Joseph Knox (1)

After making his debut with the wonderful Aidan Waits seires, Joseph Knox is back and better than ever with this very different, truly original contribution to the thriller genre.

It's been seven years since Zoe Nolan, a university student of nineteen seemingly vanished in to thin air, never to be seen again. Evelyn Mitchell, an aspiring writer, has taken a special interest in this still unsolved mystery and dives head first in to the case, determined to piece together what really happened show more that fateful day. Through interviews, correspodences and transcripts the lines of reality and fiction blur leaving the reader in desperate need of a reminder to not believe everything you read.

As a real true crime junkie, I jumped at the chance to read this story as soon as I came across it, and while I knew Knox was a talented author I had no idea what I was signing up for but I knew whatever it was, I was loving being drawn in to the twists and deception and genius that is True Crime Story. I must admit, I've been sitting on this one for a few days, not quite sure how to go about writing a review as it truly reads exactly like a true crime case, once simply cannot approach this book the same way they would a clearly fictional novel.

That being said, if true crime books, shows, and articles are your thing you're likely going to love this wonderful lie, even as you struggle in frustration to separate fact from fiction.

Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the supremely talented Joseph Knox for granting me an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. This is one I cannot wait to purchase as there's a space on my bookshelf made for this wonder! show less

Aidan Waits, the narrator, is a former drug user in Manchester, England, who engaged in criminal activity before he hit bottom. Waits has stopped using speed, cocaine, and Ecstasy (although he still relies on alcohol to anesthetize himself), and is employed as a police officer on the lowly night shift. Aidan is partnered with Peter Sutcliffe (Sutty), a foul-mouthed, nasty, and lazy detective inspector, who tries to bait him with a steady flow of insulting remarks. Aidan’s boss, show more Superintendent Parr, “a man who casually snuffed out dreams and made nightmares come true,” despises Waits, but is keeping him on the force because he relishes having a compromised officer at his mercy. One night, Aidan and Sutty respond to a call concerning a reported break-in at a hotel that is up for sale. The two cops find a security guard who was hit on the head, in addition to a dead body on the fourth floor. The corpse is “The Smiling Man,” the title of an offbeat thriller by Joseph Knox. The unidentified victim has a ghastly grin on his face.

Interspersed through the novel are disturbing chapters about an unnamed boy who is used as a foil by a sadistic, manipulative, and abusive thug named Bateman. With the youngster’s help, Bateman gains access to homes from which he steals valuables. The child is emotionally traumatized by the deeds he is forced to do and the horrors he witnesses. At first, we do not know exactly how this subplot fits in with the overall story. Waits proceeds to interview the owners of the Palace and anyone else who may have information to share. He suspects that there something strange going on in this place, but he cannot immediately put his finger on what it is. In addition, Waits targets a man who is harassing a young college student.

“The Smiling Man” is a violent, profane, and disturbing work of fiction about a wretched soul who feels as if he has nothing left to lose. The descriptive writing is terrific, and the dark atmosphere is laden with menace. Waits has already wrecked his relationship with a girl whom he cared for; he has no family from whom he can seek solace; and he is barely hanging onto his low-level job. Knox writes powerfully about the dregs of society—individuals who are lustful, arrogant, greedy, power-hungry, selfish, and brutal. There is little cheer to be found in these pages, and although Aidan earns our sympathy, he is no model citizen. This suspenseful, gritty and, at times, bewildering book focuses on deeply flawed characters who lack self-control and feel most alive when they are torturing others. Knox holds our attention, but also leaves us dispirited and disgusted by the behavior of warped human beings who abuse vulnerable men, women, and children without a shred of remorse. show less

I'm going to keep this short because the promotional blurb tells you all you need to know about the supposed plot. The real story is how it's delivered. The author has come up with a cleverly constructed narrative that blurs the line between fiction & true crime, a genre that has exploded in recent years.

Knox starts off by telling us how he met a woman named Evelyn Mitchell at one of his book signings. Also an author, Evie gently dismisses him as another attention-seeking writer whose books show more focus more on the salacious details of the killers than the victims.

Evie is currently doing research for her next book, one she hopes will balance the scales. It's definitely about the victim....a Manchester university student named Zoe Nolan who disappeared in 2011.

Knox & Evie begin to correspond & the majority of the book is composed of their emails, transcripts of interviews with people from Zoe's life & the odd paragraph from Knox explaining how he got involved.

On the surface, it's a detailed investigation into a cold case with some great twists. But the author takes a satirical approach, poking fun not only at the genre but himself. The opening letter from his "former" publisher sets the tone & lets you know you're in for suspense delivered with a wink & a nudge. It also has something to say about social media & its dodgy relationship with the truth.

The format can be a challenge. It's not always clear who was sending an email & who was receiving. Also, there's a section devoted to transcripts of duelling statements from Zoe's friends that basically consists of he said-she said-oh no you di'int. You learn a lot here about events leading up to her disappearance but I thought it went on a bit too long. At about the 40% mark Zoe has vanished & police join the conversation. That plus a couple of twists meant I was fully invested from there on. The pace picked up & a story that was already very readable became compelling.

I've read a couple of other books this year where authors have inserted themselves in the story. It's the literary equivalent of breaking the fourth wall & usually done with a self deprecation that adds to the story. Knox clearly doesn't take himself too seriously as he gently mocks his process & profession but the thriller writer inside is never far from the surface, ensuring the reader is gripped by Evie's investigation.

So perhaps we need a new genre label for this mash-up....true fiction? Doesn't really matter, all you need to know is it's a clever & innovative take on crime fiction that will keep you entertained. show less

In 2011, Zoe Nolan disappeared from her dormitory in Manchester. The case went cold, and now years later author Evelyn Mitchell has decided to pick up the story, trying to shed some new light on Zoe by interviewing friends, family, police. After hitting a seemingly dead end, Evelyn decides to send her progress to fellow author Joseph Knox in hopes that he'll be able to give some good angles on where she can go next with the story.

But as Joseph immerses himself within Zoe's story, the lines show more between fact and fiction begin to blur.

I really enjoyed the idea of breaking the fourth wall so to speak. Joseph Knox blurs the lines between truth and fiction and brings the reader along for the ride. It's really clever and drives the story forward. I think it's a perfect commentary on our near-obsession with true crime with the number of docuseries and podcasts around, almost anyone can reach the status of armchair detective. Joseph Knox plays upon this excellently.

I really like the oral history format of the story. It really enhances the idea of the supposed reality of the story. I've read other books that have utilized this technique and it's one that makes me want to listen to the audiobook as I feel like that's the closest way to really convey the idea of someone being interviewed.

The story itself unfolds at a languid pace. I liked how with all the different characters putting in their own version of events you don't know what, or who, to trust. Everyone has secrets and reasons for keeping or telling those secrets. It's just interesting to see the narrative changes as the various twists and turns are revealed. I think my only complaint is, at a certain point, I did feel like there were certain points where I felt like the information was being recycled over and over again without any forward momentum, but once we'd hit on a piece of information it would almost be like looking at the story again with a fresh set of eyes.

Without giving anything away, I also feel like Joseph Knox gives a satisfying ending. He clearly knows in True Crime Stories of any kind it's the resolution that people want to see, the answers. I don't think this one disappoints. show less