A rough 3.5 stars.

Let me preface this with the fact that this is my first Alex North book and I’ve heard nothing but good things. I went into this thinking it would live up to the hype of The Whisper Man and The Shadows in the sense that it would be disturbing and chilling. However, this was very much not the case. The beginning had me immediately sucked in, but that was about it. This felt like a family drama with a little bit of a twist and barely any “dark and thrilling” essence.

The story was good, the characters felt overwhelming and messy, and the one thing that took my interest by a chokehold wasn’t even delved into. A decent read, but not inspiring much interest in the others.

Thank you Celadon and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

YES!!! Alex North has done it again!! I have to admit I was overwhelmed at one point... thought I was missing something. BUT nope...it was just lot happening. Wasn't sure what direction Alex North was going in with this. However in my opinion it was worth it!!

Kate has always had mixed emotions when it comes to her brother Chris. She blamed her self for his attack but also blames him for the years of conflict that he caused in her little family. When her mom calls her to tell her she’s worried about her brother Kate doesn’t know why? They haven’t heard from him for the past two years or at least thats what Kate thought. What her mom will have to tell her will send her down a rabbit hole into murder in mystery. Detective Lawrence is called into the case with a rich retired professor is murdered and when it seems the video evidence is going to tell the story Detective Lawrence knows there’s more than meets the eye and despite knowing Who is saw in the film right before the professor was killed during his investigation it will be more than just Chris Shores attacker but go all the way back to a serial killer who was a religious fanatic and the one thing that connects the mall. Reports over Kate will be haunted by the police and the crazy man but she won’t be the only one in danger. This book whistle crazy, wild, fast pace it’s just every positive adjective I could think of this is an awesome awesome mystery! not only is the narrator top notch but this storyline is one crazy piece of work this is a great mix between crime mystery and an awesome thriller and a total five star listen. The Angel Maker by Alex North is truly a rare gem I mean you have your mysteries and thrillers and then you have the best of the mysteries and thrillers and that’s what Angel maker is so good! Have no doubt if you’re looking for a great thriller read or listen to this book. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This book took me a fair bit to get into if I’m being honest. I just couldn’t seem to get myself to care enough about the characters to be fully invested. I found that there was a case of “too many cooks” when it came to the POV chapters. There were too many different perspectives and it led to me confusing who was who and what happened to who. It was a little much at times.

However, once I was into the story and fully understood what the heck was going on, I was able to enjoy the story. I did find that it wasn’t a super gripping book, it really didn’t give off too much of the stereotypical “thriller” genre niches that I wish it had. This was really more of a mystery that was playing out in a long past influenced way.

The weird religious plotline that had to do with “making the predestined happened” actually gave me chills because there are literal cults that believe things like this and will kill people - real human people - because they believe that they should never have been born or they are “ destined” for bad things. This was probably the most thrilling aspect of this book.

Overall, this is not my favorite Alex North book, but I did love gaining the understanding of why the title was what it was and why the cover had matches and fire on it. I love the symbolism coming through in the stories! Otherwise, this is more of an average mystery-esque book.

⚠️TW: murder, child abuse, child death

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review! All of the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
I was jumping for joy when I saw I was approved for this audiobook!
Rosalie Craig did an excellent job with narrating the complex plot. There are also many characters to keep track of, which can be difficult at times when listening to an audiobook. The Angel Maker has many twists and turns that I absolutely loved.
I do feel The Angel Maker lives up to the hype and now I'm adding The Whisper Man to my TBR!
Highly recommend!

Love Alex north!! This book was awesome and intricately written! It was an amazing psychological suspense book that I couldn’t stop listening to. It was wonderfully atmospheric and full of chills. The mystery and family drama added to the thriller aspect, and it worked well together. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Katie Shaw hasn’t seen her brother Chris in two years. She used to be his protector until an unspeakable event happened which altered his life. Now married and with a young daughter, Katie is still grappling with the guilt of that day. When her mother calls to say that Chris is missing, Katie instinctively knows that something terrible is happening. Detective Laurence Page was there the day of Chris’ accident and is now investing the murder of Alan Hobbs, a retired psychology professor. Alan’s death seems to have nothing to do with the events of Chris’ accident, but as Page continues to investigate a book stolen from Hobbs might just be the answer to everything.

