I really wanted to like this but it was just a miss. The book seemed to take a long time to get to the end and that wasn't very exciting. To many characters, random plot pieces that just filled space, killer came from left field. I wish the killer would have been someone we spent so much time with but oh well. Still enjoy North books so appreciate the opportunity!

This book was very slow for a mystery. I found it to be quite boring and not much happens. There were way too many descriptions and extra words. It felt like there was a minimum word requirement that the author was trying to reach.

A psychological labyrinth that seized me from the first unsettling page and refused to release its grip. North pulled me through the pages with masterful precision, constructing a narrative that feels like shadows gathering at dusk—inevitable, mesmerizing, and profoundly disquieting.

The story unfolded before me through multiple perspectives, each one a fragment of a larger, more terrifying truth. I found myself holding my breath as these viewpoints gradually coalesced, revealing the intricate architecture of North's mystery with psychological depth that sliced to the bone.

At the heart of this darkness stands Dan Garvie, a profiler whose analytical brilliance illuminated the narrative's most shadowed corners for me. North crafts Dan's character with remarkable nuance, particularly in exploring the complex relationship with his father—distant yet inextricably binding. As Dan's determination to uncover his father's fate intensified, I felt the emotional current beneath the thriller elements surge forward, carrying me through increasingly treacherous psychological terrain.

What distinguishes North from his contemporaries, in my view, is his ability to balance meticulous plotting with profound emotional resonance. The characters haunt me long after I've turned the final page, their psychological scars and motivations lingering like specters in my peripheral vision.

In the landscape of contemporary thrillers, "The Man Made Out of Smoke" stands as a testament to what the genre can achieve when elevated by genuine literary craft. North transcends conventional serial killer narratives by excavating deeper psychological truths, creating not merely a puzzle to solve, but a human experience I had to confront—unsettling, illuminating, and impossible to forget.

Thank you, Celadon Books and Netgalley, for my free E-ARC.

4.25 stars!

This was so fun! I love Alex north’s books so much and this one was no exception. This book made me feel creepy crawly all the way through like a sinking feeling you can’t shake. I didn’t see the end coming and so that was such a fun little twist!

I really liked Dans character and how he used his trauma as a crutch to get him into his profession and try to move on from him past. I enjoyed the chapters from different points of views and even flashes back to the past. I thought that added a really cool element and background to the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars

Okay, The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North was not what I expected—but in the best possible way. I picked it up thinking I’d get a straight-up creepy thriller (which, don’t get me wrong, it absolutely delivers on), but what surprised me was how layered and emotional the story turned out to be. North balances horror with heartache, grief, and that quiet ache of memory in a way that kind of sneaks up on you.

The atmosphere is chef’s kiss—moody, slow-burning, and soaked in dread. North’s writing is as sharp and beautiful as ever. He knows exactly when to twist the knife and when to just let you sit in the unease.

The only reason this isn't a full 5-star read for me is because the pacing dragged a bit in the middle. Some of the introspection felt a touch repetitive, and there were moments I wanted the story to get on with it already. But when it hits, it hits—and that ending? So quietly devastating, I had to just sit there for a minute after finishing.
If you’re in the mood for a haunting that’s more psychological than paranormal, more melancholic than terrifying, I’d definitely recommend this one. Just don’t read it alone at night unless you want to question every creak in your house.

Thank you to Celadon Books for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Netgalley and Celadon Books for graciously giving me the opportunity to read this book before publishing. All views are my own.

Wow. This book had it all. Suspense. Horror. Mystery. Grief. Parent/child relationships. Mental health representation. This book makes you feel the things you WANT to fell while reading a horror story.

Daniel is a psychologist working in the prison system, trying to figure out what makes serial killers tick. This book goes back in forth in time and is in the POV of three characters - Daniel, John (Daniel’s father), and James (a child abducted by a serial killer with the nickname of The Pied Piper). We follow the journeys these characters experience while dealing with trauma, grief, and guilt.

