- Author:Nicholas Adams
- Genre: Young Adult
- Pages: 192
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- Date: 01/12/1991
Book Summary
Avoid confrontations.A bad day for relationships.He waited, silent, in the shadow of a large elm. His eyes were fastened on a pool of light down the road. He twisted the woollen scarf nervously, around and around his palms.Soon she would come. It was written in the stars.Finally Jenny Warren left the protective light of the streetlamp behind. She walked fast, her shoes tapping on the sidewalk.In the shadow of the night, the watcher smiled. His hands tightened their grip on the scarf. “You should have paid attention, Jenny, ” he whispered to himself. “Didn’t you read your horoscope today?”A terrifying new thriller from Nicholas Adams, author of “I.O.U.” and the bestselling “Horror High” series.
Author Info
Nicholas Adams is a collective pen name created by Daniel Weiss Associates and used by several authors of YA horror written in the 1990s. These include John Peel, James D. MacDonald and Debra Doyle, and Sherwood Smith.
Santa Claw Review
Bloody 80s Horror That Delivers Nicholas Adams serves up a viciously entertaining werewolf slasher that captures everything great about vintage horror…just don’t expect any holiday cheer.
What Works: The body count is genuinely shocking and the best part. Adams keeps you guessing who survives, killing off characters when you least expect it. The werewolf angle works great, and the twist at the end ties everything together nicely. Holly and Cory make solid lead characters, reacting to the chaos around them in believable ways. The supporting cast like Diana, Marie, Lynne, and Chrissie adds personality and you wonder what will happen to them. For 80s horror fans, this hits all the right notes: real menace, teenage resilience, and fast pacing.
What Falls Short: The title is misleading. There’s nothing Christmas or Santa-related here, so seasonal horror seekers should look elsewhere. I also guessed the killer early on, though Adams wraps it up well enough that it didn’t ruin the fun.
Verdict: Santa Claws gives 80s horror fans exactly what they want: high stakes, unpredictable carnage, and werewolves with genuine bite. Wrong title aside, this is quality teen horror that knows its audience.
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