Thank you to MacMillan audiobook for the review copy of Angel Maker by Alex North. I think this might be a book that is better for me as a reader in physical form as compared to an audiobook; the production and voice acting are fine but it's just a confusing plot with a lot of timeline issues/characters to track and this is a kind of book that rarely works for me as an audiobook. So take my review for what it is, a comment on a story that might be great but might not be the best for audiobook.

what worked: an interesting plot for fans, like me, of the serial killer genre and general suspense fans. I admit I wouldn't say this is a thriller per se, a bit too slow burn for me to say it has a steady thriller suspense vibe, but it did make me wonder what was going on/how the story would resolve.
Themes on philosophy/fate and family bonds and connections are also welcome and well developed so this is a book that could foster some interesting discussions!

rating: 3 star audiobook, 4 star narration/acting style, 4 star plot potential.

A serial killer who claims to see the future. A brutal attack on a young boy. A woman who will stop at nothing to keep her family safe. Seemingly unrelated but intricately connected.

Alex North is an automatic read for me. His books are the perfect combo of mystery/thriller and creepy horror. This one is no exception. Alex weaves a complicated story with several POVs and time hops but it didn’t keep me from being engaged. I had to know how it all came together. I did have to rewind and relisten to a few parts bc I got distracted. So be prepared to focus and think hard to get all the “bread crumbs” Alex is leaving.

Add to your TBR if you are into
-dark thrillers
-fate vs free will
-protective big sister vibes
-complex character connections

Pub date: February 28
Narrators: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧/5
Spice: none

Thanks @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for this audiobook ARC.

Thank you Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for an audio-listening copy of The Angel Maker by Alex North. The Whisper Man was one of my favorite audiobooks of 2022, so I absolutely couldn’t wait to get my hands (and ears) on this one.

This book intertwines two storylines, the first being Katie Shaw’s. As an adult, she’s still struggling with guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, when they were younger. She also has her own child to protect now. She gets a phone call that Chris has gone missing and needs help - And she must decide who to put first.

At the same time, Detective Laurence Page is dealing with the gruesome brutal murder of a professor just hours after firing all of his staff. It’s almost as if he knew he was about to be murdered…but how? All leads for the case lead back to the attach on Chris as a teenager, and the crimes of a notorious serial killer who is said to have been able to see into the future.

This isn’t an audiobook that you can put on while doing other activities. I found myself having to rewind quite a few times as there are multiple timelines and points of view. There’s detail in EVERYTHING, so pay close attention. Because of this, one may decide that book format is easier to follow. This one requires you to suspend disbelief quite a bit, at least in my opinion. It’s a fast-paced read, but not my favorite of this author’s. Regardless I can’t wait to see what else he comes up with in the future.

Ok. This was one that you have to devote your whole attention to and pay close attention. There are a lot of timeline switches and POVs. This was hard to listen to on audiobook simply because of that. The POVs often ended abruptly and I had to rewind and listen again to catch everything. And that was after I slowed it down in the beginning to try and catch every detail! Rosalie Craig did a wonderful job narrating, but it was just the way that the book was written that made it hard to follow in audio form.

I did love the storyline. It gave me major Frailty vibes (you know, the Matthew McConaughey movie from 2001? I feel like I just aged myself there) I was a little worried that it would rip that off but Alex North took the premise and put his own spin on it.

Katie Shaw knows what a dangerous world this is. When she was in high school, she went home with her boyfriend and made her (also in high school age) brother walk home by himself. The one time she didn’t do as she was told and there was a tragedy. Now there are too many dangerous coincidences happening and her husband doesn’t believe her 😒 and then her mom calls gasping something about her brother. Try to piece together the clues of this complex puzzle, and trace all of the strings of the spider’s web to the center to try and figure out what is going on.

This is my second Alex North book and I find his writing to not be my favorite style. It is hard for me to get into and even harder to track what is going on. Especially with the audio book I had to go back and re-listen to chapters. it was 4 separate pov's with others sprinkled in and a lot of then/now stuff which is a lot to keep straight. For me it's reminiscent of the Angels and Demons type books/movies.

