“It’s just an example, because I certainly do. But on an evening, when you’re deciding whether to have that second glass of wine or not, it might feel like you’re free to make up your mind either way. But you aren’t. What will happen will happen. What happens was always going to happen. You had no more choice than the pen did just then.”

QUICK RECAP 🖊️
A sister who is still living with grief of a brutal attack on her brother leaving him scarred is caught up in more than she could have imagined years later. A detective who keeps coming back to two old cases, trying to find a connection.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Thank you @netgalley @macmillanaudio & @celadonbooks for a copy of both the eARC and audio ALC. I was able tandem read these, Alex North has been on my radar since The Whisper Man so to receive these I was thrilled.
I will say this book is PACKED so I enjoyed reading vs. listening for this reason alone.

I did enjoy the narrator, but like I said, there’s so much packed into this book the book makes it easier for me to follow.

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon books for the gifted copy of this one in exchange for an honest review!
To be honest, this one was not for me. I wanted to love it, as I have loved both Alex North’s other books. I found myself getting confused and bored with this one. I struggled to follow along because it wasn’t keeping my interest. This one was a serious bummer for me.

The first two books by this author were a top read (The Whisper Man) and very good (The Shadows). The Angel Maker slipped as it was a challenge to follow (maybe partly the narrator of the audiobook) and the story was just average for me. Other than one significant twist, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat for this listen. It still had a steadiness with eerie suspense which is what I really like about this author’s books. He definitely still is a new release author for me and I am confident that I’ll enjoy the next book as much as the first two from the pseudonym author Alex North. I like the other title, The Half Burnt House, more for this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read Alex North “Shadows” book before this one and enjoyed it so I was excited going into this book. This book follows Kelly and Chris Shaw’s life, who has not had a walk in the park type of life. Katie has always tried to be there and take care of her brother but over time they have become estranged. Katie has found she maybe has had a little resentment in her life towards him. Everyone always has cared about Chris and treated him special and she has been left to fend more for herself.

One day Chris ends up missing and Katie’s mom calls her to ask her to check up on her brother. She thinks he’s in trouble and cannot let it go until Katie gets more information. Katie goes to his last place of residence and this is when she realizes in her gut something is terribly wrong.

Katie is stuck digging through their past to piece together all of the mysteries before it’s too late.

🗯️My first thought is I would classify this book more as a crime fiction versus a typical thriller. This doesn’t take away from anything but I sometimes think if not classified right it can set the wrong expectation. Anywho, I loved the setting of this gritty and dark book. It was fast paced and very twisty and I in no way, shape or form had any of it figured out. 😅 This is a book you have to pay very close attention to the different timelines. At times listening I got a little confused but it did work itself out when it all came together! I think Alex does such a nice job with his character development and his creep factor is on point! I also want to point out I really appreciate when an author brings in a unique idea and Alex does that with the topic of “determinism”. Bravo!

Looking forward to getting to The Whisper Man soon! 🤩

“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.“

This in not my usual fare, but I’m glad I dipped my toe into the Thriller/Mystery genre.

The story itself was fairly convoluted, with lots of timelines and characters and points of view.

I enjoyed the different familial relationships – parent/child, siblings, spouses – and was happy with how several of them were resolved.

I also liked that, while this book is considered Horror, it wasn’t GROSS. I mean, it wasn’t a HAPPY tale, but the author didn’t revel in the literary blood-lust that some do.

For that I am eternally grateful.

The things I liked most, however, was all the philosophical talk of Free Will vs Determinism, and the question of whether or not the killer can see the future. There’s something nice about some of the parts of the story being left unresolved.

Lots of gristly bits on which to chew.

I’ve heard good things about his other book, The Whisper Man, so I’ll check that one out next.

7/10

Thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan Audio for this creepy ARC.

This was a different kind of thriller, but I also found it very confusing. Katie Shaws brother who once attacked by a crazy man, becomes a drug addict and has now gone missing. He’s somehow connected to another story going where two brothers have a long-standing feud.

This was a very confusing listen. Maybe it was the audio, but I think it was just the whole story and how they were connected. I couldn’t keep all these characters straight in my head, maybe partly bc Alan and Edward the brothers were referred to by their last names Hobbs and Leland as well.

Pick this up if you’re into figuring things out when you read and want to unravel the mystery.

