A Punk Noir Interview with
Joseph Knox
Over the last decade, we’ve witnessed a slew of British crime writers reinventing the genre and slapping the tea cups out of the hands of the mild mannered, clean cut and middle class protagonists of the past. These writers are edgier, darker and, I hope, the new normal.
One of those authors kicking arse and reinventing the genre is Joseph Knox. True Crime Story blew me away and I’m looking forward to reading his newest novel – Imposter Syndrome too. Joseph was cool enough to sit down and answer some questions for us at PN.
Thank you very much, Joseph.
Let’s crack on with it! Joseph, would you tell our readers a little bit about how you got your start in writing and the whole literature scene? Your origin story if you will.
I could never sleep as a kid, so started reading the books on the shelves at home. That meant inherited readers digest hardbacks. Brontes, Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, etc – with Dickens making the biggest impression at the time. When I’d read everything, I started writing my own stories, comic books, comedy routines, etc, which was all terrible but got me in the habit of writing from an early age. I’ve pretty much had a notebook on me ever since.
I moved to Manchester as a teen and more or less lived in the central library, where I read (slightly) more modern books, like, Hemingway, Bukowski, Fante, Chandler, Dorothy B Hughes, Highsmith, etc.
I went to work at Waterstones in my early 20s, which is when I started to read more contemporary stuff, and was shocked to learn of the existence of British crime fiction, which I ate up. The staff were amazing there too, decades of bookselling experience. I was around readers and writers for the first time, and getting books pointed out to me left and right. I’d started writing Sirens before working there, and spent the next 8 years very slowly writing/redrafting it while moving around working in different book shops. I could never care less in school, so that was the perfect education for me.
I helped run a few good crime sections, and was asked to buy crime fiction for the company. I’d met a few agents by this point, but none who seemed like they’d like where I was coming from, so when I thought Sirens was finished a couple of years later, I sent it to Antony Topping at Greene and Heaton, blind, because he was one of the few agents I could find from the north, and because I love his author, CJ Sansom. I think it was useful to show some understanding of his list, without directly aping it. No one would ever really think of me and Sansom in the same territory (his stuff’s set in Tudor times, beautifully written), but from reading his books, I felt sure he had his roots in those old hardboiled noirs, too, and tried to draw those parallels in my cover letter. Antony responded positively, but said the book needed work. That was what I wanted to hear, and he’s been giving it to me straight ever since.
Why do you write?
If I haven’t written in a day, it feels wasted, and I feel bottled up, wrong. The next day goes haywire, and before you know it, my whole life’s gone off the rails. I used to think the ‘write everyday’ folks were lying, but that’s where I’m at now. It’s just that most of the time, that means scrawling out 5 or 6 longhand pages about nothing at all, whatever’s in my head, nothing ‘good’ or to be seen, just a brain dump. By a large margin, most of the writing I do’s like that. Somehow it seems to guide me towards/through the books.
More than ever, I see writing as a huge privilege — especially in a world that can feel surface level, immediate, about the clicks, etc. It’s a chance to go deep and occupy a different headspace, fight out your problems on the page. Sometimes it feels like reading turned up to ten, and I’d happily chase that for the rest of my life.
You hit the scene with True Crime Story and completely blew everyone away with it. Can you tell us about how that novel came to be and what you hoped to achieve when you first sat down and started writing it?
That’s very kind. I had the original idea for True Crime Story roughly ten years before I started writing it, which isn’t common for me because I’ve got a terrible memory. I was reading an oral history on Warren Zevon, one of my favourite songwriters, and a superproblematic guy. He had all these different sides to him, and the oral history format brought that out well. It was a book made up of interviews with different people in his life, and they were intercut to feel like a conversation. One paragraph might be his wife, recalling a certain event, then the next might be from the woman he was cheating on her with. Naturally, they saw things differently…
It struck me as an amazing way to write a novel, but I also knew it was beyond me, because it called for all kinds of invention, different voices, life experiences, etc, and I hadn’t written Sirens yet at the time.
