I always enjoy Alex North books. There was never a dull moment in the Angel Maker. This fast paced novel follows the like of Katie, whose brother was viciously attacked when she chose to leave him to walk home alone. The story also follows the death of an elderly Alan Hobbs and the investigation into his murder. This was so fun and really kept me on my toes. Like North’s other writings he keeps the reader invested and constantly guessing.

Holy moly...what a ride! The analogy of a jigsaw puzzle is used in the book and that precisely is what this book is. Katie and Chris, Alan and Edward how are their lives intertwined. Creepy, scary and so well written.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review.

The Angel Maker is a complex story that manages to exhibit a high level of creepiness without resorting to gore. Those that have read Alex North’s other novels will enjoy the Angel Maker’s pace and cast of characters.
I wish the author had filled us in on a few parts of the plot a bit more before ending the book. For example, Michael Hyde’s character is tormented and plays a big role in overall events, but there is not a lot of depth into the mental torment that led him to commit the acts he did. He is stalking Kate Shaw’s family and has planned something, but it is never revealed why he and his father blame Kate and her family for what he did to Chris. What is the cause of his obsession and thoughts over the years? It is implied that Edward Leland and the teachings of Locke have a lot to do with it, but I want to know more of the backstory that led to Hyde attacking Chris.
Alan Hobbes doesn’t seem like the type that would kill Nathaniel Leland, so I get the impression that he had him kidnapped but then placed somewhere else, but that is never really cleared up.
The ending seemed abrupt. I wanted to know Chris' reaction to reading Locke's book and understanding his history. Even just a few pages would have been better than the abrupt ending.
Overall I liked the Angel Maker, but I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars because of the lack of depth in the areas I described. If you are looking for a fast creepy read without sex and gore, then this is a solid bet. I could see Alex North continuing the story of some of the characters in this book in a future volume.
Finally, I think it is worth mentioning that this is not a book for people that are easily triggered by mentions of harm to children.

This book was very suspenseful and engrossing. The story is much more complex than it appears at first which made it even more exciting. Very well executed with a conclusion that readers won't want to miss.

Dark, suspenseful, and thrilling. This novel isn't your typical serial killer trope, It includes elements of the occult/supernatural in a way that's convincing and unnerving. An ambitious approach that includes multiple POV and timelines- a slow, suspenseful build that culminates in satisfying twist.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. This one didnt grab me as quickly as his others and it didnt have the same creep factor. However, he made up for that in the twists in the end. You cant trust anyone in this novel and everyone appears as a villain.

Alex North is my favorite thriller author, so when I saw that he had a new release coming, I knew I had to read it as quickly as humanly possible. After the Shadows and the Whisper Man, The Angel Maker absolutely did not disappoint. This seems to be his most ambitious project yet, with multiple POVs and overlapping timelines, it has the potential to be confusing. Due to the nature of the book, I was barely able to put it down and flew through it in just over a day. I had chills from the prologue and North managed to maintain the aura of suspense through every page. It didn't outright scare me the way the Shadows did, but I found myself checking the corners and being glad I wasn't reading in sight of any windows.
It was clear early on that the pieces of this story would connect some how, but it wasn't until the very end that the whole picture came together. I often find myself making wild prediction as a read a book, especially thrillers, but my brain only had space for the information it was reading and I rode the twists and turns with the characters predicting very little. One of my favorite things about Alex North books is the POV of detectives as they do a large portion of the detective work in the story. So often thrillers leave the suspense up to amateurs who get themselves into unnecessary scrapes, ultimately making the situation worse. While there were elements of that in this book, it was refreshing to follow detectives on the case as well as both protagonists and antagonists who were directly involved.
Alex North writes the kind of books that make me want to check on him. Are we sure he's okay? Does he have a good therapist? We're truly convinced he's *not* a serial killer himself? I'm glad he's using his genius to entertain us rather than any of the alternatives.

Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for my advanced copy to review.

