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Father's Little Helper
Black Christmas
The citizens of Cedar Bluff, Tennessee have never recovered form the Christmas Massacre of 1978...that tragic day when Richard McFarland armed with a shotgun, abandoned his wife and son and selected a local church as the stage for a bloody, murderous rampage. McFarland paid for his crimes in the electric chair. Yet not even death will stop him from finishing what he started...
Bloody Legacy
After fourteen years, Sonny's father is back. He'd been away so long that Sonny hardly remembered him. But Richard McFarland remembers his only son. And now he will teach him how to kill. Sonny is about to become a deadly force that will be unleashed on the unsuspecting citizens of Cedar Bluff. For when the time is right, he will return to the small quiet town, bridging death and destruction on an even more terrifying Christmas Day!
The citizens of Cedar Bluff, Tennessee have never recovered form the Christmas Massacre of 1978...that tragic day when Richard McFarland armed with a shotgun, abandoned his wife and son and selected a local church as the stage for a bloody, murderous rampage. McFarland paid for his crimes in the electric chair. Yet not even death will stop him from finishing what he started...
Bloody Legacy
After fourteen years, Sonny's father is back. He'd been away so long that Sonny hardly remembered him. But Richard McFarland remembers his only son. And now he will teach him how to kill. Sonny is about to become a deadly force that will be unleashed on the unsuspecting citizens of Cedar Bluff. For when the time is right, he will return to the small quiet town, bridging death and destruction on an even more terrifying Christmas Day!
Paperback
First published November 1, 1992
2 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Kelly
100 books415 followersRonald Kelly was born and raised in the hills and hollows of Middle Tennessee. He became interested in horror as a child, watching the local "Creature Feature" on Saturday nights and "The Big Show"---a Nashville-based TV show that presented every old monster movie ever made ---in the afternoons after school. In high school, his interest turned to horror literature and he read such writers as Poe, Lovecraft, Matheson, and King. He originally had dreams of becoming a comic book artist and created many of his own superheroes. But during his junior year, the writing bug bit him and he focused his attention on penning short stories and full-length novels. To date, he has had thirteen novels and twelve short fiction collections published. In 2021, his extreme horror collection, THE ESSENTIAL SICK STUFF, won a Splatterpunk Award for Best Collection.
He currently lives in Brush Creek, Tennessee with his wife, young'uns, and an ultra-hyper Jack Russel named Toby.
He currently lives in Brush Creek, Tennessee with his wife, young'uns, and an ultra-hyper Jack Russel named Toby.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 10, 2021
I took some time off from reading ARCs to get back to some old school Zebra horror from 1992. This particular version is hard to find these days, but it has since been rereleased for Kindle under the title "12 Gauge"
I had a hard time reading this one. Not because it isn't well written, but due to the subject matter. I think I just chose a bad time to read a book about mass shootings. Or maybe since there have probably been around 300 mass shootings in the 30 years since this was first published there may never come a time when I wouldn't struggle with such a plot. In Father's Little Helper, the son of a mass murderer comes back to town to shoot the survivors of his father's crime. It is gut wrenching, and brutal. The story opens with the original shooting spree, after which the killer's wife takes her young son into hiding. Sonny grew up never knowing what his father had done, but he always had an interest in serial killers and mass murderers. When he is 17 he learns the truth and sets out to make his daddy proud. I would only cautiously recommend this book to those who think they can handle it.
I had a hard time reading this one. Not because it isn't well written, but due to the subject matter. I think I just chose a bad time to read a book about mass shootings. Or maybe since there have probably been around 300 mass shootings in the 30 years since this was first published there may never come a time when I wouldn't struggle with such a plot. In Father's Little Helper, the son of a mass murderer comes back to town to shoot the survivors of his father's crime. It is gut wrenching, and brutal. The story opens with the original shooting spree, after which the killer's wife takes her young son into hiding. Sonny grew up never knowing what his father had done, but he always had an interest in serial killers and mass murderers. When he is 17 he learns the truth and sets out to make his daddy proud. I would only cautiously recommend this book to those who think they can handle it.
October 23, 2023
I do love me some Ronald Kelly, but Father's Little Helper is not one of his best. This starts with the 'Christmas Massacre of 1978', when an unemployed carpenter's car broke down in front of a church in a small town in Tennessee. The carpenter, one Richard McFarland, was with his family (wife and 3 yo boy) coming back from Atlanta where he hoped to find some work (not!). Richard gets out of the car, finds a shotgun in a pickup in the parking lot of the church, goes in, climbs up to a balcony, and starts shooting. Over 20 killed/seriously wounded before the cops get there.