Fast forward to my third book, Sleepwalker, and I felt like I hit a wall with my series, deciding to end it on book three rather than risk faking things. I spent a year writing a different 4th book after that, about a cult. I was trying to play against what I’d done in the trilogy, but of course that meant I was playing against my strengths and I wrote a bad book, which was rightly rejected by my editor, Bill Scott-Kerr. He couldn’t have done it with more tact and compassion, or more faith that I’d find my way out, but it smarted, as always.
And suddenly I had four months to try and write something else. I remembered the idea (which was no more fleshed out than ‘oral history as a novel’), then went for a long walk with my girlfriend to talk it out. I knew it needed to be a group of different people thrown together for the first time (so students, great), an intriguing subject (a missing girl), etc. We hammered out the basics on that walk. Eg, I originally wanted to set it outside of Manchester, but time was so tight, I didn’t have time to research a university in London. I’d dated a couple of girls who went to Manchester uni, so felt like I could describe it. I booked a cheap hotel for a week and just went crazy trying to work out how I’d do the opening scene with Kim’s kidnap. Aside from Zoe being missing, that weird story was all I really knew about the book. When I got home, I had a very rough version of that opening and just went like hell from there.
If I hadn’t been backed into it, I don’t think I’d have written that book — so it taught me to roll with the unpredictability of writing a bit more.
How about Imposter Syndrome? That sounds awesome. Where did the idea for that come into fruition?
Thank you! As ever with me, it came slowly. I was determined to get it done before my daughter was born. I finished a few weeks ago and she’s almost three years old…
I guess I was thinking more of where I come from, possibly because I moved back there for the first time in 18 years. Even though the book’s my first set outside the north – in quite a moneyed place, central London – the narrator and con artist at its centre is clearly northern, and working class. I was thinking about Room At The Top, A Man From the North, those angsty kitchen sink dramas. And I was thinking about modern day grifters, who feel like the most celebrated artists of our time. I was reading a lot about corruption in the city of London – how it’s seen internationally as the money laundering capital of the world, despite how proper and upstanding its image might be. I think it was all of that, plus my own neuroses about my accent, class, intelligence, etc, all thrown in a pot.
Most important was the voice. I’ve written books where poor, desperate people are bad guys and cops are heroes. That’s never been my world view, and my cops were always corrupt/presented as bad if not worse than the crooks. But it’s there. It’s the form a lot of crime novels take, great ones of course, but it wasn’t helping me. So there was a certain process of trying to forget what I’d cribbed so hard from heroes and contemporaries, to move more towards my own voice, however cack-handed that might come across.
Having a kid changed things. I was reckless for most of my life and lightening up a bit helped leave some of my more angsty, self-immolating writing behind.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming indie authors?
Of course, I’m not an indie author. I’ve only ever been with Transworld. But the space and faith they’ve shown me can’t be far removed from the best parts of that experience. My editor’s worked with some big writers, and it seems like he’s learned to let it happen naturally, then deliver that step back, clear-eyed judgement that changes everything. It’s worked for me, and I’m slow, so create those conditions.
Make the time and headspace however you can, give yourself to the book. Find the voice, respect where it can and can’t go, read as widely as possible, then rewrite, redraft and re-edit the bastard, until they prise it out of your hands.
What are your plans for the future and what are you working on now?
I’ve been so buried in the book/paranoid about hearing other voices in my work that I’ve got a mega pile of stuff to read (which is always different for me when I’m not working on something). It’s the best part of the job and I’ve been looking forward to it for years. I’ll be churning through crime, fiction, audiobooks, non fic, biography, etc.
What novel are you reading at the moment?
Spook Country by William Gibson, which I think I’ve read before but at a crazy time, so refreshing my memory before going onto the next one. I’ve got Ellroy’s latest lined up, which sounds like fun after what felt like some uncertainty, as well as Clare McGowan’s lit novel, This Could Be Us, which I’ve been looking forward to, as well as her latest thriller, Truth Truth Lie. Piles of nonfic all over the place that I’m picking at.
What music are you listening to lately?
Way too much, but…
Ryoji Ikeda’s – Ultratronics
Like someone made great music out of tinnitus.
Real lies – Lad Ash
Brooding storytelling set against dance-haunted beats, all about a disappearing club scene, disappearing London, disappearing youth.
Playboi Carti – Whole Lotta Red
Sounds like distorted hyperpop, feels like a more mindless version of punk – maybe reflecting the general state of confusion of the times. It’s angry, but with no real target, and no stated ideals, other than looting and shooting the other guy first.
