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True Crime Story
Librarian note: An alternative cover for this ISBN can be found here.
In the early hours of Saturday 17 December 2011, Zoe Nolan, a nineteen-year-old Manchester University student, walked out of a party taking place in the shared accommodation where she had been living for three months.
She was never seen again.
Seven years after her disappearance, struggling writer Evelyn Mitchell finds herself drawn into the mystery. Through interviews with Zoe's closest friends and family, she begins piecing together what really happened in 2011. But where some versions of events overlap, aligning perfectly with one another, others stand in stark contrast, giving rise to troubling inconsistencies.
Shaken by revelations of Zoe's secret life, and stalked by a figure from the shadows, Evelyn turns to crime writer Joseph Knox to help make sense of a case where everyone has something to hide.
Zoe Nolan may be missing presumed dead, but her story is only just beginning
In the early hours of Saturday 17 December 2011, Zoe Nolan, a nineteen-year-old Manchester University student, walked out of a party taking place in the shared accommodation where she had been living for three months.
She was never seen again.
Seven years after her disappearance, struggling writer Evelyn Mitchell finds herself drawn into the mystery. Through interviews with Zoe's closest friends and family, she begins piecing together what really happened in 2011. But where some versions of events overlap, aligning perfectly with one another, others stand in stark contrast, giving rise to troubling inconsistencies.
Shaken by revelations of Zoe's secret life, and stalked by a figure from the shadows, Evelyn turns to crime writer Joseph Knox to help make sense of a case where everyone has something to hide.
Zoe Nolan may be missing presumed dead, but her story is only just beginning
448 pages, Hardcover
First published June 17, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,641 reviews
January 7, 2023
When true crime story waltzes with fiction genre: it’s so eventual to expect the unexpected because your reality simply gets distorted and you may obviously have hard time to differentiate what is real and what is fiction at the end.
After reading Richard Chizmar’s Chasing Boogeyman: I truly get invested to read thrillers written in true crime story style based on real life events. The details and documents, photographs, the choices of words at the interviews always make you rethink what if the thing you’re reading is not a product of a talented author’s creative mind!
Joseph Knox has another brilliant mind who can easily fool us to question everything you’re reading in this book. Even the created backstory about the real reason he decided to work on a missing girl’s story is well constructed.
This story is tense, dark, full of twists you never see them coming, taking place in Manchester, England as like the author’s previous Aidan Waits crime thriller novels.
In December 17th 2011, 19 years old Manchester University student Zoe Nolan walks out of the party where it takes place at a shared accommodation she’d been living for last three months. Nobody sees her again and her body isn’t found! Her disappearance is still a big mystery!
After seven years later of her disappearance, Evelyn Mitchell, an author who is chasing new story ideas and dealing with her terminal disease in the meantime, getting intrigued with Zoe’s story and she connects with Joseph Knox to share her ideas via emails.
Joseph cuts his connection with her because he’s focusing on his next novel but Evelyn’s sudden death, making him change his mind. She already left her interviews, her detailed notes behind. Joseph gets drawn into haunted story of Zoe, doing his best to complete Evelyn’s unfinished business.
It seems like Zoe Nolan is missing, she’s presumed death: but her story is just only the beginning.
The story folded by striking, short interviews of Zoe’s her twin sister and also her flatmate, her other friends from school, her parents, her ex boyfriend Andrew, her detective who’s investigating her case.
The most of the characters are so unlikable, flawed, did so many disturbing things and you cannot simply guess who may be the culprit because each one of them’s narration is unreliable, biased. And each of them points finger to the other.
Even twin sister Kim who lived in the shadow of Zoe, insisting she’s been kidnapped by a white van, witnessing their own father always chose her sister over her is a potential victim.
Even though there are so many voices, characters, the author adroitly achieved to write the story centered on Zoe and what happened to her. She was always the main character. To learn more about her secrets and past help us more to complete the whole puzzle.
I enjoyed the engrossing, gripping, dark writing style and this smart, multi layered, extremely interesting story!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this impressive digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
After reading Richard Chizmar’s Chasing Boogeyman: I truly get invested to read thrillers written in true crime story style based on real life events. The details and documents, photographs, the choices of words at the interviews always make you rethink what if the thing you’re reading is not a product of a talented author’s creative mind!
Joseph Knox has another brilliant mind who can easily fool us to question everything you’re reading in this book. Even the created backstory about the real reason he decided to work on a missing girl’s story is well constructed.
This story is tense, dark, full of twists you never see them coming, taking place in Manchester, England as like the author’s previous Aidan Waits crime thriller novels.
In December 17th 2011, 19 years old Manchester University student Zoe Nolan walks out of the party where it takes place at a shared accommodation she’d been living for last three months. Nobody sees her again and her body isn’t found! Her disappearance is still a big mystery!
After seven years later of her disappearance, Evelyn Mitchell, an author who is chasing new story ideas and dealing with her terminal disease in the meantime, getting intrigued with Zoe’s story and she connects with Joseph Knox to share her ideas via emails.
Joseph cuts his connection with her because he’s focusing on his next novel but Evelyn’s sudden death, making him change his mind. She already left her interviews, her detailed notes behind. Joseph gets drawn into haunted story of Zoe, doing his best to complete Evelyn’s unfinished business.
It seems like Zoe Nolan is missing, she’s presumed death: but her story is just only the beginning.
The story folded by striking, short interviews of Zoe’s her twin sister and also her flatmate, her other friends from school, her parents, her ex boyfriend Andrew, her detective who’s investigating her case.
The most of the characters are so unlikable, flawed, did so many disturbing things and you cannot simply guess who may be the culprit because each one of them’s narration is unreliable, biased. And each of them points finger to the other.
Even twin sister Kim who lived in the shadow of Zoe, insisting she’s been kidnapped by a white van, witnessing their own father always chose her sister over her is a potential victim.
Even though there are so many voices, characters, the author adroitly achieved to write the story centered on Zoe and what happened to her. She was always the main character. To learn more about her secrets and past help us more to complete the whole puzzle.
I enjoyed the engrossing, gripping, dark writing style and this smart, multi layered, extremely interesting story!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for sharing this impressive digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
May 24, 2021
After making his name with his wonderful Aidan Waits series, Joseph Knox moves in a surprisingly different and original direction with this, done in the style of a disturbing, dark and chilling true crime documentary in which Knox himself features. In 2011, a Manchester University student, 19 year old Zoe Nolan goes missing from her student flat after a party, never to be seen again. Her twin sister, Kim, is at the same university, she had lived under the shadow of Zoe in her life. Evelyn Mitchell has been looking into Zoe's disappearance, discussing the case with Joseph Knox, seeking advice and support from him through emails. In a fragmented and chaotic narrative, there are interview transcripts from the relevant characters, friends and family, memories and accounts of the night Zoe went missing. Barely any of the characters are likeable, everyone is a suspect, as inconsistencies emerge.
