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Six Stories #4
Beast
Elusive online journalist Scott King examines the chilling case of a young vlogger found frozen to death in the legendary local ‘vampire tower’, in another explosive episode of Six Stories…
In the wake of the 'Beast from the East' cold snap that ravaged the UK in 2018, a grisly discovery was made in a ruin on the Northumbrian coast. Twenty-four-year-old vlogger, Elizabeth Barton, had been barricaded inside what locals refer to as 'The Vampire Tower', where she was later found frozen to death.
Three young men, part of an alleged 'cult', were convicted of this terrible crime, which they described as a 'prank gone wrong'. However, in the small town of Ergarth, questions have been raised about the nature of Elizabeth Barton's death and whether the three convicted youths were even responsible.
Elusive online journalist Scott King speaks to six witnesses – people who knew both the victim and the three killers – to peer beneath the surface of the case. He uncovers whispers of a shocking online craze that held the young of Ergarth in its thrall and drove them to escalate a series of pranks in the name of internet fame. He hears of an abattoir on the edge of town, which held more than simple slaughter behind its walls, the tragic and chilling legend of the ‘Ergarth Vampire'…
Both a compulsive, taut and terrifying thriller, and a bleak and distressing look at modern society's desperation for attention, Beast will unveil a darkness from which you may never return…
In the wake of the 'Beast from the East' cold snap that ravaged the UK in 2018, a grisly discovery was made in a ruin on the Northumbrian coast. Twenty-four-year-old vlogger, Elizabeth Barton, had been barricaded inside what locals refer to as 'The Vampire Tower', where she was later found frozen to death.
Three young men, part of an alleged 'cult', were convicted of this terrible crime, which they described as a 'prank gone wrong'. However, in the small town of Ergarth, questions have been raised about the nature of Elizabeth Barton's death and whether the three convicted youths were even responsible.
Elusive online journalist Scott King speaks to six witnesses – people who knew both the victim and the three killers – to peer beneath the surface of the case. He uncovers whispers of a shocking online craze that held the young of Ergarth in its thrall and drove them to escalate a series of pranks in the name of internet fame. He hears of an abattoir on the edge of town, which held more than simple slaughter behind its walls, the tragic and chilling legend of the ‘Ergarth Vampire'…
Both a compulsive, taut and terrifying thriller, and a bleak and distressing look at modern society's desperation for attention, Beast will unveil a darkness from which you may never return…
242 pages, Paperback
First published December 24, 2019
117 people are currently reading
2433 people want to read
About the author
Matt Wesolowski
24 books674 followersMatt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care.
'Six Stories' was published by Orenda Books in the spring of 2016 with follow-up ‘Hydra’ published in the winter of 2017, 'Changeling' in 2018, 'Beast' in 2019 and 'Deity in 2020
‘Six Stories’ has been optioned by a major Hollywood studio; ‘Changeling’ was longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, 2019 Amazon Publishing Readers’ Award for Best Thriller and Best Independent Voice.
'Beast' won the Amazon Publishing Readers' Award for Best Independent Voice in 2020
Matt is represented by Sandra Sawicka at Marjacq
Film/TV Rights - Luke Speed at Curtis Brown
'Six Stories' was published by Orenda Books in the spring of 2016 with follow-up ‘Hydra’ published in the winter of 2017, 'Changeling' in 2018, 'Beast' in 2019 and 'Deity in 2020
‘Six Stories’ has been optioned by a major Hollywood studio; ‘Changeling’ was longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, 2019 Amazon Publishing Readers’ Award for Best Thriller and Best Independent Voice.
'Beast' won the Amazon Publishing Readers' Award for Best Independent Voice in 2020
Matt is represented by Sandra Sawicka at Marjacq
Film/TV Rights - Luke Speed at Curtis Brown
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 reviews
January 11, 2021
"Welcome to Six Stories. I’m Scott King. Over the next six weeks we are going to look back at the brutal murder of Elizabeth Barton in 2018. We’re going to examine the events that led up to her death from six different perspectives, through six pairs of eyes."
Guys, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to discover another installment to the Six Stories series. The truth is that I am not a "series" person and I no longer request books if I know that they will be part of a series. I'm just terrible at sticking with things but not the case with Matt Wesolowski's brilliant Six Stories. I tear into these books as I would a plate of delicious nachos.
The focus of the book is the murder of Lizzie B. who is a famous YouTube blogger. She has decided to participate in the Dead in Six Days Challenge in which she has to perform various tasks and if she doesn't she will meet her death by vampire on the sixth day. All the tasks are recorded and posted online for all her adoring fans to see.
"Who locked Elizabeth in the tower?"
Lizzie B. is discovered murdered inside Tankerville Tower a place in which locals believe a vampire haunts. She is nude with her decapitated head sitting in her lap. Gruesome, but thanks to DNA evidence three of her former classmates are arrested and charged in her murder. Many questions still swirl on why did these three young men commit such a heinous act and Scott King sets out to find answers on his Podcast.
"Vampires don’t come at you with fangs. They come at you with a smile."
This book examines how so many of our young people rely on the validation of internet strangers. Willing to do anything to get the most "likes" and how often the way we present ourselves online is far different than the person we actually are. It's very easy to curate a beautiful life through photos and filters but what are we truly like when the camera is off.
This is another stellar addition to an already magnificent series. Two reasons this is not getting the full 5 stars is 1.) I found Lizzie annoying as heck and 2.) The ending was a little murky for my liking. However, Wesolowski is a genius at creating atmosphere. If you, like me, enjoy creepy stories then do yourself a favor and check this series out. You will not be disappointed. Book #5
I have bought and will be reading very soon and I can't wait! 4 stars!
Guys, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was to discover another installment to the Six Stories series. The truth is that I am not a "series" person and I no longer request books if I know that they will be part of a series. I'm just terrible at sticking with things but not the case with Matt Wesolowski's brilliant Six Stories. I tear into these books as I would a plate of delicious nachos.
The focus of the book is the murder of Lizzie B. who is a famous YouTube blogger. She has decided to participate in the Dead in Six Days Challenge in which she has to perform various tasks and if she doesn't she will meet her death by vampire on the sixth day. All the tasks are recorded and posted online for all her adoring fans to see.
"Who locked Elizabeth in the tower?"
Lizzie B. is discovered murdered inside Tankerville Tower a place in which locals believe a vampire haunts. She is nude with her decapitated head sitting in her lap. Gruesome, but thanks to DNA evidence three of her former classmates are arrested and charged in her murder. Many questions still swirl on why did these three young men commit such a heinous act and Scott King sets out to find answers on his Podcast.
"Vampires don’t come at you with fangs. They come at you with a smile."
This book examines how so many of our young people rely on the validation of internet strangers. Willing to do anything to get the most "likes" and how often the way we present ourselves online is far different than the person we actually are. It's very easy to curate a beautiful life through photos and filters but what are we truly like when the camera is off.
This is another stellar addition to an already magnificent series. Two reasons this is not getting the full 5 stars is 1.) I found Lizzie annoying as heck and 2.) The ending was a little murky for my liking. However, Wesolowski is a genius at creating atmosphere. If you, like me, enjoy creepy stories then do yourself a favor and check this series out. You will not be disappointed. Book #5
I have bought and will be reading very soon and I can't wait! 4 stars!
December 12, 2025
Reread July 2022, December 2025. Original review (December 2019): (3.5) Over the last few years, Matt Wesolowski's Six Stories books have become a winter tradition for me, and last year's
Changeling
was the highlight of the series so far. Not only was it an astoundingly clever and cunning piece of storytelling, it also brought podcast host Scott King to the fore, integrating the series' narrator into the story ingeniously. I reread it over Christmas, and I still find it astonishing.
