Thrillers & Suspense
![Joseph Knox - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_joseph_knox.jpg)
Sirens: A Novel (An Aidan Waits Thriller)
A riveting thriller about a damaged undercover detective navigating a web of politicians, drug lords, missing persons, and his own flawed department, perfect for readers of Tana French, Don Winslow and Dennis Lehane.
Infiltrating the inner circle of enigmatic criminal Zain Carver is dangerous enough. Pulling it off while also rescuing Isabelle Rossiter, a runaway politician's daughter, from Zain's influence? Impossible. That's why Aidan Waits is the perfect man for the job. Disgraced, emotionally damaged, and despised by his superiors. In other words, completely expendable.
But Aidan is a born survivor. And as he works his way deep into Zain's shadowy world, he finds that nothing is as it seems. Zain is a mesmerizing, Gatsby-esque figure who lures young women into his orbit-women who have a bad habit of turning up dead. But is Zain really responsible? And will Isabelle be next?
Before long, Aidan finds himself in over his head, cut loose by his superiors, and dangerously attracted to the wrong woman. How can he save the girl if he can't even save himself?
Infiltrating the inner circle of enigmatic criminal Zain Carver is dangerous enough. Pulling it off while also rescuing Isabelle Rossiter, a runaway politician's daughter, from Zain's influence? Impossible. That's why Aidan Waits is the perfect man for the job. Disgraced, emotionally damaged, and despised by his superiors. In other words, completely expendable.
But Aidan is a born survivor. And as he works his way deep into Zain's shadowy world, he finds that nothing is as it seems. Zain is a mesmerizing, Gatsby-esque figure who lures young women into his orbit-women who have a bad habit of turning up dead. But is Zain really responsible? And will Isabelle be next?
Before long, Aidan finds himself in over his head, cut loose by his superiors, and dangerously attracted to the wrong woman. How can he save the girl if he can't even save himself?
Editorial Reviews
"Razor-sharp urban noir...very special indeed." -Lee Child
"Knox, taking a cue from legendary Manchester band Joy Division's doom-laden romanticism, is brilliantly in command of the book's unusual blend of horrific and hopeful. And in what other crime novel are you going to learn that ultraviolet lighting is used in certain clubs so addicts wanting to shoot up can't see the veins in their arms? A powerfully assured debut by a British novelist who has the potential to be a leading player in modern noir." - Kirkus
"[A] perfect choice for readers who like their heroes a bit battered." –Booklist, starred review
"Knox's impressive debut plunges the reader into the darkest corners of Manchester's druggy club scene. . . . Knox sets a dizzying pace and convincingly evokes the murky, unbalanced atmosphere of an empire built around drugs and money with vivid prose. . . . The hard-hitting action builds to a bleak, wrenching conclusion because, of course, not everyone can be saved." –Publishers Weekly
"Knox, taking a cue from legendary Manchester band Joy Division's doom-laden romanticism, is brilliantly in command of the book's unusual blend of horrific and hopeful. And in what other crime novel are you going to learn that ultraviolet lighting is used in certain clubs so addicts wanting to shoot up can't see the veins in their arms? A powerfully assured debut by a British novelist who has the potential to be a leading player in modern noir." - Kirkus
"[A] perfect choice for readers who like their heroes a bit battered." –Booklist, starred review
"Knox's impressive debut plunges the reader into the darkest corners of Manchester's druggy club scene. . . . Knox sets a dizzying pace and convincingly evokes the murky, unbalanced atmosphere of an empire built around drugs and money with vivid prose. . . . The hard-hitting action builds to a bleak, wrenching conclusion because, of course, not everyone can be saved." –Publishers Weekly
Readers Top Reviews
SiltoneKarenRCR G
Like many other readers, I fell for the hype surrounding this novel, before buying a copy with my hard-earned cash. In its favour, it started good, and I did like the writing style of this new kid on the literature block, Joseph Knox. However, I ultimately couldn't take to the main character, Aidan Waits. Like many cops, in many novels, here was a guy that had a drinking problem, and this issue led to him making some bad decisions, particularly where his job was concerned. And, like many cops, in many novels, he gets a last chance to redeem himself. For me, Waits was not sufficiently fleshed out, as a result I couldn't decide whether to forgive him his mistakes, his drug habit, and his other short-comings - and in turn be on his side throughout his trials and tribulations. Anyway, he's sent undercover to investigate an enigmatic criminal going by the name of Zain Carver. This character was supposed to have charisma and charm, but I really didn't get that impression because, apart from being tall, handsome and rich, he didn't really have the 'patter' to go along with one who was deemed 'mesmerising' to the girls. This was a novel set mainly in what must be the bleakest, darkest corners of Manchester. At times, I wanted the characters to at least venture into the more vibrant, cultured areas of the city - if only for contrast. Also, given its dark themes, I would have expected some black humour, which was sadly lacking. To sum up, this was well-written, gritty, and tense, with a few curve balls thrown in to keep this reader on his toes, but by the end it didn't quite have what it takes to make it onto my 'memorable reads' list.
