Deity by Matt Wesolowski

Good morning, readers! Today I'm a stop on the Random Things Tours for Matt Wesolowski's latest in his Six Stories series, Deity. 

Zach Crystal is a controversial figure and also an almost mythical one. 

He began his career alongside his twin sister, singing Christian rock in bars and pubs. But when he released a solo album, he became a massive success and a massive idol as well. 

But something was always a little off. 

He built a two story "tree house" in the middle of the forest where he invited young people to stay. He disappeared, quite literally, for a year. His own sister issued a missing persons report and put his home up for sale before he reappeared, taking part in a rare and odd televised interview in which he announced a new album and tour. 

And finally, not long after, his home burned with him inside. 

And all of that is before you take into account the death of his closest friend, the remains of two teenage girls found on his property, his musings about mythical creatures and beings...

Scott King explores the life of Zach Crystal in his hugely famous Six Stories podcast, but it's up to the listener to decide what's real. 

This is the latest installment in Matt Wesolowski's crime/thriller/horror mashup series, Six Stories. Don't worry, though, best I can tell each one can be read as a complete standalone. 

If you're not familiar with the series, it's set around a fictional crime podcast called Six Stories. The host, Scott King, interviews six different people, exploring each of their viewpoints to give "listeners" (readers) a rounded perspective of a different case. 

But these cases are never straightforward. 

They begin as a typical crime. In this case, Zach Crystal, a rock star who's been accused of pedophilia. And indeed, the first interview in the book is with a man who claimed to have evidence of such. 

But there's always something a little weird lurking in the shadows of the story. 

As the book progresses and our host delves further into those oddities, the case becomes much less straightforward than it initially seemed. And the book takes a turn from crime fiction to something more supernatural. 

I absolutely love the blending of genres! I also love the format these books take—I've only read this one and I'm partway through the first, but it almost has me wishing that it was a real podcast that I could plug into my ears when I can't sit and read!

The book is a bit of a slow burn, but it's also a fairly quick read with hints as to what's to come from the very start (if you know what to look for). 

You don't have to read the books in order, but if you want to start from the beginning, here's the series list in order:

Six Stories

Hydra

Changeling

Beast

Deity

(Note: Deity releases here in the States on April 1 but you can order it from Book Depository now, if you can't wait. You can order the rest of the series from your favorite indie via Bookshop!)

Huge thanks to Random Things Tours for letting me take part! To see more stops, check out the tour listing below. 

For more on Matt Wesolowski and his work, you can find him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

One final plug, if you've got some free time on March 9, Matt will be in conversation with Catriona Ward and Jacky Collins—more info on that here!