3.5 I've read and enjoyed Alex North's previous books. The Whisper Man was especially creepy.
North's newest book is The Angel Maker. "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."

Okay, that's a novel idea for sure. Think about it - a killer who can justify each and every crime he commits as 'its meant to be'. The Angel Maker has many, many characters and timelines. I admit I found it overwhelming at times to keep everything and everybody straight. I really liked Katie as a lead character. She came off as believable and it was easy to be behind her. The unfurling of the book was slow for me and my attention started to wander, so I thought I would try a read/ listen combo.

The reader was Rosalie Craig. She did a wonderful job at bringing the book to life for me Her voice has so much movement, rising and falling, capturing the emotion, action, horror, danger and more with her reading. Her voice is pleasant to listen to, she speaks clearly, and I liked her accent. The pace was just right. I've said it before - sometimes I am drawn more into a book when listening instead of reading. And that was the case here. I still found there to be too much in terms of timeline, jumps and points of view, but was able to know who was speaking, by the different voices. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of The Angel Maker. Or if you prefer - read an excerpt of The Angel Maker.

Gentle readers - there are triggers in this book.

Loved it! Admittedly, at the beginning, as more characters with seemingly disparate/different storylines kept being introducted, I wondered what was going on. Fortunately, the book is both interesting and entertaining, so I kept reading. But as I kept reading, I realized it was all going to come together by the end. And it did - and it was weird and fabulous. I'm not going to attempt to describe the plot, because, honestly, I think this book is best experienced with no preconceived notions. What is fate? Can it be changed?

"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."

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Publication Date: February 28, 2023

This story centers around a sister (Katie) and her brother (Chris) from their childhood where a tragic and vicious attack happened to Chris while they were young teenagers which Katie blamed herself for not being there with Chris and this insidious event bitterly scarred both of their lives into the present day.

Detective Laurence happened to be an officer at the time of Chris's attack years ago and currently, he is in charge of an extremely brutal murder of an aged professor where Chris was caught on camera in the man's house around the time of his murder. There are many other extremely important players revolving around this murder which as the story unfolds there seems to be a connection to each and every character connecting the past to the present. Do you believe in coincidence or do you believe that every event is connected and not just happenstance but meant to have specific meaning to solving the puzzle? These will be questions Detective Laurence will continue to ask himself over and over as he struggles to solve this horrific murder while hoping Chris is innocent yet knowing he was involved somehow but why and how? In the meantime Chris is a missing person and now there are more lives at risk but the detective really has no understanding what is really happening only knows that he must continue to follow the dots before more murders occur under his watch!

This was a creepy, fast and entertaining read for myself as I really enjoyed the author's writing and storytelling. The book is also about Good versus Evil which I really enjoyed. There is a backstory with all the characters that will play out in some surprising and shocking ways that I couldn't foresee and I always appreciate when I can't completely figure out a thriller's puzzles. This book showed great mystique and atmospheric writing by Alex North! I also enjoy when a book has many characters since it can make a story so much more intriguing when it is written well which this novel certainly was. Be forewarned that is a lot going on flashing back and forth with the timelines but the
reader will find everything is relevant leading up to the shocking and surreal climatic ending!

I want to thank the publisher "Celedon Books" and Net galley for the opportunity to read this novel and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this thriller a rating of 4 UNIQUE AND DEMENTED 🌟🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

“Deus scripsit” – Maybe, maybe not……

Book Information

The Angel Maker was written by Alex North. It was published on February 28, 2023 and is 336 pages. North is the New York Times bestselling author of The Whisper Man and The Shadows. Thanks to Celadon Books for providing me with an advance reader copy for review.

Summary

Everything seemed to be working out for Katie Shaw. Her life was good. Happy family. Every expectation of an exceptional future. About to graduate. Boyfriend. Everything was good…until she left her brother alone and he was the victim of a seemingly random attack that changed the trajectory of everyone’s life. But was it really random?

Fast forward—Katie now is married and has a beautiful daughter. She is overprotective—but who wouldn’t be? Strange things begin to happen…cars seem to follow her or lurk at her daughter’s school. Her daughter says strange things. And then her brother goes missing.

At the same time, the police are investigating a brutal murder….one that may somehow be connected to Katie’s brother—and a serial killer who allegedly could see the future.

