When Dan Garvie was just a boy he encountered the Pied Piper. He also encountered a small, scared boy begging for help with his eyes. But Dan’s own fear prevents him from doing anything but hide. Now Dan is a man with regrets. His father disappears and it’s assumed a suicide, so now Dan has to go back to the island he grew up on to handle his dad’s affairs. But he soon realized that people are dying, people related to that horrible day when he could have saved that boy and Dan must find out who is killing them before he is the next victim. This book and Alex North provide the reader with the perfect story. It was very engrossing, very intelligent and thrilling to boot. If I could read it again anew. I would.

This is such a sad book!

It's a very suspenseful read and, as a parent, my heart broke more than once.

The concept was unique, bringing this beyond what I thought was going to be a normal serial killer type novel. There's a certain cruelty to the kills that makes things all the more horrifying.

I was not all in on the the budding relationship in the book. I didn't think it added anything.

Other than that, it was really a great read!

This book was just terrific. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I read from this author before which I enjoyed and this new book did not disappoint. It was creepy and scary and I could not put it down. It gave me chills and was immersed in this story.
Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read!
4.5 Stars

The Man Made of Smoke
Alex North
05/13/2025
Celadon Books


The Man Made of Smoke is Alex North’s latest dark and twisted tale, centered around a ruthless serial killer, guaranteed to leave you reeling with its shocking revelations, suffocating suspense, and bone-chilling terror.

“Nobody sees and nobody cares.” Just let that sentence sink because, not only will that chase you across the pages, when you finish this book, you will immediately wonder what you have missed in your daily life by ignoring what you consider ordinary, mundane or just simply not important enough for you to take notice. The blurb has all the information you need. If you haven’t read anything by Alex North, trust me you are missing out. I will not miss anything this man writes. Drop everything and dive into this book immediately—you won’t want to put it down.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

Loved, loved, loved this! Alex North is a favorite and he exceeded my expectations in The Man Made of Smoke. The complex nature of this plot had me engrossed and savoring every word.

“Nobody sees, the man says. And nobody cares.” Yikes!

A man whose very nature is so evil that others can’t bear to look upon him is just the start of this chilling serial killer thrill ride. Dan Garvie had an encounter with him at a rest stop as a child, an encounter that would shape not only his life but that of many others.

When Dan’s father dies under mysterious circumstances, Dan heads back to the island where he was raised, only to face a possible connection between past and present.

A cast of unforgettable characters and whip-smart plot, North explores not only the eerie mindscape of a serial killers unrelenting need to kill but also the wake of trauma it leaves on the victims.

Thoroughly gripping, intense, complex, and terrifying!

My thanks to Celadon Books for this DRC!

I just finished this one last night and I am just absolutely blown away. I have read Alex North’s previous work and enjoyed them (“Whisper Man” being a favorite book of mine), but this one is my new favorite! I loved the character development and all of the twists and turns. The spooky atmosphere was absolutely perfect. Highly recommended it!!

Dan was a young boy when he narrowly escapes meeting a notorious serial killer, known as the Pied Piper, by hiding in a bathroom stall. In doing so, he turns his back on a boy his age who needed help escaping. Dans father, John, was a police officer at the time, and they both felt so much guilt that they were not able to help the boy. As an adult, still haunted by the event, Dan moves away from their small town home, and dedicates his life as a criminal profiler. One day he gets a call that his father has killed himself…. This brings Dan back home, a place he never wanted to return to, and surrounds himself with his father’s notes and case files. He is determined to figure out what happened all those years ago.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

Alex North never fails to deliver a tense, dark mystery, and The Man Made of Smoke is one of his best yet. Its signature, intricate plotline is an introspective look into the mind of a serial killer and his victims.

Dan Garvie returns to his childhood home on a small island when his father disappears under mysterious circumstances. He finds that his father had been researching a cold case involving a serial who abducted young boys, a case that touched Dan's and several other lives. When some of those on the periphery of the case are murdered or missing, Dan's investigation puts his own life in danger.

This is a well-written novel full of suspense and intrigue. It is fast-paced and packed with interesting characters and a purely evil antagonist. Told with flashbacks and multiple points of view, North does an excellent job of revealing the connections between the past and present and the delicate relationship between father and son. I was hooked from the beginning and captivated by this atmospheric psychological thriller. 5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 13, 2025.

What a most horrible way to grow up. To know that if you had just done something, things might have been different. Dan hid in the bathroom while a serial killer walked away with his latest victim. Now, 25 years later he is still torn by that decision.

This was an awesome book that kept me looking over my shoulder. Told from the perspective of Dan, his father Jon, and the victim from the bathroom, it will keep you guessing until the end.

And, as with all of Alex North books, you never know if it's real or supernatural. Keeps you guessing and waiting for more. I love the writing and suspense in all of the books by Alex North. I can't get enough, and this one did not disappoint.

Thanks to Net Galley and Alex North for an advanced copy of this awesome book.

