Publishers Weekly
★ 04/04/2022
The 1995 murder of an epileptic and learning disabled 12-year-old boy by two classmates in Ussalthwaite, an outwardly idyllic North Yorkshire village, drives Wesolowski’s exceptional if horrifying sixth installment in his Six Stories series (after Deity). Almost three decades later, true crime podcaster Scott King presents the harrowing perspectives of six different individuals on the murder. These podcasts, which anger the public and bring King negative media attention because he seems too sympathetic to the so-called Demonic Duo, are interspersed with poignant letters from Danny Greenwell, one of the duo, convicted and released in 2002 with lifelong anonymity, to his mother whom he loved then lost to apparent suicide. The six accounts gradually reveal there’s an eerie sense of “something wrong” with the town, as Wesolowski explores the power of gossip, hints of supernatural possession, outrage spawned by guilt, and the human tendency to reject those who “don’t fit.” In so doing, he casts a dramatic light on the shortcomings of contemporary British society. At the start, the author fittingly warns: “fictional violence against children and animals... may cause some readers distress or upset.” Those with strong stomachs will best appreciate this one. Agent: Sandra Sawicka, Marjacq (U.K.). (June)
From the Publisher
Praise for the Six Stories series ‘A gripping exposure of the underbelly of celebrity and obsessive fandom with lashings of supernatural horror – Daisy Jones and the Six gone to the dark side. I couldn’t put it down’ Harriet Tyce ‘Matt Wesolowski is boldly carving his own uniquely dark niche in fiction’ Benjamin Myers ‘Dark, twisty and incredibly clever ... an author to watch!’ C L Taylor ‘A dark, twisting rabbit hole of a novel. You won't be able to put it down' Francine Toon ‘First-class plotting’ S Magazine ‘A dazzling fictional mystery’ Foreword Reviews ‘Readers of Kathleen Barber’s Are You Sleeping and fans of Ruth Ware will enjoy this slim but compelling novel’ Booklist ‘An exceptional storyteller' Andrew Michael Hurley ‘Beautifully written, smart, compassionate – and scary as hell. Matt Wesolowski is one of the most exciting and original voices in crime fiction’ Alex North ‘Insidiously terrifying, with possibly the creepiest woods since The Blair Witch Project … a genuine chiller with a whammy of an ending’ C J Tudor ‘Frighteningly wonderful … one of the best books I’ve read in years’ Khurrum Rahman ‘Disturbing, compelling and atmospheric, it will terrify and enthral you in equal measure’ M W Craven ‘Bold, clever and genuinely chilling with a terrific’ Sunday Mirror ‘A genuine genre-bending debut’ Daily Mail 'Impeccably crafted and gripping from start to finish’ Big Issue ‘The very epitome of a must-read’ Heat ‘Wonderfully horrifying … the suspense crackles’ James Oswald ‘Original, inventive and dazzlingly clever’ Fiona Cummins ‘Haunting, horrifying, and heartrending. Fans of Arthur Machen will want to check this one out’ Publishers Weekly
"[E]xceptional…Those with strong stomachs will best appreciate this one.” — Publishers Weekly