This book touches on the importance of parent/child relationships and the way humans react to others’ trauma. There’s a form of survivor’s guilt in this book, which I thought lead to a very interesting perspective.

The Man Made of Smoke is a story of courage, determination, healing, and introspection. This book had me feeling sad, mad, and anxious (sometimes all at the same time). Alex North doesn’t disappoint. If you loved The Whisper Man, you will love this. I had the same feeling reading this as I did The Whisper Man and The Whisper Man is one of my favorite books (ironically the same author).

I highly recommend this book for those looking for a creepy read with deep-rooted emotional elements. If you like to be scared and get your anxiety raised (in a good way), read this. You won’t regret it.

When Dan Garvie and his family were on holiday during his childhood he had a brief encounter with an evil man and one of his victims. The serial killer known as the Pied Piper has haunted him ever since as he feels he should have done more despite being a child himself. For this reason he has trained as a psychologist becoming a criminal profiler to help prevent such crimes. When he receives word that his father, a retired policeman has gone missing under strange circumstances he returns to his hometown . Learning of other deaths in the area he begins to suspect his father was investigating cold cases. Did he discover links to a copycat or is there another serial killer at work? What put his father in the crosshairs? I have read rave reviews of this author's works and am glad I chose this one. Dark and atmospheric The suspense and questions build with each page as the plot thickens. Dan is a well developed character and his dark and brooding personality is clearly presented as he comes to life on the page. The plot thickens slowly in the beginning but bursts into flame as the chapters unfold. One of the underlying themes throughout the story line is how unobservant and isolated humanity can be and how events of the past shadow and shape the present. Although this is my adventure with this author I was very impressed and will seek out other works from him. I recommend this to any reader looking for a haunting compelling crime novel.

Have you ever read a book that gives you creepy vibes starting at the first page. This is that book!! This book made me feel uncomfortable in a good way. Very suspenseful and an interesting read.

I did fine the narration hard to follow. I wasn’t sure who was talking and who was it directed at. Sometimes I would confuse the characters as well.

Overall 3.5 stars and I am glad to have read it.

3.5 stars rounded up! One my favorite thriller authors does it again. This book had a steady pace all throughout and kept you wondering what would happen next. With alternating timelines and a good character development it ties up nicely at the end!

Thank you netgalley and celadon books for giving me an ARC copy of this book!!

A MILLION TIMES YES!!!! I have loved every single Alex North book that I have read (all of them) and I highly recommend if you havent read any of his!!
His writing is so descriptive and amazing, i get a little creeped out when reading at night. His books give me urban legend vibes and i live for it! Fast paced and heart racing. 10/10 yes!!! So glad I got the opportunity to read his new book in advance!

What a fantastic, creepy, suspenseful, edge of your seat thriller!! This book had me holding my breath the entire time!! The ending was beyond perfection!! This is definitely a #1 bestseller for this year! You'll definitely want to run to the bookstore on release day!!

Woah that was super dark and creepy in the best way. I had chills and was hooked from the first chapter. The way Alex North developed the overall atmosphere and settings was incredible.

A criminal profiler goes back to the remote island where he grew up after the unexpected death of his father. As he tries to figure out the mysterious circumstances surrounding his dad’s death they lead to more questions about an unidentified serial killer from the past, one he had a close encounter with at a rest stop when he was a kid. There are flash backs and multiple POVs that maximize the suspense without being overdone or confusing.

4.5 stars ✨ Such a good thriller! Would be an amazing movie that I would never watch because I would be too scared. Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy. Pub date 5/13/25.

As a child, Dan could have stopped a crime, but as kid himself, he hid and escaped being brought into the horrible situation. He has lived with the regret of inaction since. Now he is grown, but has gotten the call that his father is dead, and the circumstances are slightly strange. Dan is determined to figure out what happened, so he heads back home to start digging for himself.

