It's 1986 and Victoria McQueen is your average eight-year-old girl who likes to ride her beloved Raleigh Tuff Burner bike every day. But once she discovers the Shorter Way Bridge and crosses it, she can magically find things that have been misplaced and go anywhere in the country. Enter one Charles Talent Manx. He's a creepy older fella that has an affinity for children. Specifically, he likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith, complete with NOS4A2 on the tag.

These aren't innocent rides; he transports them to another land, a place all his own that he lovingly calls Christmasland. One day Vic runs into Manx and she becomes the only kid who's ever escaped Manx's clutches. But Charlie never forgot her, and now that she's grown with a child of her own, he's out for revenge.

It's amazing that NOS4A2 is only Joe Hill's third novel. His skills have refined quickly, and he brings to the table a complex and delicately spun tale that spans years and locations, and even time. Part fantasy, part horror, and lots of supernatural, Hill pleases the masses. His ability to bring a character to life on the page is outstanding with real, almost palpable, emotion. Even though I knew Manx was the bad guy I found myself, at times, liking him. He is a vampire, but not of the sparkly kind. His motivations and actions are horrifying, and his visage is chilling. And don't get me started on his kickass car. Cooler than a Cullens' any day. We see Victoria grow, both in terms of age and maturity. Her life is sometimes pitiful, sometimes joyous, but never bland. Christmasland is worthy of a character on its own. The setting, the atmosphere, the tension that centers around this horrible place doesn't leave you when you put down NOSA42.

Another wonderful treat is the beautiful artwork included by Gabriel Rodriguez, who teamed up with Hill on the successful Locke & Key comic series. Keep an eye open to find the little references to Hill's dad's (Mr. King) various works. Hill's imagination knows no boundaries.

NOS4A2 easily made my top ten list for the year. I eagerly await any new releases from Joe. Comics, short stories, novels...anything, please.