This is the best Alex North book to date. Complex characters, fun and twisty plot, mystery, Good vs evil, and enough suspense to keep you up late reading. The narrator was great.

🎧3⭐️

After loving The Whisperman, I was all over a new book by this author.
I had the audiobook version read by Rosalie Craig.

The previous books have flirted with a supernatural element, this one jumps in with both feet.

There are quite a few characters and strands which doesn’t make it easy to keep track, I’d go as far as to say I found it confusing. It’s slow and rambling, and rapidly moves time frames. It’s complex with very subtle hints and clues, you need to really concentrate, perhaps not best suited to audiobook format unless you are able to concentrate 100%. This one might be appreciated more by reading. I perhaps need to read this too, I’m just not sure I have the patience. I found with shadow friends it needed reading twice to appreciate it fully. Life’s too short to have to read books twice to get the most out of them.

There’s a serial killer who knows the future, a victim Alan Hobbes a philosopher who lectures on Determinism, that life is pre ordained. As he waits to die he thinks about three people whose journeys are interlinked with his own,
Siblings Kate and Christopher, Kate is still traumatised by an event earlier in her life which Christopher bore the results of.
DI Laurence Page who is investigating the murder of Hobbes.
I found this one weird, the themes explored seeing into the future, life being predestined and parallel universes felt like an overload although I can appreciate that they are linked theories.

I’m beginning to think that the author isn’t going to be able to match The Whisperman for me. So anticipating that this will be my last early read, I’ll wait for others to rave about a new book before giving it a try.

Alex North's latest, THE ANGEL MAKER, is a slow-burning complex, dark, chilling, and twisty psychological thriller with multiple storylines and characters.

It will take significant concentration to keep up, especially listening to the audible version.

Set in the UK, meet Kate Shaw, age seventeen. She had a boyfriend and a younger brother. Her life is quite pleasant in the English countryside with big dreams.

Until that when an impulsive decision changed her life and those around her. She was supposed to care for her younger brother, Chris; instead, she spent the afternoon with her boyfriend.

Chris was attacked by a stranger, Michael, who attempted to cut off his face.

Now in her 30s, Kate still feels guilt. Her mother informs her that Chris has gone missing. He has been troubled and has become an addict and a criminal. He needs her.

Kate now has a child of her own. She is pulled in all directions, struggling to separate the real threats from the imagined. Chris continues to be involved in criminal activity or caught in and around it.

We then meet Detective Laurence Page handling a gruesome crime of a distinguished professor, Alan Hobbes, of fate and free will, who has been murdered after firing his staff. Did he expect to die?

This connects with the old case and attack of teen Chris and a notorious serial killer known as The Angle Maker, who is known to see the future. How are these cases connected?

They are indeed connected in mysterious ways.

Totally creepy and a bit confusing, serial killer, a brother, and a professor. A whodunit and motive. I had to rewind multiple times to see if I had missed something. There are a lot of evil characters, and you may need a scorecard to keep up.

I am not a fan of the paranormal, horror, and creepy; however, I did enjoy the narrator, Rosalie Craig, who delivered an engaging performance.

Thank you to #MacmillanAudio and #NetGalley for a gifted ALC.

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3 🌟Stars
Pub Date: Feb 28, 2023

Alex North is back with another edge of your seat thriller. This was dark and creepy with cult vibes and a slowly unraveling story. What happens when life doesn’t follow its prescribed course and bucks fate?

I wasn’t a huge fan of how quickly the story ended and there was one plot point that never quite came around. I also struggled with characters going my multiple names and had to flip back a couple times to make sure i kept things straight! I did like the layers and suspense that kept me turning pages until the very end. The red herrings were well placed and played into the suspense.

I loved reading this with book club friends!

Katie is about to graduate high school and has an idyllic life until her brother, Chris, is the victim of a violent attack. As an adult, Chris struggles with addiction/mental health and Katie has no relationship with him. When Chris goes missing, Katie realizes her family is in danger and begins looking for her brother.

The logistics of the book were a bit off for me. It was really creepy at times and I liked getting the killer’s perspective. However, Katie irked me. I did like the detective and I could almost see this becoming a series.

