Beast

Description

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...

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- an US-based anthologies such as Midnight Movie Creature, Selfies from the End of the World, Cold Iron and many more. Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick, and film rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio.

"As stunning as it is terrifying." --Booklist starred review of Changeling "Exceptional . . . by turns haunting, horrifying, and heartrending." --Publishers Weekly starred review of Changeling "Just getting my breath back after reading the last few pages of this. Matt Wesolowski is one of most exciting new writers of the past few years. Never disappoints. This is a creepy, chilling read that is ridiculously difficult to put down. The ending is just incredible." --Luca Veste, author, The Bone Keeper on Changeling "A dazzling fictional mystery." --Foreword Reviews on Changeling "As surprising as it is good, and should appeal to readers who enjoy crime with an eerie, dark vibe." --Mystery Scene on Hydra "Wesolowski skillfully draws readers into a story of increasing depth and force." --Publishers Weekly on Hydra