Alex north is one of my new favorite authors since his last few books so I was anxious to get my hands on the arc of The Angel Maker. This novel has a slightly different feel to it than his earlier ones, but the things that are consistent are atmosphere and pace. North has an excellent handle on pacing and will keep readers turning the pages furiously. North has excelled consistently at creating a true sense of atmosphere and this one is no different-there is an ominous feeling throughout the novel.
Without giving too much away of the plot (which is more intricate than one would think originally)-there is an estranged brother and sister, a religious sect, a serial killer, a detective-all of which circle around one another over multiple timelines. We also have a mysterious book that many people are after-but why and what does it hold? This book reminded me a lot of the tv show “Evil” with the plot lines about religion, good and evil, demons, etc.
While it does have some positives, I did find it almost too ambitious with all the plot lines-it’s hard at times to track how it all overlaps and interconnects and the reader has to pay attention and close read to keep up. I would rate this the lower of the north novels but still an enjoyable read nonetheless and one that should excite his fans!

Arc provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

I was so excited to learn I had received the ACR of THE ANGEL MAKER! I loved the cover, which grabbed me immediately! And the story kept me quickly turning pages to see how it would all end! This was my first read from Alex North and it won’t be my last!

There was so much to like about this novel. I really love how Alex North writes — very descriptive and atmospheric, making for a creepier read. The book also had an incredibly intense and intricate plot with background stories of tragedy that may or may not be related (I don’t want to give anything away). And for the most part, I believe the characters were well developed and easy to connect with — especially Katie (maybe because I’m a big sister of a younger brother, too!). I didn’t always agree with her decisions—some were questionable and not well thought through— but love can be a powerful driving force even in the most dangerous of circumstances. I also really loved the philosophical undertones of the story, where determinism played an integral part in the development of the plot and actions of certain characters.

But, there were aspects of the book I didn’t like as much that detracted from the story. For example, the changing timelines were often confusing, so you had to stay on your toes while reading. Also, I felt that the ending came very quickly and abruptly. For me, certain questions were not answered fully and plot points seemed unresolved (I don’t want to go into specifics for fear I might give too much away!!). I would have liked an Epilogue to help bring more closure to the story and resolution between certain characters.

Overall, though, I loved the book because of Alex North’s exceptional writing skills and creative storyline. I can’t wait to read his other books, given all the positive reviews I’ve read from other readers! Bottom line—if you enjoy suspenseful, scary, and character-driven novels, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Alex North, and Celadon Books for gifting me the ARC of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!!

Now that was a brain workout! I don't mean that in a bad way, I was a page-turning demon, but to articulate a coherent review feels nearly impossible so I won't bother with the details.

Let's just say there are a lot of movers and shakers and many threads intertwining.

We have a serial killer, we have an estranged brother and sister, we have nefarious characters, we have police detectives, and we have a very important book but what does it all mean? You'll have to read this to find out.

Alex North pens a most mysterious mystery that had me riveted from the start but, as I mentioned, it took some time for me to wrap my brain around everything. This was an ambitious novel that must have taken North ages to think up and write. The intricate weaving of the threads was done with the hands of a master in the genre and it is with pleasure that I tell you that North wrapped this up brilliantly which couldn't have been easy. My 2nd Alex North book and another success! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for my complimentary copy.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Celadon books for an advanced copy of #TheAngelMaker by Alex North.
If you liked Alex North’s other books, I think you’ll enjoy this one as well. It was written in different POV’s and timelines so it could get a little confusing but I enjoyed trying to figure out how they would all connect.
A serial killer who has two sons with one doing everything he says and the other forging his own path was very interesting. The atmosphere was definitely creepy and sinister. Overall, I would give this book 3.5/5 stars

This book was just under a 5🌟 for me; there were some spots that were a little difficult to understand. While I feel this was likely a stylistic choice by the author to mimic the content of the story, we are talking about the ravings of a lunatic here, it did detract from my enjoyment of the novel slightly. I don't mind when an author makes me feel confused or lost as I'm reading, but I do not like to feel as though I don't understand what I just read.

Having said that, I am a HUGE fan of Alex North. "The Whisper Man" and "The Shadows" were in my top 5 thriller reads last year. His newest work, "The Angel Maker" did not disappoint.

