“If you could see the future, would you want to?"

After reading The Whisper Man and The Shadows I was so excited to receive an ARC copy of North's much anticipated book The Angel Maker and moved it to the top of my TBR.
The story follows Professor Alan Hobbes death and how his brutal murder will impact the lives of three individuals who are linked to his journey. It's about Kate Shaw and her younger brother Chris and how a past incident shaped their future. Along with a serial killer who has a superpower. North has a way of writing spooky and creepy words and chill your bones and make your hair stand on ends. In all transparency this book seemed more of a whodunnit/ detective storyline.
While The Whisper Man remains my favorite of the three, this is still worth reading!

I loved the back and forth timelines because it helped build the character setting. With that being said you really have to pay attention while reading so you don't get confused.

Thank you @celadonbooks and @netgalley for the advanced
copy.

I really enjoyed Alex North's previous work, but I had a hard time focusing on this one. I found myself a bit lost throughout this book - and not in the way of an amazing, challenging buildup to the aha moment that I love in a suspenseful story. The Angel Maker reeled me back in the last few chapters, but overall, I was left underwhelmed.

Thank you to Alex North, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange of my honest review.

I enjoyed reading this. The mystery was interesting and I liked all the characters. I always enjoy stories where the characters are connected in ways they don't understand and that was fun here. I think the only thing I'm a little confused on is Hyde and why he did all the things he did? Like the stalking bit at the end? But overall the story was fun to read and engaging.

Thank you Celadon for an Advanced Copy on NetGalley.

Katie felt very protective of her younger brother Chris when they were kids. Her brother was attacked and he nearly died on the one day she decided not to walk home with him after school instead she chose to go to her boyfriend's place. This resonates with her for many years and she feels her brother Chris has struggled on the margins of society for which she holds herself responsible.

This book was scary, tense and eerie. I usually read before I go to sleep but I couldn’t read this one before I went I to sleep without reading something lighter. If you enjoy spooky reads that keep you on your toes while figuring out what the story is about this is one is for you. If you like reading about crimes I highly recommend reading it but if you are like me and read before bed time read you'll want to find other times during the day to squeeze this in. To be clear this is a great read that is written over a few different timelines and a few different characters perspectives but you will have to pay attention and not skim through it or you will get confused. I found it clear to follow and helped the reader put the pieces together. I rate this a 4/5, although I am still thinking about this book a few days after I finished so I have a book hangover.

The Angel Maker by Alex North was a very complex and intertwined story. There are multiple storylines spanning the past and the present. It can be a tad confusing to follow, but the overall story kept me interested. The Angel Maker deals with the topic of determinism and whether or not you would want to know the future if you could. I do not feel I can do the plot justice because it is so intricate, I do not want to give anything away. I really enjoyed the twists and how it all tied together. I personally felt the ending was a tad abrupt, but it didn't leave anything up in the air. I did not fully feel like one of the characters involvment was fully fleshed out in relation to the others, but maybe I just missed something.

A thrilling, puzzle-piece, creepy mystery that I could not put down. It did start a little slow, and it was confusing at times, but the puzzle pieces came to a satisfying click.

Plot: What happened to her brother after he was attacked as a teenager? What does it have to do with the death of a mysterious man living in a house never fixed from the fire that took his son? Is it really possible to know the future? Recommendation: if you're an Alex North fan, run to your nearest bookstore when this comes out tomorrow.

Alex North's latest thriller is as dark and mystical as his first two books. Katie lives with a guilt that she couldn't protect her teenage brother Chris from the attack of a mentally ill person. Years later, Katie is married and has a three-year old daughter. Her happy life is shaken when she realizes someone may be watching her family.

The story grabs you from the beginning when Chris, a quiet boy, is brutally attacked in front of his home. I couldn't help but sympathize with Katie who already feels unloved by her parents and carriers a huge responsibility to care for her brother.

But then the story drops its pace and slowly advances forward. We see multiple POVs, multiple timelines and new characters being introduced. It took a minute to keep everything straight, but the writing style was beautiful, and a little story-hopping didn't get in the way of me enjoying the narrative.

Philosophical determinism is the core of the story, and past and present intertwine. Be prepared for the elements of horror and paranormal which is the author's signature style. The story has many twists and turns and about 70% into the book, it was driving me crazy, I wasn't anywhere near figuring out the connection between the Lock family of the past and Katie's brother. But questions get answered in the end and the story ties together with a bit of a sigh of relief ending.