For all that complex and winding plot, I feel like the characters are kind of thrown around and not super well developed so plot points like the way Katie's husband treats her and the way the police both care deeply and don't care at all depending on the instance of plot convenience needed. It's a book that needed a little more connection to the characters and at a fairly short 8 hour run time there was room for it in my opinion.

That all said I flew through it because I did want to know how it all wrapped up and even though I am pretty sure I missed some stuff and had a few questions left over, I think it was wrapped up pretty well and the twists were good. North's books have a certain feel and this one definitely captured the same feeling as The Whisper Man so if you loved that one, I think you will like this one too. Great plot, pretty good execution, character development leaves a bit to be desired but kept me enthralled the whole time. I could see this as a movie and I think add that visual element would help this all go together.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of the audiobook!

This was a fast-paced why done it thriller. We know from the beginning who the “bad” guys are, but their exact relationships and motivations are revealed bit by bit as the book progresses. There was a bit more supernatural elements included than I usually like. This is fine (not my cuppa but I understand that others like this), but the listed genres and blurb don’t really indicate this which left me coming away with an unsettled feeling. Is this a paranormal thriller? A police procedural? A psych thriller? I’m still not sure. I also felt there were a few loose ends left untied. As an audiobook, I found the beginning a little confusing for several reasons. 1. There were a lot of names and then same characters who changed their names and the author wasn’t consistent with what he called them.
2. The time jumps were a little too much, too often, and keeping track of when things were happening was a bit hard without having the dates in front of me to go back and reference. I get that this was deliberate (one of the characters has some philosophical or maybe paranormal theories about time where these jumps make some sense).
I loved the banter/relationship between the two cops. That was great! The narrator of this audiobook was good although many of the male voices sounded the same. This doesn’t bother me though. I did also like how most of the plot points were interwoven and connected.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for providing this ARC copy to read and review. All the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading the book.

The story was decent, but it didn't keep my interest all the way through. Maybe I should have read it instead of listening to it because I found myself zoning out of the story a few times.

If you liked North's previous two novels, The Whisper Man and The Shadows, then you will definitely enjoy his latest, The Angel Maker. Told from a few timelines and by various narrators, so I found it somewhat confusing, especially listening to it as an audiobook. This story has so much going on, I would recommend reading vs. listening to this one! Katie Shaw's younger brother Chris is attacked when they were teenagers, and the guilt of it has never left Katie. Even years later, she is married and has a daughter of her own to protect. The attack on Christopher Shaw seems to be somehow connected to a current crime that Detective Laurence Page is assigned, the death of a professor who teachers free will vs. fate. All of the characters and this intricate plot do weave together, but it's definitely a thriller you need to focus on! Overall, it was enjoyable and as always Alex North does a great job delivering originality to his thrillers!

One day, a violent stranger changed Katie's and her brother, Chris', life. Now, years later, Chris is missing again, and he needs her help. Chris' attack years ago is now considered the doing of a serial killer by Detective page.
Um... what? I loved The Whisper Man by this author, it gave me actual chills (which never happens to me when I read). After, I read The Shadows, which was OK, but felt very similar. And now, The Angel Maker fells the same, but without the thrill. I did not like this. I listened to the audio book, and although the narrator did a great job, the story was so confusing, there were so many characters, my mind kept wandering. The premise was interesting, but this thriller/murder mystery filled with hard topics (check your TWs) fell flat. I will try to read a physical copy, because I feel this story was much to complex for me to be able to completely focus on it on audio.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

AUDIOBOOK
Alex North does it again, inserts a level of creepiness into any story - while more of a thriller than horror, this is one you won't soon forget. Rosalind Craig's voice is perfect for this story!

Kate, her brother Chris and boyfriend Sam experience an event as children that changes their lives irrevocably. Kate is still dealing with the trauma many years later when she receives a call that her brother is missing. As she travels back to her village she begins to suffer from PTSD. What really happened many years ago and is it connected to her brother's disappearance?
#MacMillanAudio #TheAngelMaker #AlexNorth

TW: Murder, drug abuse, toxic parent relationship, language, bullying, gory scenes, depression, death of children

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: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.
Release Date: February 28th, 2023
Genre: Horror - Thriller
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐

What I Liked:
1. The premise of the book sounded good

What I Didn't Like:
1. Cheesy dialog
2. It always feels like the same book
3. No surprises

Overall Thoughts:
This was my 3rd Alex North book I read. The other two; The Whisper Man and The Shadows . Both these books just fell flat for me and I was bored. So I was hopeful that the old saying "Third times a charm" would be true. I was wrong though.