There are twists and turns aplenty as secrets, lies, deceptions, and obsessions emerge in this complex and complicated mystery, keeping the reader off kilter right up to the unexpected conclusion. This novel became more and more compulsive the more I read, with an increasingly menacing feel to this intriguing read, definitely a fruitful and riveting new direction for the author to take. I can see this particularly appealing to true crime fans, as well as other crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
There are twists and turns aplenty as secrets, lies, deceptions, and obsessions emerge in this complex and complicated mystery, keeping the reader off kilter right up to the unexpected conclusion. This novel became more and more compulsive the more I read, with an increasingly menacing feel to this intriguing read, definitely a fruitful and riveting new direction for the author to take. I can see this particularly appealing to true crime fans, as well as other crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to Random House Transworld for an ARC.
March 20, 2021
*3.5 stars *
I loved Joseph Knox’s The Smiling Man, so when I saw that he had written this stand-alone, True Crime Story, I was really excited to read it.
Listed as a blend of fact and fiction, the storyline revolves around missing 19 year old Manchester university student Zoe Nolan, who went missing from her university halls of residence in 2011, and was never seen again.
Readers are taken through events leading up to Zoe’s disappearance by way of accounts and emails from her twin sister Kim (a student at the same university), her parents, friends, and also the police and professionals investigating this missing person case.
This was a really hard one for me to review, it’s just so different from Knox’s Aidan Waits series, and I admit to being irritated and confused initially, I just found it difficult to grasp something that (for me) felt quite disjointed. However, slowly and gradually, Zoe’s story, (that is) the story presented to us by the aforementioned characters, pulled me in, and from then onwards, I found it a more compelling read. He said/she said/ they said - but what is the truth of it? I didn’t know who or what to believe, but I (eventually) enjoyed the journey.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
I loved Joseph Knox’s The Smiling Man, so when I saw that he had written this stand-alone, True Crime Story, I was really excited to read it.
Listed as a blend of fact and fiction, the storyline revolves around missing 19 year old Manchester university student Zoe Nolan, who went missing from her university halls of residence in 2011, and was never seen again.
Readers are taken through events leading up to Zoe’s disappearance by way of accounts and emails from her twin sister Kim (a student at the same university), her parents, friends, and also the police and professionals investigating this missing person case.
This was a really hard one for me to review, it’s just so different from Knox’s Aidan Waits series, and I admit to being irritated and confused initially, I just found it difficult to grasp something that (for me) felt quite disjointed. However, slowly and gradually, Zoe’s story, (that is) the story presented to us by the aforementioned characters, pulled me in, and from then onwards, I found it a more compelling read. He said/she said/ they said - but what is the truth of it? I didn’t know who or what to believe, but I (eventually) enjoyed the journey.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
November 6, 2021
A fiction book that reads like fact, but with minimal success.
Zoe Nolan disappeared in the winter of 2011 from Manchester University, where she was a first year student. Years later, writer Evelyn Mitchell decides to write a book about the strange disappearance of the woman who was never seen again. She interviews friends and family, hoping to dig deeper into the life of Zoe, in hopes of finding out what happened to her.
Evelyn enlists the help of Joseph Knox, a well known crime author (and author of this book). She hopes that between the two of them, they can figure out the secrets surrounding Zoe’s disappearance. As Joseph reads more of what Evelyn has written so far and offers his theories, Evelyn starts to feel watched...and thinks someone close to the book may not want the story to be told.
True Crime Story is a work of fiction, written as a true crime novel. It’s told through interview transcripts and newspaper articles...along with email correspondence between Evelyn and Joseph. While I absolutely loved the format, the rest left much to be desired.
The characters were all obnoxious and terrible in their own ways, and I felt like there was way too much focus on them when the story should’ve focused more on Zoe. I understand that these folks were in her life, but it was too much insincerity.
While I applaud that the book made a point to focus on the victim as opposed to the suspect(s)/bad people, I never really cared for Zoe or what happened to her. She was too vapid.
It was a bit of a toll to get through this, as I found it slow and taking too long to get to the point. Every now and then, a suspenseful moment would occur. I kept chugging along in hopes that the ending would be worth my while. It wasn’t.
I see why some reviewers enjoyed this one, but while there were definitely intriguing and clever bits, it wasn’t enough for me. The crime and characters just weren’t compelling. If you’re looking for something similar (and stronger) in terms of reading like a true crime novel, I recommend Chasing The Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar.
2.5 stars.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 12/7/21.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Zoe Nolan disappeared in the winter of 2011 from Manchester University, where she was a first year student. Years later, writer Evelyn Mitchell decides to write a book about the strange disappearance of the woman who was never seen again. She interviews friends and family, hoping to dig deeper into the life of Zoe, in hopes of finding out what happened to her.
Evelyn enlists the help of Joseph Knox, a well known crime author (and author of this book). She hopes that between the two of them, they can figure out the secrets surrounding Zoe’s disappearance. As Joseph reads more of what Evelyn has written so far and offers his theories, Evelyn starts to feel watched...and thinks someone close to the book may not want the story to be told.
True Crime Story is a work of fiction, written as a true crime novel. It’s told through interview transcripts and newspaper articles...along with email correspondence between Evelyn and Joseph. While I absolutely loved the format, the rest left much to be desired.
The characters were all obnoxious and terrible in their own ways, and I felt like there was way too much focus on them when the story should’ve focused more on Zoe. I understand that these folks were in her life, but it was too much insincerity.
While I applaud that the book made a point to focus on the victim as opposed to the suspect(s)/bad people, I never really cared for Zoe or what happened to her. She was too vapid.
It was a bit of a toll to get through this, as I found it slow and taking too long to get to the point. Every now and then, a suspenseful moment would occur. I kept chugging along in hopes that the ending would be worth my while. It wasn’t.
I see why some reviewers enjoyed this one, but while there were definitely intriguing and clever bits, it wasn’t enough for me. The crime and characters just weren’t compelling. If you’re looking for something similar (and stronger) in terms of reading like a true crime novel, I recommend Chasing The Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar.
2.5 stars.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 12/7/21.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
December 7, 2021
If you loved the way that “Daisy Jones and the Six” was told-you MIGHT love this one too.
Struggling writer Evelyn Mitchell becomes obsessed with “girls who go missing” and decides to focus her book on one in particular-Zoe Nolan, who walked out of her shared accommodations at Tower Block and was never seen again.
In this fictional story, Evelyn turns to crime writer, Joseph Knox (actual author of this book) for help. The entire book is told through the words of those she interviewed-what they remember-misremember-and flat out lie about, (Daisy Jones style) as well as through her emails to Joseph.
So, why is he the one to publish the story, instead of Evelyn?