Flash forward 14 years. Richard's wife divorced him and changed her name after her hubbie was arrested and convicted (he would eventually fry in the chair), and moved to Dayton, Ohio. Her son, Sonny, is now 17. Sonny is a normal kid, albeit a brain, and fascinated with true crime stories, much to his mother's chagrin. One day he finds a picture of Richard and family in a magazine retelling the Christmas Massacre of 78 and recognizes the toy tool belt the young boy is wearing. Digging through an old box of toys, he finds it, and realizes that he is the son of Richard.
Now, what comes next involves either a supernatural Richard back from the grave telling Sonny what to do, or Sonny has a split personality (Kelly leaves this open). In either case, Richard wants Sonny to go back to that small Tennessee town and finish what he started-- kill the survivors of the Massacre. So, after killing his mom and his neighbor, he takes a sawed off shotgun and heads down to Tennessee to take care of business, leaving a trail of bodies along the way...
Our main protagonist Ben is the sheriff of the small Tennessee town and gets notified by his buddy in the TBI (Tennessee bureau of investigations) and a FBI agent that Sonny is heading their way. Shortly thereafter, the bodies start to pile up in town.
Yes, Kelly can tell a story, but this story is so linear it hurts. The only surprising thing was how many bodies Sonny manages to rack up, including FBI and TBI agents, state troopers and deputies of the small town, not to mention townies. Further, the denouement was just silly. Toss in a predictable romance and there you go. 2.5 stars, rounding up because it is Ronald Kelly!
Flash forward 14 years. Richard's wife divorced him and changed her name after her hubbie was arrested and convicted (he would eventually fry in the chair), and moved to Dayton, Ohio. Her son, Sonny, is now 17. Sonny is a normal kid, albeit a brain, and fascinated with true crime stories, much to his mother's chagrin. One day he finds a picture of Richard and family in a magazine retelling the Christmas Massacre of 78 and recognizes the toy tool belt the young boy is wearing. Digging through an old box of toys, he finds it, and realizes that he is the son of Richard.
Now, what comes next involves either a supernatural Richard back from the grave telling Sonny what to do, or Sonny has a split personality (Kelly leaves this open). In either case, Richard wants Sonny to go back to that small Tennessee town and finish what he started-- kill the survivors of the Massacre. So, after killing his mom and his neighbor, he takes a sawed off shotgun and heads down to Tennessee to take care of business, leaving a trail of bodies along the way...
Our main protagonist Ben is the sheriff of the small Tennessee town and gets notified by his buddy in the TBI (Tennessee bureau of investigations) and a FBI agent that Sonny is heading their way. Shortly thereafter, the bodies start to pile up in town.
Yes, Kelly can tell a story, but this story is so linear it hurts. The only surprising thing was how many bodies Sonny manages to rack up, including FBI and TBI agents, state troopers and deputies of the small town, not to mention townies. Further, the denouement was just silly. Toss in a predictable romance and there you go. 2.5 stars, rounding up because it is Ronald Kelly!
September 8, 2021
Probably a 3.5/5.
I quite enjoyed this! This was my first Ronald Kelly book. I could’ve started with Fear, his most popular one. But hey, this book has that wicked cover.
This is probably my favorite Zebra paperback I’ve read thus far. Zebra isn’t a vintage horror publisher I’m particularly fond of, as I’ve pointed out in reviews before. They pumped out a lot of shit in the ‘80s and ‘90s — shit with absolutely wonderful (and sometimes-usually tacky) cover art. Father’s Little Helper has meat on its bones, a story to tell, and it’s more than just a bland nothing pumped out by a publishing mill. This Ronald Kelly guy’s got talent, yeah, I think he might make it in this biz.
This is essentially a slasher novel set in a small town, but unlike with most slashers I found myself actually caring about most of these characters. Kelly does a good job of bringing this small town to life and keeping track of his many characters in a way that doesn’t feel like a Stephen King rip-off; a lotta paperback horror novels about small town horror so badly want to be ’Salem’s Lot and fail miserably. Kelly does his own thing, and he does it well.
At times I felt some of the dialogue was a bit cornball, a bit exposition-heavy, so I decided to knock off a star. Questionable dialogue can take me out of a story quick, though Kelly’s warm and smooth prose brought me back in. I also felt Sonny’s outsmarting the police so many times was a bit ridiculous, obviously only meant to carry the plot further. Some of it could have been trimmed down. A solid 3.5 from me, and I can’t wait to read more from this horror legend.
Read for “paint it black” in Halloween Bingo.
I quite enjoyed this! This was my first Ronald Kelly book. I could’ve started with Fear, his most popular one. But hey, this book has that wicked cover.
