Joseph Knox's SIRENS (Transworld, 2017) has been longlisted for the 2018 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. SIRENS, which Val McDermid called 'a powerhouse of noir', follows the career of the disgraced detective Aidan Waits as he’s forced into an undercover operation. It was followed in March 2018 by THE SMILING MAN, the second instalment of the Aidan Waits series. The prize's shortlist will be revealed on 27th May, and the winner will be announced on 19th July at the opening night of the 16th Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate. A public vote, which opens on 1st July and closes on 14th July, will help select the winner alongside a panel of judges.