There are Publisher’s notes and Editor’s notes-added I think-to have this fictional story read as true crime-but I just found them to be confusing. 🤷🏻♀️
Perhaps, because I recently read and loved “Chasing the Boogeyman” by Richard Chizmar, (5⭐️ for me) this one just didn’t compare. That story was also a blend of True Crime and Fiction, with the author inserting himself into the narrative, but as I read that one, I had to stop and Google the crime, several times, convinced that it was true.
I did not find myself doing that here.
In addition, once the “perpetrator” was revealed-I just struggled with WHAT was taken Zoe’s room (you will know what I am referring to when you get there-Ick! 😖) WHO it was, and WHY!
But, life can be stranger than fiction so, who knows?
The author has many fans from his Aidan Waits thriller series, and this book has mostly positive reviews, so you may want to read a sample before deciding if this one is for you.
Perhaps it would work better as an Audible-these “interview style” books often do.
But, I read it- and that format did NOT work for me.
2.5 ⭐️ rounded down
Now available
Thank You to the Publisher for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
Struggling writer Evelyn Mitchell becomes obsessed with “girls who go missing” and decides to focus her book on one in particular-Zoe Nolan, who walked out of her shared accommodations at Tower Block and was never seen again.
In this fictional story, Evelyn turns to crime writer, Joseph Knox (actual author of this book) for help. The entire book is told through the words of those she interviewed-what they remember-misremember-and flat out lie about, (Daisy Jones style) as well as through her emails to Joseph.
So, why is he the one to publish the story, instead of Evelyn?
There are Publisher’s notes and Editor’s notes-added I think-to have this fictional story read as true crime-but I just found them to be confusing. 🤷🏻♀️
Perhaps, because I recently read and loved “Chasing the Boogeyman” by Richard Chizmar, (5⭐️ for me) this one just didn’t compare. That story was also a blend of True Crime and Fiction, with the author inserting himself into the narrative, but as I read that one, I had to stop and Google the crime, several times, convinced that it was true.
I did not find myself doing that here.
In addition, once the “perpetrator” was revealed-I just struggled with WHAT was taken Zoe’s room (you will know what I am referring to when you get there-Ick! 😖) WHO it was, and WHY!
But, life can be stranger than fiction so, who knows?
The author has many fans from his Aidan Waits thriller series, and this book has mostly positive reviews, so you may want to read a sample before deciding if this one is for you.
Perhaps it would work better as an Audible-these “interview style” books often do.
But, I read it- and that format did NOT work for me.
2.5 ⭐️ rounded down
Now available
Thank You to the Publisher for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
November 22, 2021
This was a huge slog to get through. Like I said in one of my updates, this format would have worked well as an audiobook, but on the page it was incredibly drawn out and slow, ALL telling, no dialogue, action, or showing of any story.
It's presented as two writers who have researched a cold case of missing college student Zoe Nolan. In going back through old transcripts, as well as conducting new interviews with those involved, they are determined to discover what happened to her.
Through pages and pages of tedious interviews from all involved, we realize that everyone in turn is an unreliable narrator--because when it comes right down to it, aren't we all in real life? We position ourselves in the best possible light, and if that means bending the truth, deliberately hiding things, and misdirecting--if we know that it has no effect on the outcome, we all do it. But when you take it as a whole, the lies of omission and the truth bending just serves to make solving the crime nearly impossible.
I didn't care for the ending wrap up either. It was too abrupt, after so very much lead up. I only stuck with it because I wanted answers, and I was far from satisfied with what I got. The ending was way too neatly tied up, yet way too open ended for my liking (if that makes any sense).
I know many people really liked this one but it just did not work for me in so many ways.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
February 4, 2021
This latest book from the very talented Joseph Knox is quite different from his Aidan Waits series as it’s presented like a transcript for a documentary. It’s a blend of ‘fact’ with fiction which centres on the disappearance of Zoe Nolan from her Manchester University accommodation in December 2011. What happens to Zoe? This story is told via interviews with key characters and a series of emails which works surprisingly well as you try to work out whose account is believable.
This is a very ambitious piece of work and I imagine is harder to write than a conventional crime story. It becomes a compelling and gripping read as you see the multitude of complications and the mystery of Zoe’s life. It becomes apparent that it’s like an iceberg in that two thirds of it is hidden from view. You witness a family who are fractured to say the least, with secrets and lies, jealousy, obsession and ambition at its heart. There are several suspects, a lot of weird and unsettling events and it’s clear there are dark forces at work but the ‘who’ and the ‘why’ remains a mystery for years. There’s a very creepy atmosphere which sends shivers down your spine around Zoe’s university accommodation which is literally stuff of nightmares. I can’t say the characters are especially likeable, in particular Zoe’s father Andrew does not emerge out of this story well. All the suspicions, fraught atmosphere and a botched investigation are conveyed well. The ending is a bit left field but is certainly dramatic.
Overall, an intriguing book which feels very authentic and keeps the interest until the end. I like the fact that Zoe stays centre stage in the inquiry as all too often it becomes about the perpetrator and we forget the names of the victims of crime. How wrong is that?
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld /Doubleday for the arc for an honest review.
This is a very ambitious piece of work and I imagine is harder to write than a conventional crime story. It becomes a compelling and gripping read as you see the multitude of complications and the mystery of Zoe’s life. It becomes apparent that it’s like an iceberg in that two thirds of it is hidden from view. You witness a family who are fractured to say the least, with secrets and lies, jealousy, obsession and ambition at its heart. There are several suspects, a lot of weird and unsettling events and it’s clear there are dark forces at work but the ‘who’ and the ‘why’ remains a mystery for years. There’s a very creepy atmosphere which sends shivers down your spine around Zoe’s university accommodation which is literally stuff of nightmares. I can’t say the characters are especially likeable, in particular Zoe’s father Andrew does not emerge out of this story well. All the suspicions, fraught atmosphere and a botched investigation are conveyed well. The ending is a bit left field but is certainly dramatic.
Overall, an intriguing book which feels very authentic and keeps the interest until the end. I like the fact that Zoe stays centre stage in the inquiry as all too often it becomes about the perpetrator and we forget the names of the victims of crime. How wrong is that?
With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld /Doubleday for the arc for an honest review.
September 25, 2022
I HAD A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS WITH THIS BOOK!
This is what reading is all about! I can't recommend this audiobook enough. I desperately want the physical book to annotate but why would a physical book ever exist when it's a full cast dramatized narration?
I understand that this isn't a phenomenally written book and a lot of things that happen are purposefully in-your-face twists to make the reader jump. BUT WHEN I TELL YOU I WAS JUMPING.
I needed to know what was going to happen to Evelyn and Zoe. I read a lot of this book two or three times. I adored it. it felt so real to me.
With a critical lens, this would get 4 stars but the experience I had makes it a 5 stars, no doubt.
