#BlogTour Changeling by Matt Wesolowski

Today it is my absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Changeling by Matt Wesolowski. It is the third book or episode in the brilliant Six Stories series. If you haven't read a book in this series then I can only suggest you do so, because it is a fascinating premise.

About the Author
Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care. Matt started his writing career in horror, and his short horror fiction has been published in numerous UK- and US-based anthologies such as Midnight Movie Creature, Selfies from the End of the World, Cold Iron and many more. His novella, The Black Land, a horror story set on the Northumberland coast, was published in 2013. Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland Crime WritingFestival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WH Smith Fresh Talent pick, and TV rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio. A prequel, Hydra, was published in 2018 and became an international bestseller.

Follow @ConcreteKraken or @Orendabooks on Twitter, Matt-Wesolowski on Facebook or visit him at mjwesolowskiauthor.wordpress.com

About the book
On Christmas Eve in 1988, seven-year-old Alfie Marsden vanished in the dark Wentshire Forest Pass, when his father, Sorrel, stopped the car to investigate a mysterious knocking sound. No trace of
the child, nor his remains, have ever been found. Alfie Marsden was declared officially dead in 1995.

Elusive online journalist, Scott King, whose ‘Six Stories’ podcasts have become an internet sensation, investigates the disappearance, interviewing six witnesses, including Sorrel and his ex partner, to try to find out what really happened that fateful night. Journeying through the trees of the Wentshire Forest – a place synonymous with strange sightings, and tales of hidden folk who dwell there, he talks to a company that tried and failed to build a development in the forest, and a psychic who claims to know what happened to the little boy…

Intensely dark, deeply chilling and searingly thought-provoking, Changeling is the latest in the
critically acclaimed, international bestselling Six Stories series, written as six Serial-style podcasts,
and which are being adapted for TV by a major US studio.

Review
Changeling is the third part of the Six Stories series, an innovative fresh idea in a sea full of stories.

This episode of Six Stories is different in a sense that Scott King immerses himself in a completely different way this time. In the other episodes there was always an element of distance to the people, the crimes, the myths and the folklore. In this episode the reader gets a deeper look into the main characters soul, and also into that of the author.

The disappearance of a seven-year-old boy over three decades ago is still a story that gets tongues wagging. He vanished into the darkness in the middle of the night near a forest. A wooded area connected to a lot of disturbing tales and a lifetime of folklore. The fairie folk have taken him, the monsters in the woods have eaten him or maybe the trees have made the little boy become one with them. All of that and plenty more is fodder for the curious, the gossips, the amateur sleuths and even the family members of the child.

I often think it is easier for society to believe the unbelievable than to accept the possibility that humans are worse than the monsters we imagine in our minds. The inability to acknowledge the inhumanity in some of us leaves us weakened and unprotected against the evil living among us.

Kudos to the author for giving a platform to the abuse featured in this particular mystery. Sometimes you don't know what you're experiencing or seeing when you encounter this kind of subtle, hidden systemic abuse. The problem is people are happy to pass on a malicious rumour or assume something they have been told is the truth without knowing whether it is or not.

Been there, done that, met the monster and got the t-shirt..

If you haven't read a book in this series then I can only suggest you do so, because it is a fascinating premise. I can't wait to see what the TV adaptation looks like. It is a dark menacing premise that Wesolowski has given a 21st century vibe to. He delves into the darkest depths of human nature, and plays with fractured memories, hidden fears and the ancient folklore and myths embedded in our culture. Podcasts meet rumours, theories and facts to create a fascinating murder mystery with a thriller come horror vibe. You don't want to miss this series or the author.

Buy Changeling (Six Stories #3) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: Orenda Books; pub date 24 Jan. 2019
Read my review of Six Stories #1
Read my review of Hydra (Six Stories #2)

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

I sometimes I think groups of friends, especially ones who have known each other for many years, believe they have to uphold the pretence of staying friends even when they grow apart. Then you are forced to spend time pretending you are actually interested in their lives, when the reality is you couldn't give two hoots.

That is exactly the way this group of friends appears to the reader. Meeting in an isolated place to celebrate themselves and their friendships. To try and impress each other with their success and relationships. By the way, who brings a young baby to the middle of nowhere in the midst of snow storms and freezing conditions?

What starts as pleasant idea to celebrate and welcome the New Year in, quickly becomes a nightmare. The beauty of the isolation and the surroundings becomes threatening and suffocating when one of the party goes missing. Everyone starts to look suspicious and menacing, and for the veteran Doug in particular it means having a spotlight on you at all times.