I have read pretty much all the books that Alex North has written. I'm a huge fan. So when I was given the chance to read this new one, I was PUMPED!! He has not let me down yet, and this read was no exception. I loved the melancholy, sad vibes throughout this book. I definitely thought I had it figured out the whole time until BAM, turns out I was so wrong, which I loved!!! The thoughts of the main character about so many things he would have changed if he could resonates with everyone. We have all been to where we worried if we did the wrong or the right thing, only the decisions he made had severe consequences that were not his doing, but still haunt him. I loved how this book left me all up in my feelings. I don't ever want to write reviews with spoilers or all the info straight from the description, but I loved it. Loved, loved, loved and would definitely recommend! Thanks to Celadon Books for letting me read and review this one. I cannot wait for more books by Alex North.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Dan, a criminal profiler heads to his home town after his father dies as he tries to unravel the mystery of his father’s death. He is worried the monster of his childhood has returned. This was a thriller!

Alex North always delivers a tense and creepy atmosphere and this book is definitely no different.

I love the way the author slowly lets the tension build up and makes you want to look over your shoulder in case someone’s creeping up behind you 😆

This one is for all you “mindhunter” and real crime lovers with themes of serial killers and criminal profilers.

Thank you for the gifted copy!

Publish date: May 13th

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Thriller
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: May 13, 2025

'Nobody sees. And nobody cares."

🔪 Serial Killer Thriller
🔪 Multiple POV
🔪 Slow Burn Mystery

The mystery of the man made of smoke slowly unravels, continually going back to the little boy who was seen but ignored. I could only imagine being little and being too scared to speak up, then continuing to carry that as an adult. I enjoyed Danny's character growth as he realized that was an unfair weight put on him. North's skillful interweaving of past and present, shifting perspectives between John and Danny, kept me engaged throughout. Though the pacing is a bit slow, the resolution is worth the buildup.

If you're looking for a crime thriller with multiple POV and are intrigued by serial killers, I absolutely recommend The Man Made of Smoke.

Thank you so much Celadon books and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

⚠️ suicide, murder

Wow!! I love Alex North so I immediately requested this on Netgalley. This was such an intricately spun web that slowly unravels throughout the book. The killer was a surprise for sure. There were several good twists and I couldn’t put it down!!

This was a wild ride and super creepy from the start! I loved The Whisper Man so I was super excited about this one. This story was so eerie. I couldn’t put it down. I think people will love this mystery/thriller. Especially if you like slow burns. The pace and the atmosphere of this story will keep you reading late into the night!

This book is absolute perfection! I have loved all of Alex North's previous books, but this one is my favorite by far. The story is about Daniel, who as a teenager encountered a serial killer and his victim at a rest stop bathroom on the way home from a family trip. He is haunted by the fact that he did not help. In the present day, Daniel's father, a retired police officer, has gone missing. Daniel returns home to unravel the mystery behind his father's disappearance and connection to the serial killer. The story was haunting and emotional. It starts off as a slow burn, but the tension quickly starts to build about a third of the way in. I enjoyed that the story was told from alternating timelines.
This book was perfection, and will be on my list of top books for the year.
Thank you to Celadon Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really loved this author’s first 2 books, so I was excited to be able to get his next one early from NetGalley. (Even if I didn’t like his third one as much… we’ll hope that’s an outlier….)

I guess his genre is Sad, Introspective Murder Books Involving Childhood Trauma… so my idea of a good time, in other words.

Dan investigates a murder his father was investigating before he disappeared, and we also get flashbacks to a serial killer from Dan’s childhood. It was great. Right up my alley… moved quickly, read it in 2 days… yeah, I really enjoyed this one. Again, as long as you’re into Sad, Introspective Murder Books Involving Childhood Trauma.

Rounding it up to a 5. It definitely has a touch of The Whisper Man in the father/son relationship part, but this time they’re both adults.

Related: There is supposed to be a film adaptation of The Whisper Man and I swear to god, it better be good!

Such a good, creepy thriller. If you’ve read Ales North, you know that are not for the faint of heart. His stories are grim and can be difficult to read. There is always a slight supernatural element which keeps the realism down for me, which makes it easier to enjoy. This one was so creepy, I couldn’t read it right before it went to sleep, always had to read something else in between but it is so good!

Thank you Netgalley & Celadon Books for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

If there’s one thriller that I recommend to everyone, it’s The Whisper Man. I cannot express how much I really enjoyed the experience of reading it. So it’s no surprise that I devoured The Man Made of Smoke.

The Man Made of Smoke follows Dan Garvie: current day prison psychologist, who crossed paths with child serial killer The Pied Piper in his youth. The story uses multiple points of view, as well as a fractured timeline, to gradually put all of the pieces together for the dramatic reveal towards the end. We mainly follow Dan and his father, John (retired police officer), as they each work to unravel the mystery of disappearances and murders associated with the day that young Dan saw a victim of The Pied Piper at a rest stop.

Alex North fully delivers in this dark thriller, providing the perfect amount of suspense and creep factor. I loved that I couldn’t figure out who the killer was, until they were revealed. Perfectly bingeable, and extremely well told. Loved every page!

Is this my new favorite novel by him that will SURPASS The Whisper Man??? YES!!!!

Okay, let me start by saying The Whisper Man is one of my favorite thrillers of all time (also excited for the film adaptation) HOWEVER, I didn't think it was possible for him to write something else that I would absolutely fall in love with....yet we are.

The Man Made of Smoke is hands down one of the best books I've read this year. The characters in this were just wow. When I tell you I couldn't put this down I mean it, and when I had to put it down, I was thinking about it. I am still thinking about it. I'll be purchasing a physical copy to have for my shelves but this novel is amazing and I'll be recommending to everyone.

thank you Netgalley for the arc!! Five stars.