I was crying reading this because I felt such ever-present danger for our investigator, Evelyn, and I wanted her to turn out okay. She fought so hard for her story and for the truth of Zoe. Her book and character had me INVESTED.
Also, this type of true crime gets me in a whole new type of way. The 'there's nothing you can do. people can get you no matter how smart you are or how much you prepare' gets me.
When I tell you that I finished this book at 1am and lay in my bed until after 6am before I could sleep because I was so SCARED. This book genuinely made me frightened of the dark. That doesn't happen but every 16th full moon for me. So I have to give this 5 stars.
This is what reading is all about! I can't recommend this audiobook enough. I desperately want the physical book to annotate but why would a physical book ever exist when it's a full cast dramatized narration?
I understand that this isn't a phenomenally written book and a lot of things that happen are purposefully in-your-face twists to make the reader jump. BUT WHEN I TELL YOU I WAS JUMPING.
I needed to know what was going to happen to Evelyn and Zoe. I read a lot of this book two or three times. I adored it. it felt so real to me.
With a critical lens, this would get 4 stars but the experience I had makes it a 5 stars, no doubt.
I was crying reading this because I felt such ever-present danger for our investigator, Evelyn, and I wanted her to turn out okay. She fought so hard for her story and for the truth of Zoe. Her book and character had me INVESTED.
Also, this type of true crime gets me in a whole new type of way. The 'there's nothing you can do. people can get you no matter how smart you are or how much you prepare' gets me.
When I tell you that I finished this book at 1am and lay in my bed until after 6am before I could sleep because I was so SCARED. This book genuinely made me frightened of the dark. That doesn't happen but every 16th full moon for me. So I have to give this 5 stars.
June 12, 2021
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 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 darkly 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 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.
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 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 darkly 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 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.
December 8, 2021
Taking a page from Daisy Jones and the Six, a rockumentary about a made-up rock band, Knox’s latest novel, True Crime Story, uses the documentary journalism style to report about a missing college girl. If you pick this up expecting something like the fourth Aiden Watts gritty police novel, be prepared for something completely different, a burst of creative energy in a totally different direction. The story is still dark and deadly and still takes place in Manchester, England, but that’s where the resemblance ends.
Here, the story is told in a series of short, punchy interview excerpts from the survivors of Zoe’s disappearance, including that of Kimberley, her twin sister and flatmate, her ex boyfriend Andrew Flowers, her other flatmates, her parents, the investigating detective, and other hangers-on.
As you hear them talk to the erstwhile interviewer, Evelyn, who also exchanges emails with our author, Joseph Knox, the reader isn’t explicitly told whether it’s fact or fiction or whether this is yet another well-publicized case of a missing girl.
All the principals in the story are at each other’s throats, blaming each other, and the internet is outing these people too. As the story goes on, we are heading done different directions, chasing one red herring after another from the creepy professor who dates and dumps his students to the creepy father who favors Zoe over Kim, to the jealous less-well-known twin sister, to the missing underwear, to the exposed sex tape, to the sinister shadow, to the white van that kidnapped Kim.
At first, it seems like a sordid nasty soap opera that Zoe left behind, but eventually every minor detail becomes important.
The interview technique of telling this story works well because all these small things are how people remember things and each person has a distinctly different perspective. All in all, well done.
Here, the story is told in a series of short, punchy interview excerpts from the survivors of Zoe’s disappearance, including that of Kimberley, her twin sister and flatmate, her ex boyfriend Andrew Flowers, her other flatmates, her parents, the investigating detective, and other hangers-on.
As you hear them talk to the erstwhile interviewer, Evelyn, who also exchanges emails with our author, Joseph Knox, the reader isn’t explicitly told whether it’s fact or fiction or whether this is yet another well-publicized case of a missing girl.
All the principals in the story are at each other’s throats, blaming each other, and the internet is outing these people too. As the story goes on, we are heading done different directions, chasing one red herring after another from the creepy professor who dates and dumps his students to the creepy father who favors Zoe over Kim, to the jealous less-well-known twin sister, to the missing underwear, to the exposed sex tape, to the sinister shadow, to the white van that kidnapped Kim.
At first, it seems like a sordid nasty soap opera that Zoe left behind, but eventually every minor detail becomes important.
The interview technique of telling this story works well because all these small things are how people remember things and each person has a distinctly different perspective. All in all, well done.
January 20, 2021
Full review near publication but..
1) Could EASILY end up being my no 1 of 2021.
2) Insidiously brilliant.
3) I never saw it coming
4) JK is evil.
5) Fact is stranger than fiction. Or is it the other way around?!
Highly recommended. Get this on your must read lists for 2021, crime fans.
1) Could EASILY end up being my no 1 of 2021.
2) Insidiously brilliant.
3) I never saw it coming
4) JK is evil.
5) Fact is stranger than fiction. Or is it the other way around?!
Highly recommended. Get this on your must read lists for 2021, crime fans.
January 22, 2021
This book is a mix of a true crime story and fiction by author Joseph Knox that makes fascinating reading. The book started really well and I was addicted very quickly finding mysely unable to put the book down.
This is a well written book that is told through interviews and investigations into the disappearance of Zoe Nolan. This book is a great read that tells the story of Zoe Nolan, a 19 year old Manchester University student who went missing walking home from a party and was never seen again. Excellent read and so well written.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a well written book that is told through interviews and investigations into the disappearance of Zoe Nolan. This book is a great read that tells the story of Zoe Nolan, a 19 year old Manchester University student who went missing walking home from a party and was never seen again. Excellent read and so well written.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2021
Ok, so the plot in this may be one we've all seen hundreds of times before (female student stalked, lies and secrets, a 'how well do we know those we're close to' vibe) but what makes this a blast to read is the playful way that the narrative pretends to be 'true' including a 'Joseph Knox', publisher notes and Sebaldian photos.
The main story is carried in interviews that have been spliced together, very similar to Daisy Jones & The Six, and a framing email exchange between 'Joseph Knox' and his writer pal - the 'found footage' feel makes this a page-turner despite there being some holes in the plot (who writes an unaddressed text message, especially when the message is clearly meant for someone close - don't we just reply to an existing thread? Ah, but the plot needs the mystery...) and a sort of left-field crazy solution!
Just the thing for switch-off reading or as a palate cleanser between heavier fare.
Thanks to Random House/Doubleday for an ARC via NetGalley
The main story is carried in interviews that have been spliced together, very similar to Daisy Jones & The Six, and a framing email exchange between 'Joseph Knox' and his writer pal - the 'found footage' feel makes this a page-turner despite there being some holes in the plot (who writes an unaddressed text message, especially when the message is clearly meant for someone close - don't we just reply to an existing thread? Ah, but the plot needs the mystery...) and a sort of left-field crazy solution!
Just the thing for switch-off reading or as a palate cleanser between heavier fare.