I mention all this because Changeling was always going to be a very tough act to follow, and it definitely affected the way I read and reacted to Beast. This fourth book is enjoyable but, in contrast to its predecessor, does not present a complete narrative or a revelatory conclusion. Instead, it's a very different take on the perspective 'six stories' can provide.
In Beast, a provocative piece of graffiti leads Scott to reinvestigate the death of a young woman amid the 'Beast of the East' cold snap circa early 2018. Elizabeth Barton, who was enjoying burgeoning popularity as a vlogger, died of hypothermia after being locked in an abandoned building. This seems to be an open-and-shut case: three men, former classmates of the victim, were convicted. Video evidence and DNA proved they were at the scene. Yet the most disturbing aspect of the case – the fact that Elizabeth was decapitated after her death – has never been satisfactorily explained. And there's the added fact that the building, the forbidding Tankerville Tower, has been the focus of a local vampire legend for generations.
There's a strong focus on how government cuts have affected the downtrodden community of Ergarth, and may even have had a direct hand in the murder. As always, some intriguing little threads are worked into the plot, like Jason's animal activism, and Amirah's rant about middle-class vs. working-class use of the term 'chav' (with which I wholeheartedly agree, and I'm so happy to see this perspective make it into a book, however briefly!). However, I also found some elements far-fetched – that widely known and gossiped-about connections between the victim and accused wouldn't have come out in court, for example. I struggled to believe in some of the events in the climactic chapter, and was confused and troubled by the final transcript.
This story does some similar things to Changeling: firstly, it suggests that someone close to the case is manipulating Scott, drip-feeding information; secondly, it gradually builds a picture of one pivotal character that differs significantly from the way this person is generally perceived. Yet the results are very different. In Changeling, the stories revealed a powerful truth. In Beast, they only seem to make things murkier. Midway through the final chapter, Scott says he is still 'struggling to get the story straight'; so was I.
Yet it seems this is the point. Sometimes there is no real answer. Investigating a mystery can result in confusion rather than clarity. Here, the 'six stories' are not puzzle pieces slotting together, but a jumble of contradictions that overlap and obscure one another. This is, in its own way, as important a lesson as the one we learned in Changeling, but it is certainly less satisfying.
I mention all this because Changeling was always going to be a very tough act to follow, and it definitely affected the way I read and reacted to Beast. This fourth book is enjoyable but, in contrast to its predecessor, does not present a complete narrative or a revelatory conclusion. Instead, it's a very different take on the perspective 'six stories' can provide.
In Beast, a provocative piece of graffiti leads Scott to reinvestigate the death of a young woman amid the 'Beast of the East' cold snap circa early 2018. Elizabeth Barton, who was enjoying burgeoning popularity as a vlogger, died of hypothermia after being locked in an abandoned building. This seems to be an open-and-shut case: three men, former classmates of the victim, were convicted. Video evidence and DNA proved they were at the scene. Yet the most disturbing aspect of the case – the fact that Elizabeth was decapitated after her death – has never been satisfactorily explained. And there's the added fact that the building, the forbidding Tankerville Tower, has been the focus of a local vampire legend for generations.
There's a strong focus on how government cuts have affected the downtrodden community of Ergarth, and may even have had a direct hand in the murder. As always, some intriguing little threads are worked into the plot, like Jason's animal activism, and Amirah's rant about middle-class vs. working-class use of the term 'chav' (with which I wholeheartedly agree, and I'm so happy to see this perspective make it into a book, however briefly!). However, I also found some elements far-fetched – that widely known and gossiped-about connections between the victim and accused wouldn't have come out in court, for example. I struggled to believe in some of the events in the climactic chapter, and was confused and troubled by the final transcript.
This story does some similar things to Changeling: firstly, it suggests that someone close to the case is manipulating Scott, drip-feeding information; secondly, it gradually builds a picture of one pivotal character that differs significantly from the way this person is generally perceived. Yet the results are very different. In Changeling, the stories revealed a powerful truth. In Beast, they only seem to make things murkier. Midway through the final chapter, Scott says he is still 'struggling to get the story straight'; so was I.
Yet it seems this is the point. Sometimes there is no real answer. Investigating a mystery can result in confusion rather than clarity. Here, the 'six stories' are not puzzle pieces slotting together, but a jumble of contradictions that overlap and obscure one another. This is, in its own way, as important a lesson as the one we learned in Changeling, but it is certainly less satisfying.
January 6, 2022
Vampires don’t come at you with fangs. They come at you with a smile.
Everyone in Ergarth loved Elizabeth Barton. She was popular, friendly and selfless. So why was she locked in the vampire tower and left to die of Hypothermia? Why was she brutally murdered?
Was it a prank gone wrong as her convicted murderers claimed or was there more to it?
Another episode of Six Stories is going to examine the events that led up to her death. We are going to listen to six people who knew the victim. We will be offered six different perspectives and witness the unfolding of events using six different pair of eyes.
After all there's often several sides to every story.
Everyone in Ergarth loved Elizabeth Barton. She was popular, friendly and selfless. So why was she locked in the vampire tower and left to die of Hypothermia? Why was she brutally murdered?
Was it a prank gone wrong as her convicted murderers claimed or was there more to it?
Another episode of Six Stories is going to examine the events that led up to her death. We are going to listen to six people who knew the victim. We will be offered six different perspectives and witness the unfolding of events using six different pair of eyes.
After all there's often several sides to every story.
June 4, 2025
3.5
Complete six challenges in six days and your reward will be death via the Ergarth Vampire. Sign me up! That’s precisely what vlogger Elizabeth Barton has done. Her body has been found frozen in what is locally known as The Vampire Tower in the very desolate town of Egarth. Three of her previous childhood classmates have been arrested and convicted in the case. As always, Scott King wants to investigate this further via his Six Stories podcast.
I wasn’t a huge fan of this group of episodes and it could very well be due to the subject matter of vlogging and the lengths one will go to for popularity. It was just plain vicious! The episodes also felt like they weren’t as cohesive as some of the prior novels. The choice of who is interviewed during each one of the episodes went down a different direction than I was expecting. But maybe I was only trying to force the story as our podcaster also admits to be doing.
“ A modern vampire is someone who is always out for themselves and leaves everyone exhausted in their wake.”
This one definitely has the eerie, cold atmosphere that fit well with the vampire backstory. I just didn’t mesh with the vlogging aspect, I couldn’t relate to it and I just found it kind of annoying. On to book 5!
Complete six challenges in six days and your reward will be death via the Ergarth Vampire. Sign me up! That’s precisely what vlogger Elizabeth Barton has done. Her body has been found frozen in what is locally known as The Vampire Tower in the very desolate town of Egarth. Three of her previous childhood classmates have been arrested and convicted in the case. As always, Scott King wants to investigate this further via his Six Stories podcast.
I wasn’t a huge fan of this group of episodes and it could very well be due to the subject matter of vlogging and the lengths one will go to for popularity. It was just plain vicious! The episodes also felt like they weren’t as cohesive as some of the prior novels. The choice of who is interviewed during each one of the episodes went down a different direction than I was expecting. But maybe I was only trying to force the story as our podcaster also admits to be doing.
“ A modern vampire is someone who is always out for themselves and leaves everyone exhausted in their wake.”
This one definitely has the eerie, cold atmosphere that fit well with the vampire backstory. I just didn’t mesh with the vlogging aspect, I couldn’t relate to it and I just found it kind of annoying. On to book 5!
January 14, 2020
This review can also be found on my blog The Tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
Six Stories is a popular podcast hosted by Scott King. The premise is simple, six stories from six different people all with links to a specific case told over six episodes. King uses the podcast to look into cold cases and unsolved mysteries where he delves deep in search of answers to unanswered questions and the truth surrounded the case.
