Received as a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher.

I love Alex North and was so excited to read the new book. It was a let down. The book felt meh and was not as good as his other ones. I didn't really like any of the characters and wasn't as invested in the story. The book did not feel suspenseful or a thriller. I would have not finished the book, but I wanted to give a review and was hoping I would come around and like it.

There was a bit too much going on here, and I spent much of the book confused. In the end all the pieces were wrapped up, which helped some. Problems may have been exacerbated by the audiobook format… Sometimes it’s easier to keep things straight when reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon for the eARC.

Alex North can write at atmospheric thriller that haunts. I really felt the atmosphere and settings so strongly with this one.

Like others, this was difficult to grasp especially at the beginning due to the sheer amount of individuals involved in the story.

While not my favorite of his work, still a solid creepy read.

THE ANGEL MAKER is the first novel I have read by Alex North but it will not be the last.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Fate/Free will, sibling relationships, and a serial killer all have a part to play in this dark thriller.

Kate has a charmed life with a boyfriend and a loving family when one day after school, her brother Chris is brutally attacked, & it all comes crashing down. The attack has reverberating effects far into adulthood when Kate struggles to let her daughter out of her sight. When issues with Chris resurface, Kate's fears do too, but surely not without reason.

Laurence Page was on duty when Chris was attacked and now another bizarre case is on his doorstep. A well-regarded philosophy professor has been found dead in odd circumstances that may have a connection to Chris.

I will admit my hesitancy to pick up a novel of North's, mostly due to the sinister covers! I do enjoy a dark suspense, but I have found I have certain limits. This atmospheric story didn't go past any of those for me, but rather fit my boxes neatly, in that slightly off way a good dark tale should. There was a deeper philosophical thread that pulled on the tension of free will vs fate in a way I enjoyed. I felt pressed in and almost claustrophobic with the Gothic feelings throughout, which was just right.

I was given the opportunity to read both the digital copy and pair it with the audio which has become my absolute favorite. The beginning was easier to start with the digital, but once I ot a handle on it, the narration was superb and took me deeper into the story. Rosalie Craig captures so much tense emotion.

Thank you so much @celadonbooks for sending me these advance copies through @NetGalley! I am not sure I would have chosen it, but now I am a huge fan! I should have known, as Celadon Books is a very represented publisher on my shelves.

I would recommend this story to fans of thrillers, obviously, but if you are craving a deeper mystery that engages your mind in the edges of reality and shadows, please grab this on February 28th!

Detective Laurence page has been called to the murder scene of a professor but something doesn't seem right. When him and his partner view the security film they find a face in the camera and Detective Laurence knows who it is. Years before he had worked a case of a young boy who had been attacked and badly scarred and it was the boy now grown. He has so many questions and too few answers but something about this case isn't what it seems.
Wow, this was a stay up all night and read type of page turner. Full of chills and twists that you just didn't want to put the book down. This is a very intense read and Alex North is now on my auto buy list.

What happened in this book? I really can’t even tell you so I shouldn’t really be writing a review about it. I did listen to the audio, so maybe there was a lot lost in translation and it was just too hard to keep up with characters and timelines for this one, but I couldn’t tell you much at all about this book. I’m struggling to even come up with anything to say about the twists but I can’t even figure out what the twists and outcomes were? There were so many plot lines and characters to keep up with I have no idea. That’s the review - I have no idea what’s happening.

Thirty years ago, Katie Shaw’s world was rocked when her brother, Chris Shaw, was the victim of a seemingly random act of violence. Now, she once again is forced into big sister mode when he goes missing. An elderly man dies alone in his room, his throat slit and nothing but a mysterious book missing. The only clue - Chris Shaw on the security footage. Two brothers who share a tragic past try to outwit each other over decades as they battle to prove if fate or free will win in the end.

There are so many moving parts to The Angel Maker, it was difficult to keep it all straight. Multiple points of view, multiple timelines, jumping back and forth between it all - it’s a lot. At least for my feeble mind.

The bones are solid and I enjoyed the mystery as well as North’s ability to build tension. But, because it was so much, it was also hard for me to connect fully with any one character and I felt “outside” the story the entire time.

