The Man Made of Smoke has the bones of a solid thriller — eerie atmosphere, unsettling vibes, and a hint of the supernatural — but it never quite comes together. The mood is creepy, and the multiple POVs are handled well, but I never connected with the characters enough to care. There’s a lot going on, yet somehow it still feels like not much really happens. The climax, especially the villain’s takedown, felt abrupt and underwhelming after all the buildup. It’s not bad, just frustratingly flat for something with so much potential.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars
Rated PG-13 for language, violence, and eerie themes with mild supernatural elements.

this felt like an episode of criminal minds! i think i would have enjoyed it more had i read it instead of listening on audio. it felt hard for me to keep up with it at times but that might just be a me issue LOL

overall, super interesting and i loved the different timelines. definitely worth the read!

This was my first book by Alex North and wow. This introduction started out with a bang. The Man Made of Smoke is as intense as it comes. It started off a little slow and had moments that were a little confusing for me as the story shifted back and forth between past and present, but I am so glad I kept going!! Once the pieces started to come together and the story started to pick up……oh my word!

When Dan Garvie was a young boy, he had an encounter with a serial killer and narrowly escaped. As the years passed, the events of that day stayed with and haunted him. His father, a police officer at the time of the incident, took a special interest in the case. As an adult, trying to put the past behind him, Dan moves away but is forced to return home when he is notified of his father’s “suicide.” Being back home stirs up memories and a lot of questions. Suspicious about his father’s death, Dan starts digging into his final days. As more questions begin to arise, Dan begins to wonder if his father’s death had something to do with what happened to him all those years ago. Using his skills as a criminal profiler, Dan is determined to find out what really happened to his dad.

The best way I can describe this book is haunting. It is one that will stay with you well after you have finished it. This thought-provoking book explores guilt, grief and the things that haunt us in our lives.

I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by Shane Zaza. His voice is one that could read me to sleep at night. I mean that as a compliment in that his voice was very relaxing making the book easy to listen to. Even when things get intense and your heart starts racing, there is this eerie sense of calm and the same time.

Thank you so much to Macmillan audio for the ALC of this book. It is one I will not soon forget.

I was provided both an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley and Celadon books and Macmillan Audio respectively. As always all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this thriller. This follows a few different characters all with ties to a serial killer. Dan's life was touched by the killer when he was a young boy, and while he wasn't a victim a brief run in with the man and one of his victims has left deep scars. Now as as an adult, Dan has devoted his career as a prison therapist to uncovering the motivations of criminals and why they do the things they do. Dan's father John is a retired police officer, who has stumbled upon what appears to be a copy cat of the Pied Piper's crimes from all those years ago. While he didn't interact with the man then, he is determined to find out how the crimes of today are connected and why they seem so familiar to that old case. When he disappears in what looks like a suicide, Dan returns to his hometown to deal with the aftermath. He uncovers clues his father left for him and begins retracing his father's steps in the investigation he was working on. This forces Dan to revisit feelings from his childhood from that fateful day and evaluate his relationship with his father.

I really enjoyed this. The multiple POVs and timelines really worked well to tell the story as this thriller unravels. The author keeps you guessing with complex relationships and an atmospheric read. The pacing starts out slow and ramps up as the book progresses, I found it hard to put down. From Dan's point of view we retrace his dad's investigation and disappearance. From John's point of view we investigate current day crimes but in each case we learn different information. We learn more and more about the motivations of the killer as the story progresses, but not much is given away until the time is right.

Overall I really enjoyed this thriller and feel like I want to read it again to see what I missed the first time through. I mainly listened to the audiobook, and listened to it in about 24 hours. I had to find out what happened and couldn't stop listening

A triumph! This one had me sucked in by the first chapter. The story was masterfully told and I love a finished ending that wasn't predictable during the book. Highly recommend!

This book didn’t quite hit the mark for me, though it had its moments. The characters were a highlight, brimming with personality, and the narrator’s performance breathed vibrant life into the protagonist, making them feel real and relatable. The eerie atmosphere was another strength, casting a haunting spell that kept me intrigued.
However, the story itself fell flat. The plot felt predictable, robbing it of suspense, and the constant timeline jumps were more confusing than clever, leaving me frustrated at times. While the book had potential, the direction of the narrative didn’t resonate with me. Ultimately, it’s an okay read, but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you enjoy strong characters and a spooky vibe, it could still be worth a try—just don’t expect a gripping or cohesive storyline.

