Synopsis:
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.
Review:
Being a horror reader in North West England has its downs. I have never once attended a horror festival, most of our books claw their way onto UK shelves months after they’ve hit US shores (I want American Rapture by C.J Leede and I want it NOW) and the nearest Barnes and Noble is a continent away. They’re probably a myth. That being said, it’s also a place ripe for horror. Whitby in North Yorkshire is, for three chapters, the setting of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” Even Manchester (See, Mrs Potter, The Screaming Skull of Wardley Hall etc.) is rich with folklore. The Shambles in York is probably the most haunted street in the world. With that said I probably don’t need to tell you how excited I am for Wild Hunt Books’ “ The Northern Weird Project.” I’m Northern, slightly weird, and am currently projecting that onto you- it was practically made for me. Naturally I pre-ordered the whole collection (a bargain) but when the opportunity arose to read this one early, I just couldn’t contain myself, my reaction was swift and primal. Another thing the North is blessed with is a decrepit old railway service, a horror Matt Wesolowski examines here. “(Don’t) Call Mum,” is a sticky and uncomfortable commute up North that really is not to be read on the train. Short, sharp and imbued with trademark British sardonicism, this novella is to be read in one cold and miserable sitting.
We follow Leo who is making his way back home to Malacstone in the North East. It’s a quiet train, his carriage occupied by a new pal Jodie, and now, Angus. A man who clearly has never had to wait for a bus in the rain. Angus should be headed back down South, but to his utter disdain, is quickly informed he’s going in the wrong direction. Taking the scenic route. The train stops through small town after small town, but the only one aside from Malacstone (and the possible Chinese he’ll grab upon his homecoming) of any relevance to Leo is Underwood. Unfortunately for Angus, that’s the next stop, and having been nothing but ignorant, rude, and entitled neither Leo nor Jodie are too emphatic in their warnings.
Wesolowski’s writing is faultless. His pacing is masterful, we’re pulled along with the steady inevitability of a train chugging down the tracks. It’s certainly fiction in that there are no delays. Aside from that hard fantasy element however, this is the kind of writing that makes the reader feel like they’re eavesdropping on a real conversation. It feels effortless. The dialogue, particularly the banter between Jodie and Leo, crackles with authenticity, blending dry wit and casual camaraderie. I need to pick up Matt’s six stories series ASAP.
Whilst our North may be far-flung from the glitzy horror hub of America, it’s brimming with its own kind of dark magic, it has its own terrifying urban legends. So, grab a copy, settle down, and prepare for a commute that’s as unsettling as it is quintessentially Northern. A haunted town with a grim history, a scary piece of folklore passed along generations, a final chapter written in second person that will send chills down the spine of just about any reader. “(Don’t) Call Mum,” is a great way to fill an hour or two, whilst supporting an indie press and scaring the shit out of yourself… Why on Earth wouldn’t you? If as an American you are fleeing the States, perhaps wait until after you’ve settled to pick this one up, you may want to turn around.
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