A review by justinkhchen
Candy Cain Kills by Brian McAuley

fast-paced

4.25

Campy b-horror slasher done right, Candy Cain Kills is a lot of fun when one's in the mood for a themed violent romp with nonstop creative kills. The novella length is perfect at keeping the action moving, and Brian McAuley manged to squeeze in a lot of character development by constantly switching POVs — the cast has way more personality and backstory than I expected (some of the demises tugged at my heartstrings). The villain is also creatively conceived; not only is there a slight twist near the end, it is also set up for more potential rampage down the road. Overall, Candy Cain Kills is not only very on-theme, but also jammed-packed with retro slasher goodies — exactly what I was seeking!