Although this book contains a great deal of philosophical reasoning, it's suspenseful and atmospheric. Pay attention to the characters entering the scene and enjoy figuiring out their connections. 4.5/5 stars from me.

DNF - 56%

Yeah I just can’t do this. I have no idea whats going on nor do I really care. The formatting of this book is so odd and the time jumps kept confusing me. I loved Alex North’s other books but this book feels like something I’ve read 10x before by other authors. I can already predict the ending so to be honest I just have no care in finishing.

The audiobook was just as confusing, so take with that what you will. I did read an ARC, so maybe adding some time/date stamps in the final print would be useful since everyone is super confused?

**Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Thank you @celadonbooks and @netgalley for my complimentary digital copy AND audiobook! I was thrilled to receive these and my thoughts are my own.

I have been waiting for this book for the last year and I was so excited to finally read it! For my friends who want to read a book with a creepy storyline and a few grisly murders, this one is for you!

This book opens up with a murder that will give you cold chills! But there is a conundrum too. It’s almost as if the victim, a popular college professor, KNEW he was going to be murdered!

Meanwhile, in a seemingly unrelated case, Katie Shaw’s brother is missing. As she searches for him she begins to feel she is being watched and she fears her family is in danger.

As Detective Laurence Page investigates the murder of the professor, he finds ties to an old case and a dead serial killer from the past…one who claimed to be able to see the future!

All of these cases tie together and lead to a dramatic conclusion!

MY THOUGHTS: This is a complex story, with multiple characters and switching timelines. I started with the audiobook but switched to the print version. For me, the print version was easier to follow and allowed me to pick up on the intricacies of the mystery…things I may have missed if I wasn’t totally focused on the audio version. Read this if you enjoy complex dark thrillers!

I was so excited to get approved to read this ARC. I really enjoyed his other two books but this one was my least favorite.

It was plain confusing for me. I like the past and present timeline but I dislike when it happens a sentence after another. I had to go back a few times to see when it occurred in a particular sentence. I was confused with the characters and though they are connected, it took some effort to keep track.

Maybe my dislike will be your favorite, so definitely give it a read.

The Angel Maker - a prolific serial killer from the past known for their deprave crimes - left a legacy written in paper and blood. Both, forgotten - and time passes. But both the book left behind and the boys who survived will lead a tale that is intricately woven into the lives of the Shaw family. Katie and Chris Shaw are siblings - haunted by the day Chris is attacked and severely injured while Katie, just once, lets him out of her sight. But the Shaw siblings’ tale is preordained - in a book, in blood, and in the actions of those they’ve yet to meet.

Alex North is a master at taking timelines and characters and making them so intricately woven that a reader just has to stop and appreciate what’s been written for them. The end of this book blew my mind - it’s a perfectly wrapped up story, with all the minor details coming together at the penultimate chapters. The cast of characters in this book is loaded with nuance and layers - reading each part of the book peeled back more and more until the essence of each is laid bare. This was my first Alex North and I know I’ll be going back to read his prior work.

If you’re looking for a gritty, quick crime story - this is not your book. But if you’re looking for a tale of crime so artfully designed and laid out that the journey is just as important as the motive, definitely checkout this one today.

I really liked Alex North’s books The Whisper Man and The Shadows, so I was so excited to be able to read The Angel Maker and I did not disappoint!!

This book revolves around Katie Shaw and her brother Chris Shaw. Katie feels guilty about Chris getting brutally attacked when they were teenagers. It is years later and Chris is now gone missing. Katie is enlisted by her mom to try to find him. What happens next is twisty and turny and being pulled into the story of serial killer Jack Lock, The Angel Maker, and his his sons.

I could not put this book down and flew through reading it. There were so many different theories going through my head as I was reading and I loved that. I love when a mystery/suspense has me guessing and trying to figure everything out but it isn’t straight forward and I have to keep thinking and rethinking my theories. As everything unfolded a few things took me by surprise but I did figure out a lot as well.

I really enjoyed The Angel Maker and I will continue to read whatever Alex North continues to write.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Alex North for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There are many characters, but it all comes together.

Katie blames herself for what happened to her brother, when they were younger. A detective is investigating a brutal crime. Their paths cross.