Set in a quiet town in England, the lives of Katie Shaw and her family are forever changed when a stranger attacks her younger brother, Chris, on the way home from school. The story oscillates between snapshots of this violent past and the haunting present where Chris has suddenly gone missing. Katie can't shake the feeling that her brother is in trouble and must delve into her brother's private life in order to find him.

Running parallel to this story, we see detectives investigating a murder of a college professor in the present. As the investigation unfolds, detectives continue to be brought back to the viscous attack on Christopher Shaw and a long-dead serial killer who was said to be able to see the future.

This book had me closing my curtains long before dark and double-checking my door locks. I love that I didn't see the ending coming but once I finally read it, it was obvious the ending was inevitable. The story was artfully written and I cannot wait to get my hands on whatever Alex North publishes next!

I was excited to read another book from the same author who wrote The Whisper Man.. which was seriously creepy. I enjoyed this one too and read it in a day. The serial killer vibes were present again with this dark novel.

I did find myself having to pay close attention when reading this, because I felt you could easily be confused if not. I would consider this a detective/crime thriller, which I could have done without since I didn’t feel they really added to the story or uncovered anything vital to the story. The MC is a bit unpredictable and makes some questionable decisions given she is a mother, but I also understand the sibling bond that drove her.

I didn’t put this one together or unravel the big twist/s, which is a plus. I love a good surprise. As for the ending, this one wraps up pretty quickly and I needed more clarification on certain things. I have questions.. However, this was an interesting dark serial killer thriller that fans of North will enjoy.

I LOVED the Whisper Man and was SO excited to be selected to read an early release of The Angel Maker. This book has all the makings of a great mystery/crime/thriller book - but, hear me out, I feel like it read like a sequel. There is a huge cast of characters and a lot going on, as well as a rich history that is referenced and explained. For me, it got confusing at times and I also found myself wanting more information about past events.

Bottom line is that I think this book needs a prequel!!

The Angel Maker was a pretty decent read. I loved The Whisper Man by this author. There were several twists throughout the book that surprised me and I enjoyed them. Overall, I would recommend this to a friend.

The Angel Maker is the newest creepy psychological thriller from Alex North. Katie Shaw is a student whose decision to go home with her boyfriend after school instead of walking with her brother ends up having life-altering consequences for them all. Chris Shaw is viciously assaulted and the attack starts him on a downward spiral of self destruction.
A decade later, Katie is married with a child and Chris seems to be getting his life on track when he suddenly disappears. At the same time, Chris' attacker seems to be stalking Katie and her family. Katie is determined to keep her daughter safe and her search for their stalker reveals ties between Chris and serial killer that has been dead for 60 years.
The story goes back and forth between the past and present as well as alternating between characters. Discovering how all of these storylines tie together kept me turning the pages. Although suspenseful and creepy, this novel has less of the spooky otherworldly aspects of his first two novels and I personally prefer that.

Whoa! Alex North has done it again!
This is an intense, hard to put down thriller. All the different, “unrelated” timelines that Alex is giving you throughout the book are like puzzle pieces that come together at the end. This may not be a style for everyone or is “easy” to read but those who like good investigative stories that require a lot of attention will appreciate this book. I read this book in one sitting. Absolutely fantastic!
Thank you NetGalley, Celadon Books and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m frustrated because this is a good novel that was unnecessarily confusing. I don’t mind multiple storylines that happen at different points in history, but I need to be able to follow these story- and timelines. Additionally, there are already a ton of characters, and the author made the decision to sometimes refer to a character by his or her first name and then randomly for no reason by his/her last name, so now I have to remember two names for each character.

The novel at times got tense. One storyline is about Katie Shaw and her brother Christopher. When they were young, a violent crime did irreparable damage to their family. Now, years later, Chris has gone missing, and Katie is determined to find out what happened.

Detective Laurence Page is investigating the brutal murder of a frail, wealthy man, and all signs point to Chris, who seems to have disappeared.

There’s good stuff here, but I think I should have been taking careful notes so I could actually follow what was happening.

NetGalley provided an advance reader copy of this mystery/horror novel, which RELEASES FEBRURARY 28, 2023.

Katie Shaw lives with the guilt of “what if.” She had made a different decision in the day her brother was attacked would his life turned out differently. Now Katie’s brother is in danger but also her daughter. Caught up in a situation of an old man murdered and a serial killer from the past, Katie is trying to save everyone to longer live with the guilt of “what if.”

