This pops up on What Was That Book as often as William Sleator books, so I thought it was time for me to give it a read. Wow! There's a reason people remember it!

In my library, this is catalogued in the adult section. I consider it a children's book, but it's a horror title that is actually scary, not like that Goosebumps stuff for amateurs. Maybe that's why it's in adult.

Anyway, Harvey Swick is a 10-year-old boy who is incredibly bored with his life. It seems like February will never end, and he has to trudge to school in the snow every day. He hates it. So when a magical man invites him to take a vacation in a wonderful place where you can have whatever you want all the time, Harvey takes it.

At the Holiday House, it's always a perfect day, and the table is always laden with delicious treats. Every morning is a perfect spring morning, the afternoon is a magical summer, the evening brings Halloween fun and frights, and every night is Christmas. Harvey loves it...for awhile.

When perfection starts to become monotonous (about a month, Harvey estimates), Harvey and his friend Wendell want to go home to their parents, but find that they are not allowed to leave. It is then that Harvey discovers the horrible truth about the Holiday House.

I really liked the Bruce Willis Jr. tough guy routine that Harvey executes in the book's 3rd act. Very satisfying.