Alex North is back and he is on fire!

This man knows how to tell a captivating and creepy story that also hits you in the feels. I was hooked to this riveting tale the moment I hit play on the audiobook, and I would have listened to the whole thing in one day if people around here didn’t rudely keep trying to talk to me!

This was my first time listening to an audio recording of one of his books. I was nervous that it would taint the experience for me, as I’ve been fully immersed in the visual processing of his previous novels, but audiobook narrators can sometimes ruin a story for me. My fear was unfounded, though. Shane Zaza was a pleasure to listen to, and he told the story exceptionally well.

Although I loved the chilling content, as well as the gripping suspense, the things that make North’s book especially remarkable were the exceptional writing and the emotional claws. The Man Made of Smoke was lyrically communicated, like a dark poem that sings to a hurting heart. The rawness of Dan’s horrific childhood experience, the way it scarred his family, and the way it affected the people they became were all deeply felt. But I was even more enamored with what North did regarding the “Nobody sees, nobody cares” theme. The basis of this idea resonated with me in many ways, and the heart wrenching resolution was also beautiful and touching.

I desperately want to experience this story again already! Although I don’t necessarily regret flying through it, I do wish I had more time to spend with these characters.

I am immensely grateful to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

Totally enthralling murder mystery/thriller. I was hooked from the very beginning. The audiobook is haunting and moody and the perfect narration. This is my first Alex North book and I absolutely will be reading all of his books now. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers and suspense then definitely pick this one up.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

If you are a thriller lover , pick up this book! The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North is out soon and it’s a great read.

Reviewers keep quoting, “Nobody sees and nobody cares.” from The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North. I listened to the audiobook and I didn’t care for it. I didn’t care about the characters, the plot or the narrator. The narrator should get a job on a sleep app because snooze-fest. Possibly spoken chapter breaks or name of person said this… because the way it plays out, this listener was clueless. Oh, another character is talking? Confusing! The story was the slowest of burns and unrewarding. At 98%, when some action happens, it was too little, too late. ALC was provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My first Alex North thriller won’t be my last! I devoured this audiobook book in a little over a day. It’s as comforting as your favorite true crime podcast or Criminal Minds episode (for those of us weirdos who find comfort in such). If the past (serial killer spree) meeting the present (mysterious death) being investigated by a criminal profiler sounds interesting to you, read no more and check this one out! Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

Something about this book just did not work for me. The premise was interesting and the narrator did an okay job of going through the characters and making things work and make sense. For some reason this one just was not it. I really wanted to like it more than I did because I was so excited about what the book was about. I will maybe try this one again in physical form at another time. Thank you for allowing me to listen to the audio.

“Nobody sees and nobody cares.” The atmosphere here is eerie and the dark story is frightening.

I’ve loved all of Alex North’s books, but this is my favorite since The Whisper Man. The narration by Shane Zaza is perfect. Highly recommend. Do not miss!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @writernorth for an ALC of The Man Made of Smoke.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

I wanted to hang with this book, since the premise sounded intriguing, but the combination of so many characters (and several whose names sounded similarly) and the more monotonous tone of the narrator made this one I couldn't finish.

I love Alex North's books, and this was no exception. As a child, Dan had witnessed a serial killer with a boy that had gone missing, while Dan was on vacation with his family. He knew something was amiss with the boy and man in the restroom but was too scared to do anything. Years later, Dan is a therapist at a prison and is called home because his father has gone missing, thought to have possibly committed suicide. Dan finds out his father had stumbled, quite literally, across a dead woman in the woods before he died.
This book was fast paced, dark, and extremely interesting as the twists and turns came pouring down. There were multiple POVs in this book, which helped to understand how each person dealt with the events so long ago. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and did not want to stop.

“I am calm. I am detached.”

Dan has been called to his childhood hometown at the news of his father’s death. Dan is a criminal profiler and his dad was a retired officer. Dan quickly realizes that he and his dad have more in common than he thought and he starts to follow clues that connect the traumatic past with the present.

This was a great crime psychological thriller. Each POV dives into the character’s thoughts and feelings making the characters feel authentic. I enjoyed the narrator and flew through the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio
for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date May 13 2025

Narration: 5/5
Plot: 5/5

This is officially my second favorite book of the year so far. Five out of five stars and I am SOBBING. This book did some incredible emotional damage to my psyche that I wasn't expecting at all. I wasn't a fan of The Whisper Man so I was going into this kind of expecting a fine story, but nothing that was going to really stick with me.

Boy was I wrong.

