The craft of writing short stories is a very different skill to that of a novelist, and being able to accomplish one is never a guarantee that the other will be its equal. In this case, however, X. Trevelyan manages to produce something that has charm, style, and just enough substance to create its own micro-world. There's also a subtly encouraged sense of something that comes from another age, and has perhaps been overlooked by those compiling wintry fables for children.

For grownups, The Hobgoblin Bell Strikes Twelve may come up a little short on explanations concerning the ethereal mechanics of how what is portrayed can work. There just isn't the room for that kind of exposition. However, older readers only need to cast their minds back to a time in their lives when the devil in such detail did not matter as much, and the story shimmers nicely before the mind's eye. I particularly liked the fact that the theme, while gently presented, was not sugar-coated or over-simplified. It is easy to imagine a younger child enjoying this very much if read to by an adult.

So, for those with a Kindle -- or the means to convert Kindle format to other digital media -- The Hobgoblin Bell Strikes Twelve is a worthy download.