Adrianne Lenker – songs
One of the best songwriters out, I love her band, but nothing says sleepy Sunday morning or relaxation like this.
The Murder Capital – Gigi’s Recovery
I like a lot of the new British talky post punk stuff, Black Country New Road’s first album, Black Midi’s Hellfire. Both Dry Cleaning albums, and the second Shame one, Drunk Tank Pink. Just Mustard, Fontaines, Gilla Band, etc. But I found the first Murder Capital album a bit leaden and hard going. I love to see a band come into their own, though, and it felt like they really did that on Gigi. Feels like an album with something at stake.
Billy Woods – Maps
Too good. The opposite end of the spectrum to Carti. Album feels like a documentary of hanging round a not very famous, but pretty funny rapper for a few days. Year Zero with Danny Brown!
Burial
I’m always listening to Burial, because his ambient stuff is some of the only music I can write to. But the Dreamfear/Boy Sent From Above ‘single’ (it’s 26 minutes long) shocked me, because it goes so hard. The beat switch at 9.40 of Dreamfear’s one of my favourite moments recently, ditto the 80s power synth in BSFA.
Replacements – Tim (Let it Bleed edition)
A reissue of an all timer, but with a remaster so fresh it feels like a new album. Never heard a record change so completely. Maybe the best they’ve ever sounded to my ears, like a gift to hear in 2024.
Elvis Presley – C’mon Everybody
I think these are songs taken from his musical movies, and they’re made with such craft and nerve it’s amazing. Pure enjoyment. Daughter’s fave album atm.
What’s your favorite punk song?
When I think of songs that shocked me, maybe, Search and Destroy by the Stooges, Heart Attack American by the Bronx, Heroin by the Velvet Underground.
Favorite noir novel?
Probably most important to me was The Big Sleep, because it opened the door. I’ve always said The Long Goodbye, but haven’t re-read in years. I’m well overdue a re-read of American Tabloid, too, and feel like that might be fresher than ever. Honestly, pretty much everything they did on Black Lizard press.
Favorite piece of art?
I wish I knew more art, but off the top of my head Klimt’s the kiss, de Chirico’s enigma stuff and Turner’s hazy later blinding light pictures (which remind me of James Lee Burke).
What is an issue you care about deeply?
Childhood poverty/hunger/neglect in a world where neither the super wealthy or major corporations are properly taxed/fulfilling their social obligations.
Describe your writing style in three words.
I think it’s-
Three favorite indie novels?
I Hate the Internet – Jaret Kobek
The Book of Man – Barry Graham
Alma Cogan – Gordon Burn
If you could go on a drinking binge with 5 writers alive or dead who would you choose?
Joan Didion, Eve Babitz, Fitzgerald, Alan Moore, Zevon.
If you could choose a movie death to go out to what would it be?
Mr Hands.
What song do you sing in the shower?
80s power ballads, Heaven is a Place on Earth, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, I wanna Dance With Somebody, etc. On a great day, Sinatra’s I Would Be in Love Anyway.
Would you rather have a New York Times mega one hit wonder or a small cult following that lasts forever?
Cult.
What would you like written on your gravestone?
Don’t care.
Bio:
Joseph Knox was born and raised in and around Stoke and Manchester, where he worked in bars and bookshops before moving to London.
Check Out Joseph’s Website Here
(Interview by Stephen J. Golds)
Stephen J. Golds was born in North London, U.K, but has lived in Japan for most of his life. He speaks the language pretty well and makes great takoyaki.
He writes primarily in the noir and dirty realism genres and is the editor-in-chief of Punk Noir Press.
He enjoys spending time with his daughters, reading books, traveling the world, boxing and listening to old Soul LPs. His books are Say Goodbye When I’m Gone, I’ll Pray When I’m Dying, Always the Dead, and Shadows Slow Dancing in Derelict Rooms. His poetry collections are Poems for Ghosts in Empty Tenement Windows I Thought I Saw Once, and Half-Empty Doorways and Other Injuries. He also has a short story and poetry collection titled Love Like Bleeding Out With an Empty Gun in Your Hand.
Punk Noir Press 