Recs if you like The Twelve Terrors of Christmas...

Alternative Xmas reading — think downbeat stories, family dysfunction, holiday loneliness, seasonal depression, black comedy. There's a gift from me to you under the tree in the comments.

Other winter-holiday books welcome as long as they're cranky!

Is your cynicism chronic? Check out my list Bleakness Is My Weakness...

"If something doesn't creep into a drawing that you're not prepared for, you might as well not have drawn it." —Edward Gorey

Fiction and nonfiction — for all ages, of all genres — featuring cover art by Edward Gorey. (Not included: books Gorey authored himself.)

Under construction — seeking recommendations!

Silent Night, Bloody Night. Snow falls, and everything looks peaceful. Until it isn’t. These are stories where the holidays turn hostile: killers in the cold, ancient things in the woods, parties that end in blood. From slashers to folklore to sheer winter dread, these books remind you that not all traditions should be kept alive.