Thanks to Random House/Doubleday for an ARC via NetGalley
January 11, 2023
First comments - I finished this yesterday and at this point in time I have no idea what my rating is going to be. Slightly contradictory however it was a good story which I didn't particularly like from an author I do like...
In full
Billed as "blending fact and fiction" this is the story of Zoe Nolan who goes missing from her student flat in Manchester in December 2011. This appears to be a journalistic investigation of an unsolved missing person or crime. There are email interactions between the woman who is researching this and Joseph Knox. They contain narrative from interviews with various people involved at the time. It is increasingly obvious that quite a bit was not discovered about Zoe when she first went missing.
In a sense I thought this was quite a good story looking at it as a whole. There are numerous twists and turns in the narrative as aspects of Zoe and her friends' lives are gradually revealed. I confess that I thought I knew the answer to this but I was wrong! From that view point I think this is a good story.
However I cannot honestly say that I got as much pleasure as I was hoping for reading this. I came to this as a fan of Joe Knox's Aidan Waits stories. However here the narrative style of hopping between contributors was not one I really liked. I also felt that the first third at least was fairly slow. Certainly the pace and tension improved significantly from around halfway through.
The other aspect that I found puzzling and a little disappointing was the characters. It didn't take me long to realise that I didn't really like any of them very much although Zoe's twin sister might be an exception to that. I felt no engagement with them or really the story for quite some time. Given that Aidan Waits is one of my favourite characters of recent years and his stories for me were very well written I found this odd.
I must stress this is not a bad read. Far more it is a case of the fact it wasn't the great read I was expecting. I can see that plenty of people love this so possibly it's just me. Personally I would advise people new to Joe Knox's work to start with the Aidan Waits stories. 3.5/5
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
In full
Billed as "blending fact and fiction" this is the story of Zoe Nolan who goes missing from her student flat in Manchester in December 2011. This appears to be a journalistic investigation of an unsolved missing person or crime. There are email interactions between the woman who is researching this and Joseph Knox. They contain narrative from interviews with various people involved at the time. It is increasingly obvious that quite a bit was not discovered about Zoe when she first went missing.
In a sense I thought this was quite a good story looking at it as a whole. There are numerous twists and turns in the narrative as aspects of Zoe and her friends' lives are gradually revealed. I confess that I thought I knew the answer to this but I was wrong! From that view point I think this is a good story.
However I cannot honestly say that I got as much pleasure as I was hoping for reading this. I came to this as a fan of Joe Knox's Aidan Waits stories. However here the narrative style of hopping between contributors was not one I really liked. I also felt that the first third at least was fairly slow. Certainly the pace and tension improved significantly from around halfway through.
The other aspect that I found puzzling and a little disappointing was the characters. It didn't take me long to realise that I didn't really like any of them very much although Zoe's twin sister might be an exception to that. I felt no engagement with them or really the story for quite some time. Given that Aidan Waits is one of my favourite characters of recent years and his stories for me were very well written I found this odd.
I must stress this is not a bad read. Far more it is a case of the fact it wasn't the great read I was expecting. I can see that plenty of people love this so possibly it's just me. Personally I would advise people new to Joe Knox's work to start with the Aidan Waits stories. 3.5/5
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
December 23, 2021
i am literally SCREAMING. this book had me in so much suspense i literally had tears in my eyes towards the end because i was so anxious to know who did it. i am usually a pretty tough rater when it comes to thrillers but this one just really did it for me. the podcast style was 👨🏻🍳💋 and the way joseph knox wrote himself into the story was so clever.
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December 18, 2023
Zoe Nolan disappeared in 2011 from a student party in Manchester. There are a lot of witnesses of that party, but it doesn't help finding her. A few years later a young writer Evelyn Mitchell tries to understand what happened with Zoe that night only to be killed herself when she finds the truth.
She sends all her discoveries to Joseph Knox.
This is a very unusual book with a lot of information through which you must navigate trying to guess what happened with Zoe. It is enjoyable and makes a good read.
She sends all her discoveries to Joseph Knox.
This is a very unusual book with a lot of information through which you must navigate trying to guess what happened with Zoe. It is enjoyable and makes a good read.
December 30, 2021
True Crime Story is a thrilling account of 19 yr old Manchester University student Zoe Nolan's sudden disappearance after leaving a party on Saturday, December 19th, 2011.
She was never seen again.
Seven years later, Evelyn Mitchell, a struggling writer, becomes obsessed with Zoe's unexplained disappearance and after interviewing family and friends enlists the help of crime writer Joseph Knox. Together they unravel a compelling story that blows their minds.
Told though interviews, emails and editorial comments this investigation gripped me from start to finish.
A very creative and intriguing way, of blending fact and fiction, to tell a story!
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
She was never seen again.
Seven years later, Evelyn Mitchell, a struggling writer, becomes obsessed with Zoe's unexplained disappearance and after interviewing family and friends enlists the help of crime writer Joseph Knox. Together they unravel a compelling story that blows their minds.
Told though interviews, emails and editorial comments this investigation gripped me from start to finish.
A very creative and intriguing way, of blending fact and fiction, to tell a story!
Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
February 8, 2021
I really struggled to finish this book. Clearly I'm in the minority, but I was completely bored the entire time. I felt like I was in the middle of a crowded room with multiple people all shouting at once, with only snippets of the conversations getting through, and I'm still not clear on the ending.
I received an advance copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
I received an advance copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
July 27, 2021
4 Stars. This book was written in a format that I've never encountered before. It was almost entirely transcripts of interviews with friends and family of a missing girl. Very intriguing story that I can recommend to anyone who enjoys true crime.
October 7, 2022
True Crime Story is not a true crime story but reads as a true crime story. The novel unfolds in an interview format with emails interspersed between. The interviewees are friends and family of a missing college student. All are unreliable and most unlikeable. The emails are between the interviewer and author Joseph Knox who inserts himself in the story. I will say this, it kept my interest throughout, although it was slow going at times. There were a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming, but I don't know how anyone could. They kinda came out thin air with not a clue to be found to even steer one in that direction. Just my take... The ending was rather abrupt and I have questions! Especially about a certain someone and their many maladies.
Read
December 23, 2021Though True Crime Story was not the best true crime, non-fiction or fiction, that I've ever read, I do have to give author Joseph Knox credit for a detailed, plotted read. How did he keep all this straight? Add that he himself, yes, Joseph Knox, is a character who mentors an author who is writing a manuscript of the crime; well, the story is unique. Many and I mean many, readers and reviewers, both pro and fans, loved this docudrama style, calling it brilliant, intriguing, entertaining, original, to name a few labels.
So what didn't work for me? Knox chose to tell his story from the perspective of several voices in a series of interviews, though it's really the would be author doing this, some with law-enforcement, others, off the cuff, giving us a true POV experience. Perhaps this is how it would be if you were reading a case report of police and the notes of an author. He Said: She Said: and then They Said Again: and Again:; I'd have preferred a narrative read.