I had not read anything from Alex North before but now I will be reading all of his backlist! I loved how creepy this book was and I really enjoyed the narrator.

Once again Alex North weaves together the past and present of multiple characters, in his latest thriller, Angel Maker.

Katie and her brother Owen have a strained relationship, but when Owen goes missing, Katie jumps into action to figure out what's going on. Somehow she feels this is connected to the danger she feels lurking at her own periphery, and she isn't wrong!

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of the audiobook, and while the narration was wonderful, I wonder if I would have spent a bit less time confused had I read a physical copy. Overall, a solid 3/5 and those who have enjoyed North's books before will do so again.

Katie Shaw is a family woman who is haunted by her past, when her brother was attacked by a stranger. Now, her life is upended after her brother goes missing again and her daughter sees a mysterious man. At the same time, a detective has found a professor of fate and free will murdered in his home, discovering a connection to the Shaw family and a famous old serial killer. These two stories expand outward as past and present intersect, with plenty of mysteries and twists along the way.

This was an average novel that was elevated by its themes and discussion of free will and fate. It is certainly intricately woven, with one character having memories across his life and multiple characters in the present trying to solve various seemingly disconnected mysteries. I enjoyed a lot of the research North did into free will and the characters discussing how it effects their own lives. It works to elevate what otherwise felt like an ordinary mystery novel, and the finale's use of those ideas was excellent and very satisfying.

While the books short length makes the story move quickly, it also makes it hard to get situated in any of the various stories that the characters face. It also makes it hard to connect with the characters. I enjoyed the ride that I went on, but every chapter I had to reorient myself and recall everything that was happening to every character. I recommend this a little more if you are a "read it all in one sitting" kind of reader, versus "I pick this up whenever I have a moment."

As for the audiobook, the narration was well done. However, the short chapters and constantly shifting viewpoints make the audiobook more challenging to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for a copy of The Angel Maker in exchange for an honest review.

This could have been so much better. I originally rounded down to two stars, but a good night's sleep gave me some perspective, so it's rounded up to three now. I've rated books I liked a lot less than this one three stars, but this one did that thing where it failed in very specific ways while still holding my interest and dangling potential in front of me, so it made me mad and I punished it. I have not rescinded my punishment and I'm just disappointed.

Not gonna bother with synopsis, just want to start on the thoughts, which are numerous and conflicted. The actual prose of this book was clear and interesting, and I never once lost interest when listening (the audio narrator's voice was fantastic as well). I also liked the story! (Well, I could have done without the paranormal elements, they just felt like a distraction.) The problem is twofold. First, nothing in this book was developed properly. This was an eight hour audiobook, only 336 pages in hard copy. For everything North wanted to do, that was not enough pages. None of the characters were fully developed, and neither were any of the plots fully realized. It felt very surface level and went incredibly fast, which meant that I never got really emotionally invested, and there was a lot of room to explore themes and character here.

The biggest problem, though, is that the way North structured the book was incredibly confusing. I am a good reader! I am very good at reading comprehension! I will not lie it is probably the thing I am best at because I do it the most of any thing that I do. I know how to read books, and I am rarely confused by a book that is not meaning to confuse me. But this book was confusing, and not in a way that the author meant it to be. There were too many POV characters, and the POVs jumped often and sudden between themselves. He also jumped time periods. At least fifteen times while listening to this book (probably more) I would be listening to the book and following along with what was happening and then the next thing I knew we were following some other character in some other time and place and I would have to rewind to figure out what was happening, and I had to do this multiple times. I also had to rewind during the two biggest reveals, because the way that they were revealed made no sense. One of the reveals only made sense twenty pages later when another character was thinking about it.

So: a good premise, a good writing style, made frustrating by a confusing structure and a lack of development. Not the worst thing I've ever read, but I'm not sure I'll be trying any other books from this author if this is what they're like.

[2.5 stars]

🎧 Burn it to the Ground - Nickelback

I should have just DNF’d this one. It took me 95% of the book to finally get the stories straight….I realize I have mush brain right now but it should not have been THAT HARD! Half the time the author was referring to characters by their first name and the other half by their last. Wtf. No. Stop.