Oh hello first of two books I am reading at the same time broken down by the stages of grief! Seriously why can’t I escape it? This book was so creepy, and I just wanted to know who “the man mad of smoke” was and why he was doing this! The way everything fit together was perfection, and kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened/would happen. If you need a great thriller, with a side of grief, look no further!

Thank you to @celadonbooks for my gifted copy of this book!

Whistles in the Dark: The Slow-Burn Sorcery of Alex North

Alex North — wow, this sorcerer of words sure knows how to get under your skin in the best way. I can always count on him to leave me feeling like Hot dang, that was brilliant.

He’s got this eerie gift, for weaving the disturbing with the emotional. He doesn't just write thrillers, he conjures up trauma, family ties, unique unsettling circumstances that haunts his characters. All part of his signature brew. And somehow, it leaves you feeling just a little haunted.

The Man Made of Smoke is no different. Right off the bat, we dive into the lingering trauma of Dan Garvie, whose life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child, one he narrowly escapes from a serial killer. That moment didn’t just scar young Dan. It sent ripples through his life, shadowing even the bond he shares with his father.

A Crawl, a Walk, Then the Burn

Now, when North writes tension, it’s not the heart-racing kind. It’s quieter, a creeping dread. In The Man Made of Smoke, North takes his sweet, shadowy time. Maybe too much time. The build is slow, like a candle burning down to nothing before the flame really catches. It takes about three-quarters of the way through, before the threads start to tighten, and suddenly you’re in the thick of something brilliant.

This book doesn’t just whisper to you. It whistles—and then disappears into smoke.

And wow, when it hits—it hits hard. Emotionally rich, disturbingly tense, and suddenly, everything all comes together in a thrilling climax and conclusion. Still, I wish he’d let the sparks fly a little earlier. Because when you’ve got something this good, you want the payoff to be the only thing you are thinking about.

So, Stick with it, and you won’t just read the ending—you’ll feel it.

A Witches Words buddy read with Debra!!

alex north has done it again, ladies and gentlemen. i love when a story dives deep into the bond of a family and how one single event can completely shift the path you thought you were on. this is such a powerful story about fathers and their sons, about how we’re often our own worst critics, putting so much pressure on ourselves that everything can start to unravel. and in the midst of all that, you’re trying to piece together who the killer is and get justice for the boy seen in the rest stop bathroom. this one kept me on my toes the entire time. as a fan of alex north, i highly recommend it.

This is a simmering and thought-provoking book that looks at guilt, justice, action, inaction, and trauma. This is a slow burn, and I do struggle with them, and I did struggle in the beginning of this book. Thankfully the second half of this book picked up for me and I enjoyed the mystery, tension, suspense, dread, and the way this book is told through both Dan and John.

Dan witnessed a crime involving a notorious serial killer as a boy and has been haunted his entire life by what he saw after he and his father, John made a stop to use a restroom. Dan silently watched as a killer, who will become known as 'the man make of smoke' said “Nobody Sees, and Nobody Cares.” as he led a frightened boy away. Dan was too frightened to do anything at the time to help the boy. Guilt, shame, remorse never leaves Dan. Since that day, Dan has carried his quilt like an imaginary sack on his back everywhere he goes. He can't put down this heavy burden and has become a criminal profiler who seeks justice for victims.

His father, John, who was a police officer at the time, has spent many years looking into the case. This had become a heavy burden for him as well. When Dan is informed that his father has died under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home......

As I mentioned this is a slow burn. This was initially a struggle for me. What I did enjoy was how both father and son were affected by that rest stop and what Dan observed. How it affected their lives and relationship. I thought Alex North did a fantastic job of showing how guilt affects an individual and all aspects of their lives. What haunts us, what burdens we carry, what pain we feel, as humans are all on display in The Man Made of Smoke. The mystery is solid, haunting, intriguing and well thought out. I just wished the pacing was a little faster. The Whisper Man remains my favorite book by Alex North but this one just might haunt you!