This is probably my favorite Zebra paperback I’ve read thus far. Zebra isn’t a vintage horror publisher I’m particularly fond of, as I’ve pointed out in reviews before. They pumped out a lot of shit in the ‘80s and ‘90s — shit with absolutely wonderful (and sometimes-usually tacky) cover art. Father’s Little Helper has meat on its bones, a story to tell, and it’s more than just a bland nothing pumped out by a publishing mill. This Ronald Kelly guy’s got talent, yeah, I think he might make it in this biz.
This is essentially a slasher novel set in a small town, but unlike with most slashers I found myself actually caring about most of these characters. Kelly does a good job of bringing this small town to life and keeping track of his many characters in a way that doesn’t feel like a Stephen King rip-off; a lotta paperback horror novels about small town horror so badly want to be ’Salem’s Lot and fail miserably. Kelly does his own thing, and he does it well.
At times I felt some of the dialogue was a bit cornball, a bit exposition-heavy, so I decided to knock off a star. Questionable dialogue can take me out of a story quick, though Kelly’s warm and smooth prose brought me back in. I also felt Sonny’s outsmarting the police so many times was a bit ridiculous, obviously only meant to carry the plot further. Some of it could have been trimmed down. A solid 3.5 from me, and I can’t wait to read more from this horror legend.
Read for “paint it black” in Halloween Bingo.
January 17, 2021
Whoa! Ronald Kelly does it again! First Fear, now Father's Little Helper!
This story is about a kid who believes his dead father is talking to him, telling him to finish what he started, the Christmas Massacre in Tennessee. You follow characters Ben Kate, and a load of other rich characters through this crazy killer's spree of killings. It all leads to an epic finish and I assure you, you will enjoy this story!
Overall, five freaking stars! This one deserves that high of a rating.
This story is about a kid who believes his dead father is talking to him, telling him to finish what he started, the Christmas Massacre in Tennessee. You follow characters Ben Kate, and a load of other rich characters through this crazy killer's spree of killings. It all leads to an epic finish and I assure you, you will enjoy this story!
Overall, five freaking stars! This one deserves that high of a rating.
April 7, 2020
You've probably seen the thing where the person has an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other, trying to tell them what to do. Now imagine a gun toting maniac blasted them both off and took their place, so he could convince this person to continue the massacre he started. That's what happens to the main character in this fast-paced story that pulls no punches!
August 22, 2023
Super fast-paced and brutal. Characters are brought to life with ease and conviction. Their shared past intertwines with the present to give a greater scope of the horrific crime that is the center piece of this wonderfully nasty tale. Kelly is a helluva storyteller, and I look forward to reading more.
May 31, 2011
A fast moving, mayhem filled tale that I enjoyed reading quite a lot. The first half of this book was four star material, but in the second half, the action becomes a bit repetitive. The book could have been slimmed down a bit. Beyond that, this is more great writing by Mr. Kelly, with great characterizations and some legitimate scares. A great writer, I'd recommend reading anything by Kelly.
September 26, 2021
Massive body count. A bit overlong but a cracking horror/thriller.
July 22, 2023
Now that I am nearing middle age (35 in a week!), it’s become more and more apparently that I’m not much a fan of books that tend to revel in senseless violence anymore.
While sometimes lots of gun shots and action is fun, when it’s just at the expense of an author trying to get their rocks off on blood, guts, and innocent people being pointlessly slaughtered then I’ve found I’ve become increasingly more likely to shut the book and move on to something else. And I’ll admit I was afraid that is exactly what Father’s Little Helper was going to be.
Obviously this book is about a mass shooting and his son as a copy cat killer as a way to avenge said dad’s death, however Kelly makes it more than just that. Characters feel more fleshed out and moderately realistic, considering the subject matter of this book…even the ones that end up going down in a hail of shotgun pellets.
Furthermore, It’s action packed for all of its 384 pages as Kelly finds more and more adrenaline pumping ways to keep the story rolling along. Even the violence, while brutal (and while basically on every page) never gets gratuitous or ridiculously over the top. I suppose at times this book flirts with the more “extreme” side of horror, but Ronald Kelly knows exactly when to pull in the reigns and leave it bordering some of the more violent thrillers rather than outright horror.
I’m actually more surprised than anything at how well this book flows and how much I enjoyed it. As a Zebra novel, you expect trash, but Father’s Little Helper is a rare one that somehow elevates the publisher and the genre itself.
This was my first Ronald Kelly, however it definitely will not be my last.
While sometimes lots of gun shots and action is fun, when it’s just at the expense of an author trying to get their rocks off on blood, guts, and innocent people being pointlessly slaughtered then I’ve found I’ve become increasingly more likely to shut the book and move on to something else. And I’ll admit I was afraid that is exactly what Father’s Little Helper was going to be.