My Thoughts

The Angel Maker explores families and fanatics. It asks what you would do to protect your family and what would you do if you believed it was God's will. Is fate unavoidable? Can we change our destiny or are we set on a path that is virtually immovable? It’s a nail-biting trip across multiple timelines skillfully layered to deliver a tale full of suspense and intrigue.

To be fair—this is not necessarily a simple read. There are lots of characters, lots of timelines, and several stories all merging. It’s a complex book that you will have to read mindfully—not 5 to 10 mins each night before bed. It also has some gruesome parts---so bedtime reading might not be the best idea anyway.

The book deals with the love between siblings, the secrets that parents keep, and future seeing serial killers. It’s a good mystery with a good payoff.

Recommendation

If you like mysteries with a bit of supernatural flavor, stories the pit family ties against the stressors of the world (in this case, life and death), or serial killers that may have a direct line to God—pick up The Angel Maker. Recommended.

Rating

4 Praedestinatus Stars

The latest psychological thriller by Alex North is nothing short of brilliantly written, with a plot that weaves and intertwines itself between the past and the present and includes unspeakable actions by a maniacal serial killer. The setting is atmospheric with a tone of eerie creepiness that is pervasive and made me shiver at times with anticipation of what could happen next. The characters had complicated personalities and the author presented a fascinating character study of the main characters, all of them unique and richly developed. The story of the Shaw family, an ordinary family with a tragedy in their past, and that of the Hobbes family is seamlessly mingled, with Professor Alan Hobbes in contact with damaged Chris Shaw for mysterious reasons that are gradually and methodically unfolded. The story telling is superb, keeping me engaged from beginning to end. I kept wondering as I read if I had stepped into an episode of “The Twilight Zone” because there were constant surprises that were cleverly intriguing and remarkably terrifying. The relationships between the characters made the story multi-layered, crackling with tension and profoundly realistic with deliberate misdirection. The pace was fast, the plot was intense and the entire story was terrifyingly captivating. This is one of the best psych thrillers I have ever read so I highly recommend it to all who like to be pulled into a story and compelled to stay there until the satisfying conclusion.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Alex North’s <i>The Whisper Man</i> is the only thriller I’ve ever rated 5 stars (I most often give them 3 stars–I’m very picky about my thrillers…😅), so requesting his newest book on Netgalley was a no-brainer for me. While <i>The Angel Maker</i> didn’t quite hit all the same notes for me, it was still a solid 4-star read that I really enjoyed.

One of the reasons I’m so picky about my thrillers is that I often find them predictable, and this was not the case here. The storyline with its interconnected characters was complex enough to keep me guessing, and I felt like North did a great job of dropping clues at the right pace to make me feel like I was figuring some things out without giving it all away. I also enjoyed the philosophical meditation on free will vs. fate through the divergent paths that brothers Alan and Edward took in their lives, after both being raised by a serial killer. What this book was missing for me that kept it from earning all 5 stars was the level of hair-raising and spine-tingling that I experienced with <i>The Whisper Man</i>, but this one still had plenty of tense moments and a similar dark underpinning. Some readers might find the larger cast of characters who initially didn’t seem connected to be difficult to follow; however, I felt that they were each developed enough to allow me to keep track of them fairly easily.

I would recommend this book to anyone who prefers a little more meat to their thrillers or who likes to be at least somewhat in the dark until the book’s conclusion. Bonus points for any level of interest in philosophy. Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon Books for my advanced reader’s copy in exchange for a review! I will definitely be on the look-out for more from Alex North in the future!

The Angelmaker" by Alex North is a gripping and intriguing mystery novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story centers around a small English village where a series of bizarre events begin to unfold after a retired clockmaker passes away.

As the story unfolds, we are introduced to a cast of interesting and complex characters, including a former detective who is haunted by his past, a troubled young man searching for answers about his family, and a mysterious figure known only as "The Angelmaker" who seems to be pulling all the strings.

North does an excellent job of building tension and suspense throughout the book, keeping readers guessing about the true nature of the Angelmaker's motives and identity until the very end. The writing is sharp and evocative, with vivid descriptions that bring the eerie setting of the village to life.

Overall, "The Angelmaker" is a captivating and well-crafted mystery novel that will appeal to fans of the genre. North's skillful storytelling and richly drawn characters make this a book that is difficult to put down, and the unexpected twists and turns of the plot will keep you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended!

