The story opens just days before Sally Connors will turn nine years old- on Christmas Day. Sally is carefully crafting a letter to Santa, the contents of which will long remain a secret. Sally's parents, John and Amanda, have separated; John works for a fantastical toy manufacturer; Sally lives at home with Amanda, an overworked litigator. Soon, a strange boy named Horace Helfin comes into their lives- and changes them forever. Horace mysteriously "just showed up one day" at Saint Bartholomew's Orphanage. Suffering from a strange malady, Horace nonetheless proves to be full of life and mischief, a veritable walking disaster zone. Everywhere he goes, havoc follows in his wake; yet, nonetheless, everyone finds him irresistibly charming, with his gnomic statements uttered in rhymed couplets. In a series of madcap adventures, Sally and Horace confront and outwit many delectible villians, including Corey Wilson, the neighborhood bully, Mrs. Hunnicutt, the dastardly mother of an insufferable brat, Whitley Snit, an evil Christmas tree salesman, and Baron Von Muncher, the neighbors' foaming-at-the-mouth Rottweiler. Most menacing of all, is Arthur A. Meney, John's ruthless boss, who sets his sights on Amanda. His machinations threaten to undermine Sally's most fervent hope- but Arthur never anticipates having to deal with the high jinks of Horace Helfin! As the novel hurtles toward its climax, Sally suffers a serious accident, and Horace seemingly sacrifices everything to save her.

About the Author

John Philip McCarthy is an attorney-writer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who works in Philadelphia, Las Vegas, and Somers Point, New Jersey. His law practice includes antitrust and securities fraud class action litigations. Starting with Horace Helfin's Holiday Home he is now a writer- attorney.

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