Whew! I get it, I got it, I finished it and am now moving on to something else. Sincere thanks are extended to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read True Crime Story
So what didn't work for me? Knox chose to tell his story from the perspective of several voices in a series of interviews, though it's really the would be author doing this, some with law-enforcement, others, off the cuff, giving us a true POV experience. Perhaps this is how it would be if you were reading a case report of police and the notes of an author. He Said: She Said: and then They Said Again: and Again:; I'd have preferred a narrative read.
Whew! I get it, I got it, I finished it and am now moving on to something else. Sincere thanks are extended to Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read True Crime Story
November 13, 2021
3.0 Stars
I absolutely loved the premise of this one. I love true crime where the author inserts themselves into the narrative. So I was eager to read a piece of fiction that would recreate this experience. Unfortunately, this one did not fully succeed in the execution.
I think my reading experience suffered because I read this one after Chasing the Boogeyman and I could not help but compare these two 2021 releases. I absolutely love Richard Chizmar's novel and this one just paled in comparison.
To be fair, this is a good mystery with a compelling setup. The biggest pitfall for me was the fact that I usually do not enjoy these non-traditional narratives. I just do not connect with these stories told through interviews and emails. This might work better on audio but I read this one.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I absolutely loved the premise of this one. I love true crime where the author inserts themselves into the narrative. So I was eager to read a piece of fiction that would recreate this experience. Unfortunately, this one did not fully succeed in the execution.
I think my reading experience suffered because I read this one after Chasing the Boogeyman and I could not help but compare these two 2021 releases. I absolutely love Richard Chizmar's novel and this one just paled in comparison.
To be fair, this is a good mystery with a compelling setup. The biggest pitfall for me was the fact that I usually do not enjoy these non-traditional narratives. I just do not connect with these stories told through interviews and emails. This might work better on audio but I read this one.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
June 3, 2021
Some books are incredibly difficult to review coherently, and True Crime Story is one of those books. It's a story that ingrains itself into your brain, it lingers and you find yourself wondering and pondering, and desperate to get back to it.
Knox has structured this story so well. From the beginning, with the 'publisher's note' printed at the start of the book, the reader finds themselves asking questions. I defy any reader not to Google the characters and the case, because it feels so real, so authentic and it is utterly brilliant.
In the early hours of Saturday 17 December 2011, Zoe Nolan, a nineteen-year-old Manchester University student, walked out of a party taking place in the shared accommodation where she had been living for three months.
She was never seen again.
In January 2019, crime fiction author Joseph Knox receives an email from a woman called Evelyn Mitchell. Evelyn has been carrying out her own investigation into Zoe's disappearance and has spoken with her family and friends. She is determined to turn these statements into a book, and wants advice from Knox; an author who she admires.
True Crime Story is made up of the various accounts given to Evelyn by Zoe's family and her friends, and is interspersed with the email communication between Knox and Evelyn. It is very clever, it is compelling and intriguing and the further you read, the more you learn about Zoe, her life and her circumstances.
It's an uncomfortable read at times. It feels a little voyeuristic, it is also quite disturbing and none of the players in this story are cast in a good light; including Zoe.
Expect the unexpected, do not be fooled by anything you read. This tale is full of unrelenting pressure, twists and dark secrets that are slowly exposed. There is danger and dirt, there are characters who hide in plain sight, there are events that will chill you.
True Crime Story is outrageously good. This is fiction writing at the highest level. It is masterfully created and it's a story that will stay with me for a very long time, not just for the plot, but for the ingenuity of how it is put together. Highly recommended by me.
Knox has structured this story so well. From the beginning, with the 'publisher's note' printed at the start of the book, the reader finds themselves asking questions. I defy any reader not to Google the characters and the case, because it feels so real, so authentic and it is utterly brilliant.
In the early hours of Saturday 17 December 2011, Zoe Nolan, a nineteen-year-old Manchester University student, walked out of a party taking place in the shared accommodation where she had been living for three months.
She was never seen again.
In January 2019, crime fiction author Joseph Knox receives an email from a woman called Evelyn Mitchell. Evelyn has been carrying out her own investigation into Zoe's disappearance and has spoken with her family and friends. She is determined to turn these statements into a book, and wants advice from Knox; an author who she admires.
True Crime Story is made up of the various accounts given to Evelyn by Zoe's family and her friends, and is interspersed with the email communication between Knox and Evelyn. It is very clever, it is compelling and intriguing and the further you read, the more you learn about Zoe, her life and her circumstances.
It's an uncomfortable read at times. It feels a little voyeuristic, it is also quite disturbing and none of the players in this story are cast in a good light; including Zoe.
Expect the unexpected, do not be fooled by anything you read. This tale is full of unrelenting pressure, twists and dark secrets that are slowly exposed. There is danger and dirt, there are characters who hide in plain sight, there are events that will chill you.
True Crime Story is outrageously good. This is fiction writing at the highest level. It is masterfully created and it's a story that will stay with me for a very long time, not just for the plot, but for the ingenuity of how it is put together. Highly recommended by me.
December 7, 2021
True Crime Story by Joseph Knox is an epic thriller everyone will want to put on their must read list!
College student Zoe Nolan disappeared from her dorm building in Manchester, England in 2011 and has never been seen since. What began as a missing person investigation, erupted into a full-scale is she dead mystery, with suspects including her twin sister Kim as well as her boyfriend, father and even friends.
When writer Evelyn Mitchell decides to write a book about the case and asks her friend, fellow best-selling author Joseph Knox to give her some guidance, never did they see the horrible, shocking outcome to the mystery.
Through a series of riveting transcribed interviews Evelyn does with Zoe’s family, friends and the police, before, during and after her disappearance, Evelyn and Joseph begin to learn many alarming pieces of information about Zoe, as well as about her twin sister Kim, who always felt as if she could and would never live up to her sister’s talent. Zoe’s boyfriend is even suspected as more is learned about the days and hours leading up to her vanishing. Even Zoe and Kim’s father is suspected as he has no alibi for the time his daughter went missing. More importantly, it seems everyone involves is hiding information.
As days turn into weeks and then years there is no word or sign of Zoe. Everyone has tried to move on, most not being able to let go of the trauma they had endured. Then suddenly, out of the blue, close to the anniversary of the disappearance, they are all jolted by information none of them had ever known. Why now?
Will Zoe ever be found? What happened to her? Is she alive? If not, who killed her? And why?
This story is so unique, eerie, captivating and gripping with astounding twists and turns and an incredible jaw-dropping ending which was staggering!
Thank you #NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark #JosephKnox #TrueCrimeStory for the advanced copy.
College student Zoe Nolan disappeared from her dorm building in Manchester, England in 2011 and has never been seen since. What began as a missing person investigation, erupted into a full-scale is she dead mystery, with suspects including her twin sister Kim as well as her boyfriend, father and even friends.
