The Confessions of Dorian Gray: The Spirits of Christmas

A sort of Christmas special, this consists of two hour-long stories set in the present day, which follow on directly from one another chronologically (and are loosely linked), but which present a different foe in each case.

• Desperately Seeking Santa – The stronger half of the story concerns a series of supernatural murders in the run-up to Christmas. Gray is portrayed more positively here than he is in most other stories in this series, although that's partly because he's set against the grisly horror of the Santa-obsessed villain. One of the principal delights of the story, however, is the narration, provided by Colin McFarlane in a style that suggests he's reading an uplifting Christmas fairy tale, even as the gore builds up. The central device has been used in other horror stories, although this feels (at least to me) like an original take on it, perhaps partly because of the seasonal theme, complete with appropriate music. 5 stars.

• All Through the House – In the second half, Gray and Toby become trapped in a mysterious hotel on Christmas day. The story jumps along rather quickly as the strange nature of the hotel unfolds, presenting both physical threats and emotional torment for Gray. It's perhaps more notable for the ending, which gives Gray an opportunity the ramifications of which will presumably play out in the final season but which, at this point, are far from clear. Up until that, however, it's a little muddled, perhaps with the story being too short too fully explore the ideas within it, although there are a number of twists along the way. 4 stars.