I am admittedly a big fan of Alex North. He presents taut thrillers with complex plots and great twists and his current novel was another great read. I was confused at first by the switching of viewpoints at first but I knew it was just part of the journey and I was glad I took the trip. This was an exciting story from the first pages until the end and I devoured it in a few days. I do not want to give any spoilers but I highly recommend this latest novel.

Overall, this is a good, creepy thriller (like I almost stopped reading at night creepy) but you have to seriously concentrate to keep up with what’s going on with the timelines. I also found it a bit difficult to follow the characters as North uses their first and last names interchangeable. As I was reading I was wondering how all of the individuals storyline would tie together, but in true Alex North fashion he succeeded and I didn’t see it coming.

The storyline is original which I loved. It’s a great reflection of how much your religion, environment, and family shape what you believe at such a young ago. There ultimately is a lot to unpack in this book and it was good, but my hopes were a bit higher.

For a book named after The Angel Maker serial killer, I would have liked the book to go into more depth about the man. Instead, readers were dragged through so many different storylines that it made my head spin. I found myself flipping backwards through the book thinking that I missed something but it was all so confusing.

This was my most anticipated book of 2023, but it turned out to be my biggest letdown of the year. I almost DNF’ed around 60% mostly because I lost interest and didn’t care how it ended but I held on so I could chat it up with some book friends.

The ending felt rushed and left me with more questions than answers. Maybe I’m just an outlier but I recommend everyone reading it for themselves.

First, let me say that it takes a certain level of brilliance to make such an intricate plot and bring it to fruition so that all the lines connect and everything makes sense. But, and it's a big but, the way it was laid out made it very hard to keep track of people and plot points. I also found the philosophical, main idea behind The Angel Maker to be one that I had to suspend belief for in a book that would otherwise be a mystery/thriller. I didn't hate it but I also didn't love it. When I put the book down it was hard to pick it back up again. If having a lot of characters and timelines are a problem for you, I suggest passing this one up or have a notebook handy to keep track of things.

3.5/5 This is a fast-paced thriller with lots of twists and turns. We occasionally get transported to the past to learn info relevant to the present crimes, and at times this can be rather confusing. Despite this, everything comes together and makes sense in the end. Overall, a super creepy thriller.

I really liked this! I’ve read The Whisper Man and the Shadows, and the Angel Maker was my favorite of the three. I liked them all, but this story really sucked me in and kept me turning the pages. There’s a lot at play here, but I liked that. I will definitely pick up anything this author writes

Read if you like:
🔪 Thrillers
🙏🏼 Religious Crimes
🤷🏼‍♀️ Lots if Characters
⏳ Multiple Timelines

I absolutely loved The Whisper Man when I read it last year and thought this one would be a slam dunk for me too but unfortunately there was just too much going on in the number of characters, the timelines, and movement of the story that made it hard to follow.

This one features topics of religion within the beliefs of a serial killer, collection things from and admiration of serial killers, and attacks on children.

Once things start to weave together it makes a lot more sense, but readers should be warned to pay close attention to details and characters for risk of getting confused and lacking enjoyment of this one.

Thank you to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I’ve been a fan of Alex North ever since reading THE WHISPER MAN, but I think that THE ANGEL MAKER is my favorite book of his to date!

The story is so atmospheric and I loved all the layers of the mystery that spanned decades. There were so many good twists and turns that kept me devouring this story until the very end, and woven throughout the book is North’s trademark exploration into familial relationships that add a powerful layer to an already gripping story.

I really enjoyed this one! I've enjoyed everything I've read from Alex North so far, so it's no surprise that his latest was a success for me as well. I love the way Alex North combines crime, mystery, thriller, horror, and supernatural elements to craft a compelling story.

My only complaint with this story is a felt like there was a *bit* too much going on and some things were left feeling unresolved/not super impactful to the overall plot. I wish some elements would've been trimmed out so the focus of the story could've been on the most interesting parts (i.e. the serial killer who could see the future??) but overall I still had a really fun time reading this one and can't wait to see what Alex North does next!

Thank you to the publisher for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was a big fan of both the Whisper Man and The Shadows, so when I saw The Angel Maker I was so excited. Unfortunately this one fell flat for me. I couldn't keep up with the switch between characters and times. I found that the story didn't keep my attention like his others have. I'm thankful for the early copy and do think readers looking for a different take on thrillers would enjoy this.

“If you were a father, which would you prefer? A child who always did as they were told - as you thought they should- or a child who disobeyed you and tried to force their own path?”

Personal Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This plot had so many characters and so much driving it forward that at times, I became confused jumping from character to character. This novel was dark, and suspenseful but also showed the bittersweet unbreakable bond of siblings and a close up look of a notorious serial killer - which is a lot going on in a novel!
I enjoyed the multiple points of view and how Alex North intricately connected them all in the end, the final pages were breathtaking and unexpected. I was a huge fan of The Whisper Man, this novel has the same vibes! I received a gifted copy of the ARC from the publisher and am honored to give my thoughts in exchange! Grab your own copy on February 28!

Synopsis:

Growing up in a beautiful house in the English countryside, Katie Shaw lived a charmed life. At the cusp of graduation, she had big dreams, a devoted boyfriend, and a little brother she protected fiercely. 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 crime. A distinguished professor of fate and free will 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 who, legend had it, could see the future.

This book was a slow start for me - it took me awhile to figure out who was who and how everyone was connected, so it was hard for me to get fully absorbed in the book. However the plot was very original and story was very well written with very catchy sentences.