Beast is the fourth book in the Six Stories series. If you have read any of the previous books (Six Stories, Hydra and Changeling) then you will know what to expect and Beast doesn’t disappoint, once again finding Wesolowski on addictive, chilling and macabre form. If you are new to the Six Stories series then what you get is something atmospheric, clever, fresh and unique. Each ominous offering leads you on a compelling journey down dark paths and through stormy waters with a palpable sense of creeping unease that courses through the pages.
Each Six Stories book is a single self-contained case told over the featured Six Stories series in each individual book and can easily be read as a standalone. I will say that there are certain events that have happened to Scott King throughout the series that, in Beast, he does allude to and mention but, it doesn’t impact the case and it isn’t necessary to have read the other books in the series.
Beast is set against the backdrop of the Beast from the East storm that ravaged the UK in 2018. In the small coastal town of Ergarth on the Northumbrian coast, there is a local legend of the Ergarth Vampire. During the storm with the wind howling, the snow falling and the temperature dropping below zero twenty-four-year-old local vlogger Elizabeth Barton was taking part in the Dead in Six Days Challenge that was sweeping through the youth of Ergath. Elizabeth was imprisoned, locked inside Tankerville tower dubbed by the locals as ‘The Vampire Tower‘ where hours later she was found frozen to death. Three young men, former classmates of Elizabeth were convicted of the crime, admitting that it was a prank that went fatally wrong and that ended with the devastating loss of innocent life. So, in Beast we know who killed Elizabeth but, what we don’t know is the why? What were the motivations, what roads led to that fateful night at The Vampire Tower and what would drive three individuals to commit such a heinous act?
Over the course of Beast, Scott King speaks to six people all with ties to Elizabeth, the killers and Ergarth. Each individual account and each perspective adds to the overall story. Pulling back the mask, lifting up the veil and revealing the face beneath, for both Elizabeth and for the convicted trio. Looking at those involved, at Elizabeth, her online persona and who she really was, making you question if they are the same or not. At the killers, who they are, their backgrounds, the relationship between the three and what ties they had to Elizabeth. And, finally, the legend of the Ergarth Vampire, what it was born from and how it impacts the town.
Interspersed with the six podcast episodes you also get to see the research that Scott has done on the case and snippets of Elizabeth and her YouTube channel too.
The addition of social media to the story makes Beast relevant to today’s society. How we fall under its spell, how people are desperate for attention, how they will do anything to be famous, striving for their five minutes of Internet fame and how they push the boundaries ever further in their pursuit of comments, likes, follows, subscribers and the adoration, the validation of strangers. How ruthless they can be in their goal of getting to the top, how they control people, use and manipulate them. The Internet crazes that are prevalent in today’s society, that are rife in the youth culture amongst the attention junkies who crave their next fix of fleeting fame. You see how far a person is willing to go to be popular and to be seen to fit in by participating in whatever is deemed to be the latest ‘cool‘ Internet craze.
The setting and the sense of place that you get whilst reading Beast is tremendous and you are transported to the rundown coastal town of Ergarth. Ergarth is a claustrophobic small town where Tankerville Tower ‘The Vampire Tower’ a decaying monolith on the outskirts casts a forbidding shadow over the whole town. It is an area that has been forgotten by the government with no money and no jobs available. It is a place where life has been drained, leeched away, bleak and drab where the colour is muted and has turned to grey. It is a community where everyone knows each other and where gossip and rumours are rife. It is a town with history, the Ergarth Vampire a story that has been passed down through the centuries and from one generation to the next.
As the disturbing darkness unfolds you have the old and the new, local legend, fable, folklore and myth of the Ergarth Vampire combined with social media, perverse Internet games, modern life and real-world issues in an unholy union.
With Beast it is like the line between fiction and reality is blurred, like you are standing on the boundary between two worlds and have one foot on the side of ‘story‘ and the other on the side of ‘it’s real‘. It’s a book, a story, a work of unsettling fiction, you know that, a stone-cold and sinister creation from the Dark Prince of Orenda Books. But, at the same time, you have a feeling that you can’t shake, a spectre that whispers in your ear that what you are reading is real, that those souls tangled in the story are real and that it all really happened. Due to that, after finishing and when you have turned the final page you are left with an overriding sense of poignancy and of sadness for those involved in the powerful and tragic tale. That is something very special and that is the talent of an exceptional storyteller.
Simply, I loved Beast and I love the Six Stories series.
Six Stories is a popular podcast hosted by Scott King. The premise is simple, six stories from six different people all with links to a specific case told over six episodes. King uses the podcast to look into cold cases and unsolved mysteries where he delves deep in search of answers to unanswered questions and the truth surrounded the case.
Beast is the fourth book in the Six Stories series. If you have read any of the previous books (Six Stories, Hydra and Changeling) then you will know what to expect and Beast doesn’t disappoint, once again finding Wesolowski on addictive, chilling and macabre form. If you are new to the Six Stories series then what you get is something atmospheric, clever, fresh and unique. Each ominous offering leads you on a compelling journey down dark paths and through stormy waters with a palpable sense of creeping unease that courses through the pages.
Each Six Stories book is a single self-contained case told over the featured Six Stories series in each individual book and can easily be read as a standalone. I will say that there are certain events that have happened to Scott King throughout the series that, in Beast, he does allude to and mention but, it doesn’t impact the case and it isn’t necessary to have read the other books in the series.
Beast is set against the backdrop of the Beast from the East storm that ravaged the UK in 2018. In the small coastal town of Ergarth on the Northumbrian coast, there is a local legend of the Ergarth Vampire. During the storm with the wind howling, the snow falling and the temperature dropping below zero twenty-four-year-old local vlogger Elizabeth Barton was taking part in the Dead in Six Days Challenge that was sweeping through the youth of Ergath. Elizabeth was imprisoned, locked inside Tankerville tower dubbed by the locals as ‘The Vampire Tower‘ where hours later she was found frozen to death. Three young men, former classmates of Elizabeth were convicted of the crime, admitting that it was a prank that went fatally wrong and that ended with the devastating loss of innocent life. So, in Beast we know who killed Elizabeth but, what we don’t know is the why? What were the motivations, what roads led to that fateful night at The Vampire Tower and what would drive three individuals to commit such a heinous act?
Over the course of Beast, Scott King speaks to six people all with ties to Elizabeth, the killers and Ergarth. Each individual account and each perspective adds to the overall story. Pulling back the mask, lifting up the veil and revealing the face beneath, for both Elizabeth and for the convicted trio. Looking at those involved, at Elizabeth, her online persona and who she really was, making you question if they are the same or not. At the killers, who they are, their backgrounds, the relationship between the three and what ties they had to Elizabeth. And, finally, the legend of the Ergarth Vampire, what it was born from and how it impacts the town.
Interspersed with the six podcast episodes you also get to see the research that Scott has done on the case and snippets of Elizabeth and her YouTube channel too.
The addition of social media to the story makes Beast relevant to today’s society. How we fall under its spell, how people are desperate for attention, how they will do anything to be famous, striving for their five minutes of Internet fame and how they push the boundaries ever further in their pursuit of comments, likes, follows, subscribers and the adoration, the validation of strangers. How ruthless they can be in their goal of getting to the top, how they control people, use and manipulate them. The Internet crazes that are prevalent in today’s society, that are rife in the youth culture amongst the attention junkies who crave their next fix of fleeting fame. You see how far a person is willing to go to be popular and to be seen to fit in by participating in whatever is deemed to be the latest ‘cool‘ Internet craze.
