Book Review: True Crime Story by Joseph Knox

Format: Paperback

Pages: 320 pages

Published: December 7, 2021

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Crime, Fiction & Literature

Synopsis:

What happens to all the girls who go missing?

The thrilling story of a university student’s sudden disappearance, the woman who became obsessed with her case, and the crime writer who uncovered the chilling truth about what happened…

In 2011, Zoe Nolan walked out of her dormitory in Manchester and was never seen or heard from again. Her case went cold. Her story was sad, certainly, but hardly sensational, crime writer Joseph Knox thought. He wouldn’t have given her any more thought were it not for his friend, Evelyn Mitchell. Another writer struggling to come up with a new idea, Evelyn was wondering just what happened to all the girls who go missing. What happened to the Zoe Nolans of the world?

Evelyn began investigating herself, interviewing Zoe’s family and friends, and emailing Joseph with chapters of the book she was writing with her findings. Uneasy with the corkscrew twists and turns, Joseph Knox embedded himself in the case, ultimately discovering a truth more tragic and shocking than he could have possibly imagined…

Just remember: Everything you read is fiction.

What happens to the women who disappear? That is a haunting question that author Joseph Knox tries to answer in this evocative and suspenseful thriller that plans to change the mystery genre.
Readers will soon discover that this is unlike something they’ve ever read from the very first page. The first thing you encounter is a publisher’s note, starting with the publisher, Sourcebooks, and Joseph Knox have decided to part ways after this project. You begin to think, “what exactly am I about to read?”

The answer: something extraordinary and chilling.

On December 17, 20211, 19-year-old Zoe Nolan disappeared from a dorm party she attended at Manchester University, a school she’s been to for only three months. Seven years after Zoe’s disappearance, writer Evelyn Mitchell decides to dig into this mystery by interviewing Zoe’s closest friends and family and tries to piece together what exactly happened that night. But as she goes down this rabbit hole, she starts to see the troubling inconsistencies and dark revelations that causes uncertainty with Evelyn. She reaches out to bestselling author Joseph Knox with help on the case…especially with a dark shadow stalking her, preventing Evelyn from getting to the truth.

Once again, we encounter an author who uses mixed media to tell one riveting and suspenseful mystery. Knox use of mixed media: emails, interview transcripts, images and newspaper articles are just one of the many features that make this one a must-read for the mystery lover. By keeping to the oral history setup, readers will have a fun (and challenging) time figuring out what is going on and questioning if what you are reading is the truth. I also loved this mystery because Knox put himself in the story. I don’t mean figuratively but literally. And that brings back to the uncertainty of what the reader is reading. Is Joseph Knox somehow involved in Zoe’s disappearance?

You begin to think, “what exactly am I about to read?” The answer: something extraordinary and chilling.

Apart from this being a compelling mystery, True Crime Story also provides a social commentary on disappearances, particularly women and how the media portray those disappearances. The media’s influence around a case can bring the good or the worst out people. The effects of the media are astounding and depicted here wonderfully and just made this mystery even more real.

Riveting and mysterious, True Crime Story is one of the most innovative and thrilling mysteries of 2021 that needs to be on everyone’s reading list. This unforgettable novel will have you guessing from beginning to end, leaving you with a conclusion that will shock you when you reach the end of the page—one of the best books of 2021.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.