Daniel Garvie has spent his life haunted by the close encounter with a notorious serial killer when he was a child. Now, a criminal profiler working in prison to psychoanalyze the inmates, Dan seeks justice for innocent victims. When his father disappears under questionable circumstances, Dan is pulled back to the small island that he grew up on to untangle the mystery of his father’s disappearance while fearing the monster from his past has returned.

The Man Made of Smoke opens with a heart-pounding scene where our young MC comes nearly face-to-face with a serial killer, terrified and barely escaping. This is one of those rare thrillers that not only gives readers a suspenseful, well-paced plot but also gives a depth to the characters so that you actually care about more than just the twists and turns. North provides sharp prose and a chilling atmosphere that is truly terrifying and made me short of breath. The Man Made of Smoke is North's best since Whisper Man; a must-read 2025 thriller. Audio narration from Shane Zaza was top-notch and made the experience of this story all the better.

Thank you Celadon Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available May 13 2025

The Man Made of Smoke might just be Alex North’s best book since The Whisper Man—and that’s saying something. This one absolutely delivered: eerie, emotional, and truly scary. I was totally gripped the entire time I listened to this audiobook.

I loved how the novel blended the psychological toll of childhood trauma with the dread of a possibly resurgent killer. North is so good at walking that line between human vulnerability and supernatural suggestion—you’re never quite sure if what you’re seeing is real or remembered wrong. The small island setting only adds to the claustrophobic, atmospheric tension.

There were moments that actually gave me chills. If you're into character-driven thrillers with deep psychological undercurrents and a constant undercurrent of unease, this one hits hard. I couldn't put it down.

Books open up the doors to other worlds, lives, minds, so we can experience what others do without leaving the comfort of our own space. BUTTTTTTTTTTT some books would give not so great ideas to people with sick minds. Horror and thriller books are not user guides on how to bring horrors of imaginary worlds to real life. Enter "The Man Made of Smoke" (not this book, but the book within this book)

"Nobody sees and nobody cares." On its own these words do not sound so harmful, until someone says them about a crime that no one bothered to stop. A boy was gone missing from a rest stop where he begged people to help him. No one ever remembered who he really was and someone took that personally to make sure people would remember this boy for years to come.

Alex North did not hesitate to hit the reader with well crafted twists and turns. I liked the way he used both father's and son's way to same conclusion without making it sound so repetitive. The back and forth between two timelines created a different type of relationship between father and son (which probably wasn't there before). If you want a good thriller that will keep you on your toes, pick.this.up

A man haunted by a near encounter with a notorious criminal as a child returns to his island home to face his father's death--and the crime that traumatized them both.

Strengths:
Intelligence & perceptions far above average
Empathy for victims and their survivors
Disturbing crimes
Psychological horror
A chilling scene that reaches the hard-hitting sadism in one of my favorite Stephen King novels
Male grief
After effects of trauma and guilt
Multiple points of view without losing suspense
Plot and momentum
Realistic dialogue and use of memory
Cinematic descriptions of key places and things
No animal harm
No SA

Notes:
Little description of people. I couldn't visualize most of them.
Lagged a bit near the end, and for me there was an off note and missed opportunity in the ending. Still, it was a far above average thriller.

The narrator is emotionally expressive, speaks clearly and I enjoyed hearing the novel in his appealing accent. He doesn’t distinguish the different characters as markedly as most narrators I’ve heard. The book makes point of view changes clear, so that wasn't a major detraction. The audiobook is top-quality, and the production includes intro and outro mood music.

Highly recommended to seasoned crime thriller readers and to readers partial to psychological suspense, horror, and extraordinary books with heart that deal with serial murder and crime investigation. I look forward to experiencing more books by Alex North.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio for the ALC via NetGalley for consideration. These are solely my own opinions.
May 14: posted on TikTok

As a young child Dan barely escaped an encounter with a notorious serial killer, and that event has led to his passion: searching for justice for the innocent victims of crime as a criminal profiler. Needless to say, when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home hoping to uncover the truth about the death of his father, no matter where the facts might lead him.

