The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy, narrated by Kate Rudd, offers a gripping historical mystery thriller experience set in the 1920s.

Immersing oneself in a compelling Historical Fiction Horror story is always a treat, and The Dollmaker delivers right from the outset. Dawn, our protagonist, defies the societal norms of her time, dreaming of becoming a doctor despite the prevailing gender biases. The author adeptly captures the era's atmosphere, where women are relegated to the sidelines, and Dawn's determination to break free from these constraints is palpable.

As ballerinas begin to vanish, fear grips the community with whispers of The Dollmaker, a serial killer who mutilates his victims to create eerie life-size dolls. Dawn, alongside Gideon and Sebastian, embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind the disappearances. Shamy masterfully constructs a web of suspects, keeping readers on edge with each revelation and twist.

The narrative unfolds at a brisk pace, brimming with unexpected turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. Dawn's resilience and unwavering resolve to find her missing friend, Rose, add depth to the story. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster ride of suspense and intrigue as The Dollmaker unveils secrets that will leave you reeling.

It's impossible to discuss The Dollmaker without acknowledging Kate Rudd's exceptional narration. Her flawless pacing and nuanced delivery breathe life into the story, enhancing the overall listening experience. Rudd's portrayal of the characters adds depth and authenticity, making them truly come alive in the audiobook format. Her contribution takes The Dollmaker to new heights, ensuring that listeners are fully immersed in its chilling narrative.

I thought this book was a supper fun read. Perfect combination or romance, mystery and murder. I love a good who done it, so I was hooked. The narrator was good and easy to understand and fallow.

This one's okay there's something significant about it that stands out, but there's also nothing about it that makes me angry. It's a pretty average rate overall

I really enjoyed this book! It had a perfect blend of mystery and romance that kept me hooked from start to finish. Unlike some books that can feel slow, this one had a captivating storyline that never lost my interest. The characters were so likable and relatable, making it easy to get invested in their journey. I can't wait to recommend this amazing read to all my friends. It's just as thrilling as Jack the Ripper!

Thank You, NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book.

I went into The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy without any expectations and I cannot say how pleasantly surprised I was after reading it.

I loved the setting, the characters and the mystery.

I don't want to give away any spoilers.

So, I will only say that this book is totally worth your time. Please do give it a read.

Thanks.

The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy is a historical mystery thriller set in the 1920s.

I was not sure what to expect when I started this book, but I was quickly hooked.
Set in a time period where women were still considered to be just an accessory to their husbands, Dawn has no interest in getting married. Her dream is to be a doctor, but with the view on women, she knows that although she was capable of doing everything the doctor she works for, she will never get the same respect that he receives. Women in the medical field were only considered midwives, and if they tried to do more, they were called witches.
When ballerinas begin to disappear, they fear the serial killer that has been named The Dollmaker must be responsible. The Dollmaker kills beautiful young women and cuts a part of the body off, reconnecting them in a Frankenstein like manner. The Dollmaker is creating their own life size version of dolls.
Trying to figure out who the Dollmaker causes you to suspect multiple people, and as the information is revealed, you begin to find more reasons each suspect could be the killer. The book moves fast, with twists and turns coming constantly. The author weaves an engaging mystery that truly captivates the reader. I loved Dawns courage and determination to find her friend Rose that’s missing, regardless of the danger she puts herself into. The book gives you Jack The Ripper vibes. Be ready for twists that you won’t see coming.

I went into this book thinking it would be just okay but I was surprised by how much I truly liked it. If you have read Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, you will absolutely love The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy. Though this book is not fantasy and is instead a mystery, it was spot on something that reminded me of it and drew me and kept me interested. I became invested in the characters and needed more and more with each page.

Set in the 1920’s when women were expected to become wives and stay home and raise the kids, Dawn has other plans for her life and a husband and kids are not part of it. Dawn is working for the local doctor, behind the scenes so that others won’t know that she is practicing medicine. The only person that Dawn can lean on when others want so much from her is her best friend Rose. When Rose disappears and a murderer kidnapping and murdering young women and turning their bodies into dolls, Dawn sets out on a mission to find the Dollmaker. With twists that are so unexpected, you won’t want to set this book down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy in exchange for my honest review.