I have to be honest… I really didn’t like book much at all.
A few reviews have mentioned how difficult it was to listen and multitask, but I was just driving and I still felt like the story was being told in a way that wasn’t working for me. I loved the narrator, so I don’t think that was my issue.
I do tend to avoid fantasy books on audio, but I can handle a complex thriller or a Stephen King novel with 7000 characters, so it’s not like I couldn’t keep up with what was happening. It was just frustratingly slow and needlessly intertwined and just not laid out in a way that I enjoyed.
Overall, I felt like the book was interesting in the end, but I didn’t like the execution at all.
I was so happy that the book was over when I finished. I wanted to love it and I am bummed that I ended up hating it so much.

THE ANGEL MAKER review

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🔥I read The Whisper Man back in 2021 and loooooved it so I was super excited to read the latest release by this author! While the writing in this one was definitely super creepy and gave horror vibes, I still prefer The Whisper Man.

🔥Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
When he was just a young boy, Chris was violently attacked by a serial killer but managed to survive. Now as an adult, the trauma he dealt with as a child has led him to make some questionable choices. When a well known professor is found brutally murdered, all signs seem to point to Chris. His big sister Katie is determined to clear her brother’s name and prove his innocence, until Chris goes missing…

🔥My main issue with this story was how confusing it was to follow on audio. Because I had an advanced copy, I only had access to the audio version and I think the physical/e-book would have been better for this story. It switches between the past and present very frequently and also changes POVs constantly. It was a lot to keep track of on audio and the ending all happened so quickly I was honestly confused and had to go back and relisten to the last 2 chapters. 😂 I liked the creepy, horror vibes of this one and would still recommend checking it out. Just go for physical or e-book instead of audio only!

🔥Thanks to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for my copy of this one! It publishes everywhere February 28, 2023!

This one was a little hard to follow on audio but it was enjoyable. I liked all the characters stories and was left guessing until the very end. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat.

I really enjoyed this audiobook! I started listening and didn't stop till the mystery was revealed.

It was kind of challenging keeping the characters' relationships straight in the beginning, especially with the flashbacks, which I do find are a little more difficult in audiobooks, but I figured it out.

Without giving anything away, the pacing is steady, similar to Alex's previous novels. The action does get bogged down sometimes with the allusions to the past, but nothing that took away too much.

There was a point where I wanted to tell a character to just call the police to get help, because it would have solved A LOT, but, well, then there wouldn't have been that element of danger in the plot.

Overall, I found this to be an entertaining read.

I want to start off by saying that I received early audiobook copy. In return for my honest thoughts and my review. I have listened to this author previous books. The Shadows and The Whisper Man. So when I saw this on Netgalley. I knew I had to listen to authors new book.
This audiobook didn’t disappoint me. I couldn’t stop listening to this book. Needing to know who and what.
Yes there is multiple POV. Yes I had to make sure that I was paying attention while listening so I didn’t miss anything. The narrator does amazing job. Keeping wanting to know what happens next. To read about a killer who sees the future creeps me out. But these types of books makes you think.
About Book:
Katie Shaw still lives in the past when comes to her younger brother who was attacked when he was younger. When Alan Hobbs is murdered. Is Chris the prime suspect and why were the detectives looking for him. Katie and her mother haven’t seen Chris for years.
This a book that I highly recommend. Yes there are multiple POV. This book comes out February 28,2023 highly recommend this audiobook. My review is up everywhere amazon and goodreads and bookbub.

Thank you to the author and netgalley for allowing me to listen amazing book.

This is my first title from this author, and I had high hopes based on reviews of friends for their other works. However, this missed the mark for me, I just really never got invested in the story. I think there were good bones to the plot, but I found the plot lines hard to keep straight, and I never really gained any interest, even as the story progressed.

THE ANGEL MAKER by Alex North is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you on edge from start to finish. As the investigation unfolds, the reader is taken on a dark and twisted journey that explores the depths of the human psyche and how far a sister is willing to go to save her brother. North masterfully weaves together multiple storylines and characters, creating a rich and complex narrative. The characters are well-developed, with their flaws and vulnerabilities adding to the sense of realism. The writing is taut and evocative, creating an atmosphere of unease that persists throughout the novel. Mr. North has once again proven himself to be a master of the psychological thriller genre and I will probably be scared of going to bed for a few days. 😧

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio!

As a devoted Alex North fan it has been exceptionally difficult for me to give The Angel Maker two stars.

From the start of the book it is difficult to follow and all over the place, because of this it made it really hard to get invested into the characters and the situations at hand.

Overall it just felt very disorganized and all over the place.