Even if the actual victim perhaps isn't clear at first then a potential victim does become clear quite early on. A certain person likes to wind everyone up and poke sharp sticks straight into the bears cage. After a short while everyone appears to have a valid motive to harm someone, just because they are so privileged and annoying. Yeh, being annoying has just been upgraded to a murder motive.

Foley more or less hands the plot to the reader within the first few chapters and then starts to throw spanners into the spinning wheel. It's an intriguing way to go about it. You think you know it all, but in fact you only know what the author wants you to know.

Buy The Hunting Party at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: HarperCollins (Kindle pub date 3 Dec 2018, Hardcover pub date 24 Jan 2018)
Follow @lucyfoleytweets

My Name is Anna by Lizzy Barber

Every one of us has probably experienced déjà vu at one time or the other, the feeling of having seen, heard or experienced something before. When Anna defies her mother and spends the day at a popular theme park she isn't sure whether she is having a flashback or a feeling of déjà vu.

Just one problem with that, there is no way she could be having a flashback, because according to her very strict and religious mother, Anna has never been anywhere near the theme park. Anna starts to question whether what she knows is the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Meanwhile a young girl called Rosie decides to look into the disappearance of her sister. The loss, grief and confusion has left her family broken. She believes that solving the mystery could be what finally brings her family back together. The not knowing, the unanswered questions and the imagined scenarios make a unexplained disappearance worse than a disappearance with a bad ending.

I really appreciated the realistic and honest approach to the ending of this book. Barber didn't feel the need to romanticise it for her readers, and to be completely frank it's exactly what it would be like for families in such a traumatic situation. So kudos to the author for that.

This may appear to be a simple premise but Barber takes it a step further and puts readers in a situation where the worst possible crime a family can deal with could be completely understandable given the traumatic and extraordinary circumstances. The predictable takes a sharp left turn and leads the reader on a merry chase up the garden path.

Buy My Name is Anna at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: Cornerstone Digital (1 Nov. 2018) - ebook
Publisher: Arrow (25 July 2019) - Paperback
Follow @ByLizzyBarber @arrowpublishing
Visit lizzybarber.com

My Best Reads of 2018!

The thing about Best Book lists is that it is difficult to limit the number of books to ten or twenty. In fact I think I would probably find it hard to pick just one hundred. The majority of books will contain some element I have enjoyed enough to recommend it to others. Then you also have to factor in the books I haven't had a chance to read yet or haven't discovered yet.

At this point many thanks to all the bloggers, reviewers, authors and social media users who helped to empty my wallet during 2018 by recommending so many fantastic books!

I have to admit this was really hard and so many more deserve a mention. I think I need a 100 books of 2018 list. In no particular order here are a few of my Best Reads of 2018 with buy links, Twitter handles and links to my reviews:

The Woman in the Window by A J Finn
Publisher: HarperCollins - pub date 25 Jan. 2018, Follow @AJFinnBooks @HarperCollinsUK, read my review of The Woman in the Window

The Chalk Man by C J Tudor
Publisher: Penguin - pub date 11 Jan. 2018, Follow @cjtudor @MichaelJBooks, read my review of The Chalk Man

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
Publisher: Del Rey - pub date 25 Jan. 2018, This is the second part of the Winternight Trilogy, Follow @arden_katherine @EburyPublishing, read my review of The Girl in the Tower

Exhibit Alexandra by Natasha Bell
Publisher: Michael Joseph - pub date 8 Mar. 2018, Follow @byTashB @MichaelJBooks, read my review of Exhibit Alexandra

The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco
Publisher: Sourcebooks - pub date 1 April 2018, Follow @RinChupeco @SourcebooksFire, read my review of The Heart Forger

We Were the Salt of the Sea by Roxanne Bouchard
Publisher: Orenda Books - pub date 30 Mar. 2018, Follow @RBouchard72 @OrendaBooks, read my review of We Were the Salt of the Sea

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton
Publisher: Wildfire - pub date 22 Mar. 2018, Follow @KJHAuthor @Wildfirebks, read my review of The Perfect Girlfriend

Paper Ghosts by Julia Heaberlin
Publisher: Michael Joseph - pub date 19 April 2018, Follow @juliathrillers @MichaelJBooks, read my review of Paper Ghosts

Carnivore by Jonathan Lyon
Publisher: HQ - paperback edition pub date 5 April 2018, Follow @jonathan_lyon @HQStories, read my review of Carnivore