Read if you like: sibling drama, philosophical debate

Let me start by saying I am a HUGE Alex North fan. I love the way his books make me genuinely scared to keep reading and of all things that go bump in the night. Not many books can give me that scare factor, but he does this so well.

The Angel Maker didn't hit all the chords for me. Was it good? Yes. Did it have multiple twists to keep you interested? Yes. Was it North's best? No.

The beginning was a little slow for me. I was constantly getting distracted while reading, which hasn't happened with his other books. I am SOLIDLY in the story. Maybe it was the many characters you're following or the lack of "oh my gosh" moments, but it was hard for me to stay invested until about 60% through.

Once I got past that point, I could not put it down. Everyone's stories weave together great and although I guessed part of the ending, I didn't get everything.

The hype behind this book was insane. Was it overhyped or did it just not hit for me? I can't say for certain.

This is such a difficult review for me to write because I have absolutely LOVED everything else I have read by Alex North! Maybe that placed the bar a bit high for this one, but regardless… I was left feeling pretty disappointed!

I received an e-ARC and ALC for The Angel Maker and started with the audio. I quickly realized that the book had too many characters, connections and storylines for me to keep track of in audio format so I switched to the e-ARC! Unfortunately, this change in format did little to help with my confusion and I made the decision to DNF at 56%

I really did enjoy the glimpses of twists that were beginning to unravel but I was not invested enough in the story to push through the confusing aspects.

What a thrilling read! I enjoyed Alex North’s Whisper Man and found the Angel Maker to be just as suspenseful!

This novel follows Katie and her brother Christopher as they discover the mysteries surrounding their family’s past. At times the different characters/ storylines became a bit overwhelming but overall I enjoyed the plot and the twists that came along with it!

If you are looking for a thriller with a bit of a historical vibe (just a little one!), then this is a book for you! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 by Alex North
Published: February 28, 2023
Reviewed by: Mel
Format: Audiobook ALC

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you so much to @netgalley @celadonbooks and @writernorth for both the eBook ARC as well as the audiobook ALC! It was #gifted in exchange for an honest review. I ended up solely listening to the audio.

First off, I just want to say that I was a huge fan of North’s writing in The Whisper Man, and maybe my review is somewhat skewed by my 5-star review of that previous work? Either way, I agree with other reviews that I have read that reading…shouldn’t be this hard.

Let me explain. The plot is incredibly twisty, turny, and very intricate. There are a lot of characters and it’s very difficult, especially listening to audio [when you can’t flip around to remind yourself of a character or their connection] to keep the characters straight and know how they fit into the storyline.

By the end, I could tell most of the reveals were the shocking connections between characters — but the shock was lost on me because I couldn’t remember who anyone was. The character that stood out the most to me was Kate, and I understood that I should have been shocked to find out that her brother was adopted — but I couldn’t quite focus enough to figure out how that all fit into the larger plot line.

I could tell the writing was tense and captivating — I just wish the plot was more clear and direct, and the character connections were either more obvious or less confusing.

I was bummed that this didn’t live up to my expectations, but it won’t prevent me from reading anything else from North already on my TBR.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

This was just barely 3 stars for me. I was confused throughout most of the book and not in a good way like some thrillers. I found the characters to be pretty meh, and could not stand Sam at all. The plot could have been developed a little better and was confused about timelines with all of the characters. I did like Alan Hobbes’ back story that we finally see come together at the end, but that may be about it.

Wouldn’t recommend this one.

Dnf at 50%

Confusing and uninteresting so I’m throwing in the towel. I gave it a fair chance but it’s not for me

The predestination theory and supernatural elements leave me cold, so I am the wrong reader for this book.

Thank you to Celadon for sending me the audio and ebook of The Angel Maker. I used them both and I love when I can do that! This one publishes 2/28.

This book was entertaining but also it was super confusing. There were so many characters and so many plot lines it made my heat hurt. If you're planning to pick this one up, get yourself a notebook to keep tabs of all the storylines and the characters and let me know how that goes, because I wish I had done that. The premise was super intriguing but this one fell flat for me due to how complicated it was.

