Five Equals One, Vol. 1 — Mary Korte

“NOBODY KNOWS and nobody is going to know either.” This mentality has worked for Santa since the day he placated his father by saying, “Yes, Poppa, I'll keep it secret forever.” Years pass. Stubbornness cements his intent. He will not tell. No one outside the Region guesses his secret and no one in his homeland snitches. Past Holiday Seasons have been routine.However, this year's Blessing Day [November first] brings many surprises -- and disaster. Caught up in his favorite daydream, he dismisses the signs of impending doom. Little does he suspect Mother Nature's vengeance. Her “snowball” surprise puts his fate in his wife Mitzi's hands. How she handles his ensuing problems is disclosed in Volume 2.REVIEW“. . . a novel about a very different kind of Santa Claus.“. . . This fast-paced, playful tale focuses on the North Pole Village and its most famous resident. This version of Santa is as kindly and cheerful as the folkloric one, but he's also keeping a secret . . . His wife, Mitzi, constantly worries that this fact will be discovered and revealed . . . It's revealed that Mitzi has been married to Santa for nearly half a century, but before that, she grew up in an abusive household, which Korte vividly evokes in a series of well-deployed flashbacks. As a result, she has a cautious soul, a nagging inner voice of doubt she refers to as her “nattering Tomacita.” She embarks upon a series of unexpected adventures, away from Santa and her settled life, and these are the amusing and dramatic high points of the book. The author also makes easy reading out of Santa's bewilderment back home . . . The overall narrative has a disjointed but playful voice . . . It ends with a low-key cliffhanger that will leave readers curious to move on to the next volume.“A lighthearted . . . fantasy with some darker undertones.”�"Kirkus Reviews