The setting and the sense of place that you get whilst reading Beast is tremendous and you are transported to the rundown coastal town of Ergarth. Ergarth is a claustrophobic small town where Tankerville Tower ‘The Vampire Tower’ a decaying monolith on the outskirts casts a forbidding shadow over the whole town. It is an area that has been forgotten by the government with no money and no jobs available. It is a place where life has been drained, leeched away, bleak and drab where the colour is muted and has turned to grey. It is a community where everyone knows each other and where gossip and rumours are rife. It is a town with history, the Ergarth Vampire a story that has been passed down through the centuries and from one generation to the next.
As the disturbing darkness unfolds you have the old and the new, local legend, fable, folklore and myth of the Ergarth Vampire combined with social media, perverse Internet games, modern life and real-world issues in an unholy union.
With Beast it is like the line between fiction and reality is blurred, like you are standing on the boundary between two worlds and have one foot on the side of ‘story‘ and the other on the side of ‘it’s real‘. It’s a book, a story, a work of unsettling fiction, you know that, a stone-cold and sinister creation from the Dark Prince of Orenda Books. But, at the same time, you have a feeling that you can’t shake, a spectre that whispers in your ear that what you are reading is real, that those souls tangled in the story are real and that it all really happened. Due to that, after finishing and when you have turned the final page you are left with an overriding sense of poignancy and of sadness for those involved in the powerful and tragic tale. That is something very special and that is the talent of an exceptional storyteller.
Simply, I loved Beast and I love the Six Stories series.
January 10, 2020
Goodness gracious me. What do they put in Matt Wesolowski’s food?!
Another year, another episode in the absolutely brilliant Six Stories series. If you’re not reading this series, I’m judging you like you wouldn’t believe. And if this fourth book in the series doesn’t get under your skin and make you think about the truly warped-up world we live in these days, there is something really wrong with you.
Scott King, our not-so-much-elusive-anymore online podcaster, travels to the, quite frankly, utterly miserable town or Ergarth to delve in to the case of Elizabeth Barton’s death. Elizabeth was twenty-four years old and a successful and popular vlogger when she was found murdered inside, what locals refer to as, The Vampire Tower. Three young men were found guilty of her murder. The “who” seems to have been solved, but what about the “why”?
Murder, a vampire legend and a young dead woman at the centre of it all. It has all the ingredients of a gripping thriller right there, doesn’t it? But there is so much more to it than meets the eye. Beast is a story of hidden truths, of secrets, of labels and masks and more than anything, of the most horrific manipulation and Matt Wesolowski once again manages to prove that the monsters we all fear are sadly very much real. It brings to the fore the power some people are able to exert over others, the power of social media and the growing dangers of modern society’s almost unhealthy obsession with “likes” and “followers”, while all the while showing that most people will only see what they want to see.
Obviously I don’t want to give anything away but there is something to be said for an author who somehow makes a reader feel compassion for those who at first glance don’t seem to deserve it. Beast is immensely compelling and a true page-turner with each of the six stories and points-of-view giving the reader an opportunity to try and figure out for themselves what went on in the tower that night and why. I had a bit of an inkling but the truth ended up being far more devastating than I could ever have imagined and at the end of this thrilling ride, what I was left with the most, was this overwhelming feeling of sadness.
This is one of those series that just keeps getting better and better. With impeccable writing, believable characters and folklore combined with a modern scenario, there is so much to love about Beast. Dark, disturbing and thought-provoking, Beast is an impressive addition to the series; a must-read like its predecessors, and you’d better believe you’ll be seeing this book on my list of “books of the year” in December. Just outstanding! Way to kick off my year in style, Mr. Wesolowski. I can’t wait for more!
Another year, another episode in the absolutely brilliant Six Stories series. If you’re not reading this series, I’m judging you like you wouldn’t believe. And if this fourth book in the series doesn’t get under your skin and make you think about the truly warped-up world we live in these days, there is something really wrong with you.
Scott King, our not-so-much-elusive-anymore online podcaster, travels to the, quite frankly, utterly miserable town or Ergarth to delve in to the case of Elizabeth Barton’s death. Elizabeth was twenty-four years old and a successful and popular vlogger when she was found murdered inside, what locals refer to as, The Vampire Tower. Three young men were found guilty of her murder. The “who” seems to have been solved, but what about the “why”?
Murder, a vampire legend and a young dead woman at the centre of it all. It has all the ingredients of a gripping thriller right there, doesn’t it? But there is so much more to it than meets the eye. Beast is a story of hidden truths, of secrets, of labels and masks and more than anything, of the most horrific manipulation and Matt Wesolowski once again manages to prove that the monsters we all fear are sadly very much real. It brings to the fore the power some people are able to exert over others, the power of social media and the growing dangers of modern society’s almost unhealthy obsession with “likes” and “followers”, while all the while showing that most people will only see what they want to see.
Obviously I don’t want to give anything away but there is something to be said for an author who somehow makes a reader feel compassion for those who at first glance don’t seem to deserve it. Beast is immensely compelling and a true page-turner with each of the six stories and points-of-view giving the reader an opportunity to try and figure out for themselves what went on in the tower that night and why. I had a bit of an inkling but the truth ended up being far more devastating than I could ever have imagined and at the end of this thrilling ride, what I was left with the most, was this overwhelming feeling of sadness.
This is one of those series that just keeps getting better and better. With impeccable writing, believable characters and folklore combined with a modern scenario, there is so much to love about Beast. Dark, disturbing and thought-provoking, Beast is an impressive addition to the series; a must-read like its predecessors, and you’d better believe you’ll be seeing this book on my list of “books of the year” in December. Just outstanding! Way to kick off my year in style, Mr. Wesolowski. I can’t wait for more!
June 25, 2020
4.5 stars
Another briliant installment of six stories (set out like a podcast) where journalist Scott King revisits a crime and tries to unravel a mystery that may or may not need further investigation following a police conviction.
It's a murder case that somebody wants re-opened despite the perpetrator's trial and subsequent punishment...what is going on and why does someone want this to be re-examined??
This is a series that is very media-centric which provides it's own tangents and mis-directions.
The last book was my favourite book of the series and I didn't know how I would feel about this but I really enjoyed it and thought the story suitably twisted!
I highly recommend this series and to start from book one Six Stories
Another briliant installment of six stories (set out like a podcast) where journalist Scott King revisits a crime and tries to unravel a mystery that may or may not need further investigation following a police conviction.
It's a murder case that somebody wants re-opened despite the perpetrator's trial and subsequent punishment...what is going on and why does someone want this to be re-examined??
This is a series that is very media-centric which provides it's own tangents and mis-directions.
The last book was my favourite book of the series and I didn't know how I would feel about this but I really enjoyed it and thought the story suitably twisted!
I highly recommend this series and to start from book one Six Stories
January 13, 2020
Oh my God. I get so excited when a Wesolowski comes out and he always goes RIGHT TO THE TOP of my book pile. And this was worth putting everything aside for. He is a genius. He always takes a traditional legend or tale and tells it with a shocking or surprising modern day slant. This time we have vampires. And boy, do they live among us. That is ALL I will say. I can't believe I'll have to wait another year for his next one! WRITE FASTER MAN!
August 4, 2025
Another great entry in the series.
November 11, 2023
Rising star philanthropist vlogger died doing the “dead in six days” challenge that was supposed to end in her meeting a vampire. Instead she said ended up dead by hypothermia, her head perched on her legs. Podcaster Scott King takes a closer look at the case, listening to six different perspectives. I found this very entertaining, and it also gave good insight into what vampirism really is. Recommend to enjoy this on audio, the production is fantastic!