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“Nobody sees, nobody cares.”
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Alex North, the writer you are. Dan Garvie, our main character, had a haunting run-in with serial killer, The Pied Piper, and his latest victim, when he was twelve. The feelings of shame and guilt over having done nothing to help the boy he saw in that fair bathroom drives Dan to become a highly regarded profiler and therapist to incarcerated serial killers far from the island where he grew up and experienced that momentous event that changed the course of his life. However, when he gets a call about his father’s death, Dan must head back to the island, facing memories he worked to keep buried, and the knowledge that perhaps his father’s death might be tied to his investigating the closed Pied Piper case. Having found clues and evidence among his father’s house, Dan picks up where he left off, uncovering more about his father and his past than he ever expected.

I really enjoyed the multiple points of view and timelines. The first chapter starting from The Pied Piper’s point of view on the day of the fair was such an intriguing introduction and a successful hook. The main POVs shift from John, Dan’s father, as he investigated the new string of murders, and Dan in the present time investigating those same murders with the help of his father’s found evidence. This unintentional father-son partnership provides additional knowledge of the case as the plot progresses but also provides background into why Dan and John’s relationship become strained after Dan’s mother passed. As Dan works to complete John’s investigation, he tries to envision his father, speaking to him as if he were there to try to gain insight into his father’s thinking. From John’s POV, we see his understanding of his son and his trauma grow, not only as he investigates, but also as he comes to terms with his retirement from the police force. This inadvertently acts as a therapeutic experience that shapes a tentative understanding of each other and kindling a more amiable father-son relationship.

I will say, I didn’t enjoy this as much as I did The Whisper Man and The Shadows. This story didn’t carry the subtle hint of the paranormal that his other works do, which I think is the main reason it didn’t resonate with me as much as his other works. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story, subplots, and characters. It still carries North’s distinct writing style which provides an immersive reading experience. The twists and shocking reveals kept me reading with bated breath, that’s for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon books and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alex North's The Man Made of Smoke is a suspenseful thriller that keeps readers guessing. The story follows Dan Garvie, a criminal profiler dealing with past trauma from a childhood encounter with a serial killer known as "The Pied Piper." After his father's mysterious death, Dan returns to his hometown, uncovering secrets that hint at the killer's return.

The book is atmospheric and tense, especially with its island setting, adding to the mystery and suspense. The characters are well-developed, and the story explores deeper emotional themes like family and past trauma.

However, at times the pacing slows down, especially in the middle sections, which might lose some readers. Also, the plot has many twists, which can occasionally be confusing.

Overall, this is a solid, engaging read for anyone who enjoys thrillers with psychological depth. I would give it four stars and recommend it to thriller fans looking for a compelling mystery.

Thank you so much to Alex North, Celadon Books, and NetGalley for this ARC of The Man Made of Smoke.

Alex North has done it again. This book was so eerie and creepy! The best part of this book for me is that it was so unpredictable. I love when I’m genuinely unable to guess the plot line. This book follows Dan and his journey from having an encounter with the Pied Piper serial killer at a young, impressionable age. When news that his Dad has committed suicide brings Dan back to the island, things begin to change.

I was in a bit of a reading slump but this book pulled me right out. I loved the dual POV and timelines. This book was so good and I know I’ll be thinking about it for some time to come. An easy 5/5 stars!!

Thank you to Celadon Books and Net Galley for the EARC of this book. Another Alex North winner for me. This story had such an interesting weave of characters for me and I really appreciate when I can't guess the "bad guy" and the end result makes sense within the story. Daniel Garvie is a psychologist who had an interaction at a very young age with a serial killer, became a psychologist who studies and works with serial killers and now it is coming full circle in a really creative way. Alex North does a great job of building tension and finding creative ways to provide some exposition as well to help the reader along. The phrase uttered by the killer "Nobody sees and nobody cares" really echoes on multiple levels of meaning and is a haunting thought. Hope others enjoy this as well and looking forward to the next one.