This is a sweet little confection from Anne Perry, and at only 170 pages can be read in an evening, preferably with a hot chocolate.
Apparently she writes one of these Christmas novellas every year - the cynic in me sees it as a guaranteed money spinner - but then, that would be a bit too Scrooge-like. So I will say instead that it’s a lovely Christmas tradition.
The story is set in Victorian London, in the days leading up to Christmas, and our hero is a loveable orphan named Worm, who is enchanted by a “beautiful lady”, who he sees being menaced by two rogues, who appear to have some hold over her. And Worm, of course, must rescue said beautiful lady.
The message is sweet, and the story well told - Perry knows her craft.
There is nothing to offend in this novella, and it could easily be offered to high school students as a quick Christmas read.