Hydra by Matt Wesolowski
Publisher: Orenda Books - 15 Jan. 2018, Second part of the Six Stories series, Follow
@ConcreteKraken or @Orendabooks, read my review of Hydra

Dead Girls by Graeme Cameron
Publisher: HQ, pub date 31 May 2018, Follow @GNCameron @HQStories read my review of Dead Girls

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
Publisher: Harlequin Teen - pub date 10 April 2018, Follow @AmandaFoody @HQStories read my review of Ace of Shades

Lancelot by Giles Kristian
Publisher: Bantam Press - pub date 31 May 2018, Follow @GilesKristian @TransworldBooks, read my review of Lancelot

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, Follow @jesmimi @BloomsburyBooks, read my review of Sing, Unburied, Sing

Needle Song by Russell Day
Publisher: Fahrenheit Press - pub date 29 April 2018, Follow @rfdaze @fahrenheitpress, read my review of Needle Song

No Further Questions by Gillian McAllister
Publisher: Penguin, pub date 4 Oct. 2018, Follow @GillianMAuthor @MichaelJBooks, read my review of No Further Questions

The Language of Secrets by Ausma Zehanat Khan
Publisher: No Exit Press, pub date 26 Oct. 2017, Follow @AusmaZehanat @noexitpress read my review of The Language of Secrets

I Invited Her In by Adele Parks
Publisher: HQ, pub date 20 Sept. 2018, Follow @adeleparks @HQStories, read my review of I Invited Her In

The Secret Legacy by Sara Alexander
Publisher: HQ - pub date 9 Aug. 2018, Follow @AuthorSaraAlex @HQStories, read my review of The Secret Legacy

The Emperor of Shoes by Spencer Wise
Publisher: No Exit Press -  pub date 26 July 2018, Follow @SpencerWise10 @noexitpress read my review of The Emperor of Shoes

Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
Publisher: Serpent's Tail - paperback edition pub date 29 Mar. 2018, Follow @atticalocke @serpentstail, read my review of Bluebird, Bluebird

Someone I used to Know by Patty Blount
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire - pub date 1 Sept. 2018, Follow @PattyBlount @SourcebooksFire, read my review of Someone I Used to Know

Vox by Christina Dalcher
Publisher: HQ - pub date 23 Aug. 2018, Follow @CVDalcher @HQStories, read my review of Vox

The Map of Us by Jules Preston
Publisher: HarperImpulse - pub date 12 July 2018, Follow @jules_preston_ @HarperImpulse, read my review of The Map of Us

Bone Lines by Stephanie Bretherton
Publisher: Unbound Digital - pub date 19 Sept. 2018, Follow @BrethertonWords @unbounders, read my review of Bone Lines

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton, pub date 30 Oct. 2018, Follow @jodipicoult @HodderBooks, read my review of A Spark of Light

Miss Marley by Vanessa Lafaye with Rebecca Mascull
Publisher: HQ - pub date 1 Nov. 2018, Follow @rebeccamascull @HQStories read my review of Miss Marley

Attend by West Camel
Publisher: Orenda Books - 13 Dec. 2018, Follow @west_camel @OrendaBooks, read my review of Attend

And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott
Publisher: Wildfire - 15 Nov. 2018, Follow @RachelAbbott @Wildfirebks, read my revew of And So It Begins

Bitter by Francesca Jakobi 
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson - 8 Mar. 2018, Follow @fjakobi @wnbooks, read my review of Bitter

Already on my Best Reads of 2019 list
The Binding by Bridget Collins
Publisher: The Borough Press - pub date 10 Jan 2019, Follow @Br1dgetCollins @BoroughPress, read my review of The Binding

When All is Said by Anne Griffin
Publisher: Sceptre - pub date 24 Jan 2019, Follow @AnneGriffin_ @SceptreBooks, read my
 review of When All is Said

Going through all these books, there are quite a few not on the list that deserve a mention and some I still have to review - I can say without a doubt that I have read a lot of excellent books this year!

When All is Said by Anne Griffin

In its own solitary way this book is a thing of beauty and I hope it gets a nod next year when it's time for handing out awards and being listed on distinguished and best books lists. It's a story of sorrow, vengeance, loneliness, abuse and loss.

The story is narrated by the main character, Maurice Hannigan, as he tells the tale of his life and how he became the man he is and the people who helped him become that man. Now as an old man he looks back upon mistakes, the events that formed his character and some of his regrets. Five people, five toasts and his entire life in one evening.

