This was an enjoyable read. I heard so many great things about this one and was excited to get the chance to read it. This is one that had me hooked right to the very end. Recommend this one.

This story revolves around siblings, Katie and Chris, whose lives were marred by a tragic attack on Chris during their teenage years. Katie carried guilt for not being there to protect him, and this traumatic incident left lasting scars on both of them.

Detective Laurence, who was an officer at the time of Chris’s attack, finds himself in charge of investigating the brutal murder of an elderly professor. Chris is implicated as he was caught on camera at the professor’s house around the time of the murder. As the story unfolds, numerous significant characters become entangled in this murder mystery, suggesting connections between the past and the present.

The narrative prompts reflection on the idea of coincidence versus meaningful connections in life. Detective Laurence grapples with these questions while attempting to unravel the gruesome murder.

I was captivated and deeply engaged throughout the book, eager to discover how the story would unfold. The exploration of philosophical concepts was intriguing, and the clever interplay between characters added depth to the narrative.

Alex North’s storytelling prowess shines through in “The Angel Maker,” making it a compelling and unequivocal five-star read that solidifies his status as a gifted storyteller.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the author's previous books The Whisper Man and The Shadows so I anticipated a heightened level of intrigue in his third novel, “The Angel Maker.” The brief description reads: “a dark, suspenseful thriller delving into the mysteries of fate, the unbreakable sibling bond, and a notorious serial killer rumored to possess knowledge of the future.”

Where do I even begin? This book brims with complexity, making it challenging to summarize without revealing key plot points. “The Angel Maker” demands your full attention and is best devoured swiftly. I devoured about 80% of it in one sitting, and I believe I wouldn’t have savored it as much if I had taken my time.

The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of five characters and spans various timelines. At the story’s core is Katie, our main character. She has been estranged from her brother Chris ever since a violent attack left him scarred. Chris subsequently descended into a life of drugs, disappearing from his family’s life. His return is shrouded in mystery, only to vanish once again when his assailant is released from prison. Katie becomes convinced that this assailant is now targeting her daughter.

Intertwined with this family drama is the chilling tale of “The Angel Maker,” a serial killer who subscribes to the philosophy of determinism, which posits that humans lack free will. This philosophical element adds depth to the narrative, and I found it captivating.

Another family’s tumultuous story is introduced, and as the two family sagas intertwine, tensions rise to a boiling point. The author’s ambition shines through in this multifaceted thriller and I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Angel Maker" by Alex North is a solid thriller that had me hooked from the beginning. North's writing style is smooth and engaging, making it an easy and enjoyable read. The characters are well-drawn, and I found myself invested in their stories.

The book does a great job building suspense and keeping you guessing about the mysteries at the heart of the plot. There's a nice blend of psychological tension and supernatural elements that adds an extra layer of intrigue.

One thing that kept me from giving it a full five stars is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed and left a few loose ends. I would have liked a bit more resolution in certain areas. However, overall, "Angel Maker" is a solid thriller that's well worth a read if you enjoy dark and atmospheric mysteries. I'd give it a solid four stars.

I'm so bummed I didn't like this one- I've loved his books in the past. This had so many characters that I didn't really care about any of them, and there was so much jumping around that I was confused and not enjoying the journey...

I have enjoyed other books by the author but found this one quite hard to follow with all the characters and timelines. Definitely creepy but overall didn't love the alternate universe/futuristic part of this book.

Detective thrillers will never be for me. Overall, Alex North has really good premises and I always want to like his books but something in me just doesn't let me look past the detective. I am always so much less engaged in a thriller when it is someone who is supposed to be trained to handle these situations who keeps making mistakes.

HUGE fan of Alex North!!! I love all of his books and this one did not disappoint! Will be reading again and will recommend! I love how everything ties together so well at the end. You really get to know and understand the characters.

2/5

I found this book very confusing. There were a lot of POVs, characters, and aliases. There was a great premise, but just missed the mark for me.

This story was good and I liked the concept but it lacked atmosphere and depth. I never really got into the story or the characters. I guess my expectations were set too high after reading Whispers.

This book was just ok for me. From the very first page I was drawn in, and even though I enjoyed it at times it was confusing. I am an Alex North fan so I will continue reading his books. Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

The Angel Maker was my first Alex North book. While it was intriguing and kept me wanting to read to see what was going to happen, it was a bit confusing for me. I wasn't able to keep the characters straight, so that made it difficult at times, and I REALLY wanted to know what was in that book!

I'll try another of his books, as I've heard good things!

Thank you, Celadon Books, for my review copy!

This book was just okay to me. Don't let my opinion stop you from reading it because I really loved The Whisper Man. This one just wasn't for me. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Alex North, NetGalley, and Macmillan Publishers for this ARC of The Angel Maker. I was so excited for this book as I really loved The Whisper Man and The Shadows by North. This books along with all of the books from this author leave me thinking about the plot and the characters for a long time after I have finished the novel. My only slight complaint about this book is that there are a LOT of characters, too many characters. It is hard sometimes to keep track and I have to go back a bit to figure out exactly who they are referring to. Other than that, once I started this book I really couldn't stop. It was consuming my thoughts when I wasn't reading and I couldn't wait to get back to it. This book is a bit of a slow burn but overall, I loved it!

The perfect eerie thriller. North has never disappointed me. At this point, I will read anything he puts out. This was an easy read to devour in one sitting.

This was my first Alex North book and it definitely won't be my last. I think that his others may be a better fit for me, but I still really enjoyed this!

I usually enjoy Alex North’s books more than this. This story was so scattered and a bit too much to follow. The names, the dates, the story … all a bit scattered and disjointed. I was not a fan.

This review was also published on Goodreads.

After reading several of Alex North’s book and enjoying them, I cannot believe how much of a dud The Angel Maker was! It was completely confusing and boring and I struggling to follow the storyline.

Two stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for sharing this a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The Angel Maker by Alex North is a solid horror mystery thriller. I was really excited to try this given how much I enjoyed The Whisper Man and The Shadows, but as it turns out I couldn't get into this one nearly as much. It's a quick read like his previous books, but the it was a little too tricky to follow the storyline and characters for me overall.

The hooks and twists of the story were lacking for me, they read as kind of unbelievable. I’m not sure if it was because they were too simple, too coincidental, or because they actually didn’t make sense. This read like a book that got published 2 or 3 drafts before it was finished. There’s interesting stuff here, but it’s not collected well. The Angel Maker? It’s like oddly referenced two or three times, sounds super creepy and weird, but literally has no pay out. Did they forget? It kind of sets up its horror elements, but then forgets to add them in.