It will keep you turning the pages.

Alex North's writing expects a certain level of engagement from his reader and that might be one of my favorite things about his novels. I am partial to books that are both entertaining and thought provoking and The Angel Maker delivers on both fronts. Yes there are multiple timelines, a number of characters with obvious and not so obvious relationships but if you invest a bit of your attention, your reward is going to be a well thought out, well written novel that is going to simultaneously thrill and tease your brain cells.

Katie Shaw leads a seemingly normal life but underneath the surface she is riddled with anxiety and worry rooted in the events of her past. Now her estranged younger brother Chris is missing and she feels compelled to figure out what happened. Meanwhile two police officers are working on a peculiar murder of a retired professor Alan Hobbes whose work revolved around determinism and free will.

The first part of the book is focused more on character introduction and development while the second half is faster paced and much more intense. This balance worked really well for me - I was equally intrigued by various characters, their potential connections and deeper theme of whether our choices in life matter or if everything is predestined. The story was dark, suspenseful and made me hungry for more, so it ended up being one of those books I inhaled. If you are a fan of complex thrillers with elements of supernatural, you will not want to miss this one!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was don't get me wrong a very good thriller, but it takes ALOT of concentration. So, if you have a lot going on this may be either too much or a nice distraction. In this book has a brother and sister who have become estranged as adults. Police investigating an unexplained death. Two men. A book that might tell the future. And so many other threads that this author skillfully weaves together to create a complete picture. At one point in the book Katie (the sister) comes across a portrait of her brother made from photographs from over the years. When she is close, she sees the individual elements, but when she stands back, she sees the big picture. That's what the reading of this book is like. The paranormal vibes, puzzling storytelling style that connects different timelines by questioning the free will and faith, the realist approach of the author to the theology are absolutely unique, intelligent, piquing your interest, pushing you to flip the pages a little faster. Twists are mostly well developed. Definitely worth the read, even more if you're into paranormal/ fantasy genres.

Wow! I really enjoyed The Angel Maker. This was the first Alex North book that I've read, and now I'm excited to dig into The Shadows and The Whisper Man.

I loved how the chapters unfolded, slowly giving away a new piece to the overall puzzle. The reader is kept fully engaged and on the edge of their seat as they try to figure out how all of the characters are connected. I at first had a difficult time trying to keep all of the names and clues straight, but by about the halfway mark all of the plot started to come into focus more and it was easier to follow.

I also liked how the author did not neatly wrap up every single question. Particularly, the reader is left wondering how Alan Hobbs really was able to pull off so many perfectly "planned" moments in his life, almost as if he really did have a written out manual for the future. Is life really completely predetermined - the good and the bad - and what happens if you knew the future? Could you or would you try to stop the bad from happening? This book definitely leaves you thinking well beyond the last page.

Alex North is now right up there with Riley Sager for me! I can't wait to pick up his other books. This one was fast paced and kept me trying to figure out how everything fit together! I'm glad I was warned because it was a little difficult keeping the characters straight (I'm so bad with names and sometimes they went by their last names!) I also thought it ended a little abruptly.

If you like horror, I definitely recommend checking this out. It comes out Tuesday 2/28 but I've heard rumors that some Barnes and Nobles already have it out!

Thank you Celedon Books and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I don't know what's wrong with me, but this book had me so confused. There were so many characters and timelines to keep track of and my 40+ weeks pregnant brain just couldn't do it.
Thank you NetGalley and Celadon for the chance to read the advance copy!

Alex North has another winning thriller with “The Angel Maker”. This book is eerie and full of mystery and twists – everything I love about a psychological thriller. Time is a paradox within this book.

“The Angel Maker” is an excellent thriller for people who love a good mystery about a serial killer and all things dark and terrible, but do not like too much gore. North did an excellent job of telling the story of horrific things, without being so detailed as to take away from the story. Every time you turn around there is another facet to the story and mysteries within. It is told through multiple POVs and jumps around in time (or does it, since time is just a concept?), which while I thoroughly enjoyed, it may not be for everyone as it could become confusing. There are a lot of moving parts and characters. Everything is weaved so perfectly together in the end.

This was a very solid book that I would not mind reading again. Alex North is an auto read for me and he didn’t disappoint this time. I will be recommending this book to all of my thriller lovers!