“We are shaped by our pasts, not defined by them”.

A book that may have lived in my childhood nightmares that plays out within the pages.

A chance encounter as a young boy to the case that was never resolved. Serial killer of boys to murders of adults that seem to have no connection at all. It’s twisty. Creepy. Terrifying. And maybe a little even paranoia in these chapters.

Glad I read this in the daylight because Alex North gets the creep just right. Perhaps to the point where I will be second guessing at every truck stop I go to going forward.

And more importantly, the readers, you’re going
To you know what is happening… slowly like breadcrumbs of terror being dropped on the path.

Or like the methodical plunk of fear that comes with knowing… ‘nobody sees and nobody cares’

Man made of smoke is a solid book by a great author. The pacing of this one was a little of for me. I love the characters especially John. My rating is 3.5. Bring a big fam of Alex North I really wanted to give it 5 stars. I promise a authentic Review so I have to give it a 3.5

The man made of smoke by Alex North

Dan garver has been haunted by his childhood after he is witness to a child abduction to which he did nothing about. A child himself at the time and not knowing what to do but witnessing the taking of a child by a dangerous killer known as the pied piper. This event has haunted him his entire life. As an adult now he is a profiler that has been interested in cases like this. He is contacted by his childhood bully who is also a police officer who contacts him to relay the sad information of his father’s suicide who was also a police officer who kicked himself for not noticing a child abduction.
Now Dan garner goes back to the place he swore he would never revisit. Only to find the dreaded pied piper has returned.

This book was gripping and chilling but creatively written. I was immensely immersed in the intense world of fear and riddled goosebumps with the unknowns of this book. I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon books for this ARC

4.25 stars. A solid read from Alex North

As a child Daniel comes upon a scared young boy at a rest stop and his decision that day to act or not follows him the rest of his life.

Total honesty here I started this book and tried to read it during spring break so my focus wasn’t totally there and had very little time to read which may have impacted my perspective. Ended up putting it aside til I could get home and focus 100% which made it way better!

A slower paced book than I expected and I struggled at times to figure out when exactly things were happening especially concerning Daniel’s fathers timeline

I feel like the climax of the book started and ended very quickly. Would’ve loved to see that play out longer and build more tension.

I did enjoy seeing all the pieces come together and the multiple perspectives and timelines.

Would definitely recommend this read but would recommend some of his earlier books first.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North was a bit of a letdown for me. I loved The Whisper Man, so I was really excited to dive into this one, but it just didn’t quite hit the mark. It started off with a lot of promise—the eerie atmosphere, the intriguing mystery, and even a supernatural element that felt just the right amount of unsettling. But somewhere around halfway through, the story started to lose its way. By the time I reached the end, I wasn’t confused in the traditional sense—I understood the plot—but I was left thinking, Wait, that doesn’t really add up.

I appreciated the use of multiple points of view, but I do think it would’ve been clearer if the chapters were labeled with the character whose perspective we’re following. While the concept was strong and the eerie tone was well-established, the ending ultimately felt unsatisfying. Despite this, I’m still eager to check out more of Alex North’s work, especially since The Whisper Man was so impressive. Here’s hoping his future books live up to that high standard.

This is my new favorite book by Alex North!
This book begins with a A young Dan Gravie, his parents and his friend Sarah when they stop at a rest stop on their way home after visiting the zoo. While in the restroom, Dan spots a young boy whose covered in dirt and seems to be silently pleading with him for help. Not knowing what to do, Dan hides in the stall and hears a stranger walking by whose whistling who then takes the strange boy with him. Through Dans childhood he’s haunted by the boy and the possibility that he could have saved the boy, especially when he learns the boy was kidnapped by the whistling man who was a serial killer “The Pied Piper” .
Now, as an adult and a criminal profiler, and his father whose a retired police officer, who spends his time investigating cold cases, hoping to solve them, especially the case of “The Pied Piper”. When Dan hears that his father has possibly committed suicide because his car was found on the cliff above the water, Dan returns to his home town and discovers that the past has returned to haunt him. He finds the cold case and the clues his father has left him and what happens next is a race against time, Dan tries to find his father and whoever is behind his disappearance/ suicide, as well as the missing boys of the past before it is too late before he’s next!

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.

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!