This had everything I could possibly ask for in a thriller. I definitely would almost classify this as detective fiction, which is definitely something I'm a big fan of. I loved exploring the father/son relationship in this book as well as past trauma and how that can leak into every aspect of your life. I love how the story was slowly trickled to us so that by the end we were right there with our characters figuring everything out. I felt as if I was also a detective on the case discovering things alongside our MCs. I also was worried for a minute about who the killer was, but that even twisted and I LOVED the direction it took. Again, another sob fest when that happened.

Seriously, just wow. This was so good and I'm very excited to see what Alex North comes out with next.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Alex North, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always excited to get my hands on the work of Alex North, I gladly reached for the latest novel by the author. North weaves a dark and mysterious thriller, in which the reader is taken down many pathways and into the mind of a killer. A criminal profiler seeks to help those who are labelled as lost, working through issues from his childhood. However, after a tragic event, Dr. Dan Garvie must help piece it all together, while a killer lurks in the shadows, preparing to strike again. North delivers another great piece that had me gasping at times as I ventured well off the beaten path.

Dr. Dan Garvie has had quite the life, after barely escaping the grasp of a high profile serial killer as a child. Since then, Dan has made it his mission in life to become a criminal profiler, to better understand the minds of those who target the innocent, while also protecting the most vulnerable. Dan has been working in the prison system and seems to be making progress, though he cannot shake the trauma he suffered as a child.

A call that his father has died under mysterious circumstances sends Dan back to the small community in which he grew up. Travelling to the island community, the isolation is symbolic to Dan, who wants to find answers about what might have happened to his father. Clues are scarce, but Dan cannot help but remember events from his youth. Could the serial killer that has haunted him for so many years resurfaced and used his father as a sign to coax Dan back out into the open? As the body piles up, questions overtake any answers. Alex North weaves his story from setting to setting, never letting the reader rest as the story gets better with each page turn.

While it is difficult to find great psychological thrillers, I have never found Alex North to drop the ball. Always eager to spin a tale, North keeps the reader on edge as the story progresses. A narrative that paces itself and keeps the reader on edge, North delivers something that soon takes things well into the shadows with no easy return to the sunlight. Characters make their impact and provide a great flavouring to the larger story, keeping the reader needing to know more, if only to ease their curiosity. The plot keeps the reader in the dark and yet always wanting to know what is to come. Surprises keep the reader flipping pages, if only for answers, some of which are not forthcoming. I am eager to see where North takes things from here and what readers think of the ongoing flirting with the most troublesome aspects of the human psyche.

Kudos, Mr. North, for never letting things stay too on point!

“The Man Made of Smoke” was moody and atmospheric, which was my favourite part of the book, but it was also a rather mediocre read.

The plot was interesting enough, but I never felt especially invested, and the characters didn’t really stand out to me either.

The audiobook narration was fine, just nothing special.

Overall, this was an okay read/listen, but not one that really stuck with me.

Dan was lucky, escaping a serial killer when he was a child. When he gets word that his father passes away, Dan heads back home and wonders if the death might be connected to the past he's been trying to forget. I was lucky enough to listen to this one on audio so the eeriness factor was sky high. With dual timelines and POVs, this was a slower paced story which built up the tension the closer we got to answers. Definitely recommend this one for thriller lovers!

Reading Journal Details `
Book: The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
Format Read: Audiobook (~8 hours, 53 minutes long)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

Quick Take Review
The Man Made of Smoke is a razor-sharp, psychological thriller that weaves past and present together in a chilling, deeply immersive narration. Eerie, emotional, and impossible to put down, it's a must-read for fans of layered horror and suspense or previous Alex North novels.

Full Review
This novel is told across multiple perspectives and timelines, and is structured in a way that never leaves the reader lost. Instead, the weaving of timelines feels natural and rewarding, with the intersections building out a fuller, eerier picture as the novel progresses. Additionally, Shane Zaza's narration further elevated the atmosphere, lending just the right eerie edge to every scene and character alike.

Dan Garvie, the main character, was a standout for me. Watching his past inform who he became and how he approached the mystery at hand made him incredibly compelling. There's a quiet, fascinating strength to his personality, and I appreciated the layers that revealed themselves over time. Akin, I also deeply appreciated the nuanced telling of his interactions, past and present, with those in his old hometown around him.

The Man Made of Smoke goes far beyond a typical whodunit. It digs its heels in emotionally, unspooling tension like a taut piano wire and never letting go. The haunting atmosphere and psychological depth hooked me immediately, to the point where I devoured the entire audiobook the same day. That "just one more chapter" feeling quickly turned into an almost nine-hour marathon, and I have absolutely NO regrets.

