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Thread 23 : To feel disappointed - and now disgusted too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?

1000 replies

DisappointedReader · 13/01/2026 17:45

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 22 IS FULL

The Observer's original exposé: The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were ...

First thread: To feel disappointed after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film? | Mumsnet

Links to threads 2-16, the other 20 Observer articles and videos to date, Raynor Winn/Sally Walker's statement, our timeline and sources can all be accessed in the OP and first few posts of Thread 17: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5403285-thread-17-to-feel-disappointed-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Links to threads 18-20 can be found in the OP of Thread 21: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5460943-thread-21-to-feel-disappointed-and-now-disgusted-too-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Thread 22:www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5470952-thread-22-to-feel-disappointed-and-now-disgusted-too-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film?

Most recent:

New posters joining us in the genuine spirit of our civil discourse are welcome. It would be helpful to get the background from at least some of the Observer exposé items before posting.
To all - Please be extremely cautious when it comes to naming or implicating people and addresses not in the public eye or with no direct connection to the story, and around the understandable health speculations, especially where details are unclear or still emerging. Remember, even Hollywood rabbits attract the odd flea. Please do not engage with drive-by scolders and ploppers who seem to have their own agenda and seek to derail. Avoid @'ing and quoting them as - from experience - this will only encourage them back to the threads. For over 6 months we have done amazingly well together for 22 very interesting, very serious and very silly threads so far. I can't be here as much as I'd like so all help with keeping our discussion walking along in our usual reasonable and respectful fashion is very welcome.

After 22,000 posts there are still new things to look out for on the path:
Podcast series (7 episodes) from The Observer's award-winning Investigative Journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou, 13th January 2026.
The Walkers: The real Salt Path | The Observer

After listening to some of The Walkers: The real Salt Path podcast episodes from The Observer today my thoughts are even more with the victims. I also believe that the publishers, agent and prizegivers must now act and be seen to act.

Please start each post with the podcast episode you are commenting on, for clarity and to help others avoid spoilers if they wish to do so. Many thanks.

As always, keep to the path, no saltiness, eat fudge and drink cider.

NO POSTS PLEASE UNTIL THREAD 22 IS FULL

OP posts:
Thread gallery
47
Peladon · 18/01/2026 00:56

Was thinking of @DoubtfulCat's comment "Yes, the letter about atypical anal sphincter disturbance made me think similarly." And @DisappointedReader's comment about developments over recent months having left an icky feeling.

Quite an anus horribilis.

LetsBeSensible · 18/01/2026 02:09

Maybe I being a Pollyanna and I will be hit with a cold bucket of glumwash, but I feel the article will be ok. I’m already looking into making the “scooby do gang take the mask off the villain” meme and having it saying “if it weren’t for those meddling Mumsnetters, I’d have gotten away with it, too!”

OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 08:14

Was excited to see the headline... But it appears it's not the publishers, Penguin who say that.
Yet...
Here's hoping...

ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 08:17

Sadly, some people still don't seem to get it!

Thread 23 : To feel disappointed - and now disgusted too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?
OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 08:20

And I like this overview from Our Chloe.
I can't see an article about the charabanc from Phoebe though, perhaps they ran out of room

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 08:24

OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 08:14

Was excited to see the headline... But it appears it's not the publishers, Penguin who say that.
Yet...
Here's hoping...

Good to see the criticism kept up but still we see this repeated “Clearly, the bad publicity will have helped,” regarding the sales of the books.

At the end of the last thread a few of us were going in to this in more detail with the stats. Our conclusion: after Chloe's story broke the sales dropped, and dropped and plummeted. This was also said by Amelia Fairney, previously, and then picked up several times by Chloe - that she sent the book back up the charts - we don't think so!

ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 08:25

As the charabanc nears the end of its 7 month journey (possibly), for those MNers suffering withdrawal symptoms, what better way to relive those magic moments than jotting down precious memories in the notebook, advertised below.

Who knows, you might even be able to write it all up into a multi million copy bestseller.... Stranger things have happened!

Thread 23 : To feel disappointed - and now disgusted too - after reading this in The Observer about the author and her husband from The Salt Path book and film?
ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 08:26

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 08:24

Good to see the criticism kept up but still we see this repeated “Clearly, the bad publicity will have helped,” regarding the sales of the books.

At the end of the last thread a few of us were going in to this in more detail with the stats. Our conclusion: after Chloe's story broke the sales dropped, and dropped and plummeted. This was also said by Amelia Fairney, previously, and then picked up several times by Chloe - that she sent the book back up the charts - we don't think so!

Edited

Anybody got a hard copy of today's Observer?

OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 08:30

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 08:24

Good to see the criticism kept up but still we see this repeated “Clearly, the bad publicity will have helped,” regarding the sales of the books.

At the end of the last thread a few of us were going in to this in more detail with the stats. Our conclusion: after Chloe's story broke the sales dropped, and dropped and plummeted. This was also said by Amelia Fairney, previously, and then picked up several times by Chloe - that she sent the book back up the charts - we don't think so!

Edited

Is anyone able to post the weekly figures of the other two books, as I believe we only saw the figures for TSP which did indeed drop? I've no idea how to find them.

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 08:41

Freshsocks · 15/01/2026 15:00

I agree with you @BewilderingBrandy, we all think Chloe is great, but she will have detractors, throughout this investigation Chloe has reiterated how vigorously she has fact checked everything, gone over it all with legal people. If she keeps repeating this, and it isn't true, it could make people wonder if other facts have been checked properly. I only say this, because it feels like the kind of thing Chloe is going to keep repeating, especially if she believes it.

Here's the indomitable @Freshsocks on the subject I've just highlighted above. I had said that I was letting it go to concentrate on the main story. But they have repeated it again in a prominent way in Erica Wagner's article this time - and quoted the Bookseller.