February 18, 2020
What an absolute Beast! Fist bumps all round to Matt Wesolowski. The premise of a pod cast that investigates true crime is always going to warm my soul. This is my first rodeo reading this author, but it will not be the last. I’m going to immediately order the six stories series. Rest assured you can read this as a standalone, I did, and I didn’t find myself grappling for more back story information.
This book has everything to get you through the remainder of the cold winter dark nights. Vampires, a grisly murder and a podcast series that will send chills ricocheting down your body.
Horror is right up there in my favourite genres but quite often the stories are regurgitated with samey plotlines, disappointing conclusions and it all just leaves me feeling jaded. The author has created something really quite original, I definitely haven’t read anything like it before. The opening instantly had me licking my lips and fighting a giddy feeling that this was going to rock my damn boat.
Beast is like a vivid nightmare. The sweat beads at your temple, you rock back and forth, you will yourself to wake up but at the same time you really don’t want to. I was transported to Ergath and I was transported to the dark underbelly of poverty, despair and a deep-seated horror that I just couldn’t get enough of!
Podcasts are simply amazing. If I’m not reading a book or listening to an audiobook, then I’m listening to a podcast. They are informative, we have a great selection at the tap of a finger, it has never been easier to be instantly entertained.
The Scott King podcasts are top tier level. Scott King delves into true crime cases that spark his interest, he’s influential and can connect with his interviewees on a personal level. Imagine an empty room – no furniture, blinds drawn, and walls covered floor to ceiling in newspaper clippings, internet printouts, victim and perpetrator photographs. An incident room. He’s immaculate.
It’s split into six episodes/interviews from six people directly involved with the victim of the crime. You get their take on the crime and the victim and perpetrator, you get the whole spectrum, good and bad. Let me make this absolutely clear this is a podcast that yanks at your attention as you weigh up the different points of view. Beast will turn you into just that – a hungering beast clawing at every bit of evidence, every scrap that Scott King will throw at us.
The story is an intriguing one. The beast of the East snow storm of 2018. A dead vlogger. A dangerous following. An old tale of Vampires. Three culprits. A foreboding tower. The darkness this story creates is threatening and ever lingering. It creeps up on you and you don’t notice until it’s too late. Supernatural or something far darker, something more human? Well I guess you’re just going to have to read the book/podcast.
Beast Is a richly immersive and deeply haunting that catapults you into a world of intrigue, fear and terrifying monsters. An avid blend of nightmare and mystery.
This book has everything to get you through the remainder of the cold winter dark nights. Vampires, a grisly murder and a podcast series that will send chills ricocheting down your body.
Horror is right up there in my favourite genres but quite often the stories are regurgitated with samey plotlines, disappointing conclusions and it all just leaves me feeling jaded. The author has created something really quite original, I definitely haven’t read anything like it before. The opening instantly had me licking my lips and fighting a giddy feeling that this was going to rock my damn boat.
Beast is like a vivid nightmare. The sweat beads at your temple, you rock back and forth, you will yourself to wake up but at the same time you really don’t want to. I was transported to Ergath and I was transported to the dark underbelly of poverty, despair and a deep-seated horror that I just couldn’t get enough of!
Podcasts are simply amazing. If I’m not reading a book or listening to an audiobook, then I’m listening to a podcast. They are informative, we have a great selection at the tap of a finger, it has never been easier to be instantly entertained.
The Scott King podcasts are top tier level. Scott King delves into true crime cases that spark his interest, he’s influential and can connect with his interviewees on a personal level. Imagine an empty room – no furniture, blinds drawn, and walls covered floor to ceiling in newspaper clippings, internet printouts, victim and perpetrator photographs. An incident room. He’s immaculate.
It’s split into six episodes/interviews from six people directly involved with the victim of the crime. You get their take on the crime and the victim and perpetrator, you get the whole spectrum, good and bad. Let me make this absolutely clear this is a podcast that yanks at your attention as you weigh up the different points of view. Beast will turn you into just that – a hungering beast clawing at every bit of evidence, every scrap that Scott King will throw at us.
The story is an intriguing one. The beast of the East snow storm of 2018. A dead vlogger. A dangerous following. An old tale of Vampires. Three culprits. A foreboding tower. The darkness this story creates is threatening and ever lingering. It creeps up on you and you don’t notice until it’s too late. Supernatural or something far darker, something more human? Well I guess you’re just going to have to read the book/podcast.
Beast Is a richly immersive and deeply haunting that catapults you into a world of intrigue, fear and terrifying monsters. An avid blend of nightmare and mystery.
February 9, 2020
WHAT THE FREAK!! This was bloody brilliant, if I may say so. Matt Wesolowski is one mad-hatter with a concept so far out that I was blown out of my F mind. I started with this book before I went back to read book 1.
A girl frozen to death and three accused with 6 witnesses and a journalist with his own crime podcast were all in this book. 6 stories from the witnesses and I was capitulated into a different world so away from my reality.
My first book by this author, I bought the first 3 books, which I hoped to read before my tour date as the story and its conceptualization shook me apart then brought me back. The whole book gave me an eerie feel like I was being observed. Not many authors can bring out the creepy aura well, I had to admit, at the end of the book, that the author did creepazoid well.
The story coursed the imaginary boundary between real and supernatural well, I was left in a swirling maze from where I knew not whom to believe in. A truly compelling read, giving the other side of social media and its fake world, the writing captivated me and brought out a weird craving that I need more of this author's books.
Matt's books would be best appreciated in the audiobook format, so I went ahead and bought the audiobooks 2 and 3. Sheesh, am I obsessed or what?
A girl frozen to death and three accused with 6 witnesses and a journalist with his own crime podcast were all in this book. 6 stories from the witnesses and I was capitulated into a different world so away from my reality.
My first book by this author, I bought the first 3 books, which I hoped to read before my tour date as the story and its conceptualization shook me apart then brought me back. The whole book gave me an eerie feel like I was being observed. Not many authors can bring out the creepy aura well, I had to admit, at the end of the book, that the author did creepazoid well.
The story coursed the imaginary boundary between real and supernatural well, I was left in a swirling maze from where I knew not whom to believe in. A truly compelling read, giving the other side of social media and its fake world, the writing captivated me and brought out a weird craving that I need more of this author's books.
Matt's books would be best appreciated in the audiobook format, so I went ahead and bought the audiobooks 2 and 3. Sheesh, am I obsessed or what?
April 3, 2022
This was my least favourite of the Six Stories series. The story was not engaging, nor was it convincing.
I think I’ve also grown a little tired of this format. Everything seems to tie in too neatly, and the story always seems to unfold in the same way. I also find the narration of secondhand dialogue to be rather fatiguing after a while. Perhaps if I had read these books with more time in between each of them, I would find them more enjoyable?
I like how the author accurately captured the zeitgeist of social media and influencer culture though.
The fear factor in this instalment is definitely not as chilling as the last two books.
I’m also curious about the protagonist himself. Not many details were shared about the aftermath of Book 3. I mean, surely there would have been a huge fallout given what a big mystery the case was and how it was resolved? Not to mention the possible implications of how everything was executed?
I wish Scott King would be less effusive and just dealt with the elephant in the room more thoroughly.
I think I’ve also grown a little tired of this format. Everything seems to tie in too neatly, and the story always seems to unfold in the same way. I also find the narration of secondhand dialogue to be rather fatiguing after a while. Perhaps if I had read these books with more time in between each of them, I would find them more enjoyable?
I like how the author accurately captured the zeitgeist of social media and influencer culture though.
The fear factor in this instalment is definitely not as chilling as the last two books.
I’m also curious about the protagonist himself. Not many details were shared about the aftermath of Book 3. I mean, surely there would have been a huge fallout given what a big mystery the case was and how it was resolved? Not to mention the possible implications of how everything was executed?