The natural inclination of man or woman is to look back upon their lives as they grow older, especially if they are nearing the end of their time. The author really captures this nostalgic mood and how conflicted Hannigan feels about certain situations and people in his life.

One of the more poignant moments is when Hannigan has no choice but to put himself in the shoes of the man he has hated his whole life. Not that it makes that man less of a muppet, but it does give Hannigan a different perspective on certain behaviour and events he had to endure. Sometimes we only see one side of the story, which is often coloured by our own frame of reference and emotional involvement.

Griffin has a natural flair for writing and telling a story. With the most basic of recipes, one man and his drink of choice, just his voice and his memories - the author gives us a deep well of emotions, caustic commentary and breathtaking honesty. The reader lifts their drink and toasts alongside Hannigan, as he contemplates and reminisces the many decades of calculated moves. It's a subtle and spectacular read.

Buy When All is Said at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Sceptre (pub. date 24 Jan. 2019), imprint of Hodder & Stoughton.

Follow @AnneGriffin_  @SceptreBooks
Visit annegriffinwriter.com

The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

The fact Morgan has stepped into more serious women's fiction is evident in this novel. It isn't just a feel good story for Christmas, it's emotional, deep and meaningful. The author explores the relationships between siblings, as children and as adults, and the family structure. In this case there is also the question of what constitutes being a mother or father.

You don't need to give birth to a child to be a parent to one. Biology is only the basis for our genetic markers, the major input when it comes to nurture, as opposed to nature, is what parenting or caregivers give us as we grow from infancy to adulthood. Stewart and Suzanne shape the girls for the majority of their lives, despite having spent their early years with their birth parents.

The death of their parents has left them all traumatised and Suzanne is suffering from what is probably PTSD. Posy, Hannah and Beth all deal with the past in their own ways. Beth is overprotective, Hannah keeps herself emotionally distant from everyone, and Posy believes she has to make other people happy first before herself.

This story is about these women, these sisters finding themselves, understanding the influence their past has had on them and learning to move forward. It's about the fragile and tenacious relationships between siblings. Love, jealousy, misconceptions and not understanding the adult the child has grown into.

It's funny, emotional and heart-warming. It's quite simply Morgan at her best, which guarantees an excellent read.

Buy The Christmas Sisters at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Follow @SarahMorgan_ @HQStories @HarperCollinsUK on Twitter, on Facebook www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan
Visit sarahmorgan.com

Read my reviews of and all about: How to Keep a Secret, Holiday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love #5), New York Actually (From Manhattan with Love #4), Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan with Love #3), Sunset in Central Park (From Manhattan with Love #2), Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #1), Christmas Ever After. First Time in Forever. Maybe This Christmas. Suddenly Last Summer or The Notting Hill Diaries by Sarah Morgan.

The Woman in the Dark by Vanessa Savage

Savage portrays the isolation of mental health in the middle of a family structure, and the blame game which often ensues. The 'it's your fault because, how could you do this or that' ect ect blame game. It's easy to point a finger in the direction of the most vulnerable person in the room instead of taking a closer look at our own faults and mistakes. It's also easier than trying comprehend why someone would try to hurt themselves.

In a more understanding environment Sarah would be given support to deal with her grief after the death of her mother. Instead she has to deal with constant jibes, insults and a lack of respect from her children and her husband Patrick.

Moving to a new town and into Patrick's old family home should alleviate some of the pressure of Sarah's issues, according to her husband. If it wasn't for the fact that the house is renowned for being the scene of a horrific crime, so it's rumoured to be filled with ghosts and evil spirits, it would be perfect. Not exactly the right setting for a new start.

The reality is, Sarah has just taken a step into a dangerous situation, however she isn't sure whether it is paranoia, her illness or something more sinister afoot. Her friends and family think she is slowly losing the plot, as the walls start to close in on her and her secrets.

There is no denying that the author knows how to keep the tension as taught as a bowstring, and also keep the reader looking under every stone and behind every corner. I particularly enjoyed the way she shows how outsiders are often unable to pinpoint and recognise abusive behaviour, even when it is happening right in front of them. It doesn't always have to be a punch in the face or a hidden bruise. Sometimes it is something subtle which may make you feel slightly uncomfortable.

It's a riveting whirlwind of darkness and suspicion with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers on their toes. You might not know who to trust, but you will definitely know who to dislike.

Buy/Pre-order The Woman in the Dark at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: Sphere (pub. date 10 Jan. 2019) Sphere is an imprint of Little, Brown book group.
Follow @VvSavage