-The events of the novel are presented through the use of a non-linear timeline and are told through multiple points-of-view, something I tend to greatly enjoy.
-Aside from being a thriller, The Man Made of Smoke touches on some serious themes, such as redemption, father-son relationships and the effects of trauma.
-The characters, although well developed, left me wanting more from them. I’m not sure if I couldn’t connect with them or if I simply didn’t like them, but overall they were a bit disappointing.
-I have read all of Alex North’s novels, so I came into this one expecting a lot, but for me this one didn’t deliver; it is one that I almost forgot about after the last page. It is also the first that I listened to as an audiobook, so part of me wonders if that led to my having a different opinion about this one compared to North’s other novels.
-The audiobook was ok. I have listened to better and I have listened to worse, and this one falls somewhere in the middle. I just couldn’t get into the narration.

While 'The Man Made of Smoke' wasn't my favorite book by North, it still had tons of suspense and a feeling of dread. Dan returns home after his father dies of an apparent suicide. He soon discovers things aren't as they seem and may tie into a strange interaction that he had as a boy with a potential serial killer. The mercurial nature that can appear between fathers and sons was also explored. All in all, a well-done thriller. The voice of the narrator was well suited for this book. He was very good with the dark tone of the novel. 4 stars.

“Nobody sees, and nobody cares.”

Dan Garvie had a close encounter with a serial killer as a child that has directed the trajectory of his life. He is now a psychologist and criminal profiler, spending his days counseling in a prison. He gets a call from his hometown police department letting him know that his father, John, is missing, presumed dead. His car was found at the reach, an area known locally for suicides. Dan revisits his father's house and finds that John had been working on a case despite having retired from law enforcement. The case is the same one that touched his son's life as a child. Dan starts to pick up the pieces John left behind only to find a trial of dead bodies. Did his father really kill himself? And what does the closed case of a child serial killer have to do with the deaths occurring now?

Different points-of-view during various timelines tease out the details of Alex North's newest slow-burn thriller. A haunting, tense mystery about guilt and atonement. I inhaled this book in one afternoon on audio. The small island setting and the genuine characters created a chilling backdrop for the tightly woven plot. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of his work, but I think this is my favorite.

Five big stars. What a ride!

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY! 5/5⭐️!!

Okay… I don’t even know where to begin. The Man Made of Smoke is haunting, emotional, terrifying, and honestly just beautifully written. I finished the audiobook in like two days and immediately had to sit in silence and stare at the wall for an hour.

The narration? AMAZING. The narrator captured every ounce of fear, sadness, and that weird numbness that creeps in when you’re going through something that you can’t understand. The atmosphere is so heavy and eerie, I absolutely loved listening to the audiobook. IT ADDED TO THE EXPERIENCE 10/10 would recommend trying.

- “You are detached, you are calm.” It’s something Daniel says over and over, and the way it’s spoken… literal chills.
-“Nobody sees, nobody cares.” It captures that feeling of being invisible in the most heartbreaking way.

It’s not just a scary story! It’s about grief, trauma, and how easy it is to lose yourself when you’re trying to keep it all together. Props to Alex North who really knows how to get inside your head.

If you’re into creepy, slow burn psychological horror with emotional depth YOU need this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review! It was great!

Happy Pub Day to 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑨𝑵 𝑴𝑨𝑫𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑴𝑶𝑲𝑬 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 & narrated by Shane Zaza graciously #gifted to me from @celadonbooks & @macmillan.audio via @netgalley!

I loved this creepy suspense! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I was thrilled to be part of the LFL drop for this book, which was grabbed pretty quickly, & hope the person who got it liked it as much as I did!

"NOBODY SEES. NOBODY CARES."

A terrifying reality for a number of people who risk becoming prey, as this story shows.

Dan sees. He can't forget. He saw the boy in the rest stop bathroom with that man. It led him to his profession of profiling criminals. When Dan's father dies strangely, he is thrust back into this island community where he begins to discover what his father had been doing that may lead to answers which are refusing to stay buried. But monsters aren't real...right?

I really loved the introspective aspects of this story. The call out to society to pay attention to all is a clear message to me. This did not feel overly preachy, however, just a reality exploited by a sinister character. And yet, even the killer is indescribable through the story which was a great touch. I look forward to discussing this more with fellow readers.

The suspense was fantastic, going between Dan and his Father, John's perspectives. I was not sure where this was going at first, loved where it took me, and had to go back and reread the first few chapters again with new knowledge! North has become an absolute auto-read for me.