When writer Evelyn Mitchell decides to write a book about the case and asks her friend, fellow best-selling author Joseph Knox to give her some guidance, never did they see the horrible, shocking outcome to the mystery.
Through a series of riveting transcribed interviews Evelyn does with Zoe’s family, friends and the police, before, during and after her disappearance, Evelyn and Joseph begin to learn many alarming pieces of information about Zoe, as well as about her twin sister Kim, who always felt as if she could and would never live up to her sister’s talent. Zoe’s boyfriend is even suspected as more is learned about the days and hours leading up to her vanishing. Even Zoe and Kim’s father is suspected as he has no alibi for the time his daughter went missing. More importantly, it seems everyone involves is hiding information.
As days turn into weeks and then years there is no word or sign of Zoe. Everyone has tried to move on, most not being able to let go of the trauma they had endured. Then suddenly, out of the blue, close to the anniversary of the disappearance, they are all jolted by information none of them had ever known. Why now?
Will Zoe ever be found? What happened to her? Is she alive? If not, who killed her? And why?
This story is so unique, eerie, captivating and gripping with astounding twists and turns and an incredible jaw-dropping ending which was staggering!
Thank you #NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark #JosephKnox #TrueCrimeStory for the advanced copy.
November 4, 2021
I received a free e-copy of True Crime Story by Joseph Knox from NetGalley for my honest review.
A very interesting fictional true crime story. A group of people together the night Zoe, a 19 year old girl, goes missing. I really enjoyed the writing style told in corresponding interviews of the Zoe's friends. There were lots of twists and turns and it kept me guessing all the way through. The style of writing was magnificent and oh so clever.
A very interesting fictional true crime story. A group of people together the night Zoe, a 19 year old girl, goes missing. I really enjoyed the writing style told in corresponding interviews of the Zoe's friends. There were lots of twists and turns and it kept me guessing all the way through. The style of writing was magnificent and oh so clever.
December 20, 2021
I've just finally finished this book. I struggled to read this book.
Interesting style writing of true crime novel. But building story is sooo
slow. Took long time to get the point. Each characters has interesting personality and life. That was good with this interview style.
I wish it could be shorter novel. I've almost quit reading at half, but I was so curious how to end this book. So I kept reading all. But I disappointed of the end. Really? I felt like I wasted time.....
Interesting style writing of true crime novel. But building story is sooo
slow. Took long time to get the point. Each characters has interesting personality and life. That was good with this interview style.
I wish it could be shorter novel. I've almost quit reading at half, but I was so curious how to end this book. So I kept reading all. But I disappointed of the end. Really? I felt like I wasted time.....
July 5, 2022
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me.
I typically love the "interview-style" formatting, but I had some problems with the way this was done which impeded my enjoyment of the story overall.
I listened to the audio, and I have to wonder if I would have liked this one better if I'd read it physically. The way the audiobook is produced is atypical in the sense that there are added sound effects which usually add to the atmosphere and suck me into a story. This one managed to do the opposite. It was stated that the friends and family of the missing woman (Zoe) were interviewed using old-school cassette tapes, and the majority of the story was told through these tapes, wherein there was a sort of white static sound in the background. It was not a pleasant sound and was a constant distraction, like a cheese grater to the brain. Instead of bringing added value, it just sounded low quality.
Also, the way the story was told, each interviewee was informed of each other's responses, and those were integrated into the recording, creating a detached, dissonant web of pseudo-conversations which made up the entire story. I wish we had gotten one interview at a time, giving the reader a chance to make their own alliances and assumptions, and perhaps have those assumptions challenged when we heard from a different point of view later on.
But my biggest gripe was that the audio didn't announce who was speaking and when. I'm curious if the physical book shows the name of the speaker (ex: Kim:) before the dialogue, because if it does the audio disregarded it. I was so confused for the totality of the book. After awhile I realized that each character had a bit of a distinctive voice, allowing me to decipher between them to some extent. But it took me too long to identify them, and too much of the story had mushed together in my mind by that point.
I'm so perplexed by the production of the audiobook. Why go the "extra mile" to add effects, or leave out identifying markers to make it unique, when it makes it harder to enjoy or understand what is happening? It was a poor stylistic choice, don't the producers understand that form follows function?
Because of this, I did not connect to any of the characters surrounding our missing woman, Zoe. I just didn't care. Nothing surprised me, nothing felt tense or suspenseful.
The only character I connected to was Joseph Knox himself. I loved that he went the extra mile to add commentary about how the press and community responded to his journalism, and I enjoyed his back-and-forth with Evelyn.
Overall, I think the meta quality of this fictionalized true crime story was a fantastic concept, but the execution didn't work for me.
I typically love the "interview-style" formatting, but I had some problems with the way this was done which impeded my enjoyment of the story overall.
I listened to the audio, and I have to wonder if I would have liked this one better if I'd read it physically. The way the audiobook is produced is atypical in the sense that there are added sound effects which usually add to the atmosphere and suck me into a story. This one managed to do the opposite. It was stated that the friends and family of the missing woman (Zoe) were interviewed using old-school cassette tapes, and the majority of the story was told through these tapes, wherein there was a sort of white static sound in the background. It was not a pleasant sound and was a constant distraction, like a cheese grater to the brain. Instead of bringing added value, it just sounded low quality.
Also, the way the story was told, each interviewee was informed of each other's responses, and those were integrated into the recording, creating a detached, dissonant web of pseudo-conversations which made up the entire story. I wish we had gotten one interview at a time, giving the reader a chance to make their own alliances and assumptions, and perhaps have those assumptions challenged when we heard from a different point of view later on.
But my biggest gripe was that the audio didn't announce who was speaking and when. I'm curious if the physical book shows the name of the speaker (ex: Kim:) before the dialogue, because if it does the audio disregarded it. I was so confused for the totality of the book. After awhile I realized that each character had a bit of a distinctive voice, allowing me to decipher between them to some extent. But it took me too long to identify them, and too much of the story had mushed together in my mind by that point.
I'm so perplexed by the production of the audiobook. Why go the "extra mile" to add effects, or leave out identifying markers to make it unique, when it makes it harder to enjoy or understand what is happening? It was a poor stylistic choice, don't the producers understand that form follows function?
Because of this, I did not connect to any of the characters surrounding our missing woman, Zoe. I just didn't care. Nothing surprised me, nothing felt tense or suspenseful.
The only character I connected to was Joseph Knox himself. I loved that he went the extra mile to add commentary about how the press and community responded to his journalism, and I enjoyed his back-and-forth with Evelyn.
Overall, I think the meta quality of this fictionalized true crime story was a fantastic concept, but the execution didn't work for me.
February 4, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I liked this book. I am more than willing to try just about any audiobook that features a full cast. I just really enjoy the experience of listening to full cast bring a story to life. As soon as I heard about this book, I was more than ready to give it a listen and I found it to be quite entertaining.
