Attack of the Christmas Spirit by Kerry Schafer Series: Shadow Valley Manor #3
Published by Self Published on November 17th 2022
Genres: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Kerry Schafer
Length: 45 min
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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And don’t forget your Christmas holiday short story to go with the Thanksgiving events.
It is almost Christmas and Maureen still can’t find anyone to fill the openings at the Shadow Valley Manor Retirement Community–especially as the locals know darn well the unusual happenings and the unnaturally large death toll has little to do with the age of the residents.
MC shows up for the job interview and once Maureen sees her she knows that MC stands for Merry Christmas. MC is a Christmas Spirit. As a Christmas Spirit, she sprinkles everyone with her magic glitter which has an almost mind-control effect on everyone causing them to break into happiness and Christmas carols. It’s…actually not surprising that the glitter seems to have little effect on the grouchy ex-FBI agent. While Maureen has never known anyone with an immunity to a Christmas Spirit, Maureen needs to play along until she can figure out how to free her friends with their unnatural Christmas cheer.
THOUGHTS:
It was a fun short story which tries to get our grumpy Maureen to join her friends in some light-hearted Christmas fun. In this case, I received this special bonus promotion from the author herself who narrated this audiobook. I guess who better than the author to present the story as she hears it in her head.
“A spoonful of glitter helps the medicine go down…” MC sings like a deranged Mary Poppins flinging another handful into the air and I pull the desk chair in to shield me.
“I know what you are,” I say. “You’re a Christmas Spirit. MC stands for Merry Christmas, doesn’t it? Well, I don’t want your holiday cheer. You stay the hell away from me.”
“Oh, come now,” she trills, “Don’t be a Scrooge. I am here to lift your mood and you will feel better for it.”
“Bah humbug,” I snarl, realizing that going under the desk was possibly a bad decision. I’m trapped and then I hear booted feet in the hallway. I know that step, know the ever so slight hitch in the gait that most people wouldn’t even notice. Hope glimmers. It’s the Sheriff.
“Jake,” I shout “Shoot and ask questions later or run and get a HazMat suit, don’t let her…”
“There. Doesn’t that feel better,” the Spirit sings.
“It does.” Jake replies in a tone I’ve never heard from him before. “It feels wonderful.”
“Let me have that silly old gun,” MC says, “somebody could get hurt and we don’t want that do we.”
“No,” he says, “Of course, not. We want everybody to be happy.”
I groan. Not Jake of all people. Besides losing my hope of rescue, it’s just so wrong to hear him talk like that.
“Maureen isn’t happy,” Sophie says.
“We need to help her to be happy,” Jill agrees.
“What shall be do first? Sing, dance, decorate? Never fear for I am here,” Merry sings. “I am a bottomless gift of cheer and good will. Of course I accept the position and can begin right away to uplift every resident who lives here. But first, let us help your friend to be happy. Go ahead, take a handful. The more we can get on her, the happier she will be to understand.”
“No,” I shout, backing deeper into my hidey hole under the desk. I can’t see but I know she is equipping them with glitter. “Don’t do it. She’s mind-controlling you. Resist.”
All four of them start singing Deck the Halls. Jake in a surprising melodic baritone. Jill and Sophie warbling, one of them badly off key.
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