching old movies.

Reviews

[Charlene Mattson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird, a bit gory, and delightfully deranged. The perfect short story to chase away any schmultzy Christmas feels

[Welz Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, so much depth in such a short story

This short story had multiple layers and got straight to the point. It was fast paced, so much so, that I read it in one sitting.
Mental health is a major factor in this book and Hayley deals with it very delicately. After reading it, I now have to walk away and get some fresh air.

[travel_thru_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short holiday nightmare wastes zero time. In just 40 pages, Hayley manages to cram in paranoia, supernatural mischief, and a slow mental unraveling that feels way too real for something involving “elves.” It’s fast, weird, and delightfully unhinged — the kind of story you inhale in one sitting and then sit there blinking like… did that really just happen? Glad I read this after Christmas and had my Elf put away.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong of violent crimes across Philadelphia has police stumped. Every scene contains a cryptic clue that ties them all together. You’ll never look at candy canes the same again!

Twisted and wild, this story will have you gripping the sides of your chair. In loved it!

[Jolene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, twisted holiday story that I loved. Aidan’s descent into madness or is it the work of sinister elves, keeps you guessing the whole way. Between creepy whispers, shadowy corners, and baffled detectives, this story is dark, quick, and addictive.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, fun read

This was a fast but fun read for me. Packs a big punch in just a few pages. I wouldn't have minded it being even longer. Might make you rethink getting that little elf for your kids though!

[Amy Tackett]

These elves had me clutching my Bible. 😆

[Alyssa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

be careful of the elves

OH MY GOSH. This story! Heart racing and disturbing! I’ll never look at eleven or candy canes the same for that matter.

[SKP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fast read, kinda gory, very twisted. I thought the ending was a little weird, but the story was very intriguing.

[Elaine Rainbolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a short story there was a lot of creepiness in it. I enjoyed this little book.

[Carol Gulliford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, twisted read! I'll never look at elves in the same way again!

[Keeley Webb Author · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sudden flurry of gruesome and unexplainable deaths has homicide detectives Clay Langston and Gabriel Shepherd perplexed. The only clue they have to work with is a cryptic note left at each of the bodies:

The Elves Made Me Do It!

Aidan Cutler is still coming to terms with his brother's recent death. He hasn't been feeling like himself lately, hearing voices and seeing things that aren't there: sinister shadows and giggling voices that can't possibly be real. He has to get out of his apartment! When he does, he wakes up in strange places with no recollection of how he got there. Is Aidan losing his mind, or is something sinister at play here?

Wow, Hayley, you can write! I already know this from reading your previous work, but I absolutely devoured every single word of this. It was perfection! What a way to make an impact with such a short story. If you like dark, seasonal tales, what are you waiting for? This one is a must-read!

[Mandy Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Elves Made Me Do It by indie author Haley Bernard Ryan is a fast, brutal 33 page dark Christmas tale that packs a serious punch. When residents of a local nursing home are murdered, detectives uncover a chilling note shoved into a victim’s mouth: The elves made me do it. What follows is a gory, fast-paced story filled with sinister elves, eerie voices and giggles, and even a murdered priest. Despite its short length, the characters are well-developed and the atmosphere is deeply unsettling. A haunting, twisted holiday read that’s perfect if you like your Christmas stories dark and disturbing.

[Billie Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may not want to read this one if you celebrate Christmas with an "Elf on the Shelf"!
They will get in your head; they will make you do things you never imagined! You will never be the same after reading this one!
Hayley brings all the psychological intensity of evil elves to reality in your head, and you won't know the true meaning of Christmas unless you keep turning the pages! I read this short story 'The Elves Made Me Do It' in less than an hour, and the twist at the end was absolutely brilliant!
But don't take my word for it, go check it out for yourself!

[Tanya Kolb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an action packed, twisty little story! There is a lot packed into this short story.

You can feel his decent and his anguish as he realizes what's happening to him. This book is downright creepy and gory! There is so much feeling in these pages. A great book!

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is sharp, unsettling, and laced with creeping dread, blurring the line between grief and something far more sinister. Darkly festive and deeply disturbing, this one lingers long after the lights go out.

[JD Setzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a lot packed into a short story! Flows very nicely and fast paced! Creepy and intense!! Definitely recommend,
Perfect read for the holidays

[sugarnsass_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast, fun, and disturbing! No more elf on a shelf! Twisted holiday read.

[Jessica Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! So much happened in such a short book, and it had my attention from the first page to the last. I think it might be time to torch my elf and tell the kids it had a terrible accident… because after reading this, I’m officially creeped out every time I look at it. 😅

[Cornelius A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story, creepy and never looking at elves the same again!

[Sarah Between the Lines Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad I don't have an Elf on the shelf at my house... geez loueeez.
This was a quick, suspenseful and genuinely disturbing Christmas read.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!

[Lauren Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one and read it in one day (two sittings). Fast-paced and multiple characters to follow. Interesting!

[Chastity Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun quick, horrible in the best ways read. I can't blame anyone for losing it with that.

[Jed Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Elves Made Me Do It is a dark, multi-POV thriller with some genuinely disturbing moments. I really enjoyed this short story. It might be one of Hayley’s darkest pieces yet. There’s an impressive amount of tension and intrigue packed into the pages, and it never lets up. Absolutely worth your time. Give it a read! Link to Amazon in the comments. Great holiday read by Hayley Bernard-Ryan Author