(Don’t) Call Mum by Matt Wesolowski review

About The Book

Book: (Don’t) Call Mum
Author: Matt Wesolowski 
Standalone or Series: Standalone – part of the Northern Weird Project
Publisher: Wild Hunt Books
Publication Date (UK): 8th May 2025

My Review

(Don’t) Call Mum is one of six novellas published by Wild Hunt Books as part of The Northern Weird Project. Each novella is written by an author from the North of England and explores the region as a setting, subject and character.

(Don’t) Call Mum takes place on a train, from the wait at the station to the journey back up North. Leo, our protagonist, a fan of Nick Cave and Bleed From Within, is passing the time listening to music when he notices a woman, Jodie, who – like him – is described as having an alternative style. Later, on the final leg of his journey, they find themselves on the same train. Then Angus boards.

Angus is the kind of person every Northerner who went to university will recognise: an obnoxious toff who “yah’s” and sees the North as little more than a novelty or a place to slum it whilst getting his degree.

As the train rattles along, Leo begins to recount a folklore tale he was told as a child, which is linked to one of the stops on the line. Whilst this is fictitious, the novella does reference real life events with Newcastle’s witch trials.

On a side note– if you’re a fan of escape rooms, Witch at Escape-Key in Newcastle is a must-visit. It features a witch pricker, delves into this dark history and is set right opposite St. Andrew’s graveyard, where the accused “witches” were buried in unmarked graves.

One line in particular really resonated with me:
“Isn’t it weird,” Leo goes on, “that we get all nostalgic for a place we’ve been spending most of our lives trying to escape from?”

This triggers the response from Jodie that she’s craving for a Saveloy Dip. And now I need to try one! Being from Hull, my equivalent would be a Pattie Buttie.

(Don’t) Call Mum is a fantastic novella and a strong entry in The Northern Weird Project, blending folklore, social commentary and a keen sense of place into a compelling read.

Thank you to Wild Hunt Books for the eARC.