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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
becky_97's review against another edition
4.0
Hydra is the second book in the Six Stories franchise, maintaining the engaging pace of the first instalment with a brand-new case that showcases Matt Wesolowski’s talent for navigating a crime filled with mystery and unanswered questions.
This time, the Six Stories podcast delves into the 2014 massacre of the Macleod family, committed by the sole survivor, Arla Macleod. Arla is currently serving time in a mental health institution after receiving a verdict of diminished responsibility for the killings. But how diminished was she really? Through the perspectives of five witnesses, Scott King, an investigative journalist, examines who Arla truly was and whether the crime committed that cold November night could ever have been avoided.
The last Six Stories novel was one of my standout reads of 2024, and there’s always some apprehension when committing to an entire franchise. However, I needn’t have worried, as Hydra is fantastic. The novel also provides deeper insights into Scott King, a character who remains largely out of the spotlight. This allows readers to appreciate each book as a standalone while also rewarding those who choose to follow the whole series.
My only criticism of this book is my desire for a slower pace regarding events outside the podcast. Everything unfolds very quickly, and I believe the shocking twists in this novel would have been much more impactful had they been preceded by a slow burn.
isteef's review against another edition
5.0
Matt delivers again with an intriguing plot, well thought out characters and genuine scares.
chantelleatkinswriter's review against another edition
5.0
This is the kind of book that is really hard to review. There is just so much to say! I read Six Stories and thought it was one of the best and most original books I'd come across in a long time. Hydra follows the same format; Scott King is back with his popular internet podcast, Six Stories. This time he is examining the Macleod massacre of 2014. Arla Macleod killed her mother, step-father and younger sister with a hammer when she was 21 years old. She was then sent to a psychiatric prison. Scott King interviews six people who were in some way involved with the case, or with the Macleod family. Just like Six Stories, there is a supernatural element to the case, as Arla tells Scott about the mysterious 'black-eyed kids' who followed her about, begging to be let in. When she finally gave in, the massacre happened. Was Arla mentally ill? A psychotic killer? Or the victim of a supernatural episode? Just like in Six Stories, the truth is never revealed. The podcast episodes are all interviews, and it's up the audience to decide if the interviewee is genuine or not. Scott King attempts to understand Arla by going into her past, her childhood and her teenage years. He also talks to people who knew who to try to form a picture of her life before she killed her family. As he works through the series, Scott begins receiving warnings to stop. He is stalked through the internet by a nasty troll who warns him there will be consequences if he continues to look at Arla's story. The ending of this book had me utterly hooked. In many ways, this is an examination of mental illness, childhood neglect, teenage isolation and the darker side of the internet. Absolutely fascinating. I cannot wait for more from this author!
marko68's review against another edition
5.0
“Like that monster thing - that snake thing - what’s it called? A hydra? And, like, even when I chopped off the two heads, two more came out of each... each branch... p 217
Matt Wesolowski delivers an amazing follow up in Hydra, the second book in the ‘Six Stories’ series. Six Stories is a podcast about true crime events, told through the perspectives of six different people who are connected to the original event. The podcast gives a voice to those whose stories may not have been told and invites the listener to come to their own conclusions regarding the crime. This is truly a refreshing take on the crime genre and Wesolowski masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense while delving into some confronting issues of our time and ultimately brings all the threads to an ingenious conclusion.
Hydra tells the story of a complex case surrounding the massacre of the Macleod family by daughter, Arla, who was deemed in a psychotic break when committing such an act. Drawing on deadly forbidden games, controversial music and lyrics, family dynamics, and the American contemporary legend of the black eyed children, Wesolowski manages to highlight issues such as the popularization of poor mental health, and online trolls who destroy the reputations and livelihood of others for their own satisfaction or gain.
Wesolowski writes with precision and brings the podcast to life through the character of Scott King, podcast host. Multiple perspectives and viewpoints are told and the ultimate clunker is dropped that doesn’t change what happened in the case, nor the outcome, but definitely highlights that things are not always as they seem and certainly not black and white nor cut and dried.
This was a great first read for 2021 and I’m happy to say it was a 5 star read for me. Looking forward to book 3.
Matt Wesolowski delivers an amazing follow up in Hydra, the second book in the ‘Six Stories’ series. Six Stories is a podcast about true crime events, told through the perspectives of six different people who are connected to the original event. The podcast gives a voice to those whose stories may not have been told and invites the listener to come to their own conclusions regarding the crime. This is truly a refreshing take on the crime genre and Wesolowski masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense while delving into some confronting issues of our time and ultimately brings all the threads to an ingenious conclusion.
Hydra tells the story of a complex case surrounding the massacre of the Macleod family by daughter, Arla, who was deemed in a psychotic break when committing such an act. Drawing on deadly forbidden games, controversial music and lyrics, family dynamics, and the American contemporary legend of the black eyed children, Wesolowski manages to highlight issues such as the popularization of poor mental health, and online trolls who destroy the reputations and livelihood of others for their own satisfaction or gain.