I wish Scott King would be less effusive and just dealt with the elephant in the room more thoroughly.
April 25, 2020
I don’t know what it is exactly about these books that just work for me. Maybe the format? The pace? The mystery? A touch of supernatural? Whatever it is, keep them coming Matt!
February 22, 2020
Finished reading: January 21st 2020
"All anyone has to say is that they wonder why they did it, those three. That’s how it is these days. The killers become the story. The criminals are more exciting than the victims."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
January 21, 2021
This is the second one in the series I´ve read,and my thoughts are the same: good build up,and the solves/endings are rather lame. The kind of book you enjoy while you´re reading it, and the minute you finish it you think "Was that it?"
An extra star for the original approach.
An extra star for the original approach.
January 26, 2024
3 stars--I liked the book. Another twisty tale full of some really nasty characters. These are quick reads, and I continue to like the podcast format.
August 27, 2022
This series is great and quickly becoming one of my favourites. The format is very original, subject always interesting, and I always love the settings. Somehow though, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the others. The social commentary was spot on though. For example:
"This is what happens when your government treats teachers like shit. You get shit teachers."
"This is what happens when your government treats teachers like shit. You get shit teachers."
May 24, 2020
I’m pretty sure the format is fairly well known by now, but for those of you who are new to the series: Six Stories is a fictional podcast hosted and created by Scott King. Beast is Scott King’s fourth outing, and I’m here to tell you: I’m ready for however many more Matt Wesolowski can come up with! As always, Scott King talks to six people who each tell him (and us) their story, their side of the events. The case at hand seems pretty cut and dried, rather black and white, a girl is dead and her killers are in prison, but each story adds more and more shades of grey, until the sixth and final episode of the podcast is done and dusted and you’re some place completely different than where you started out, feeling exhilarated and bereft in equal measure and more than a little flabbergasted.
If you want to read Beast because you have a thing for vampires or whatever, but you haven’t read Six Stories, Hydra or Changeling, go right ahead! It can be read as a standalone, there’s some hinting at a reveal in Changeling, but there are no actual spoilers to ruin the fun should you want to go back to any of the previous three novels. No judgement of any kind, but you really REALLY should!
As usual there’s a supernatural element, in Beast it’s a vampire. The little town of Ergarth has its own vampire legend and everybody knows somebody who knows somebody else whose cousin / babysitter / granny has had a chance encounter with said vampire. Legend has it this vampire is female and originally from Siberia, so with the ‘Beast from the East’ snow storms and everything it’s not that difficult to imagine that the Ergarth vampire is back with a vengeance. To that backdrop, Ergath vlogger Lizzie B is entering the Dead in Six Days Challenge: the new internet craze where you get a challenge from an unknown phone number, supposedly the vampire’s, and you take the challenge, film it and post it online. Afterwards you get a next challenge which you’re supposed to set to someone else, but Lizzie has decided to carry out all six challenges herself, after which she’ll meet the vampire and die! Well not really. Except that she does die. She’s found naked and frozen to death in the infamous Ergath ‘Vampire Tower’. The vampire? A prank gone wrong? Things are never quite what they seem in Six Stories but if anyone can get to the bottom of it, it’s Scott King.
In whatever format, this is a fantastic series, I always go in with the highest expectations and still each new novel manages exceed them. Novel after novel, Matt Wesolowski succeeds in grabbing my attention from the very first page and keeping me at the edge of my seat throughout. Like its predecessors, Beast got under my skin, it set its claws into me and hunkered down. With the audiobooks I kept making up chores to do so I could keep listening. This Beast paperback had the opposite effect: I went out of my way to escape any kind of adulting, I wanted the world and everyone in it to leave me alone with the Beast from Orenda Books.
Beast is a flawless thriller but once again Matt Wesolowski does not hesitate to turn the spotlight on human flaws: the need for attention, to be liked and to get likes, the total disregard for other people’s feelings, and snowball effect that may have.
Creepy, edgy and dark, Beast is another must-read and a fabulous addition to your Orenda collection and/or any decent thriller collection!
If you want to read Beast because you have a thing for vampires or whatever, but you haven’t read Six Stories, Hydra or Changeling, go right ahead! It can be read as a standalone, there’s some hinting at a reveal in Changeling, but there are no actual spoilers to ruin the fun should you want to go back to any of the previous three novels. No judgement of any kind, but you really REALLY should!
As usual there’s a supernatural element, in Beast it’s a vampire. The little town of Ergarth has its own vampire legend and everybody knows somebody who knows somebody else whose cousin / babysitter / granny has had a chance encounter with said vampire. Legend has it this vampire is female and originally from Siberia, so with the ‘Beast from the East’ snow storms and everything it’s not that difficult to imagine that the Ergarth vampire is back with a vengeance. To that backdrop, Ergath vlogger Lizzie B is entering the Dead in Six Days Challenge: the new internet craze where you get a challenge from an unknown phone number, supposedly the vampire’s, and you take the challenge, film it and post it online. Afterwards you get a next challenge which you’re supposed to set to someone else, but Lizzie has decided to carry out all six challenges herself, after which she’ll meet the vampire and die! Well not really. Except that she does die. She’s found naked and frozen to death in the infamous Ergath ‘Vampire Tower’. The vampire? A prank gone wrong? Things are never quite what they seem in Six Stories but if anyone can get to the bottom of it, it’s Scott King.
In whatever format, this is a fantastic series, I always go in with the highest expectations and still each new novel manages exceed them. Novel after novel, Matt Wesolowski succeeds in grabbing my attention from the very first page and keeping me at the edge of my seat throughout. Like its predecessors, Beast got under my skin, it set its claws into me and hunkered down. With the audiobooks I kept making up chores to do so I could keep listening. This Beast paperback had the opposite effect: I went out of my way to escape any kind of adulting, I wanted the world and everyone in it to leave me alone with the Beast from Orenda Books.
Beast is a flawless thriller but once again Matt Wesolowski does not hesitate to turn the spotlight on human flaws: the need for attention, to be liked and to get likes, the total disregard for other people’s feelings, and snowball effect that may have.
Creepy, edgy and dark, Beast is another must-read and a fabulous addition to your Orenda collection and/or any decent thriller collection!
December 24, 2019
Visit the locations in BEAST the novel
Just when you think it's safe to venture back onto the Northumberland coast and moors....
Six Stories is a series that just keeps getting better and better. This arrived just before Christmas and I immediately wanted to dive in. Vampires and legends in Northumberland? Yes please? A vlogger found in a pele tower? A youngsters prank gone wrong? The blurb says the book will look at our obsession with needing attention on social media so there's the modern angle. Old folklore mixed with modern day life? Bring it on.
The mystery is quickly established and like in the other books, the podcast king examines the story, legend, witnesses and more. It's impeccably researched and set up and reads very realistically - just like a true podcast. The language, turn of phrase and observation of what teenagers get up to are all nicely done. There's LOTS here to admire.
I'm not going to say much about the story as like with the others, you have to read and discover the threads for yourself. The mystery deepens, the legends explored, the vampire stories come to the fore. Think Whitby, rituals and the dark side. Bram Stoker and Dracula get mentions and team that with the wild North Sea, the rocks, the raw coastline and that lonely tower silhouetted against the rich winter sky. There is SO MUCH TO LOVE and FEAR here. Gothically inspired and deliciously dark.
I had all the feels, the chills, the horrors mixed with excitement and trepidation.
Visually stunning and chillingly complex. 5 stars are not enough.
Just when you think it's safe to venture back onto the Northumberland coast and moors....