I’m really sad I didn’t enjoy this one as it was one of my most anticipated reads for 2023. However the story fell a bit flat for me. There was so much going on the whole time that I struggled to keep up. The story did not flow well for me and the multiple POVs is confusing. Unfortunately I didn’t connect this book or storyline.

Do you believe in free will or that the paths we take in life are predetermined? These notions are the predominant theme of Alex North’s latest novel, The Angel Maker.

I must admit I was slightly unsettled all throughout reading this book. That’s obviously a good thing when you’re reading a suspenseful thriller! The villain of the tale believed his actions were preordained by God. I thought it was so creepy he used that as an excuse for his vile crimes.

There are many characters and you follow all their points of view. But I never felt lost or confused. Everyone’s stories came together perfectly. The pacing and connections made meant that I absolutely had to devour the story and I was left feeling satisfied but still unsettled.

I recommend going in without knowing anything and get ready to have your mind blown. Five stars for this spooky and intriguing thriller!

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

I just finished The Angel Maker by Alex North and let me share my thoughts with you!

Katie always felt that her brother was loved more than she was but her resentment never stopped her being fiercely protective of Chris. A violent stranger changed everything all those years ago and Katie never stopped feeling guilty for something she could not stop.

Chris never got the footing he needed to be a functioning member of society then one day he disappears out of their lives. 2 years later her mother calls. He is missing… Well yes, he has been for years…. Her mother confides that they had been in touch and now he really is missing.

A detective working a particularly gruesome murder had some questions and one of them is how Chris came to be at the murder victim's house before he was murdered and how the man that attacked him all those years ago are all connected. Could it be something to do with the serial killer who claimed to be able to see the future? All roads seem to point to yes.

I am going to recommend that if you start this book, have the hours to complete it in one sitting because otherwise, you will be up all night!

Let’s start with the plot. Genius! The idea of a serial killer being called the angel maker and his rationale for committing the atrocities, of course it was God. He claimed to see the future and he was just doing what was foretold.

I loved how all the elements of this story came together seamlessly and I have to admit, I didn’t catch on to the plot twists that came during my marathon reading session.

Character development was on point. I felt all the characters were balanced and realistically portrayed. Two huge things for me are a good plot and excellent story development.

What didn’t I enjoy? I felt like I either missed a piece of information while reading and I had feeling like there was a loose thread. It’s probably just me but that feeling won’t go!

There were too many POVs for my liking but I can see why they were necessary. It wasn’t as fast a pace as I would have liked but I felt the slower pace actually built the suspense better so I can overlook that too.

Overall it was a dang good thriller and I enjoyed every single page!

4.5 stars and thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for my review copy! Out to buy next week!

A terrific mystery that spans decades and has so many twists and turns. Truly unique. I was guessing the whole time and really had no idea where it was going. The way everything connects is just brilliant. I don't really want to say much more, because I don't want to give any spoilers! Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

4.5 stars. This is probably the best Alex North novel to date! They just get better and better!
There are many threads skillfully woven together to create this amazing story. It may be easier to read than listen, even though listening is an exciting experience.
Katie Shaw lived a charmed life. Until the day a violent stranger changed the fate of her family forever.
Years later, still unable to live down the guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, and now with a child of her own to protect, Katie struggles to separate the real threats from the imagined. Then she gets the phone call: Chris has gone missing and needs his big sister once more.
Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page is facing a particularly gruesome murder. A distinguished professor of fate has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff. All the leads point back to two old cases: the gruesome attack on teenager Christopher Shaw, and the despicable crimes of a notorious serial killer.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this e-arc.*

3.5 stars which I will round up to 4 as I was intrigued and read until I finished the book putting other things aside.

The Angel Maker is dark and creepy and delves into the world of philosophy that certainly asks thought provoking questions.

Twists and turns and clues are given to the reader that kept me intrigued . I will say pay close attention as it all comes together at the end.

The Angle Maker is a tricky review because I don't want to say too little but worse too much . I don't want to give anything away and spoil the book.

Alex North is one of my go to authors and The Angel Maker does not disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for a book that I will think about for a long time.