Wesolowski writes with precision and brings the podcast to life through the character of Scott King, podcast host. Multiple perspectives and viewpoints are told and the ultimate clunker is dropped that doesn’t change what happened in the case, nor the outcome, but definitely highlights that things are not always as they seem and certainly not black and white nor cut and dried.
This was a great first read for 2021 and I’m happy to say it was a 5 star read for me. Looking forward to book 3.
domino911's review against another edition
5.0
“Welcome to Six Stories. I’m Scott King.”
The second in the ‘Six Stories’ series, ‘Hydra’ is just as good and as satisfying as its predecessor. As in Matt Wesolowski’s previous novel, the story is told as six episodes of a podcast which looks at a crime “from six different perspectives, seeing the events that unfolded through six pairs of eyes” and, as before, in printed form, the novel reads as transcripts of these podcasts but really comes to life in audiobook format.
Hydra is not so much a whodunnit but a whydunnit. We know from the outset that ‘the Macleod Massacre’ was carried out by Arla Mcleod, who bludgeoned her family to death with a hammer. The question, and the heart of Scott King’s podcast investigation, is what drove Arla to murder her parents and sister, what in her history brought her to that point. The episodes are again linked by an additional narrative, in this case a recording of Arla herself which has been uploaded to a torrent site and which eventually collides with the podcast narrative to reveal the truth behind the story.
The conceit of presenting the story as a ‘true crime’ podcast is immensely entertaining with the added bonus that, as the story is fictional, the twists can be tightly woven into the story rather than, as in some real podcasts, it feeling like information is being withheld in order to make the story more dramatic. It is a balancing act, but one which Wesolowski performs admirably. It will be interesting to see where he goes if and when ‘Six Stories’ comes to an end but, at the moment, I am hugely enjoying the series and have the third high on my ‘to be listened to’ list.
The second in the ‘Six Stories’ series, ‘Hydra’ is just as good and as satisfying as its predecessor. As in Matt Wesolowski’s previous novel, the story is told as six episodes of a podcast which looks at a crime “from six different perspectives, seeing the events that unfolded through six pairs of eyes” and, as before, in printed form, the novel reads as transcripts of these podcasts but really comes to life in audiobook format.
Hydra is not so much a whodunnit but a whydunnit. We know from the outset that ‘the Macleod Massacre’ was carried out by Arla Mcleod, who bludgeoned her family to death with a hammer. The question, and the heart of Scott King’s podcast investigation, is what drove Arla to murder her parents and sister, what in her history brought her to that point. The episodes are again linked by an additional narrative, in this case a recording of Arla herself which has been uploaded to a torrent site and which eventually collides with the podcast narrative to reveal the truth behind the story.
The conceit of presenting the story as a ‘true crime’ podcast is immensely entertaining with the added bonus that, as the story is fictional, the twists can be tightly woven into the story rather than, as in some real podcasts, it feeling like information is being withheld in order to make the story more dramatic. It is a balancing act, but one which Wesolowski performs admirably. It will be interesting to see where he goes if and when ‘Six Stories’ comes to an end but, at the moment, I am hugely enjoying the series and have the third high on my ‘to be listened to’ list.
realagnetha's review against another edition
2.0
I really thought we were going somewhere with this. But the ending… to me, it ruined the whole book. Very unsatisfying, what a letdown :/
cheyore's review against another edition
4.0
Another scary mystery, full of twists and interesting characters.
tanja_alina_berg's review against another edition
3.0
This is book is a compilation of interviews and commentary by the interviewer, into the case of a family massacre. The story telling is fragmented and made it difficult to get a good "flow" while reading. Since I read the first book, "Six Stories", I knew what I was in for.
In many aspects this book delivered what I had expected. Insight into the troubled life of Arla, the murderess, as a teenager. Dabbling in goth, unorthodox music and Japanese rituals. Surely it must go wrong? Or not. It was pretty all ordinary teenage stuff really, quite easy to relate.
I stand by Stephen King's statement that "if you liked being a teenager, there is something wrong with you". Those awkward years of self discovery and zits, spare me.
So in many aspects this reads as a perfectly decent horror story, with a good portion of teenage angst thrown in. Until you get toward the end and this all finishes by being a very intelligent and insightful commentary on a side of life that affects all of us now. I wasn't expecting a book like this to make me stop in my tracks and think.
In many aspects this book delivered what I had expected. Insight into the troubled life of Arla, the murderess, as a teenager. Dabbling in goth, unorthodox music and Japanese rituals. Surely it must go wrong? Or not. It was pretty all ordinary teenage stuff really, quite easy to relate.
I stand by Stephen King's statement that "if you liked being a teenager, there is something wrong with you". Those awkward years of self discovery and zits, spare me.
So in many aspects this reads as a perfectly decent horror story, with a good portion of teenage angst thrown in. Until you get toward the end and this all finishes by being a very intelligent and insightful commentary on a side of life that affects all of us now. I wasn't expecting a book like this to make me stop in my tracks and think.