YvonneBSiltoneKar
The disgraced detective Aiden Waits is the right man for the job of tracking down a missing girl, especially when that girl is the daughter of an MP, and he wants the news of her disappearance kept quiet. This is a story that I found a little slow to get going but in this slowness the author, managed to convey the scene, the characters and the basics ready for the story to evolve. I got to learn the story behind Waits and the way and why he was offered the job that I think many would have turned down. His record for being a dirty cop allowed him the space to work into the world of drugs, gangs and the whole heap of stuff that you expect to find along with this lifestyle. I got a good idea of the people and the gangs that operate within the drugs world and also the methods of dealing with trouble or potential trouble makers. I felt that once all the basics were covered, the story then kicked into gear, this actually worked quite for me. There are a couple of characters that I liked, but then I wouldn't really want to like some of them, due to the nature of their characters, as they are pretty unpleasant. Even though there are quite a few characters and it took me a little while to get used to them, they are memorable. I did enjoy this book and even though the slower beginning to this story, it gave a good foundation for the story that followed. It gave a lot of detail that I think will stand me in good stead for the next book The Smiling Man, and I am looking forward to reading that as well. This book is definitely gritty and is detailed in some of its descriptions with a plot that explores things I would associate with a gang/drug theme. It deals with social and law disorder, drug abuse, gangs and crime in an atmospheric and noirish way. This is a book I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy Northern Noir, Crime, Thriller with an undercover/ disgraced detective.
Danny GYvonneBSil
That's the highest compliment that I can give a book and it's been a long while since I have said that about a book. I can't wait for the second one to come out. Couldn't put it down. Honestly.
BermudianaDanny G
Joseph Knox's action-packed crime drama turns Manchester into Chicago, where everyone could be pushing drugs or young flesh.Aidan Waits, a seemingly disgraced police officer, actually working undercover, is persuaded to rescue a millionaire's underage daughter from this world,but the harder he tries, the more complex the situation grows. Atmospheric and keeps you guessing.
gammyjillgramcand
British author Joseph Knox's "Sirens", is an assured novel about a Aidan Watts, who may - or may not - be a compromised cop. Watts is asked by his superior to go underground at drug kingpin Zain Carver's headquarters. He's also to find the troubled daughter of a politician who has gone to live with Carver. While I appreciated Knox's writing, I couldn't quite get interested in the book. But it's worth downloading a sample and reading it.
Short Excerpt Teaser
1
The young couple crossed over to avoid me, and I heard the jingle of loose change in someone's pocket.
A street you see every day can look unfamiliar, lying facedown on the ground, and it took me a minute to work out where I was. The pavement was frozen. Low-hanging fog blurred the air, and nothing could pass through it without being altered somehow. It threw the whole city out of focus, taking the shine out of another Friday night.
My left arm had gone numb and I rolled off it to check the time. The face of my watch was shattered. Assuming it had stopped when I hit the floor, assuming that had only been a few minutes ago, I still had over an hour. I could get into some dry clothes and be at the bar in plenty of time to see the handover. I felt my way up a wall and got to my feet. My face hurt and my brain felt like it had come loose, rattling around inside my skull, erasing pin numbers and names of childhood friends.
I watched the young couple disappear into the fog. In spite of social media, CCTV and the state, we still live in a world where you can disappear if you want to. Or even if you don't. It had been about a month since the story leaked.
A month since I'd gone missing.
I felt the back of my head where someone had just hit it, hard. My wallet was still in my pocket, so I hadn't been mugged. I'd been warned. There was no one else around but I could feel eyes all over me.
The street swayed and I held on to a lamppost to steady it. When I started to walk I went for long stretches with my eyes closed, not even thinking about bumping into things.
Turning a corner, I found myself on Back Piccadilly, immediately recognizing its exhausted red bricks by their external fire escapes. These buildings wall in a narrow alley on both sides, making a claustrophobic throughway. The evening rain had caught the moonlight, and I started walking out of nostalgia as much as anything. There was an all-night coffee shop at the other end, and I'd spent some time there in another life. It had been years since I stopped going, and the city had changed so much that I knew I wouldn't see any of the old faces.
