My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This review is from: Sirens (Aidan Waits) (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Programme
I am reviewing the book, Sirens, by Joseph Knox. Detective Aidan Waits makes his début based in Manchester with this novel where a powerful man asks Aidan to get his runaway daughter, Isabelle Rossiter, back home safely. This simple request has complex consequences. It seems everyone has something to hide and allegiances change to suit. Here are my thoughts:
^^ Straight away I knew this was going to be a great book. For me this has everything; a down-and-out cop not afraid of anything, a page-turning plot, and a realist gritty look at the seedier life of corrupt Manchester. A place I know well, corruption aside of course.
^^ Knox has a certain style about the way he writes, that makes this a gripping and plausible read from the first page to the last. I think it also helped that I am familiar with Manchester and many of the place names mentioned I have visited. This may be a personal bonus, but it added to my reading thrill I am sure.
^^ Written in first person point of view really gives disgraced Detective Waits his own, unique voice.
^^ The chapters are fairly short, which helps keep the pace fast and furious.
^^ My copy is an uncorrected proof copy, therefore I cannot comment too much about some of the editing, however, I do feel it will be tightened up with the potential to be a 2017 bestseller.
Overall: I am happy to have discovered Joseph Knox’s work and even happier to assume this is not going to be the last we hear from Detective Aidan Waits, as I am sure I will not be the only reader who wants more from both. A great Mancunian crime read, with an interesting storyline that had me racing towards the end in no time.