Obviously this book is about a mass shooting and his son as a copy cat killer as a way to avenge said dad’s death, however Kelly makes it more than just that. Characters feel more fleshed out and moderately realistic, considering the subject matter of this book…even the ones that end up going down in a hail of shotgun pellets.
Furthermore, It’s action packed for all of its 384 pages as Kelly finds more and more adrenaline pumping ways to keep the story rolling along. Even the violence, while brutal (and while basically on every page) never gets gratuitous or ridiculously over the top. I suppose at times this book flirts with the more “extreme” side of horror, but Ronald Kelly knows exactly when to pull in the reigns and leave it bordering some of the more violent thrillers rather than outright horror.
I’m actually more surprised than anything at how well this book flows and how much I enjoyed it. As a Zebra novel, you expect trash, but Father’s Little Helper is a rare one that somehow elevates the publisher and the genre itself.
This was my first Ronald Kelly, however it definitely will not be my last.
January 6, 2022
First read of 2022 and yep, Ronald Kelly is the real deal! Never heard of this guy and probably would’ve never heard of him or read him if it wasn’t for Nicholas Gray (spooky noodles) over on YouTube. Nick is always talking about how good Kelly is and I finally got time to read one of his books. Father‘s little helper is well written with characters that are relatable and likable. The story is fast paced and exciting from start to finish and overall this is a damn good story. Highly recommend this book. 5 stars! Thank you Nick for introducing me to Mr. Kelly! Can’t wait to read more of his work.
February 13, 2026
My first Ronald Kelly and I was blown away. A little Elmore Leonard, a little Edward Lee and a little Bill Lustig nastiness to boot. A southern crime-action-horror potboiler that moves like a freight train. Highly recommended!
July 29, 2023
I wish this book hadn't aged soooo well
May 13, 2024
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯/5
Another pick from Judith Sonnet’s (imaginary) Book Club & wow was this a winner. Another golden oldie that easily *could* have gone all drunk uncle on us. Instead, it delivered a transfixing bloody tale that kept me sucked in like a chest wound the whole time.
Quick Synopsis:
A lone man walks into a church in a small town in Tennessee with a shotgun and taste for blood. With the killer’s death penalty carried out, more than a decade later, the town is still recovering from the Christmas Massacre of 1978. Thought to be extra crispy & buried, the killer still lives on in the mind of his teenage son. Now a voice is whispering instructions in the young boy’s ear, directing him how to finish what his father started & junior plans to make Daddy proud.
Ronald Kelly is an amazing storyteller. His character development is immaculate. Within a page, you are invested in characters that you feel like you know already. Then he blows their head & shoulder off. This is the first book I’ve ever read where the main weapon of choice, for what is basically a slasher, was a lone sawed-off shotgun. I know there are some *cough* haters that I won’t name mmmk *cough* who think that guns are too impersonal in horror, to which I can agree with…depending on the author. This story tho, is a testament to writing skill, because when I tell you I have NEVER visualized so much carnage and detailed deaths from a gun story before. The killers in this were legit surgeons with their sawed-offs & it definitely changed my mind about guns deemed senseless murder weapons in horror. A true classic and one a vintage horror nerd should not pass up. I can’t recommend this one more!
Another pick from Judith Sonnet’s (imaginary) Book Club & wow was this a winner. Another golden oldie that easily *could* have gone all drunk uncle on us. Instead, it delivered a transfixing bloody tale that kept me sucked in like a chest wound the whole time.
Quick Synopsis:
A lone man walks into a church in a small town in Tennessee with a shotgun and taste for blood. With the killer’s death penalty carried out, more than a decade later, the town is still recovering from the Christmas Massacre of 1978. Thought to be extra crispy & buried, the killer still lives on in the mind of his teenage son. Now a voice is whispering instructions in the young boy’s ear, directing him how to finish what his father started & junior plans to make Daddy proud.
Ronald Kelly is an amazing storyteller. His character development is immaculate. Within a page, you are invested in characters that you feel like you know already. Then he blows their head & shoulder off. This is the first book I’ve ever read where the main weapon of choice, for what is basically a slasher, was a lone sawed-off shotgun. I know there are some *cough* haters that I won’t name mmmk *cough* who think that guns are too impersonal in horror, to which I can agree with…depending on the author. This story tho, is a testament to writing skill, because when I tell you I have NEVER visualized so much carnage and detailed deaths from a gun story before. The killers in this were legit surgeons with their sawed-offs & it definitely changed my mind about guns deemed senseless murder weapons in horror. A true classic and one a vintage horror nerd should not pass up. I can’t recommend this one more!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews