Christmas Horror Volume 1 Edited by Chris Morey

Introducing the new annual Dark Regions Press holiday anthology: Christmas Horror. Volume 1 features all new and original stories from authors Joe R. Lansdale, John Skipp, Cody Goodfellow, Jeff Strand, J. F. Gonzalez, Stephen Mark Rainey, Nate Southard, and Shane McKenzie. Each story is preceded by a full page/full bleed color illustration by artist Zach McCain

I love Christmas themed horror almost as much as I love Halloween horror. So that, and this gorgeous cover meant I had to own a copy of this book. Most of these stories just weren't that impressive.

I did love The Endless Black of Friday by Nate Southard. It takes place outside a big box store as people line up for hours to get the best Christmas deals, but there is more to worry about than getting trampled over the hottest new toy or the last giant screen tv.

Red Rage by Stephen Mark Rainey was also very good, told on two timelines about a family recently moved into a house near Christmas, and what happened to the previous owners. I also enjoyed Belsnickel by J.F. Gonzalez  when a long lost uncle comes to visit at Christmas. but all is not as it seems.

The other stories just weren't for me and the only one I will mention by name is because

Naughty by Shane Mckenzie should really have come with a trigger warning. Think Stir of Echoes but with revenge for an unnecessarily graphic gang rape on a physically and mentally disabled teen. Put a warning on that shit! Not everyone wants to read that.

3 out of 5 stars