Hydra

In Wesolowski’s effective sequel to 2017’s Six Stories, Scott King, who hosts a weekly podcast, examines the case of Arla Macleod, who was convicted at 21 of bludgeoning her sister and her parents to death in their home in Stanwel, England, in 2014. King tells his listeners that he’s “not here to make judgements, draw conclusions, or speculate. I’m here to allow you to do that.” From interviews with Arla, who’s been put in an institution for life, and with others who knew her, a picture emerges of a young woman fascinated by the dark music of Skexxixx and by odd and dangerous ritualistic games she learned from the internet such as the Korean Elevator to Another World. A family vacation to Cornwall in 2008 appears to have had a profound psychological impact on the troubled Arla. King’s podcasts draw strangely personal warnings to desist, but he persists, provoking further tragedy. Through this unusual format, Wesolowski skillfully draws readers into a story of increasing depth and force. (July)