DoubtfulCat · 18/01/2026 08:50

OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 08:20

And I like this overview from Our Chloe.
I can't see an article about the charabanc from Phoebe though, perhaps they ran out of room

I subscribed to listen to the podcast, I forgot to cancel and have been charged, but the observer website won’t let me see more articles and I can’t find a ‘help’ link! Argh! I also can’t find more on the Salt Path or a mention of Mumsnet.

Also wondering if I need to buy the hard copy when I go out later. Anyone confirm?

ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 08:53

OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 08:30

Is anyone able to post the weekly figures of the other two books, as I believe we only saw the figures for TSP which did indeed drop? I've no idea how to find them.

if they aren't in the top 20 list (which neither TWS or LL is) then you can't find this out

Most Sold Nonfiction | Amazon Charts

Amazon Charts Top 20 Books

See this week's Top 20 Most Sold Nonfiction books from Amazon Charts.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/charts/2026-01-04/mostsold/nonfiction?ref=chrt_bk_nav_fwd&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-5475246-thread-23-to-feel-disappointed-and-now-disgusted-too-after-reading-this-in-the-observer-about-the-author-and-her-husband-from-the-salt-path-book-and-film

ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 08:54

DoubtfulCat · 18/01/2026 08:50

I subscribed to listen to the podcast, I forgot to cancel and have been charged, but the observer website won’t let me see more articles and I can’t find a ‘help’ link! Argh! I also can’t find more on the Salt Path or a mention of Mumsnet.

Also wondering if I need to buy the hard copy when I go out later. Anyone confirm?

Maybe it features in the HC

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 08:57

DoubtfulCat · 18/01/2026 08:50

I subscribed to listen to the podcast, I forgot to cancel and have been charged, but the observer website won’t let me see more articles and I can’t find a ‘help’ link! Argh! I also can’t find more on the Salt Path or a mention of Mumsnet.

Also wondering if I need to buy the hard copy when I go out later. Anyone confirm?

Is this because you signed up for the Apple 3 day trial and not the £1 Observer subscription. I went in to all of this when the podcasts were released - it was confusing. Can you access the articles by clicking on the links provided by @ThompsonTwin above?

YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/01/2026 08:59

ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 08:26

Anybody got a hard copy of today's Observer?

Just bought one. There is a double page spread including the two articles already linked to and an investigation timeline. Nothing from Pheobe as far as i can see unless it is hidden elsewhere in the paper (which i think would be a little odd).

OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 09:01

ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 08:53

if they aren't in the top 20 list (which neither TWS or LL is) then you can't find this out

Most Sold Nonfiction | Amazon Charts

This is true for Amazon only, but someone posted total weekly sales for TSP which must be available somewhere

DisappointedReader · 18/01/2026 09:05

YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/01/2026 08:59

Just bought one. There is a double page spread including the two articles already linked to and an investigation timeline. Nothing from Pheobe as far as i can see unless it is hidden elsewhere in the paper (which i think would be a little odd).

I can confirm that we (and Phoebe) are conspicuous by our absence in the digital and print versions. Perhaps we didn't survive the editing.

Anybody want to join me and the damp squid in the shed of doom?

OP posts:
YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/01/2026 09:06

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 08:41

Here's the indomitable @Freshsocks on the subject I've just highlighted above. I had said that I was letting it go to concentrate on the main story. But they have repeated it again in a prominent way in Erica Wagner's article this time - and quoted the Bookseller.

Edited

You are right. And the headline of E Wagner's piece in the print copy (worryingly) focuses on it! "Winn's bonanza book sales show there's no such thing as bad publicity."

I really do question the basis of such claims that sales continued to "rocket" (in EW piece) following the exposé. I want to see figures and what this claim is grounded in.

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 09:09

YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/01/2026 09:06

You are right. And the headline of E Wagner's piece in the print copy (worryingly) focuses on it! "Winn's bonanza book sales show there's no such thing as bad publicity."

I really do question the basis of such claims that sales continued to "rocket" (in EW piece) following the exposé. I want to see figures and what this claim is grounded in.

Edited

From the end of the last thread:

From June 10 to Aug 10 (CH's article appeared on 5 July) weekly TSP sales fell as follows: 14,145/12,290/9,245/7,535/6,235/5,680/3,475/2,095

Uricon2 · 18/01/2026 09:09

DH " You've been spiked, haven't you?"

😂

ThompsonTwin · 18/01/2026 09:12

OneThousandThreads · 18/01/2026 09:01

This is true for Amazon only, but someone posted total weekly sales for TSP which must be available somewhere

That was for the ST weekly bestseller list but that only covers the top 20 non fiction books

YourMoneyforFrothingandYourChipsforFree · 18/01/2026 09:12

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 09:09

From the end of the last thread:

From June 10 to Aug 10 (CH's article appeared on 5 July) weekly TSP sales fell as follows: 14,145/12,290/9,245/7,535/6,235/5,680/3,475/2,095

Exactly, so where is the claim of rocketing sales coming from?

BewilderingBrandy · 18/01/2026 09:15

This is page 40, of Thread 22:

BeaveringBrandy · 15/01/2026 11:29

Freshsocks · 15/01/2026 11:14
The woman who said this has been given a lot of time to offer her opinions about Salray, she seems very cavalier about the whole thing. Why hasn't Chloe checked this fact before repeating it?

My opinion: it is another legacy of Penguin's wall of silence. Chloe was so pleased to get someone who had worked within the hallowed halls that this person just said what she wanted, unchecked.
I have spotted another minor mistake in a printed copy, the second lot of revelations, but didn't say anything because I was so pleased with the main report.
We are very questioning and searching on here ....

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