Book Review: “Christmas in Pandemonium”
Title: Christmas in Pandemonium
Author: John “Jack” Willems
Editor: Marie Moldovan and Joseph Mykut
Publication Date: Coming December 2024
Language: English
Format: Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-998213-47-4
Page Count: 383 pages
Synopsis: “Christmas in Pandemonium”
Christmas in Pandemonium is a Southern Gothic holiday horror novel that slices through the tinsel to expose the theological absurdities lurking beneath. Set on a snow-drenched island off the Carolina coast, the town of Pandemonium is split by a literal brick Line—dividing puritanical Protestants from Satanic Temple members, each side clinging to their rituals with equal fervor.
Into this surreal setting walks Father Gabe Strobel, a weary Catholic priest assigned to a forgotten church on the wrong side of town. As he attempts to rebuild a congregation, he uncovers a town steeped in superstition, buried guilt, and a history no one wants to remember.
As Christmas approaches, the island’s sacred and profane traditions collide, and something ancient begins to stir beneath the snow. This is not a tale of saving Christmas—it’s a story of what happens when Christmas is used to mask the rot.
Writing Style
John Willems’ prose is sharp, satirical, and surprisingly soulful. His style in Christmas in Pandemonium is defined by:
Southern Gothic atmosphere laced with theological horror and cosmic weirdness
Biting satire that skewers small-town religion, late-stage capitalism, and ritualistic hypocrisy
A narrative voice that reads like a gospel written by someone who’s seen too much
Willems blends absurdity with sincerity, crafting a novel that is equal parts Good Omens, Lamb, and Midnight Mass—yet wholly original in tone and execution. It’s a book that will make you laugh, wince, and possibly call your pastor in the middle of the night.
Why We Published It
At I Ain’t Your Marionette Press, we believe in stories that don’t behave—and Christmas in Pandemonium is gloriously disobedient. It’s brave, blasphemous, and brilliant, but never cruel.
This novel pokes fun at the sacred without losing its soul. It delivers horror wrapped in satire, and satire wrapped in snow. It dares to ask what we worship, why we cling to rituals, and who benefits when God and the Devil are both on payroll.
About the Author
John “Jack” Willems is a published author and practicing attorney living in West Virginia with his wife Rachel and their two sons, Francis and Tony.
Originally from Arkansas, Jack enjoys reading, writing, playing with his kids, and ranting about pop culture oddities on his blog jaxbooknook.com. He also yells into the digital void on Twitter at @JackWillems1986.
His previous works include:
Beer Run (Solstice Publishing)
Short fiction in Synthetic Reality Magazine and The Quagmire Magazine
With Christmas in Pandemonium, Willems delivers a holiday novel unlike any other—one that’s as thoughtful as it is irreverent, and as unsettling as it is unforgettable.
Availability
Coming soon to major online retailers including Amazon.
Sincerely,
Marie Moldovan
CEO of I Ain't Your Marionette Press