3.5 stars!
This book definitely took some concentration to keep the story together. I had to reread a couple of times to make sure I got parts correct. Overall a good book, but I feel it would have been better if less disorganized. Thank you to Netgalley for the early read.

I really wanted to like this book more. It just had so much going on and I felt lost for the majority of the book. I enjoyed the ending somewhat but this was a miss for me.

I’ve rated other Alex North books higher than this one, and it’s because by this one I’m coming in hoping for a bit more. There’s nothing really wrong here, but there’s nothing that stood out for me either. It’s like the other books and if you’re happy with that, you’ll like this one just fine. For me though, it’s falling into the category of easily read and easily forgotten.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

Katie Shaw, guilt-ridden sister, mother, wife, and teacher is estranged from her drug-dependent brother, Chris, after he steals money from her purse. Chris was viciously attacked by a man, Michael Hyde, who claims that he was compelled to attack Chris that fateful afternoon. Detective Laurence Page is called to a grizzly crime scene of the murder of Allen Hobbs (wealthy professor and philanthropist) and the last image the security camera captures before being shut off is that of Chris Shaw. But the professor also has some secrets of his own and a massive muderbilia collection of serial killer Jack Lock who claimed his writings predicted the future. So begins the journey in piecing together why and how all these people are connected.
Told from various character POVs and jumping through timelines, this book is definitely one you need to pay close attention to. There are a lot of twists and turns that leaves a reader reeling after each chapter. Though chapters alternate POVs of five major characters (Katie, Chris, Det. Page, Allen Hobbes, Edward Leland, and one chapter told from Michael Hyde's POV), the chapters are not titled to give reference of who is the dedicated narrator and jump into various timelines; therefore, it's a bit unsettling when beginning a new chapter (especially if it's been a few days...). An added brain tease are the overarching philosophical themes of determinism, fate, and coincidences that felt like a relief when each piece of the puzzle was slotted into place for the larger narrative. Overall, 3 stars. It was solid, confusing, twisty, dark, full of flawed characters, and I felt like I was also piecing a puzzle together after each clue.

Rounding up on this one because I love how Alex North writes! About jumped up and down when I was approved for this a few weeks ago. I was obsessively following the little free library placements Celadon did for the Angel Maker, to no avail! So thank you Celadon and netgalley for the early read!!
If there was one thing I could tell future me regarding this book- it would be to make a list of characters as they come. I really struggled keeping up with who was who and what was going on because of it. It came together in the end but I think I would have enjoyed this so much more if I didn’t feel like an idiot half the time I was reading.
It’s creepy and original and about half way thru I couldn’t put it down. If it is a BOTM pick next month, good chance it will be in my box.

First, I just want to say this is one of my most anticipated 2023 releases. Serial killer thrillers and police procedurals are my favorite genre and Alex North is one of the greats. When Celadon did the LFL drop with advance reader copies, I made my husband drive me two total hours to the nearest participating LFL and I was very sad it was not there. Then I basically begged the publisher’s instagram page to send me a copy. Which they did eventually (thank you!), but I had already been approved for the audiobook through NetGalley/Macmillan Audio, so this is how I decided to consume it. The first time, at least.

I finished the audiobook last night and unfortunately while I believe I understood most of the overarching plot, I am still very confused about the characters and some of details and I’m left with a lot of remaining questions. When I listen to audiobooks, it’s normally when I am at rest and not doing something else simultaneously, so it wasn’t for a lack of paying attention.

I consume books in three ways - digitally on my kindle, on audiobook, and through physical copy. Although the narrator was fantastic, I think this book is probably better read and understood through physically reading whether it be a physical copy or on an e-reader, particularly given the continuous shift between using first and last names for characters, characters with multiple names, multiple characters referred to by the same names… etc. I could have done without that until which time it may have become necessary through the plot.

I am totally willing to give my physical copy another stab in the future, but for now at least, I’m rating this book at three stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Alex for an advance reader and listener’s copies in exchange for an honest review!

I was really looking forward to this novel by North after loving his last 2 so I was ecstatic when I was given the opportunity to read an eARC. And maybe it was my over-anticipation that did it, but I was ultimately a little let down.. I just didn’t love this book as much as I wanted to.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a good story and I did enjoy it. But I found it to be confusing- both the different characters and how the jumps in time were set up. I couldn’t remember what happened when and I kept having to look back to remember who each character was. I also didn’t feel like the characters had much depth. I wanted to like them but they just fell flat to me. Also, Sam sucked. There’s nothing more to it than that. He was absolute garbage.

But the premise/“mystery” were interesting enough and I enjoyed the ending. All in all, not a bad story… but not as great as The Whisper Man or The Shadows.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me this advanced copy!

“The Angel Maker” by Alex North is a book that I’ve been looking forward to since it was announced. I will say in advance that I’ve read all of the other Alex North books, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all.

Katie Shaw has a perfectly life in the English countryside. That is until Katie’s brother Chris is violently attacked, and she can’t help but feel she’s responsible. Years after the attack, Katie learns that Chris has gone missing. At the same time Chris is missing, a murderer is also on the lose, and famous professor Alan Hobbes is his victim. Are these two cases somehow connected?

This book makes you think. It has multiple timelines of the past and future, which you definitely need to pay attention to while reading. Overall though this book did live up to the hype I created for it in my head. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Alex North.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC of this novel.