Pages: 210
Published: 1st December 2016
Genre: Crime
Before I get to the review, I will admit that I have read this series out of order. I began with Changeling, the third book in the series, which I read and reviewed back in 2019. That was followed by Beast and Deity in 2020 and 2021 respectively. As it has become one of my favourite series, I felt it was about time that I finally went back to the beginning and read the first two. So here we are.
1997. Scarclaw Fell. The body of teenager Tom Jeffries is found at an outward bound centre. Verdict? Misadventure. But not everyone is convinced. And the truth of what happened in the beautiful but eerie fell is locked in the memories of the tight-knit group of friends who embarked on that fateful trip, and the flimsy testimony of those living nearby.
2017. Enter elusive investigative journalist Scott King, whose podcast examinations of complicated cases have rivalled the success of Serial, with his concealed identity making him a cult internet figure. In a series of six interviews, King attempts to work out how the dynamics of a group of idle teenagers conspired with the sinister legends surrounding the fell to result in Jeffries’ mysterious death. And who’s to blame…
As every interview unveils a new revelation, you’ll be forced to work out for yourself how Tom Jeffries died, and who is telling the truth.
This is the genesis of an amazing podcast series in novel form, bringing forward a fictional cold case that is both chilling and extremely fascinating, at the same time being made to feel very real. Along with a meticulous attention to detail and compelling set of characters who all have something curious to offer, there is a depth of authenticity that strikes right at its heart as it provides a stunningly realistic portrayal of social constructs.
The podcast format is the perfect vehicle for a plot which unravels in tantalising fashion to the point where it becomes highly addictive, but what the author does especially well is always being able to offer a new perspective on events and taking the opportunity to really drill down into several relevant topics by asking or exploring difficult questions. This is largely through the power of dialogue, and that combined with the promise of major revelations to come, makes you hang on to every word.
Back in 1996, a teenage boy named Tom Jeffries went missing on a summer residential at Scarclaw Fell, an outward bound centre in the North East of England where he had been staying along with a group of friends and supervising adults. His body was not found until almost a year later, uncovered in a secluded spot by Harry Saint-Clare Ramsey, the son of the site’s owner.
Tom and his group – known as the Rangers – had been visiting Scarclaw Fell for a couple of years during the school holidays. He was regarded as a troublemaker and had a negative influence on the others as they often became intoxicated and took drugs when out of sight of the adults. Meanwhile, there were persistent local rumours of a fearsome creature in the woods, known as the Beast of Belkeld.
The death of Tom was recorded as misadventure, but online journalist Scott King believes there is more to the story than what was revealed at the time. In a six-part podcast series he interviews the people who were there when it all took place, getting their unique perspective on what happened on the night he went missing and the events leading up to it, convinced that a clue lies in finding out the dynamic between the five members of the Rangers.
As soon as the case of Tom’s mysterious disappearance and death is introduced and we are given the bare facts, it is almost impossible not to be completely taken in by the story. Each new episode brings a different voice and each incident described previously is relived through a new and contrasting pair of eyes. Although few clues arise about Tom’s actual fate until very late on, just learning more about the characters and using their words to build your own picture of what took place.
The first two episodes are very powerful and interesting in their own way, especially as they once again capture the essence of human nature with real eloquence. Then again, the story really does go up a gear once we start to hear from the four surviving members of the Rangers. It is fun to try and guess which one will be interviewed next, and you get the sense that all of them may have things to hide about their trips to Scarclaw Fell, or could even be murder suspects.
If there is a negative about how this book is structured, it is that it does get a bit repetitive to be told about certain things multiple times, albeit from separate viewpoints. However, nothing at all prepares you for the startling twist that arrives at the beginning of the final episode, one that not a single person will see coming that provides a whole new perspective on what has been discussed previously. It is a very good twist, although one might say somewhat far-fetched.
Most of the story is told as a transcript from the podcast, the outstanding execution of which is what makes this series so engrossing. Each episode is preceded by sections told from the point of view of Harry Saint-Clare Ramsey; a mish-mash of his present day thoughts and some jumbled flashbacks. The flashbacks are difficult to follow, but Harry is clearly an elusive character whose words are quite thought-provoking.
Talking of elusive, Scott King is the one who guides everything along like the voice of reason, but it is the Rangers who leave the biggest impression and by the time you finish the book, you feel like you know them very well. Tom was undoubtedly a nasty piece of work, but Charlie was also a far from likeable character despite being idolised by the rest of the group. He was perhaps the one who changed the most as an adult.
The only one who ended with their reputation intact is Anyu, who is complex in her own way and described by the others as kind of ethereal, but she had by far the most common sense. I lost more and more respect for Eva as the story progressed, while Brian was the hardest to really get to grips with but in many ways was the most intriguing. A lot of their actions at Scarclaw Fell are explained by them being wayward teenagers, yet sometimes it went much further than that. One of the victims of this is Haris, a character you feel really sorry for and is very sensitively portrayed.
Scarclaw Fell is a setting that is made pretty intimidating by the eerie descriptions and stories of the Beast of Belkeld, which is said to be a kind of large spectral creature that makes a high-pitched sound. It adds more to the atmosphere of the place and you can vividly imagine it, with its thick wooded pathways and inaccessible areas, made more sinister by the knowledge of what happened to Tom.
The writing is incredibly sophisticated and thoughtful, and you cannot help but be impressed at the level of depth that goes into exploring all the complicated teenage dynamics between the Rangers. It has a real sense of build-up as the episodes go by at an intense pace, and in terms of revelations the ending does not disappoint. It is only during Harry’s sections where it lacks a little coherence.
Overall, an extremely gripping crime novel that explores a range of powerful issues in remarkable detail and provides a thrilling level of suspense that reaches its peak as the final episode arrives. The case of Tom’s death and the various characters involved help to make it addictive along with a creepy setting and an ingenious format that keeps you on edge until the last. If Serial was the true crime podcast that set the trend, then this is the literary equivalent.
This story is compelling, but it does depict some very difficult topics and contain some unsettling descriptions across the six episodes. These include descriptions of bullying – some of it aimed towards a person with autism, injury detail. sexual exploitation, and frequent drug use. Therefore, you may want to tread carefully if picking up this book.
A thoroughly addictive mystery with a killer twist. I became obsessed with finding out more about the characters and above all, what happened to Tom Jeffries. Just like the other books in this series, it explores serious issues with gritty realism and detail which I love.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 