The ending wasn’t worth the suffering. Also, there was a point where one of the many characters compared brand new dollar bills to the innocence of a newborn baby….get fucked with that idiotic comparison.

⭐️ (a rare rating for me)

First, I just want to say this is one of my most anticipated 2023 releases. Serial killer thrillers and police procedurals are my favorite genre and Alex North is one of the greats. When Celadon did the LFL drop with advance reader copies, I made my husband drive me two total hours to the nearest participating LFL and I was very sad it was not there. Then I basically begged the publisher’s instagram page to send me a copy. Which they did eventually (thank you!), but I had already been approved for the audiobook through NetGalley/Macmillan Audio, so this is how I decided to consume it. The first time, at least.

I finished this audiobook last night and unfortunately while I believe I understood most of the overarching plot, I am still very confused about the characters and some of details and I’m left with a lot of remaining questions. When I listen to audiobooks, it’s normally when I am at rest and not doing something else simultaneously, so it wasn’t for a lack of paying attention.

I consume books in three ways - digitally on my kindle, on audiobook, and through physical copy. Although the narrator was fantastic, I think this book is probably better read and understood through physically reading whether it be a physical copy or on an e-reader, particularly given the continuous shift between using first and last names for characters, characters with multiple names, multiple characters referred to by the same names… etc. I could have done without that until which time it may have become necessary through the plot.

I am totally willing to give my physical copy another stab in the future, but for now at least, I’m rating this book at three stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Alex for an advance listener’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that Alex North had a new book I had to read it! The Angel Maker was a unique thriller and mystery.
Siblings fight, yes? They don’t always have each other’s back. After an incident that occurs years prior, Katie has a chance for redemption and finally show that she will have her brother Chris’ back. Meanwhile there is an active investigation for a serial killer that police are connecting to previous crimes.
There was a lot that was going on in this book, it had a slow start which made it hard to get into. I have read pervious works from the author and was excited to receive an audiobook to review. The storyline did get confusing from time to time, and I had to restart from a previous chapter to figure out what was going on.
I would rate this book 3.5 stars. I do recommend that if you start it, make sure you finish it, the ending is worth it. This wasn’t my favorite work from this author, but I do look forward to his next book.

4.5 stars!

Do you believe in fate or free will? Is destiny a thing or does it all depend upon your decisions? These two questions are what I'd consider the crux of The Angel Maker by Alex North.

Reading this was almost like solving a puzzle, where the individual pieces make no sense until one patiently works it out and it finally reveals the complete picture. With gorgeous prose, an intricate plot line and some mind-bending concepts, The Angel Maker completely blew me away and is going to be one of my favorite reads of 2023.

I think the most important thing to remember before reading this book is that it needs your attention, you can't mindlessly flip through it because if you miss one clue, you might lose track of it all. Also, you need to be patient, because there are several storylines, seemingly random and disconnected, and only if you're persistent they'll all effortlessly blend together to make perfect sense.

I always say the best way to read a mystery/thriller is without knowing much about the plot, but if you must then just know this - there are three crimes that need to be solved, there's a creepy serial killer with even creepier religious beliefs, and there's a book that might tell you the future. It's all very intriguing but also gets extremely dark and disturbing at times.

I loved how the author incorporates determinism and philosophy into the plot, making it all seem utterly mysterious and chilling. I also absolutely loved the masterpiece of an ending, and how everything effortlessly clicked into place.

If you like reading literary mysteries that mess with your mind with its plot but delight you with its prose, pick up The Angel Maker by Alex North.

The audio was well done, and I enjoyed the performance of the narrator.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and Alex North for an advance listening copy of The Angel Maker in exchange for an honest review. Im a huge Alex North fan and loved his last two books so I was so excited to get into this one. While I enjoyed this one, I felt like I was a bit confused throughout most of the book with some of the character connections. With that being said, thats more of a me problem and does not reflect on the authors writing. As always, he writes with such finesse and great skill. The narrator did a good job of keeping my focus and I loved how their voice brought the story to life. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for GR. This one will be available on Feb 28th and I would recommend picking it up if you've enjoyed Alex Norths previous books!