Read this book if you like: Multiple POVs, multiple timelines, creepy reads

Wow. This is my first Alex North book. I could not look away from this. 😲 This read is so creepy. Celadon sent me this book with little envelopes to open after certain chapters. I LOVED this concept. It made reading the book so much cooler. The story had multiple POVs and multiple timelines. It had a lot of moving parts, which at times can be a little confusing. That wasn't a big deal though. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to the author and Celadon Books for the gifted book ❤️

I have loved the previous two Alex north books but this one was not for me. The writing is fine, taut as ever. The storyline was just not for me. May try finishing it another time

Thank you to Netgalley & Celadon books for this ARC! I give this book 2.75 stars, but since Netgalley only allows whole-star ratings, I listed it as 3 stars.

This is my first book by the author, Alex North, and I have heard good things about their work! This book started off strong, and definitely reeled me in. Katie feeling the weight of "what if I had done something different" from her teenage years into her adulthood was depicted well. I felt invested in her relationship with her brother Chris and wanted to know more about their dynamics even beyond what was given in the novel. The love she has for her brother paired up with the feeling of being left behind/feeling like her parents didn't worry about her in the same way was an interesting struggle that was written well and I wish they had gone into that more! Overall the story started out with good, creepy atmosphere, and it did leave me wanting to know what happened. There were moments of suspense and unsettling descriptions that were well done. There is philosophy intertwined in this book as well, and aspects of that were interesting to think about.

However, where the story lost me was when too many different characters and plots were added into the mix, and some plots skipped time without much warning. Within a single chapter, we would sometimes skip from present to past to present again. I didn't quite understand how some of the plots tied together, and felt the story could have benefitted from cutting some plots to tighten up the story. Even at the end when most of the storylines crossed, I had a hard time really fully understanding it. It felt like there was at once a lot going on, but the connections weren't clear enough for me as a reader to feel invested in most of the plots or characters.

Ultimately I think if you enjoy complex thrillers with lots going on you might like this book. I still want to check out other books by this author, especially The Whisper Man as that has very high praise. I think this specific book just did not work for me personally.

Another amazing work by Alex North; I will day I was slightly skeptical because the Shadows was such a let down for me after the Whisper Man but this work has redeemed itself. Bone chilling, spine tingling and an intricate plot make this an almost 5 star read except you really do have to pay incredibly close attention early on to fully appreciate and watch the plot unfold.

I’m not sure what I was expecting reading this book, but I was kind of disappointed. Based on the description, I thought it would be much more suspenseful and more of a thriller. Instead, I found it incredibly confusing and I struggled to finish it. By the end, I just didn’t care for the characters or the plot… I was just glad it was over.

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

First off, I'd like to thank the Publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel.
I've read and enjoyed Whisper Man and The Shadows, but this one is by far my favorite. This book grabs you in the beginning with a child being assaulted and then quickly after you have a brutal murder. It will entice you to see what happens next and even to see who/why it is all connected. You'll probably guess a few of the connections of the case as you go along, but more than likely, it won't be to the extent of how far.

I had a hard time getting into it at the start, and there were a lot of characters that seemed random (but ended up being the point...they seemed random, but were connected through the twist), but the end got better and once connections were being made it was easier to follow.

This dark, supernatural thriller was my first Alex North read and I’m excited to finally take The Whisper Man off my tbr list next.

While it took me a minute to orient myself in the story, I really liked that it demanded my attention. It was a relatively convoluted story with a large cast of characters and multiple timelines, which is not typically something I enjoy. However, this story was intriguing and suspenseful enough to keep me hooked.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
“Deus scripsit”

The Angel Maker - Author Alex North
Celadon Books ARC - Pub Date: 2/28/23
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Alex North’s new novel, The Angel Maker, is a killer thriller. I can’t honestly, break down this story’s premise because it's unusual, dark, and shocking. I can’t even fathom how Alex North develops his plots since they are often scary, evil, and insanely believable. If I were his wife, I might sleep with one eye open…just a personal observation. Here’s my take: this book concerns good versus evil, hate versus love, rivalries, bankrupt moral character, and parental mistakes. I could see an underlying parallel to the Biblical story of Jacob and Esau, who were brothers that made life-changing mistakes. This is a story about a family's future and how it gets muddled. It’s about the jealousy of one brother over another; it’s about a father with a shady past. I LIKED it. I would advise keeping a list of characters as there are so many, and it isn't easy to keep track. I keep saying I’m not sure I can handle reading another Alex North book, but then I know I won't be able to resist his next novel. Sweet dreams...or not. #brothers #fathers #life #love #future #jealousy #hatred #predestination #fire #loss #TheAngelMaker @writernorth #determinism #theology #book #books #bookstagram #alexnorth @celadonbooks @netgalley
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Celadon Books, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2023.