Historical books are not one of the genres I enjoy, but this audiobook pulled me in and kept me hooked. The story reminded me of Jack the Ripper. The story took several twists and turns offering up three potential serial killers. I spent several chapters trying to narrow down the suspects only to be completely SHOCKED 😲 when the true doll maker is reveled.

The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy will keep you guessing until the end. I had no idea who the killer was and was shocked when it was revealed. The story follows Dawn, a young woman in the early twentieth century, as she tries to find her best friend Rose, who was kidnapped by "The Dollmaker", a killer who poses pieces of women's bodies into "masterpieces". Quite a good story, very interesting and well written. I really enjoyed it. And the narrator did a great job as well! Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher.

The dollmaker is a serial killer who murders his victims takes parts of each victim and sews pieces together to make a perfect specimen. The murders started in New York and culminated in the "doll" and they are now starting back again as bodies are turning up missing key pieces. Dawn is a doctor, which is unheard of at this time, set in the 1920s, whose best friend goes missing. No one takes Dawn seriously so she takes it upon herself to discover who the dollmaker is on her own. She does partner with a wealthy gentleman whose fiance was murdered in the first series of murders.

Though this is a book of murders, the murder aspect is minimal, and the gore and violence are also minimal. This story takes a bigger look at the societal expectations of women during this time. Women were not in roles such as physicians, were not taken seriously when it came to reporting crimes, and were forced into marriages, still. Women took on a lot of abuse because the police and society would believe the man over the woman. Alongside this commentary, we have Dawn, who is trying to navigate the world and stand up for herself when her parents despise her and blame her for the death of her brother. There was a lot of back and forth with herself that tended to be repetitive and led to a bit of a downward spiral in the middle of the book. The book picked up pace at the end and wound up having some fantastic twists and turns. I thought I had figured out the mystery, but I was blindsided.

The writing was well done, and the descriptions of the ballet theater and what the dancers endured were fantastic. The social commentary was well done without being preachy. There was an allusion to still calling and claiming Dawn was a witch instead of a healer or doctor, because people are fearful of the unknown. The audio version was well done as well. The narrator was able to capture the suspense of the novel and helped keep your attention. Overall, the story was entertaining, it wasn't graphic and was even suitable as a young adult novel, for those who love horror without all the gore.

So grateful for the opportunity to listen to this wonderful book/audio! Thoroughly enjoyed the story and the narration!

For me this was part mystery, part love story, but I really enjoyed it! It was a very interesting book that caught my attention and held it throughout the whole book without dragging along like some books tend to do. The characters where very likable and relatable it was easy to fallow the story line. I would recommend this to all my friends.

The story itself is a 3 star story - mid with a predictable twist, blatantly obvious red herrings, and an odd sense of time to it where it was supposed to be set in the 1920s and there were cars, but everything felt more Edwardian era. The romance made no sense - why a smart woman insistent on being a doctor and terrified of being tied down and being forced into the role of a house wife would fall so instantly in love with a bizarre toxic man with childish outbursts is beyond me. Overall...this was just okay. Not very horror in my opinion. This book wrote a check it couldn't cash.

As for the narrator - took away another star because the narrator kept pronouncing the 'T' in the word 'valet'.

Iwant to thank Netgalley for an advanced ARC of this novel as a audiobook

The story was fast Paced and fun to listen to but I did find it predictable, the main character I enjoyed how she was written and her want and need for independence to be the kind of woman she wants to be as a healer... which for the time she lived was a rare career for a woman and made her stand out and seem to be an u desirable to many, but she was determined to be what she wanted to be and also how she wanted to be. The other characters in the background to me seemed to not have much character development (I know as background povs they are not as important as the main character but for me i like to have more development). The story was interesting and easy to become addictive to read in one seating like I have.

This book was so good! You are hooked from chapter 1 and the book never lets go of the grip it gets on you. The book is fast paced and the writing is very immersive. It gives Jack the ripper - vibes and you will keep on guessing who the dollmaker is up until the very end.