I love Alex North. This book cemented it for me. Each book is different and well plotted with wonderful characters. While I listened to the audio of his first two books, I actually read this one. It took me just a bit to wrap my head around all of the characters, but once I did, I was hooked. I love a story that unfurls by jumping through time. Will definitely be suggesting this one.

This book is just amazing! It ticks off all the boxes. It is full of suspense and horror. Although you know it is all connected, you can't quite put it together. It will have you up late as you won't be able to put it down! Another great novel from an awesome author!

Outlier alert!🚨

Reading a book shouldn’t be this difficult!

Oh my gosh I haven’t been this confused reading a book in, well… forever!💁🏻‍♀️

With such a vast array of storylines, it eventually felt that instead of reading, I was now multi-tasking!
The minimally developed, numerous characters made it nearly impossible to recall one from the other. Not to mention the storylines and the timelines they belonged to. (You see what I’m getting at!?)😫
Maybe my focus isn’t quite what it used to be…but still!

I can’t really say anything about the plot simply because I’m just too confused to write it down. (Hopelessly lost)

With both the audio and digital copies I still struggled to follow along no matter which version I attempted.

I am very much in the minority, as most readers enjoyed this book. So please read their reviews and I hope it works out better for you.

A buddy read with Susanne

Thank you to NetGalley Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review. When I got approved for this ARC, I screamed. Literally screamed. My coworker ran down the hall to make sure I was okay. I was, or maybe I’m not. Alex North has changed the game for me. To this day, his works are the only ones to have me so afraid to leave my bed in the night because of how unsettled I was.
Alex North has an uncanny ability to never let a reader settle. It’s like he offers you a seat but you just know if you sit down, you’ll end up sitting on nails. The sensation of not feeling settled at a hotel or an Air BnB is similar. Nothing’s wrong but something isn’t right . North’s works have an air of supernatural to them, an essence– not enough to confirm or deny the potential mysticality, but rather, just enough to make you tilt your head and consider– to unnerve you.
When a book has you gasping 14% through, when Alex North has you gasping 14% through the book, grab your life-alert, because you know it’s going down.
You know the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? Well, when Alex North gives you information, details, or passing comments, you pin them to the red string board. It’s a very cluttered board, but eventually, with a single pull, a single new piece of information, it all falls into place.
Alan Hobbes, beloved professor and philanthropist is found dead in his manor after relieving all of his staff. It appears that he knew he would die. This single event brings about 2 mysteries– first, who killed Alan Hobbes (and why), and second, where is Chris Shaw? The beginning of this novel can be confusing, as there are so many characters, POVs, and even time jumps that it seems hard to keep track of everything. However, the red string spider web of this novel is worth reading. I’m so excited to read this again on release day.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
💀💀💀/5

"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Whisper Man and The Shadows comes a dark, suspenseful new thriller about the mysteries of fate, the unbreakable bond of siblings, and a notorious serial killer who was said to know the future.

Growing up in a beautiful house in the English countryside, Katie Shaw lived a charmed life. At the cusp of graduation, she had big dreams, a devoted boyfriend, and a little brother she protected fiercely. Until the day a violent stranger changed the fate of her family forever.

Years later, still unable to live down the guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, and now with a child of her own to protect, Katie struggles to separate the real threats from the imagined. Then she gets the phone call: Chris has gone missing and needs his big sister once more.

Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page is facing a particularly gruesome crime. A distinguished professor of fate and free will has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff. All the leads point back to two old cases: the gruesome attack on teenager Christopher Shaw, and the despicable crimes of a notorious serial killer who, legend had it, could see the future."

English countryside and a serial killer with powers? This is right up my alley.

Huge thank you to NetGalley & Celadon Books for the Advanced copy of this book!

I have read several of Alex North’s books now and the Whisper Man continues to be my favorite.

This book was such an interesting experience - a serial killer who can predict the future, twists + turns, multiple perspectives - it really takes you for a spin!