I enjoyed this Alex North title and liked how the story lines converge, with different twists and turns keeping the reader guessing how it is all connected..

This was an interesting and creepy book. Would you really want to know the future? Do you really have free will and the ability to make your own decisions?

I did find the many characters and timelines confusing. It was very hard to follow in some places. I would have liked to see more character development and more sussing out of the relationships between characters (sibling relationships especially).

Thanks to Netgalley for the book to review.

This book begins with the ominous question, “If you could see the future, would you want to?”

First off, I want to say this book is creepy. And if you have a trigger with child violence, you may want to pass on The Angel Maker. But the book is clever and intelligent, and I enjoyed it. In fact, when I got to the last 100 pages, I nearly called in sick to work because I couldn’t put it down.

The characters are so different and well-developed. Katie and her little brother, Christ dominate the stage. But there were also two detectives with stories of their own, Caroline Pettifer and Laurence Page.
I think the thing that stands out for me are the breadcrumbs. North is really good at holding the cards close to the vest and laying down little bits at a time. There are a twists that you can’t see coming and little reveals along the way that keep you going. Several times I was going to stop at the end of a chapter, but the finishing sentence kept me wanting more.

Again, there is violence integral to the story that was hard to stomach for me. But the conclusion is impossible to guess from the beginning and I’m beginning to think that is a trait of Alex North. I’ll keep reading his work and suggest you do too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of this book.

I really wanted to love this book, because I loved The Shadows and The Whisper Man, but it just didn't do it for me. It's not creepy like his other two books were and it had a very slow start with an ending that was kind of rushed. I also walked away really confused and feel like some things weren't resolved well.

🤷‍♀️ oh well, you win some, you lose some. Alex North is still an autobuy author for me though.

This book was a disappointment for me. I really loved The Whisper Man, and also enjoyed The Shadows. But The Angel Maker was, in a word, boring. I feel like my attention was divided between too many different POVs that I didn’t care about or connect with. The only one I was really interested in following was Katie, but I feel like she didn’t get enough page time. The book jumps back and forth so many times between characters, timelines, and backstories that it gets incredibly confusing. I normally enjoy books with multiple POVs where the stories converge, but with this one I was too lost or too bored to care.

3.5 ⭐️

At just a little over 300 pages this thing is sprawling. Jumping from character to character were given a female lead, Kate, who delivers the most traditionally thrilling storyline for me. She runs this thing all while searching for her missing brother & working through family trauma. When we jump perspectives (and timelines) we delve into a troubled mind and a hard boiled detective story. It’s at times endearingly reminiscent of Thomas Harris – especially in that it can be hard to follow (I spent my fair share of time confused as hell while reading this). Nonetheless, I enjoyed this almost as much as The Whisper Man or The Shadows and I’m so looking forward to more Alex North books.

I recommend this book to anyone who’s into:

• Strong female leads
• Family thrillers
• Police procedural
• Sprawling generational mysteries
• Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (my favorite book)

Y’all. I LOVED this book! I was obsessed with the whisper man by @writernorth but I think The Angel Maker has taken over that spot.

This read gave me heart palpitations. There were a lot of moving parts and I was so anxious for everything to come together. If you like serial killer novels, with multiple povs and timelines, than read this asap.

The Angel Maker by Alex North
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4
Years ago, Christopher Shaw was brutally attacked and wounded. In the present day, he has gone missing. A wealthy elderly man, Alan Hobbes, has been found murdered. Katie Shaw, Chris's sister, searches for him.
There is a lot going on in this book. There is the story of Katie and Chris, Alan Hobbes and his connection to a serial killer, and the detectives investigating all of this.The philosophical theory of determinism, where time isn't linear and everyone's actions and fates have been predetermined, also plays a big role in the story.
What I liked: the story moves quickly and isn't bogged down with unnecessary prose or details. The determinism theory is unsettling amd the lends the story a bit of a supernatural feeling.
What I didn't like: Trying to figure out how all of these people and stories are connected is a bit of a wild ride and at times confusing- eventually I was able to keep track of all characters and how they were connected but at first I had to flip back and forth a lot. I found myself frequently annoyed with Katie's character- she seemed to make ridiculous choices and just wasn't developed well. The twist also seemed a little predictable.
Overall I liked this book, but not as much as the Whisper Man.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I wanted to love this. I did enjoy reading it but it felt a little all over the place. I still have questions.