Six Stories is a series that just keeps getting better and better. This arrived just before Christmas and I immediately wanted to dive in. Vampires and legends in Northumberland? Yes please? A vlogger found in a pele tower? A youngsters prank gone wrong? The blurb says the book will look at our obsession with needing attention on social media so there's the modern angle. Old folklore mixed with modern day life? Bring it on.
The mystery is quickly established and like in the other books, the podcast king examines the story, legend, witnesses and more. It's impeccably researched and set up and reads very realistically - just like a true podcast. The language, turn of phrase and observation of what teenagers get up to are all nicely done. There's LOTS here to admire.
I'm not going to say much about the story as like with the others, you have to read and discover the threads for yourself. The mystery deepens, the legends explored, the vampire stories come to the fore. Think Whitby, rituals and the dark side. Bram Stoker and Dracula get mentions and team that with the wild North Sea, the rocks, the raw coastline and that lonely tower silhouetted against the rich winter sky. There is SO MUCH TO LOVE and FEAR here. Gothically inspired and deliciously dark.
I had all the feels, the chills, the horrors mixed with excitement and trepidation.
Visually stunning and chillingly complex. 5 stars are not enough.
July 24, 2020
This was a bit predictable compared to the rest of the series but I still enjoyed the format and the narration, especially how the various characters take shape with each interviewee.
Rating : 3.5 stars
Rating : 3.5 stars
March 15, 2021
3.5⭐
Beast is the 4th book in the Six Stories series, and I've enjoyed reading all of them! This one is a little reminiscent of the West Memphis 3 story (at least for part of the book), and I was interested while reading it. This is probably my least favorite of the series so far, but I still liked it, and I can't wait to check out Deity!
Beast is the 4th book in the Six Stories series, and I've enjoyed reading all of them! This one is a little reminiscent of the West Memphis 3 story (at least for part of the book), and I was interested while reading it. This is probably my least favorite of the series so far, but I still liked it, and I can't wait to check out Deity!
February 21, 2020
Like the recent reinterpretations of Sherlock and Dracula, this episode of Six Stories sucks the marrow out of the original literary classic – and concocts a potent brew mixed with nasty contemporary issues. There are plenty of tributes to Bram Stoker’s story; Beast is even set in a northern seaside town not entirely unlike Whitby. But this isn’t a simple re-tread of an old tale – it’s an entirely modern slice of malicious mythology.
Nor does author Matt Wesolowski restrict his arch references to a single historical source – rather, with delicious subtlety he evokes the chilling spirit of a certain Hungarian Countess who consumed her servants and ended her days walled up in a tower…
If you haven’t tried any of the Six Stories series before then it’s fine to start here. There are a few references to the previous investigation but you don’t need to know what went before to become uncomfortably mesmerised by what happens here. A popular young woman, a rising star among social media influencers, is lured to her death in an old ruin during a crippling winter storm which blew in from Siberia.
Told in a series of interviews with people who knew the woman and the young men convicted of her murder, Beast explores the dark secrets of a struggling small town. The author artfully gives us glimpses of a dark truth, obscured by deceit, weakness and outright malice. He has a brilliant ear for local dialogue, for the rhythm and cadence of genuine speech. And he builds an unnerving, oppressive atmosphere through a wonderfully creepy set of encounters with a sinister spirit who stalks the shadows.
Wesolowski also makes serious comments about bullying, the insidious lure of internet challenges, parental neglect, social exclusion, failing welfare systems – and about the cruelty of the herd, the pressure to conform.
The paranormal angle fades from relevance relatively rapidly and it soon becomes clear that the ‘vampire’ isn’t the traditional blood-sucking type. That’s almost a shame, because I’ve enjoyed that aspect of the earlier Six Stories, where you’re never quite sure if something weird is happening or if the evil is entirely what men do. I also felt that after a rip-roaring start, the storytelling lost its finely honed edge in the latter chapters.
Even so, this is a powerful morality tale about the darkness within. Genuinely scary stuff.
8/10
There are more reviews of rip-snorting thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
Nor does author Matt Wesolowski restrict his arch references to a single historical source – rather, with delicious subtlety he evokes the chilling spirit of a certain Hungarian Countess who consumed her servants and ended her days walled up in a tower…
If you haven’t tried any of the Six Stories series before then it’s fine to start here. There are a few references to the previous investigation but you don’t need to know what went before to become uncomfortably mesmerised by what happens here. A popular young woman, a rising star among social media influencers, is lured to her death in an old ruin during a crippling winter storm which blew in from Siberia.
Told in a series of interviews with people who knew the woman and the young men convicted of her murder, Beast explores the dark secrets of a struggling small town. The author artfully gives us glimpses of a dark truth, obscured by deceit, weakness and outright malice. He has a brilliant ear for local dialogue, for the rhythm and cadence of genuine speech. And he builds an unnerving, oppressive atmosphere through a wonderfully creepy set of encounters with a sinister spirit who stalks the shadows.
Wesolowski also makes serious comments about bullying, the insidious lure of internet challenges, parental neglect, social exclusion, failing welfare systems – and about the cruelty of the herd, the pressure to conform.
The paranormal angle fades from relevance relatively rapidly and it soon becomes clear that the ‘vampire’ isn’t the traditional blood-sucking type. That’s almost a shame, because I’ve enjoyed that aspect of the earlier Six Stories, where you’re never quite sure if something weird is happening or if the evil is entirely what men do. I also felt that after a rip-roaring start, the storytelling lost its finely honed edge in the latter chapters.
Even so, this is a powerful morality tale about the darkness within. Genuinely scary stuff.
8/10
There are more reviews of rip-snorting thrillers over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
April 27, 2021
Despite this book being part way through a series, I picked it up anyway as the Six Stories series only follows a main character, with the story being different in each book.
To begin with I was really loving this. It’s formatted as though you are listening to a podcast, which is something I’ve never seen done in a book before and I enjoyed how it read. The writing was definitely my favourite aspect of this book.
The story was interesting to start with. A young upcoming YouTube star is found decapitated in a creepy, off-limits tower that’s surrounded by vampire myths. The podcaster Scott King travels to the small town of the events to find out more.
Each new chapter is as though it’s a new podcast episode and so a new person being interviewed. The first couple were interesting to follow but because there are six of them (Six Stories... get it?), it began to get pretty repetitive as it was covering old ground each time.
Maybe it’s because I haven’t read the other books but I found the narrator a bit of a drip. I didn’t particularly like him and as the story began to unfold, a story I found very predictable, it amazed and annoyed me that he seemed completely oblivious to what was clearly in front of him.
There were definitely some creepy moments in this one with a decent folklore tale, and I liked the setting of the small and cut off poverty stricken town that was rife with gossip and spooky legends. Unfortunately the book mostly fell flat for me.
To begin with I was really loving this. It’s formatted as though you are listening to a podcast, which is something I’ve never seen done in a book before and I enjoyed how it read. The writing was definitely my favourite aspect of this book.
The story was interesting to start with. A young upcoming YouTube star is found decapitated in a creepy, off-limits tower that’s surrounded by vampire myths. The podcaster Scott King travels to the small town of the events to find out more.
Each new chapter is as though it’s a new podcast episode and so a new person being interviewed. The first couple were interesting to follow but because there are six of them (Six Stories... get it?), it began to get pretty repetitive as it was covering old ground each time.
Maybe it’s because I haven’t read the other books but I found the narrator a bit of a drip. I didn’t particularly like him and as the story began to unfold, a story I found very predictable, it amazed and annoyed me that he seemed completely oblivious to what was clearly in front of him.
There were definitely some creepy moments in this one with a decent folklore tale, and I liked the setting of the small and cut off poverty stricken town that was rife with gossip and spooky legends. Unfortunately the book mostly fell flat for me.
June 22, 2020
Another six stories and another excellent review.