The premise of this mystery/horror was so good. I love a strong FMC with a passion for STEM ready to fight off society for thinking she is weird or can’t do it. This was giving me Stalking Jack the Ripper Vibes. I also love a bit of an unhinged Criminal Minds type serial killer and we definitely get that with the Dollmaker. I was eager to keep going and find out what happened!

With that being said I did find the characters a bit flat, and what (I think?) was supposed to be some romantic elements/tension non existent. The book is set in the 1920s but at times felt like we were doing murder mystery Bridgerton? It was a bit jarring.

I’d definitely give this author another read/listen! The audiobook itself was good, nothing overly amazing but also not a bad narrator to listen too. This was a thoroughly enjoyable and fast read to scratch that mystery thriller need!

Dawn is a woman who desires to become a doctor but is an apprentice and a healer to women. Yet, the killer notices her, and the killer collects trophies from the kills. His trophies are compilations of dead girls into a "masterpiece." The killer's connected to one of the dead girls. Dawn becomes engrossed with finding the Dollmaker. The Dollmaker kidnaps Rose, her best friend, at Rose's engagement party. The historical setting showed how great the divide was between men and women, yet beautiful how people are as strong now as they were back then. I enjoyed the banter between Gideon and Sebastian. Even though they are brothers, they are different and treat Dawn very differently. The Dollmaker is not a true horror or romance story for me, and the story has a little bit of those elements, but more thriller and historical mystery. I could go on, but I prefer spoiler-free reviews, and help you pick your next source of enjoyment!

I really enjoyed the way it was written and how Dawn became wrapped in the dollmakers sites. I liked Dawn took to investigating the disappearance of Rose herself and the unlikely partner she had. The narration was really good, and I feel like I liked it more than I would have if I was reading it myself. I loved the twists and the eerie feelings. I did not see the reason behind the killings coming at all. Anyone Dawn suspected I was fully on board and would change my allegiance as she did. It fit the time period well and I found the murder signature interesting (which is always weird to say).

Thank you @camcat_books and @netgalley for the gifted audio.

So for this I did definitely enjoy the story but I don’t think I connected with it they way I would have liked to. I’m not sure if that’s just a simple fact of the audio version just wasn’t for me I’m not sure. I will definitely be adding this book to my home library where I have every intention of reading it for myself. I have found when I just can’t connect with the audio version I need to read instead. Unfortunately I was unable to purchase the book before this review so I have every intention of coming back to amend should my opinion change. I will definitely still recommend this book to all my thriller loving friends. Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy this book.

The Dollmaker by Morgan Shamy is a suspenseful story following a young woman, Dawn, as she tries to weave her way through the mystery of her friend’s disappearance at the hands of a serial killer known as “The Dollmaker.”

This story is very well done. There are several layers that go beyond the theme of suspense and horror that deal with very real and relevant circumstances. Morgan Shamy writes horror in a way that the reader can relate to, especially if that reader is a woman. The themes explored in this novel go beyond traditional tropes to include subject matter that can be horrific in a way other than the obvious. Dawn is a very strong female character in a time when showing independence, education, and stubbornness could be sorely looked down upon. Watching her traverse through the maze that is societal norms at the time is almost as scary as The Dollmaker, a killer who takes pleasure in creating human dolls by assembling parts from various victims into a single body. The theme of the book, in my opinion, is what it is to be perfect. The Dollmaker is trying to create a “perfect” woman, as is the world around Dawn trying to force her into what is considered a “perfect” role in the eyes of society. The story contains several instances that make the reader feel anxious due to the situations Dawn finds herself in during day-to-day life, and not just the fear of a serial killer on the loose.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio version and loved the flow and the narration. Kate Rudd did an amazing job translating the drama and suspense. If you enjoy audio, this is a great story to listen to. Overall, this was a great story! I do wish there had been more appearances by The Dollmaker and their “works of art,” but it was refreshing to read a story that dove into several layers of what can be considered “horror.” Morgan Shamy does great job in crafting a mystery that is full of deceit, betrayal, love, and murder. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh take on what it means to be afraid.