I thought overall this book was solid with interesting characters and a unique story. The only things that lost me were some parts dragging and some needless explanations as well as sometimes the perspectives felt odd and slow at times.

However - this book was gripping, tense and had a HUGE payoff. Pay attention even during the slow parts 😄

Absolutely hooked from the start! Unsettling in the perfect way, I had a hard time putting this one down. I loved how interwoven the plot was, however I do wish I'd made myself a character map as at times I found it difficult to keep it all straight. As with The Whisper Man, I found the set up to be very well developed and then the climax/resolution to be a bit rushed and came together almost too quickly.

This was a good story, full of twists and dark discoveries. It has some supernatural elements but is more of a mystery. There are a lot of solid components in this book—a serial killer, strength of family, and the question of fate and free will. There is a lot to unpack and I felt overwhelmed and lost in the story at times. There were a few unanswered questions at the end.

It was a compelling story but felt a little chaotic and hard to follow at times.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have read every novel by North up fo this point. The Whisper Man will always have a soft spot in my heart, this is a close second! This book kept me invested starting from the prologue to the end. There were some twists that had me screaming some colorful language and some that confirmed my thinking. There are some questions that I still don’t have answers to, and I need Mr. North to give me answers! But overall, it is clever, and gripping! This book hits shelves on February 28, 2023!

Many thanks to @netgalley & @celadonbooks for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

My favorite Alex North, by far! Gripping, psychological and suspenseful.
A thriller for 2023 with multiple perspectives that will pull you in!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TW: Murder, drug abuse, toxic parent relationship, language, bullying, gory scenes, depression, death of children

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Growing up in a beautiful house in the English countryside, Katie Shaw lived a charmed life. At the cusp of graduation, she had big dreams, a devoted boyfriend, and a little brother she protected fiercely. Until the day a violent stranger changed the fate of her family forever.Years later, still unable to live down the guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, and now with a child of her own to protect, Katie struggles to separate the real threats from the imagined. Then she gets the phone call: Chris has gone missing and needs his big sister once more.Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page is facing a particularly gruesome crime. A distinguished professor of fate and free will has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff. All the leads point back to two old cases: the gruesome attack on teenager Christopher Shaw, and the despicable crimes of a notorious serial killer who, legend had it, could see the future.
Release Date: February 28th, 2023
Genre: Horror - Thriller
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. The premise of the book sounded good

What I Didn't Like:
1. Cheesy dialog
2. It always feels like the same book
3. No surprises

Overall Thoughts:
This was my 3rd Alex North book I read. The other two; The Whisper Man and The Shadows . Both these books just fell flat for me and I was bored. So I was hopeful that the old saying "Third times a charm" would be true. I was wrong though.

This book reminds me so much of Frailty - which is a great movie staring the wonderful Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey. Let me tell you what that movie is about; "One day, a widowed blue-collar worker has a revelation: he must destroy those revealed to him as demons. He then begins the serial killings of `God's Hand Killer' across Texas, but he also has two young sons, the younger of whom idolises him and believes in the cause, while his older brother is revolted but cannot bring himself to stop his father. Twenty years later, the elder son walks into a police station and confesses."
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I was bored. Actually really really bored. I don't know how Alex North manages to write books that all feel like his last books. This is the third book of his where it's a serial killer with some kind of catchy name where he kills in a certain way.

Nothing happens in this book that I didn't see happening from page one. This book reminded me too much of something I've seen before. I felt like I knew what was happening and was waiting on the book to catch up.

Final Thoughts:
I've tried 3 times to like Alex North's books and I just can't get into them. This is where I'm parting ways.

Recommend For:
• Fake books about serial killers
• Simple story telling
• Scary scenes

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've really enjoyed all of Alex North's other books, but this one just didn't work for me. There were too many timelines that never really seemed to work together.

High creep factor, but lessened because the parts of this story felt too disjointed even though the plan for them to come together was definitely a unique and good one. It felt fully like reading and trying to follow more than five separate stories

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review