The Smiling Man by Joseph Knox

Review by Amy I did not know what to expect upon delving into Joseph Knox’s The Smiling Man. I suppose I went in presuming it would be an edge of the seat mystery. Well, it was that, but it was so much more. This was the second book in the series, and I did not read the first. I am interested in reading it now, but I think overall this book read just fine as a standalone. Aidan Waits, a night shift detective is barely keeping his nose clean and focusing on getting through his days. Paired up with a dry humored partner, he attempts to prove to his superiors that he is capable of doing his job after running into what I gathered was some trouble with substance abuse. I imagine this was covered in the previous book. Waits finds himself trying to solve one case, while he becomes distracted with another. All the while, he has a superior who is asking him to keep things from his partner, and a partner who is trying to keep tabs on him. It all feels like a bit of chaos. Then, as if that isn’t enough to keep him on his toes, flashbacks to his childhood reflect the dark painful childhood Waits experienced, allowing the reader to get a better look at how he has become the person he is. Some of his childhood pains still haunt him and those also contribute to his daily struggles. Overall, this book had a lot going on. Between the flashbacks, the cases he is handling, and his personal life, there was stuff going on all over the place. I am sure many characters were introduced in the previous book, but going in blind there was a lot to take in. One thing this book cannot be accused of is being slow or boring. It was constantly moving, frequently twisting, and perpetually entertaining. I was a bit turned off by Waits in the beginning but by the end I had grown quite fond of him. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series. Looking forward to seeing what waits for Waits next.

**ARC provided by author for honest review**