The Angel Maker is a page turning mystery thriller by Alex North. I've read and enjoyed books by the author in the past but this one is by far my favorite.

The story juggles many Point of Views. Two set of siblings, Chris and Katie and Leland and Alan, along with the point of view of the detective trying to put the pieces of his case together. It also jumps from past to present throughout, but it was so well written that I was never confused.

Leland's character is chilling, Alan's is complex. Thier backstory is dark and unsettling. Chris's character slowly breaks your heart, and Katie's brought out frustration in me. The more you learn about Chris, the more you feel for him and just want everything to turn out for him and his boyfriend. Katie brought out frustration because she cared so much for her brother no matter what and carried so much guilt, and her husband was less than supportive during his pager times in the book. The bond between them was resilient and no matter what happened between them, they cared for each other fiercely.

Usually I always try to guess the outcome of a thriller but with this from the start I was just along for the ride. I loved all the little things that tied each chapter together, and I was invested in each plot twist reveal. The story is perfectly weaved and has an over lying paranormal aspect to it with one of the characters' ability to know the future.

The Angel Maker is a captivating thriller with a highly satisfying ending, and I can't wait to see what Alex North thinks up next.

Finished ✔️ The Angel Maker by Alex North and enjoyed it a lot. ☺️

4 ⭐️’s
Publish Day: February 28th, 2023
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
My first book by Alex North
Alex North is also the author of The Whisper Man & The Shadows {both are on my TBR}
This book is a dark & suspenseful thriller in more ways than one
Mysteries about fate, the unbreakable bond of siblings, and a notorious serial killer.
I found the serial killer in this book quite interesting, kind of felt like I was trying to analyze said serial killer like to do with the criminals of Law & Order SVU episode - guilty as charged! 🙈
Enjoyed the characters a lot as the main character Katie Shaw’s life changed in more ways than one.
The Angel Maker reminds me of Law & Order SVU episodes I’ve seen over the years.
For a first Alex North book, I’d call this one a win over all.
I’d highly recommend others purchase this book when it’s released tomorrow! 😉

#DeesReading #DeesRecs #DeesBookRecommendations #BookNerds #BookNerdProblems #BookNerdsUnited #BookProblems #BookProblems101 #BookNerds101 #Bookworms #BookwormProblems #BooksOfFacebook #DeeTheBookReviewer #BookReviewer #NewToMeAuthor #AlexNorth #ReadOfTheDay #BookOfTheDay #MysteriesAndThrillers #PsychologicalThrillers #TheAngelMaker #NetGalley

Thank you @CeladonBooks and @netgalley for the gifted arc in exchange for an honest review. This is my second book by Alex North. I loved The Whisper Man so I was very excited when I heard about The Angel Maker. I love atmospheric Mystery/Thriller books about serial killers and detectives trying to solve the case. This book did not disappoint.

I loved the pacing and the characters. I had no problem following all the different POV's. I also loved how dark the book was.

I don’t know what it was but I haven’t struggled this hard with a book in a long time. I spend a good majority of it trying to figure out what was even happening. I think because the audiobook didn’t really differentiate the characters in any way, and it didn’t acknowledge any times where they were discussing different periods of time. So I feel like I spent a good chunk of time trying to figure out whose POV I was reading from at the start of each chapter.
I loved the idea of the plot, it wasn’t executed super well in my opinion. It felt like there was a lot going on. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions by the end. I enjoyed the dynamic between the siblings. I wanted to see how they ended up and it’s honestly what kept me reading.
I recommend If you pick this one up to read the ebook or physical. It’s a good choice if you enjoy books that have serial killers, multiple pov, police procedures, with a little sprinkling of paranormal. I just don’t think this was the book for me.