The Blurb
A missing child
A family in denial
Six witnesses
Six stories
Which one is true?
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 an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, taking you to places you will never, ever forget.
My Thoughts
If you go down to the woods today…
Changeling is the third in Matt Wesolowski’s Six Stories series and it is a series of books that just goes from strength to strength. I adored the first two – Six Stories and Hydra – and I adored this one too. Wesolowski manages to provide us with something different every time and there appears to be no limits to his imagination.
Again we follow Scott King and his Six Stories podcast as he investigates the disappearance of seven-year-old Alfie Marsden on Christmas Eve 1988. Alfie vanished along the Wentshire Forest Pass while travelling with his father. King speaks to six witnesses who may be able to shed light on what happened to Alfie that night.
Written with Wesolowski’s now trademark darkly beautiful writing, Changeling has all you would expect from this series. He explores the darkest and most topical of issues leaving you thinking about the book long after you have finished reading it and does it in a way that chills you to the bone. You are immediately dragged into the story and unable to turn away, although you may feel you want to in order to compose yourself. As he takes you through the inevitable folklore that surrounds Wentshire Forest, it becomes difficult to determine what is real and what is down to the power of suggestion and yet beyond this is something that is even darker.
Relationships and what makes a good parent are themes that are explored throughout Changeling and it will have you questioning your moral code and what you believe is right. With the most shocking of all the endings so far, Changeling left me reeling. While it can easily be read as a standalone, I would urge you to read the other tow books in the series first.
If you haven’t yet discovered this talented author make sure you do quickly. Changeling is another incredible book and has to be on your 2019 TBR list. Eerie and enthralling, Wesolowski continues to startle with his third book.
Published on eBook on 15 November 2018 and paperback on 24 January 2019 by Orenda Books, you can get your copy HERE.
2019 Reading Challenge – A book with a one-word title.