This book reminds me so much of Frailty - which is a great movie staring the wonderful Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey. Let me tell you what that movie is about; "One day, a widowed blue-collar worker has a revelation: he must destroy those revealed to him as demons. He then begins the serial killings of `God's Hand Killer' across Texas, but he also has two young sons, the younger of whom idolises him and believes in the cause, while his older brother is revolted but cannot bring himself to stop his father. Twenty years later, the elder son walks into a police station and confesses."

I was bored. Actually really really bored. I don't know how Alex North manages to write books that all feel like his last books. This is the third book of his where it's a serial killer with some kind of catchy name where he kills in a certain way.

Nothing happens in this book that I didn't see happening from page one. This book reminded me too much of something I've seen before. I felt like I knew what was happening and was waiting on the book to catch up.

Final Thoughts:
I've tried 3 times to like Alex North's books and I just can't get into them. This is where I'm parting ways.

Recommend For:
• Fake books about serial killers
• Simple story telling
• Scary scenes

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Katie has been filled with guilt ever since she was a teenager and left her brother Chris to walk home alone from school one day and he was attacked. As an adult, he has had a rough time of it battling addiction and homelessness, and their relationship has been rocky. When he goes missing, Katie starts looking for him more out of duty and for the sake of her mother than anything else...until she realizes there is actually something bad going on. Even her own daughter might be in danger! Turns out, it's more of a twisty mess than she ever imagined.

As another reviewer said, I do not recommend listening while multitasking. I can often listen to a thriller while I'm working but I was so terribly confused. There are a few reasons this book requires focus.

a) There are a lot of characters.
b) The author switches between referring to them by their first names and last names.
c) The story switches between timelines, often multiple times in one chapter, and if you miss the date....you will have no idea what is going on. This happened to me many times with the audiobook. Whoops!

I had to go back and listen to several chapters again, and I took some notes so I could clarify and remember who all of the characters were. After a little homework, I got back on track. But if I got a little distracted and missed a minute or two....I had to go back and listen again.

Now, I could blame that entirely on myself, but I don't think a book HAS to be quite that confusing. The author could have made things slightly clearer without dumbing things down for us.

I thought the story was mostly twisty and turny and devious and good! The end wasn't a cop out and there were no cheap tricks. It's definitely something more original than the standard fare domestic thrillers going around these days.

But I was still left with some questions when it finished, and there were some loose ends that were not tied up. Since I was so confused before that, I just can't give this TOO high of a rating. Maybe read a physical copy of this one rather than the audiobook, and you'll have better luck.

This was my first book by this author and I can’t believe I have been missing out. This book has such an intricate and interesting storyline that I couldn’t stop listening!

I thought the combination of a new crime and what each of the main characters part in the story was great.

It was twisty and thought provoking with the the spiritual element being very interesting.

I requested this audiobook ARC because I greatly enjoyed Alex North's previous titles. I was slightly disappointed in The Angel Maker. In my opinion, this novel featured too many characters and I found it distracting that they were sometimes referred to by their first names and sometimes by their last names. Listening, I found it hard to keep track of all the characters and how they were connected. The story is engaging and the connections at the end tie the characters together, but I felt it took too long to get to that point and once there the ending was too quick.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Once I figured out who everyone was due to the time jumps and name changes, I really enjoyed this story. Alex North always delivers a heart racing tale, and this is no exception. I was especially worried for Katie's daughter the whole time.

Possible trigger warnings for stalking/spousal and child abuse, but bearable.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook!
Please ask me if you have any questions about how to sign up for NetGalley to request advance e-books and audiobooks.

Publishes 2/28/23

Many thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for providing me with the audio e-book to Alex North's latest and greatest novel!

In listening to this book, I thought the narration and voicing was very well done with a variety of modulations for the characters. My only complaint is that there were so many characters/different names that I did have a hard time keeping them straight. So, I will be buying the hardcover and reading this one again but keep this in mind if you choose to listen to the book.