I was a few steps into the alleyway when I heard a car start behind me. An engine growled into life, flexing its muscles before falling into a smooth rumble. Light flooded the narrow path and a crooked silhouette grew out from my feet.
Thinner than I remembered it.
I looked over my shoulder, into blinding high beams. The car was idling at the alleyway's entrance. Nothing to see here. I turned and kept walking. I was halfway along when the beams shook. When they started following me.
The engine revved and the car moved closer. It sounded just two or three feet behind, and I knew then that I'd never really disappeared. I could feel the headlights, burning into my back. I didn't want to turn and look through them at the driver anymore. I was afraid of who it might be.
I pressed myself into an alcove so the car could pass. It stayed where it was for a few seconds. Squinting into the light I saw a BMW, all gleaming black paint and chrome. I could feel the night in my lungs. The blood, singing through my veins. A window came down but I couldn't see inside.
"Detective Constable Waits?" said a man.
"Who's asking?"
I heard a woman's laughter from the passenger side.
"We're not asking, handsome. Get in."
2
The rain tapping against the windscreen was making faces at me. My veins felt threadbare and weak, and I sat in the back of the car trying to make a fist for my own amusement. I thought of the speed in my coat pocket.
"True what they say, then?" said the driver, reading my mind. He looked to be in his late forties. He had broad shoulders and weaved them like a middleweight each time he turned the wheel. H...
The young couple crossed over to avoid me, and I heard the jingle of loose change in someone's pocket.
A street you see every day can look unfamiliar, lying facedown on the ground, and it took me a minute to work out where I was. The pavement was frozen. Low-hanging fog blurred the air, and nothing could pass through it without being altered somehow. It threw the whole city out of focus, taking the shine out of another Friday night.
My left arm had gone numb and I rolled off it to check the time. The face of my watch was shattered. Assuming it had stopped when I hit the floor, assuming that had only been a few minutes ago, I still had over an hour. I could get into some dry clothes and be at the bar in plenty of time to see the handover. I felt my way up a wall and got to my feet. My face hurt and my brain felt like it had come loose, rattling around inside my skull, erasing pin numbers and names of childhood friends.
I watched the young couple disappear into the fog. In spite of social media, CCTV and the state, we still live in a world where you can disappear if you want to. Or even if you don't. It had been about a month since the story leaked.
A month since I'd gone missing.
I felt the back of my head where someone had just hit it, hard. My wallet was still in my pocket, so I hadn't been mugged. I'd been warned. There was no one else around but I could feel eyes all over me.
The street swayed and I held on to a lamppost to steady it. When I started to walk I went for long stretches with my eyes closed, not even thinking about bumping into things.
Turning a corner, I found myself on Back Piccadilly, immediately recognizing its exhausted red bricks by their external fire escapes. These buildings wall in a narrow alley on both sides, making a claustrophobic throughway. The evening rain had caught the moonlight, and I started walking out of nostalgia as much as anything. There was an all-night coffee shop at the other end, and I'd spent some time there in another life. It had been years since I stopped going, and the city had changed so much that I knew I wouldn't see any of the old faces.
I was a few steps into the alleyway when I heard a car start behind me. An engine growled into life, flexing its muscles before falling into a smooth rumble. Light flooded the narrow path and a crooked silhouette grew out from my feet.
Thinner than I remembered it.
I looked over my shoulder, into blinding high beams. The car was idling at the alleyway's entrance. Nothing to see here. I turned and kept walking. I was halfway along when the beams shook. When they started following me.
The engine revved and the car moved closer. It sounded just two or three feet behind, and I knew then that I'd never really disappeared. I could feel the headlights, burning into my back. I didn't want to turn and look through them at the driver anymore. I was afraid of who it might be.
I pressed myself into an alcove so the car could pass. It stayed where it was for a few seconds. Squinting into the light I saw a BMW, all gleaming black paint and chrome. I could feel the night in my lungs. The blood, singing through my veins. A window came down but I couldn't see inside.
"Detective Constable Waits?" said a man.
"Who's asking?"
I heard a woman's laughter from the passenger side.
"We're not asking, handsome. Get in."
2
The rain tapping against the windscreen was making faces at me. My veins felt threadbare and weak, and I sat in the back of the car trying to make a fist for my own amusement. I thought of the speed in my coat pocket.
"True what they say, then?" said the driver, reading my mind. He looked to be in his late forties. He had broad shoulders and weaved them like a middleweight each time he turned the wheel. H...