I really really like these books. A clever concept and they are so well written.
This one tells the story of the Ergarth Vampire (or does it) and like all of the other books in this series, the book is basically divided into 6 interviews from people around an event (this time it is a murder of a young lady) and is told from the perspective of Scott King who narrates and interviews the 6 people.
As with the other books in the series, this is not a detective solving a crime, but moreso an attempt by an online journalist called Scott King to try to get to the bottom of what happened, why it happened and to unearth any mystery around the event.
Hopefully there will be a 5th book in the series and if there is, I'll be buying it.
I really really like these books. A clever concept and they are so well written.
This one tells the story of the Ergarth Vampire (or does it) and like all of the other books in this series, the book is basically divided into 6 interviews from people around an event (this time it is a murder of a young lady) and is told from the perspective of Scott King who narrates and interviews the 6 people.
As with the other books in the series, this is not a detective solving a crime, but moreso an attempt by an online journalist called Scott King to try to get to the bottom of what happened, why it happened and to unearth any mystery around the event.
Hopefully there will be a 5th book in the series and if there is, I'll be buying it.
January 15, 2020
Any one who is familiar with the Six Stories series by Matt Wesolowski will expect this current edition to be brilliant. And they would not be wrong. Brilliant, terrifying (in more ways than one), and insightful.
It also brought back the terror of high school and wanting to fit in. As one who went to several schools, I am extremely familiar with that feeling. And extremely familiar with the Elizabeths of this world.
I adored each and every interview and how each one advanced the story. You will end up miles from the beginning by the last chapter.
Already looking forward to the next episode of six stories and this edition hasn't even gone cold yet.
It also brought back the terror of high school and wanting to fit in. As one who went to several schools, I am extremely familiar with that feeling. And extremely familiar with the Elizabeths of this world.
I adored each and every interview and how each one advanced the story. You will end up miles from the beginning by the last chapter.
Already looking forward to the next episode of six stories and this edition hasn't even gone cold yet.
May 31, 2023
“And maybe the truth is all of those, maybe a bit of some, a bit of another, because that’s how stories are; a mix of truth, lies and conjecture.” P237
Matt Wesolowski is a masterful story teller and has found a unique niche in the “fictional true crime” podcast genre. I’m not sure that is even a genre, and if it wasn’t, it sure as hell is now. ‘Beast’ is the fourth episode of the “Six Stories” series narrated and curated by the one and only Scott King, podcast host extraordinaire, whose mission is to delve into true crime stories of intrigue and mystery, viewing the story through multiple angles and lenses, prodding and poking every component, seeking out the people who might provide a different and unique take on the heart of the story.
And as the old adage goes, there’s always two sides to every story. In this case there are six sides, each with its own flavour and perspective, highlighting the many different narratives that coexist side by side. At the end of the day, the narrative that is told by the strongest person/s is the one that generally becomes the ‘truth’. King/Wesolowski challenge the accepted narrative by giving voice to the the ones who are often the voiceless in an effort to illuminate the many versions of the ‘truth’.
At the heart of ‘Beast’ is the power and influence of the unreality that is fast becoming reality of the online world. The power of likes and subscriptions to channels, stories, vlogs, blogs etc and the lengths that individuals will go to to achieve whatever it is they are looking for from this cyber world. Is this a real world? I would suggest that it has become real in many ways as we continue to push the boundary on the definition of real.
“Likes and comments. Nothing else seemed to mean anything to them. I hated all that, I still do. It’s like an addiction; it is an addiction. People re just obsessed with themselves, with validation. That’s why so many people are hooked on their phones, constantly checking their social media”. P116
Elizabeth Barton and Lizzie B. The frozen girl. Who froze? Elizabeth or Lizzie? Vampires and beasts. The Beast from the East. Who was the vampire? Gothic fantasy or flesh and blood? Tankerville Tower. Haunted? Or the space where fear is perpetuated and used for our own means.
These are the many questions and subjects that Scott King explores. King is legendary. Is he real? The truth is out there.
I’m Mark H and this has been a review. 5 stars.
Matt Wesolowski is a masterful story teller and has found a unique niche in the “fictional true crime” podcast genre. I’m not sure that is even a genre, and if it wasn’t, it sure as hell is now. ‘Beast’ is the fourth episode of the “Six Stories” series narrated and curated by the one and only Scott King, podcast host extraordinaire, whose mission is to delve into true crime stories of intrigue and mystery, viewing the story through multiple angles and lenses, prodding and poking every component, seeking out the people who might provide a different and unique take on the heart of the story.
And as the old adage goes, there’s always two sides to every story. In this case there are six sides, each with its own flavour and perspective, highlighting the many different narratives that coexist side by side. At the end of the day, the narrative that is told by the strongest person/s is the one that generally becomes the ‘truth’. King/Wesolowski challenge the accepted narrative by giving voice to the the ones who are often the voiceless in an effort to illuminate the many versions of the ‘truth’.
At the heart of ‘Beast’ is the power and influence of the unreality that is fast becoming reality of the online world. The power of likes and subscriptions to channels, stories, vlogs, blogs etc and the lengths that individuals will go to to achieve whatever it is they are looking for from this cyber world. Is this a real world? I would suggest that it has become real in many ways as we continue to push the boundary on the definition of real.
“Likes and comments. Nothing else seemed to mean anything to them. I hated all that, I still do. It’s like an addiction; it is an addiction. People re just obsessed with themselves, with validation. That’s why so many people are hooked on their phones, constantly checking their social media”. P116
Elizabeth Barton and Lizzie B. The frozen girl. Who froze? Elizabeth or Lizzie? Vampires and beasts. The Beast from the East. Who was the vampire? Gothic fantasy or flesh and blood? Tankerville Tower. Haunted? Or the space where fear is perpetuated and used for our own means.
These are the many questions and subjects that Scott King explores. King is legendary. Is he real? The truth is out there.
I’m Mark H and this has been a review. 5 stars.
May 17, 2020
Beast by Matt Wesolowski.
Elusive online journalist Scott King examines the chilling case of a young vlogger found frozen to death in the legendary local ‘vampire tower’, in another explosive episode of Six Stories…
Very good read. Even though this is book 4 in the six stories series I did enjoy it. It was different. 4*.
Elusive online journalist Scott King examines the chilling case of a young vlogger found frozen to death in the legendary local ‘vampire tower’, in another explosive episode of Six Stories…
Very good read. Even though this is book 4 in the six stories series I did enjoy it. It was different. 4*.
April 12, 2024
Les autres tomes sont pourtant si bons..! Celui-ci était correct, sans plus. J’espère que le 5e est meilleur 🥲.
November 7, 2023
Beast is the fourth entry in this fun series. And while it was enjoyable, I'd say this has been my least favourite in the series so far.
I still love the format (although I will say that I don't much care for reading pages of italic font; going back and fourth to it makes the eyes a bit wonky), and I enjoyed how the story played out. I wasn't all that enamoured with the resolution, but it's not that big a deal.
What's most fun about all of these novels is wondering who his next guest is going to be and what their perspective on the case brings.
This is what has made every book irresistible to me. And they're very quick reads.
Two more to chew on, and they'll be going down soon.
3.5 stars for this one, and excitement has not dimmed.
I still love the format (although I will say that I don't much care for reading pages of italic font; going back and fourth to it makes the eyes a bit wonky), and I enjoyed how the story played out. I wasn't all that enamoured with the resolution, but it's not that big a deal.
What's most fun about all of these novels is wondering who his next guest is going to be and what their perspective on the case brings.
This is what has made every book irresistible to me. And they're very quick reads.
Two more to chew on, and they'll be going down soon.
3.5 stars for this one, and excitement has not dimmed.
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