I’m not going to go into detail about the story, because there is such a risk for spoiliers but just know that The Angel Maker is a complex story. I’m generally good at keeping track of multiple stories and characters, but I had a hard time following the story initially. I kept having to stop and refocus on where we were in the story, as it jumps around from character to character, and time period to time period. I ended up losing a bit of interest and actually took a 3 week break, before deciding to pick it up again and even then, I felt the story was a slow burn. Around 60% in, is when the storylines start to converge together and the pace of the story finally takes off.

Character wise, North does a fantastic job of creating a diverse set of characters. A few characters in particular he’s created so well that you can feel the ‘evil’ radiating off the pages of their story.

Alex North has certainly delivered an intricately woven story. I’d say this one is creepier than his previous 2 novels. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 just because I think North is incredibly talented to be able to weave such different storylines into one. But the slow beginning, the added philosophical theories, and one unresolved subplot keep this from being a 5-star read for me. I will say that the audiobook was excellent, and that really helped me to get back into the story, so highly recommend that.

The Angel Maker comes out February 28, 2023. Huge thank you to Celadon Books for my advanced physical copy and Macmillan Audio for my audio copy. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

This is my third Alex North book and like his others, I enjoyed it. It's dark and creepy.
The only thing with this one is, I got a tad confused. There's a lot of characters talking and I had to go back at certain parts to retain the story properly. This might be an audio book vs book type of issue though. And I still enjoyed the story. Well, as much as one can with the content involved.

It has its twists and reveals during this intricately woven story. Everyone is connected. Everything is pre-determined..or so the philosophy professor who is brutally murdered believes. And how does he tie into Katie Shaw and her brother? To a notorious serial killer?

Alex North knows this genre and puts their own twist on it so it's not the same copy/paste thrillers we are used to.

This got very complicated 40% in. I almost quit. I am having a horrible start to 2023.

The plot got complicated and muddled and too many characters with different POVs. The timeline got so complicated that my eyes would just gloss over and I wanted to get to the "twist" as usual in his books. It's a shame I really LOVED "The Whisper man"

I can't even sum up what the book was about
Kidnapping, Dais cult that believes GOD already knows the future and his believers can also, murder and that's all I can remember. The police were useless and Katie the female character was given the dumb treatment. Very disappointed

This is my first read by Alex North and I will have to say he's a very gifted story teller. This thriller was gripping, multilayered, and dark.

In this story we follow our MC Katie as she grapples with the past, concern for her daughters safety, and searches for her little brother Chris who has been MIA after a distinguished professor he was working for if found dead in his Estate.

Supporting characters and multiple storylines we also see things from the perspective of Chris, the detective on the case, the antagonist, and the Professor. The antagonist and Professor storylines got a little muddled for me and I had to reread some paragraphs to make sure I understood what was happening. I loved the depth of their background story and how the stories were all interwoven unknown to the characters.

I thought the ending was wrapped up pretty quickly, the climax and resolution are crammed into the last 5%. I did enjoy the ending I just wish it wasn't so abrupt.

With the Audiobook I enjoyed the narrator and her accent was lovely. She was emotive and brought a different life to each character, but I especially loved her reading in Katie's POV.

TW: stalking, addiction, a child serial killer (the murders are mentioned in reports and not graphically depicted), child abduction, infanticide by arson.

I really REALLY enjoyed Alex North's first two books immensely, so when I saw he had a new one coming I knew I had to read it! It definitely did not disappoint!!
Katie Shaw lived an idyllic life with her parents and younger brother in the English Countryside. Until one day out of nowhere a stranger shatters that life. Years later she still can't shake the guilt of that day, even though she has her own little girl now to protect. So when her mother calls saying Chris seemingly disappeared, she struggles whether to help her brother.

The Angel Maker was a terrific read! Throw in a few supernatural elements and you have one heck of an edge of your seat ride!

🔥Book Review🔥
The Angel Maker🎧
Publish Date: February 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first book by Alex North and I plan to read more! I wouldn’t call this a thriller so much as a mystery/crime type book. It was throughly enjoyable, as North is a master storyteller. Family, philosophy, horrific crimes, and the red car. I appreciate all of the details and how things and characters are entwined. It was a slower paced story to me, but I’m glad I went on this journey and just had to find out what happened.

Thank you to @netgalley @Macmillan.Audio and @writernorth for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

💭Thoughts:
This was my first book by Alex North. I’ve heard great things about his previous books, so I was excited to listen to The Angel Maker. The story is interesting, but I found it very difficult to follow everything that was going on. The narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life and setting the atmosphere, but I honestly think this would be a better book to read instead of listen to. There is just so much going on and listening to the audio makes it difficult to go back and “re-read” something that was missed. North introduces the reader to many different characters and several different timelines.