I added the audio to the physical, which once again I could not put down, even at work!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance listen!

This is my first read by this author ( I know, I KNOW) I will be fixing that! This is a slow burn thriller that grabs you by the collar and drags you along until they suddenly throw you off a cliff. Holy sh😳t

I have enjoyed Alex North’s previous psychological thrillers so jumped at the opportunity to partake in his latest novel enigmatically entitled “The Man Made of Smoke..“. And, thanks to NetGalley and to Celedon Books, I also had the pleasure of listening to the audio version of this story. Others have mentioned that the story began a bit slowly for his/her tastes; I must disagree with that critique. It begins developing multiple mysteries that are cleverly interwoven into one suspenseful plot line.
All the mysteries are centered on our protagonist, Dan Garvie, who we meet as a highly-educated adult grieving for the apparent suicide of his retired former police officer father John. To simplify the plot: Dan begins to follow his father’s footsteps in investigating a case of a serial killer who preyed on young boy’s while Dan was a boy. Both Dan and his father had a tangential interaction with one of the missing boys that has remained a central driving factor in each of their lives for many years.
The rest of the story shall be left for you fortunate readers (or listeners) that choose “ The Man Made of Smoke.” Alex North is at the peak of his writing powers. This story richly deserves five (5) stars.

“Nobody sees, and nobody cares.”

Alex North tells a creepy, moody story about a man dealing with childhood trauma after a close call with a well-known serial killer called the Pied Piper. First let me say, I feel like no one does creepy vibes better than Alex North.

The story follows Dan Garvie, who returns to his small island hometown after his Dad dies under strange circumstances. Once he’s back, he starts to wonder if the monster from his past has returned. The book is spooky, emotional, and layered, especially when it dives into father-son relationships, grief, and how haunting memories can feel just as real as what’s actually happening.

After the first few chapters, the pace slows down a bit, but the tension builds nicely and things definitely get more intense as the story moves forward.

I listened to the audiobook and had a hard time staying focused especially in the 1st half of the book. The narrator has a clear and pleasant voice, but his tone stayed pretty constant throughout, even during the more intense or creepy parts. Unfortunately for me my mind kept wandering, and I had to rewind a few times to figure out what was going on, which point of view we were in, or what timeline it was. I think a second narrator could have helped, or even just more variation in tone. This story would have probably worked better for me as a physical book or ebook, where the suspense can play out more vividly in your own imagination.

I was really interested in the plot and in the end, I did enjoy the story. Overall, it’s a dark and thoughtful read that gets better as it goes. I’d recommend it, but if you’re choosing a format, I’d suggest picking up the physical book. Or even better try reading along while listening.

Thank you @macmillan.audio @celadonbooks @netgalley and Alex North for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

It’s a yes for me! 🖤

DeAnn @deannsreadingriot

ALC 🎧📖 Review: The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: May 13, 2025.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it more by physically reading it rather than listening to the audiobook, but I found it very hard to follow. The narrator kind of made me want to fall asleep. 😅 I’d recommend not doing the audiobook for this one!

Thank you to @netgalley and @Macmillan.Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

👨🏻🌬️💨🌫️

Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?

#netgalley #themanmadeofsmoke #ALC #readerlife #bookish #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookworm #booklife #booksbooksbooks #books #read #book

"Nobody sees," the man says. "And nobody cares."
This was a very gripping thriller book. When Dan Garvie was a child he had an encounter with a strange man and a little boy in a restroom at a rest stop. That little boy was found dead shortly after. That encounter has haunted Dan his whole life. Turns out the strange man was a serial killer, and Dan becomes obsessed with his crimes. As an adult he is a criminal profiler, seeking justice for innocent victims. When his father mysteriously dies, and leaves a note that says “Notify my son” Dan goes to investigate. Is his dad’s death related to the serial killer? This is a classic cat and mouse chase and I was hooked!

There were some really thrilling moments in this story. I was driving during one particular scene and I was in my car yelling “Run out of the house now!!” So yes, this had me on the edge of my seat. This book definitely has a dark tone to it, and both father and son reflect on their past throughout the story. They really feel regret over that night at the rest stop. Overall, a great thriller. Can’t wait to read what’s next from Alex North!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.