There are not enough words to express how much I LOVED North's The Whisper Man, so I was beyond thrilled to have been gifted an ALC of The Angel Maker to read and review. Unfortunately, this one did not work for me at all and as it turns out, is the first book I DNF this year. I had a very difficult time staying focused enough to understand the complexities of this book. This is not a book you can listen to while doing other things because you will get totally lost. I don't have any particular feelings towards these characters, so I'm not truly vested in what happens going forward. The story is moving painfully slow, so I may not have gotten to the "good parts" yet, but I don't feel the inclination to continue, so I'm throwing in the towel at 40% in. I'm sure many people might enjoy this book, but I hate that it was such a miss for me. Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.

#dnf:⁣
⁣
Let’s talk about the dreaded DNF. I honestly used to never DNF because I have FOMO. What if in the last 10% it goes wild and becomes the best book ever? I’ve learned that if that were the case they should have kept that same energy in the first 90%. I’m now in the camp of “there’s too many books and too little time to not DNF one” ⁣
⁣
It pains me to say, but The Angel Maker is my first 2023 DNF. This one started off wildly strong and had me gripped!! We start off with some gruesome deets on Chris Shane’s attack and I thought that would set the tone for the rest of the book. While I do love a slow burn, this took a turn down the “slower than a drying creek stream on a hot day” kind of burn. I got easily bored with the plot and also there’s a lot of players being added that made it hard to really grasp what was going on in present day.⁣
⁣
I did also listen a bit on audio, and I enjoyed that reader. Rosalie Craig really carried the story on their back. I think this was one to where the reader was great, but I could only listen so much with the material they were given. RC would be wonderful for any other police procedural and I’m happy to listen in the future.⁣
⁣
Overall, this was a miss for me. I felt it was too slow to be a slow burn and also had quite confusing characters to really grasp it all. While I may be in the minority, I hope all truly enjoy this one!⁣
⁣
Thanks @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for my copies. The Angel Maker is out 2/28!⁣
⁣
QOTD: Do you DNF? what’s the last book you DNF or the last book you couldn’t put down because it was so good?!

Alex North's The Angel Maker is a sinister, twisty read with lots of layers to unpeel.

When Katie Shaw's younger brother Chris is attacked on the street in a random act of violence, Katie's world was rocked. She always felt protective of Chris but when addition took over his life she grew frustrated and lost touch. When Chris disappears Katie's mom pleads for help finding him. Katie begrudgingly gives into her mothers call for help. As she searches for answers to her brothers whereabouts, she discovers his attacker is still on the loose and she begins to unravel a sinister plot of pure evil.

Told from multiple points of view and subplots, which make it hard to keep up with at times. Attention to detail is a must with this book. Rosalie Craig did a phenomenal job narrating which kept me involved in the story.

Thanks you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had lots of twists and turns. I found myself going back to replay the audio book to try and figure out what had just happened. I feel the author did a good job bringing it all together. I would recommend this book.

Alex North is the king of spine-chilling suspense and horror. "The Angel Maker" is an excellent addition to his works, all of which leave me sleeping with the lights on.

I have enjoyed all of Alex North’s books and I can add his current book The Angel Maker to that list. His writing in this book in detailed and intricate. I listened to the audiobook and this is one whether you read or listen to you have to pay attention because everything is connected.

There is a lot to unpack but I will make the synopsis brief. Kate Smith had a lovely life growing up with a amazing boyfriend and family. Unfortunately her world was shattered when her brother Chris was the victim of a crime. Professor Alan Hobbes teaches philosophy and is murdered not long after he lets his staff go. He knew he was going to die. Kate now married to her boyfriend Sam has a child of her own. She receives a phone call from her mother informing her that her brother is missing. Enter Detective Laurence Page who is given Hobbes’ case. He ultimately ties it to two other cases and a serial killer who can see the future.


Thank you netgalley and macmillianaudio for this arc in exchange for my honest review.