The first 50% is a bit tedious to get through, as it is a lot of plot building and character development. As the story continues it starts to get more engaging. North does a great job bringing all the characters and timelines together in the end. It wasn’t my favorite thriller, but I’d still recommend it to people who like a good mystery!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

I was provided an audio ARC via Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, all opinions are my own. This book will be published February 28, 2023 in print and audio.

This was an interesting thriller. I'm not sure if listening to the audiobook is the way to go with this one because there is so much going on with the plot. The narrator did a fine job with the narration, but there are so many threads to keep track of I found myself wishing I could go back and reference things from previous chapters because I was confused. There are a lot of characters and timelines to keep track of, which I find doesn't always work on audio regardless of how good the narrator is.

This follow Katie Shaw, who's life was forever changed when a stranger attacked her brother Chris. Chris survived the attack, but his life was also forever changed. Guilty for not being there for him that day, Katie has always tried to make up for the sins of that day and she is being called to help her brother years later. Chris has gone missing and Katie discovers that he may be mixed up in something dangerous. Chris doesn't have a very good track record as he's been mixed up in substance abuse after recovering from the brutal attack in his teens, but Katie discovers that he appears to have cleaned up his life and she is trying to piece together the mystery of the man her brother is today.

As I mentioned earlier, this has alot of characters to keep track of. I kept losing track of who was who and what their role was in the plot. Katie was always at the forefront and everything eventually ties back to her and her family. This also has alot of twists and turns to keep you from figuring out what is happening, but in the end it left me with more questions than answers. I felt more confused than thrilled as I was reading. Katie was driven to find her brother but some of her decisions and actions seemed a little too impulsive and irrational to me. This book requires an open mind and some suspension of belief for it all to work.

Overall this was a decent slow burn mystery. There are some gory parts, but it isn't extreme. I'd check out trigger warnings before reading this if you are squeamish. It is a bit chaotic for my tastes, but it does keep you guessing. If you are looking for a domestic thriller with a bit of a religious/philosophical vibe this is a good one to check out.

This was a great audiobook and the narrator was very easy to listen to. The plot and twists kept you wanting to,keep,reading. This was a very enjoyable audiobook.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this arc!
4 ⭐ read for me!
Katie was living an every day life until her brother was attacked when she didnt walk him home from school. She still feels guilt followjbg the attack. Worried that something can happen again. Years later her mother calls and says that her brother Chris is missing. She must keep her daughter safe all the while finding her brother.

Very twisty and turny! A fun ride to the very end!

TITLE: THE ANGEL MAKER
NARRATOR: Rosalie Craig
LENGTH: 10h 30m
AUTHOR: Alex North
PUB DATE: 02.27.2023 Preorder Now

Terrifying
Thrilling
Tense

I really enjoyed The Angel Maker, and found myself reading and listening to this book in a couple of sittings - and that is a good sign. This may be my favorite Alex North book.

There are multiple story lines that converge together. There are siblings Katie and Chris Shaw whose lives have changed after a brutal attack on Chris by a violent stranger. Then there are siblings Alan and Edward, raised by a religious serial killer who believes fate is destined. Detective Laurence Page and his partner in the meantime is investigating a strange death of a professor that is linked to Chris Shaw.

The writing goes back and forth in time, and yet converges together through an invisible string that linked these stories together into a chilling and thrilling conclusion as relationships are revealed. The story is suspenseful and with the addition of characters that are truly evil, gave me the creeps and the chills.

Audio Review:
Rosalie Craig did an awesome job - I really enjoyed the narration - that captured the tense and horrifying scenes, as well as distinct characters voices.

I really enjoyed The Angel Maker by Alex North. This is my 3rd from this author and he's turning into a personal favorite for sure. It was a slow start but once the plot started moving, I was hooked. I would have loved more storyline around the Angel Maker himself, or even Edward because there was more intrigue there, for me, than for Katie or Chris. The narrator was SO good and she kept me coming back for more.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to be accepted to review this audiobook as I was anticipating it’s 2023 release .
The Angel Maker introduces a very interesting topic , would we want to see the future if it was a possibility? I was intrigued by the premise however when I listened to the audiobook narrated by Rosalie Craig, I found myself disinterested but not by the story line but rather the cadence of the narrator. There are many intricacies and complex elements in the story line that were difficult to follow via the narration.

Overall, I think the concept of the book was good but I did not enjoy the execution of the narration.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sharing this audiobook with me. In exchange for an honest unbiased review Your generosity is much appreciated..