In regards to the narration it felt very standard. Although at times even the Narrator sounded bored.

Thank you, Celadon Books, for the gifted copy of The Angel Maker {partner}

Genre: Horror
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 2.28.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆

"An interest in death, a desire to touch evil from a safe distance - where it can't touch them back."

Ohhhh, boy, this book was just so many things, and I can't say any of them were good. I enjoyed Alex North's first book - The Whisper Man, but his last couple of books have been a miss for me. So, let's examine why The Angel Maker wasn't for me.

I started out reading this book ad was invested after the first chapter but then the pacing started to slow, and there were all these characters added to the story, making it hard to follow. But I wanted to give the audio a chance. I'm glad I did because it prevented me from completely DNFing The Angel Maker, so if you need help, try listening instead.

There were few clues about when the story switched between past and present, so I needed clarification about where I was in time with almost every new chapter. Some characters had similar names, and some appeared in the past and the present, making it practically impossible to figure out.

I also thought the book was going in one direction, but then it went in a completely different direction, which made very little sense. The Angel Maker had a lot of potential to be good, but it just tried to be too many things.

By the end, I had no idea what was happening, and I still couldn't tell you what characters were involved in which storyline. It was just an overwhelming flop for me. I will give Alex North one more chance, and then I will move on from his books.

This feels like a "it's not you, it's me" kind of book. My mind was really wandering during this one and I'm not sure if it is because of the amount of characters and plots or just general distractions. I had a hard time keeping track of the characters. The ending left a lot to be desired for me and when I was finished reading I wasn't sure if that much even happened throughout the book. With that said, there were so genuine horrifying moments in this one that really had me spooked. I'll still read whatever North puts out next as he is clearly is a talented storyteller.

Wow, this mystery had me on the edge of my seat the whole time! The plot was so intricate and complex that I could hardly keep up with all the twists and turns. Sure, it was a bit challenging to keep track of all the different characters since it was told from multiple points of view, but that was part of the fun! I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was so engaging that I could barely put it down (or turn it off, rather).

However, there were some time jumps that confused me, and I might need to reread the physical copy to fully understand the connections. But even with these minor bumps in the road, the mystery was top-notch, and the suspense had me biting my nails with anticipation. And although I predicted the ending correctly, that didn't stop me from enjoying the excellent storytelling and intricate character development.

In fact, the plot was so complex that I'm still trying to unravel how it's all connected days after finishing the book! It's a true mark of an outstanding read when it lingers in your mind long after you've put it down. And let me tell you, any book that can do that is an instant favorite of mine!

Big thanks to Celadon books for the approval to read an early copy of The Angel Maker. SUPER excited to get to read new Alex North. It is just as creepy and twisty as I remember The Whisper Man being! (haven't read The Shadows yet)

I did a hybrid of audiobook and ebook because I tried to listen to the audiobook while working (as I usually do) but could NOT keep anything straight without seeing words on the page, lol. It all came together by the end but certainly if you're like me you will need to work on focus :-)

My one downfall was it took some time to get the people and timelines straight. Like, I probably could have kept a notesheet of people & dates to have an easier time trying to make sense of the seemingly unrelated characters. BUT worry not-- everything comes together and makes sense by the end. Wow, just wow; the way all the character's lives end up being intertwined... crazy and twisty and awesome.

I loved the creepy feel of this story. Specifically descriptions of the house Hobbes lives in, the story of the serial killer Jack Lock, and the mystery of a missing child. I also found the aspect of determinism fascinating. It made me wonder if people that believe this find life super boring; they're just resigned that they have no say in what happens to them!? Nahhh, I ain't here for it.

Totally loved the story and thought the narrator did a wonderful job. The right inflections, differences in voice for dialogue. She blew it away!

There was so much going on in this book! So many twists. So many turns. I had a hard time keeping up. Much of the time while reading I was waiting for the plot to pick up the pace and give me something meaty to bite into. At the end the author provided us with a delicious twist that I didn't see it coming and it was great! It was unexpected and heartbreaking all at once.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This was an audiobook that I really struggled with. The narrator lacked much inflection, so I found myself drifting off and needing to back up multiple times. Without the strong narration, much of the suspense fell to the side. The tie-ins were fine; some obvious, some a stretch. In the end, it wasn't anything surprising.

Overall: 3

I'll tell my students about: violence/murder/gore, death, mental trauma,

**Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free ALC prior to publication. All opinions expressed are my own.**