# The Gift

Freida McFadden's The Gift is a short Christmas thriller, published by Penguin Books in 2026, and it is written for readers who want their festive reading to carry a shiver. The story follows a young wife on her first Christmas with her husband. She works two jobs, yet still cannot afford a present for him, and a season that should feel joyful becomes a daily reminder of what she lacks.

The premise rests on a single question the publisher puts to readers: what would you sacrifice for the perfect gift? McFadden, whose novel The Housemaid is a bestseller, keeps the story compact, so it can be read in one sitting on a dark winter evening. It suits readers who enjoy their Christmas stories with a sharp edge.

## Books in this series (1)

- Vol. 1 — [The Gift](https://mybookbandits.com/books/9781628863925) (ISBN 9781628863925)

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Browse this series at [MyBookBandits](https://mybookbandits.com/series/the-gift-a-short-story).