This book explores the disappearance of Zoe Nolan. Writer Evelyn Mitchell is looking into what really happened to Zoe with the hopes of putting everything together for a book. She discusses her progress with her friend Joseph Know who is also a writer. We hear from a lot of key individuals that might hold some information as to what really happened to Zoe all those years earlier. Zoe was a new college student enjoying herself at school but there were some strange things that happened just before she disappeared.
I really think that this story is meant to be experienced in audio. I actually could not imagine reading the back and forth exchanges between the authors or other characters and enjoying them to the same extent that I did in audio. I think that each of the voice actors did a great job in bringing their character and this story to life. I think that the narrators were able to add a lot of excitement and emotion to the story through their narration.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that the mystery of what happened to Zoe was very intriguing and I loved that the story kept me guessing until the very end. I would definitely read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Recorded Books.
I liked this book. I am more than willing to try just about any audiobook that features a full cast. I just really enjoy the experience of listening to full cast bring a story to life. As soon as I heard about this book, I was more than ready to give it a listen and I found it to be quite entertaining.
This book explores the disappearance of Zoe Nolan. Writer Evelyn Mitchell is looking into what really happened to Zoe with the hopes of putting everything together for a book. She discusses her progress with her friend Joseph Know who is also a writer. We hear from a lot of key individuals that might hold some information as to what really happened to Zoe all those years earlier. Zoe was a new college student enjoying herself at school but there were some strange things that happened just before she disappeared.
I really think that this story is meant to be experienced in audio. I actually could not imagine reading the back and forth exchanges between the authors or other characters and enjoying them to the same extent that I did in audio. I think that each of the voice actors did a great job in bringing their character and this story to life. I think that the narrators were able to add a lot of excitement and emotion to the story through their narration.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that the mystery of what happened to Zoe was very intriguing and I loved that the story kept me guessing until the very end. I would definitely read more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this audiobook from Recorded Books.
December 14, 2021
This is a work of fiction that presents as non fiction. It may even make the reader feel inclined to Google the victim to find out more about the “case”!!! The author utilizes an intriguing format of emails between a writer investigating a missing young woman and the true crime author of the book, as well as verbatim interviews with various individuals involved in the case, along with some author notes. Unfortunately, this technique just didn’t work for me. It slugged along and I kept finding myself skimming the pages.
I felt the story focused too much on the other characters and there ended up, for me, being some confusion about Zoe and her life. In addition, for some reason, the solution seemed like a let down to me. I’ve used a lot of personal pronouns in these comments because, while this book didn’t work for me, there are other readers who will enjoy it.
I felt the story focused too much on the other characters and there ended up, for me, being some confusion about Zoe and her life. In addition, for some reason, the solution seemed like a let down to me. I’ve used a lot of personal pronouns in these comments because, while this book didn’t work for me, there are other readers who will enjoy it.
October 17, 2021
This isn’t really a ‘review’ as much as a collection of not-very-organised thoughts, but the important thing to mention is that I listened to the audiobook, and I really have to thank the podcast
What Page Are You On?
for recommending it. I would never have read it otherwise, since 1) I’ve had limited success with listening to audiobooks and don’t tend to remember that they even exist as an option, but also 2) I had already sampled the print version of True Crime Story and wasn’t into it at all.
It’s presented as a non-fiction book about a real-life case, the disappearance of a student called Zoe Nolan from her student halls in Manchester in 2011. So, a true crime story in the sense that it’s ostensibly true and about something that looks like a crime, but also a story, to a point, about true crime reportage and what happens in the aftermath of a high-profile, yet unresolved, investigation. It’s told by lots of different people – Zoe’s twin sister, her ex, her parents and friends, the police officer assigned to the case. The audiobook, therefore, has a large cast, making it feel particularly suited to the format, more like an audio drama than a book being read out loud.
There’s this additional layer of complexity which involves the book supposedly being a manuscript written by an investigative journalist, Evelyn, and being reviewed/edited by a version of Joseph Knox, the actual author, who may or may not be having an affair with her... I’m honestly not sure why it needed this, and what put me off persisting with the print version was the flippant tone the author-narrator affects during the introduction, which I know is probably intentional given the way he’s characterised elsewhere (but even revisiting it after enjoying the rest of the book, I still find it offputting).
I’m particularly unsure why the story needed this whole meta-author thing because it already has SO MANY subplots and red herrings and random twists; some end up turning absolutely ludicrous, others are never properly resolved. Again, this might have annoyed me in print but held my attention agreeably on audio. A lot of this is thanks to a strong voice cast, especially Zoe’s sister Kim, in whose voice defeat and defiance are both palpably present. (Not 100% sure about the name of the actress as the credits, annoyingly, are just a list of names.) There’s no denying it’s gripping, and after finishing I went through and listened to most of it again straight away.
Finally, I had a hunch about the culprit circa the prologue and it turned out I was right. Not sure if that’s just luck, or it was meant to be obvious, or that character’s dialogue should’ve been less abrasive than it comes off.
TinyLetter | Linktree
It’s presented as a non-fiction book about a real-life case, the disappearance of a student called Zoe Nolan from her student halls in Manchester in 2011. So, a true crime story in the sense that it’s ostensibly true and about something that looks like a crime, but also a story, to a point, about true crime reportage and what happens in the aftermath of a high-profile, yet unresolved, investigation. It’s told by lots of different people – Zoe’s twin sister, her ex, her parents and friends, the police officer assigned to the case. The audiobook, therefore, has a large cast, making it feel particularly suited to the format, more like an audio drama than a book being read out loud.
There’s this additional layer of complexity which involves the book supposedly being a manuscript written by an investigative journalist, Evelyn, and being reviewed/edited by a version of Joseph Knox, the actual author, who may or may not be having an affair with her... I’m honestly not sure why it needed this, and what put me off persisting with the print version was the flippant tone the author-narrator affects during the introduction, which I know is probably intentional given the way he’s characterised elsewhere (but even revisiting it after enjoying the rest of the book, I still find it offputting).
I’m particularly unsure why the story needed this whole meta-author thing because it already has SO MANY subplots and red herrings and random twists; some end up turning absolutely ludicrous, others are never properly resolved. Again, this might have annoyed me in print but held my attention agreeably on audio. A lot of this is thanks to a strong voice cast, especially Zoe’s sister Kim, in whose voice defeat and defiance are both palpably present. (Not 100% sure about the name of the actress as the credits, annoyingly, are just a list of names.) There’s no denying it’s gripping, and after finishing I went through and listened to most of it again straight away.
Finally, I had a hunch about the culprit circa the prologue and it turned out I was right. Not sure if that’s just luck, or it was meant to be obvious, or that character’s dialogue should’ve been less abrasive than it comes off.
TinyLetter | Linktree
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