Our final Christmas short story of 2022 comes from Crime Cymru’s Thorne Moore. If I might say so, it’s an excellent example of drawing the reader into an emotional attachment with the central character.

Away in a Manger – Thorne Moore

So he says ‘That’s pretty impressive, lad,’ and he gives me a fiver. I mean, a fiver! Can’t see the need to start another picture now, and anyway, see them clouds? It’s going to piss down in a minute, wash it all away. So I pack up my chalks and gather up the cash and head for Ted’s Caff. Order myself chips and a coke. It’s not bad in here. Cheap and loads of chips and I ain’t eaten since yesterday morning. It’s like that some days. Most days, really.

‘Jimmy!’ says Spike. He’s okay, mostly, is Spike, when he’s alone, like not with Rooms. He’s with a girl…