What I especially appreciated was how Alex North gave us a dual lens: we see people from Dan's past—victims, family, friends, acquaintances—while simultaneously watching those same figures take shape in the present. This structure gave the story added emotional weight and complexity, and was masterfully done. Additionally, North's writing is masterful and intense in the best way possible.

The only reason this compelling novel didn't earn a perfect 5 stars from me was the pacing. While the slow, chilling buildup created a powerful sense of unease, there were moments where it felt just a bit too drawn out. It never took me out of the experience, but the momentum of certain key events did unfold a little sluggishly.

That said, this is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers with horror elements and emotionally charged depth. Alex North has once again crafted a story that's unnerving, razor sharp, and completely unforgettable.

My sincerest appreciation to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me an advanced listener's copy (ALC) of this highly anticipated thriller. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.

Alex North delivers another chilling, emotionally rich thriller with The Man Made of Smoke. This is Alex North doing what Alex North does best! Dan Garvie is haunted by a brutal crime he witnessed as a child and now faced with the eerie possibility that the killer has resurfaced decades later. The mix of psychological depth and pure suspense kept me flying through the story.

North balances creepy, slow-burn tension with real heart, especially in the way he explores father-son relationships and how trauma shapes us. Definitely a must-read if you love smart, layered thrillers that keep you guessing.

Thank you Alex North, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

#themanmadeofsmoke #netgalleyarc #netgalleyreview #netgalley #arcreview #arc #arcreader #review #somanybookssolittletime

This was such a chilling, twisty listen and everything we expect from Alex North, who knows how to wrap a mystery in fog and let it creep under your skin.

At the heart of the story is Dan Garvie, a man who narrowly escaped a serial killer as a child. Now a criminal profiler, Dan returns to his hometown after the sudden death of his father and is forced to confront the disturbing possibility that the killer might be closer than he ever imagined. It’s a layered psychological thriller with multiple POVs, a dual-timeline feel, and that slow-building tension North does so well.

Shane Zaza’s narration was spot on. His calm, almost placid tone gave just the right amount of eerie restraint, which made the unsettling scenes hit even harder. Five stars for the audiobook performance. He really elevated the atmosphere.

Yes, the story takes some focus at first. With shifting perspectives and a nonlinear structure, it can feel a little tangled, but that’s part of the thrill. North draws all the threads together with precision and the payoff is worth it. I made a couple guesses about who the killer might be and was totally wrong each time. That final reveal? So well done.

If you love a smart thriller with creepy undertones and a slow-burn tension that keeps you thinking long after it ends, this one’s for you. Highly recommend.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for this honest review.

I’m starting to believe Alex North might be a little too good at writing serial killers, and maybe that’s because he understands them a bit too well 🧐🤨. Once again, he’s delivered a thriller that slowly crawls under your skin.

The Man Made of Smoke is a haunting slow burn that pulls you in with quiet dread. The mystery unfolds through the eyes of a protagonist who, while often frustrating, feels real in his grief and confusion. It’s easy to be annoyed with him at times, but when you consider the emotional weight of believing your parent has died by suicide, his choices become painfully human.

What really stuck with me was the emotional payoff at the end. North doesn’t just build tension for thrills, he uses it to say something deeper about trauma, legacy, and how society lets certain people disappear in plain sight. The final chapters brought tears to my eyes, a reminder that there are real people who have been hurt, silenced, and forgotten behind every tragic story- fictional or not.

If you’re into thrillers with substance, this one hits hard.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story. I love thrillers, and sometimes it's hard to have a unique plot. This one was definitely a few stories mixed together. It might have just been me, but I got a little confused at times with the change in perspectives. I liked the narrator. Overall, I enjoyed the novel.

Alex North has a talent for misdirecting his readers.

Dan Garvie has always carried a lot of guilt from his childhood. He and his family had a casual encounter with a notorious serial killer and they did nothing to stop him, but they didn't realize it at the time. Except that Dan knew something was off. Dan had been asked for help by a victim and had done nothing. Years later that decision is having real repercussions on everyone who was there that day.

North's stories are always so well crafted, to lead you to believe that you are figuring things out ahead of time, that you see the "twists" coming. There's always just enough of a hint to get you to think "Oh, I'm on to him. I see where this is headed!" only to have you be blindsided by the raptors in the trees to either side.

He's done this repeatedly throughout his books and "The Man Made of Smoke" is no different. It gives you the satisfying path to walk, while touching on heavy subjects such as grief, regret, and the nature of broken people in such a touching and deserving way.

His character work is always so real. You can feel the tortured minds of these people, for not being able to change the decisions of their past and this narrator, Shane Zaza, who is new to me, brought them to life so well. (I look forward to hearing more from them).

If you're a fan of North's other works, I think you'll love this as well.