(Don't) Call Mum - Matt Wesolowski

HE ALWAYS COMES FOR YOU…

Leo is just trying to catch his train back home to the village of Malacstone in North East England. But there’s disorder at the station, and when a loud young man heading for London boards the train accidentally, a usually easy journey descends into darkness and chaos. The train soon breaks down in the middle of nowhere, and as night falls, something...or someone steps out of the distance. Is it a man or something far more sinister?

When one of the passengers goes missing, Leo fears that a folkloric tale whispered to him in childhood might be the culprit.

(Don’t) Call Mum blends Matt Wesolowski’s trademark voice of mystery, folklore and humour in this heart-racing tale.

 

What did I think?

The North East's very own Prince of Darkness is back and Matt Wesolowski's new book, (Don't) Call Mum, is darker than ever.  It certainly gave me the creeps and sent shivers down my spine.

Leo is one of a handful of passengers who boards a late night train from York to Northumberland.  There may only be a couple of passengers but, just like real life, there's always one annoying one who talks loudly on their mobile phone and Annoying Angus seats himself in the same carriage.  It soon becomes clear that Angus has got on the wrong train and that's when things start to get really weird.  Eeeeeek! 

Matt Wesolowski's vivid writing perfectly encapsulates the bleak Northumbrian contryside as the train rattles through the villages, taking the few passengers further away from civilisation.  Northumberland is rife with folklore and Matt weaves some dark and spine-chilling tales through his perfectly crafted prose.  

(Don’t) Call Mum is a dark and creepy novella that simmers with tension and brims with malice.  It's a quick read but I wouldn't want to read it on the train!

I chose to read a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Forum Books

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BLOG TOUR: Where Do I Go From Here? - India Rigg

Another thing checked off Seffy's list - a promotion before she's thirty! But that's not the kind of thing you can brag about on Facebook - that's reserved for engagements, weddings and photos of adorable little children. When it comes to those milestones, Seffy's struggling; she's divorced, heart-broken and reeling from a recent infertility diagnosis.

Then her best friend suggests she takes a sabbatical, goes travelling, and creates a new list - one full of mile-high clubs, hot strangers and sketchy mushrooms. Maybe amongst all that chaos, she might find a way back to herself - even if that way involves travelling halfway around the world.

But when life's a series of negatives, how far would you go to find a positive?

 

What did I think?

Where Do I Go From Here? is a really fun book to read but it also covers serious topics such as work/life balance, infertility, miscarriage and divorce.  I really enjoyed Seffy's story and my heart was breaking for her as we relive her struggle to conceive through her letters to Aphrodite.

Seffy is approaching her thirtieth birthday as a childless divorcee and the only thing left to tick off her list is a promotion at work.  Seffy is a workaholic and her job is the only fulfilment she has in her life, but there's more to life than work and Seffy is about to find that out.  Seffy's bag is packed and she's off travelling for nine months!

I loved Seffy's relationship with her friend Harry and I was fuming at Luke for divorcing her at her lowest ebb, however, there are always two sides to every story and I was guilty, as usual, of jumping to conclusions.  

India Rigg tackles the difficult subject of infertility with honesty and sensitivity and it really makes you think about what's hiding behind people's smiles.  It's surprising how many couples suffer from infertility and/or have experienced miscarriage so what you may think is an innocent question: 'Do you have children?' is like sticking a knife into their heart and giving it a good twist while you're in there.

Heartbreaking and humorous in equal measure, Where Do I Go From Here? is an entertaining and thought-provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It's beautifully written to perfectly balance light-hearted fun with sensitive and emotional subjects.  I wish I'd read it in my thirties when I treated work as my life.  

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

About the author:

Born in North Norfolk, India grew up along its picturesque coastline before leaving to study Cell Biology at Durham University and embark on a career in Marketing.  Expanding from the tiny towns of East Anglia to the hustle and bustle of the big city made her see the world for all its wonders and faults - it's a big place to try and change yourself but India wants to give muted societal issues a voice and give scary topics a friendly face. She believes all good ideas come from a spicy Bloody Mary, a niche documentary and over-hearing conversations in cafes.

Follow India Rigg on Instagram: @indiegram__

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