The Night Before
For struggling private chef Holly, catering a lavish Christmas Eve dinner at a remote estate was supposed to be her big break.
Desperate to turn her luck around, she arrives ready to prepare a feast for twelve. But she steps into a disturbing scene: the mansion is blazing with lights and decked out in holiday finery, yet completely dead silent. There are no guests. No hosts. Not a single soul.
Just as the eeriness sets in, a heavy knock echoes through the empty house. As the snow piles up outside and darkness falls, Holly realizes she hasn't walked into a job opportunity—she’s walked into a trap.
- Holly - Private chef
- Nick - Holly’s ex-boyfriend
- Kris - Holly’s best friend
- Carol - Nick’s girlfriend before Holly
- Holly gets a request to cook Christmas Eve dinner for the Garland family.
- She arrives at the mansion and lets herself in, but finds the place empty.
- The doorbell rings. Holly answers it and finds Carol.
- Carol says it’s Nick’s family home; she’s never heard of the Garlands and claims Nick told her to meet him there.
- Carol notices one of the presents under the Christmas tree is bleeding.
- Inside the box is Nick’s severed arm.
- There is no cell service and it’s snowing too hard to leave.
- Then the lights go out.
- Holly calls out to Carol but there's no response.
- When the lights come back on, Carol is slumped in a corner with Christmas lights wrapped around her neck.
- Holly bundles up to brave the storm.
- She opens the door to leave and sees Nick standing there.
- Nick forces her back inside.
- Carol reappears, having faked her death with stage makeup - and the severed arm, too.
- Nick and Carol tie Holly up with Christmas lights.
- Nick says Holly’s breakup sent him into a spiral, ruining his ability to focus on acting, and he’s decided killing her will “fix it.”
- Holly manages to cut through her bindings and barricades herself in the kitchen.
- Nick sends Carol to retrieve a gun from the other room.
- Holly grabs a bag of flour and spreads it all over the kitchen.
- Nick breaks down the door to shoot her, but Holly lights a match and dives into the refrigerator.
- The flour ignites, causing a massive explosion that sets the kitchen on fire.
- Holly emerges from the refrigerator and drags Nick and Carol out into the snow.
- Nick and Carol get arrested and Holly spends Christmas Day with Kris and her family.
If you are looking for a quick holiday thriller that breaks the mold, The Night Before by Jack Dane is an absolute must-read. This was a fast-paced, exciting read that I easily sped through in one sitting.
What really sets this short story apart are the twists. In a genre where it’s easy to think, "I've read a twist similar to that before," Dane manages to deliver several unique surprises that I genuinely did not see coming. The execution is fresh and unpredictable.
The atmosphere is also spot-on. Dane does a fantastic job incorporating classic Christmas elements—specifically the use of presents and lights—to build tension rather than just holiday cheer. It’s easily one of my favorite Christmas shorts of the year.
- Blood
- Dismemberment
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9798276492087
Publication Date: November 28, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