I am a huge Alex North fan and loved both the Whisper Man and the Shadows. Add this one to the list! There was a bit of the paranormal mixed into this psychological suspense as to be expected from this author.

Katie Shaw decides to skip walking her brother home from school in favor of canoodling with her boyfriend, Sam. That happens to be the very day that her brother is almost kidnapped and killed.
Fast forward to adulting and Katie tries to spend her days protecting the people around her but the unresolved guilt of what happened to her brother still eats at her.

Katie is now estranged from her brother Chris, who has been missing for the past 2 years and has had a bad drug habit. Katie and Sam are married, have 5 year old Sienna and relationship issues. Katie's mom reaches out to let Katie know that her brother is in trouble and asks her to help him.

This time her brother Chris is sober (maybe?), connected with some very dangerous people and somehow linked to a serial killer who can see the future and writes everything down in a special book that several people want and are willing to kill for.

Highly recommend!

3 stars

An interesting book—half detective novel, half speculative fiction—that is a bit heavy on philosophical ideas. It explores the idea of determinism vs free will in relation to family, crime, & addiction.

[What I liked:]

•The world building, though subtle, was interesting. It kept me guessing on the precise details until the end, but the ending did (mostly) make sense in a satisfying way. (I am still curious about the cult & what exactly it meant, other than just being vaguely sinister in the background.)

•Katie & Chris are both sympathetic characters who I quickly became invested in. The tension in their relationship was very realistic, & their bond despite the difficulties was touching.

•HM Hoover was my introduction to sci-fi in my YA reading days, so when I read speculative fiction I do appreciate when it has a component of philosophical exploration. This book has a similar feel to HM Hoover’s work, & weaves in reflections on free will & determinism from multiple characters’ points of view, but it never felt pedantic or forced to me.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•There are a lot of characters to keep track of, & narrative perspectives shift often. On one hand it drew me into the story & made me want to learn how they were all connected, but it did get confusing at points.

•The villainous characters are very villainous, & almost feel like caricatures. Even several of the side characters don’t get much depth—James, Katie’s husband, & the two detectives needed more complexity imo.

CW: child death, child neglect, murder, physical assault, substance abuse, mental illness

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Alex North for the advanced listening copy of The Angel Maker!

3.5 stars rounded up.

I was a big fan of Alex North's first books and The Angel Maker is another winner! I think listening to this one really enhanced my enjoyment, there were several moments where I was listening in the car and my jaw actually dropped.

This is a book that had me thinking about it while I wasn't reading because of all the tangled webs North weaved. I really enjoyed how everything played out.

North is quickly cementing himself as an autobuy author for me!

The Angel Maker will be on US bookshelves February 28!

I have to be honest, some of the time jumping confused me, but I really didn't want to put this book down. I was totally into the story and couldn't figure out where it was going or how what happened came to be. Katie Shaw made a choice when she was a teenager and it changed the course of her family's lives forever. Years later, her brother Chris is a drifter and their relationship is on the rocks. In talking to her mom, she hears that Chris has come back, but didn't want her to know. Now Chris is missing and Katie thinks she owes it to him to help unravel the secrets he has been keeping and get him back safe. Katie's husband hasn't always been the perfect man, and he doesn't want her involved in this, but she is finally taking a stand and doing what she believes in.
This story goes from past to present and jumps around quite a bit. There are a lot of characters too, and some have multiple names so it was a little clunky for me to figure out what was actually happening, but in the end the story came together nicely and I was left a little dumbfounded. There were many twists that I didn't see coming, starting off pretty early.
The narration was spot on and I really enjoyed the audio.
Thank you to Macmillian, Netgalley and Alex North for an early copy.

2.5 Stars

Do NOT listen to the audiobook while multitasking. There are a bunch of different characters and POVs. Not only that but the story jumps back and forth between the past and present quite often. I was so confused by the time I reached the 44% mark, that I decided to return to the beginning and start all over again. The second time around, all my focus was on the novel. Even then, I still had some issues with the writing's clarity. Therefore, the story wasn't as compelling as it could be.

Overall, I like the concept and the ending but didn't enjoy the journey.

***I would like to thank NetGalley, Alex North (the author), and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***