This was my third book by Alex North. Although his writing has always been unique and that's what I've come to expect, this writing was a little more difficult for me to follow than usual.

I was fortunate enough to receive the audio version thanks to Macmillan Audio and that drastically helped me stay with the story; I'm not sure I would have been able to finish had I been reading a physical copy. There were so many timelines and plotlines and it was not an easy follow for me sadly.

I think the mystery itself could have been very good if it weren't for the confusing plotlines. Some of the topics were very intense and dark, so I'd recommend looking up some content warnings.

The narrator did an excellent job and I could listen to her talk all day long! This book will be available on Feb 28th.

2.5 Rounded Up

Thank you to #Netgalley for the ARC audio copy of this book.

I moderately liked Alex North's previous novel "The Whisper Man" (3/5 stars,) so I didn't go into this one with high expectations. I think that the audiobook actually took away from reading this one. There are so many characters to keep track of and the plot switches between multiple timelines, so it was very difficult to follow as an audiobook. The narrator did a nice job with the different voices though. I also found the ending and the 'twist' quite predictable. .

I have been waiting rather impatiently for another Alex North novel and I was beyond thrilled to receive this as an audiobook through NetGalley!

I gotta say though, I didn’t love it as much as the previous novels. I try not to compare but it’s hard when the others are easily in my Top 20 overall reads and this one just isn’t. I have a theory about that and I plan to test it when the book releases.

The theory: I didn’t listen to the others - I read the physical books. Perhaps the narrator just isn’t what I need from these books. Perhaps I need my own internal narration.

Anyway - there are many tales of Angel maker serial killers out there. I gotta say I did enjoy the route this book took with that story. We follow Katie as she tries to figure out how much current events connect to her past. She struggles with what is reality and what is in her mind and it’s interesting to watch the story unfold. Especially since we seem to have two stories competing for prominence in her life.

I definitely want to read this as a physical book because maybe it’s the narrator that just didn’t do it for me because the story itself was pretty solid. I didn’t feel the suspense I’m used to with books from this author but again - different format.

I’m gonna go a neutral ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for now and see how I feel later.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!

Release: February 28

Alex North never fails to amaze me. Such an excellent writer and knows just how to create a whole picture/world. I adore his books.

I was so excited that I've gotten access to the audiobook, but with how many characters there were and how intricate the story is woven, the audio was hard to keep track of. Especially since the narrator is the same for all. So I kept getting very confused on who was involved in what.

Regardless, excellent read. 👏 👏 👏

Alex North did it again!! What a fun ride. This was a really good story with believable characters and situations. Highly recommend anyone that likes Alex North type of stories will love this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Can’t say I loved this one. It was confusing and hard to combine the storylines for the majority of the book. It wasn’t bad but it was confusing.
Based on this audiobook I don’t think I would seek out reading or listening to other Alex north books.
Just wasn’t for me.

An interesting tangled-web mystery involving family connections that have been deliberately hidden from the two of the main protagonists, Katie Shaw and her brother Chris. It takes most of the book to fully reveal all of the players, but it definitely kept my attention throughout. A different way of telling a serial-killer story (yep, it's one of those) than most I've read before. Character development is strong.

I was able to listen to the audiobook version ahead of publication. Grateful for that opportunity. My review is my honest opinion.

2.5 stars

I'm very late to the Alex North party; this is my first read. I am left feeling pretty underwhelmed, unfortunately.

Katie is an intriguing character and her backstory - which is also very much her brother Chris's backstory in some ways - is compelling. I really enjoy sibling dynamics as a focal point, so this was a strong start for me. From there, the plot and characters just get convoluted.

Some of my sense of confusion or disbelief may have come from the format. Transparently, when I listen versus read by sight, I do at times find myself more prone to drifting. No joke, I restarted this audiobook at least three different times from different points (a quarter to over halfway in) because I kept wondering if I had missed a significant detail. Nope. There are just some plot holes and some strong expectations for suspending disbelief.

I didn't hate this; there are elements I actually quite enjoyed. That noted, I'm unclear from just this read what the buzz is all about over this author. I look forward to reading more so that I can hopefully get a better sense of that.

Thank you Net Galley for an audio ARC of The Angel Maker by Alex North. This book has me confused. CONFUSED I TELL YOU! Apparently, it's just me. But i have to believe if it was interesting I would have liked listening to it. 3 stars

Would you want to see the future if you could?

The Angel Maker by Alex North (audiobook review).
Narrated by Rosalie Craig

I loved Whisper Man and was delighted to review The Angel Maker by Alex North. The audiobook is atmospheric and creepy. The story revolves around a possible serial killer and an intricate mystery. It required me to listen closely to all the characters, but once I did, I was taken on a thrilling ride with a hint of natural elements.

The audiobook is narrated perfectly by Rosalind Craig, who is a talented narrator. There are many complex elements to this novel. Readers who enjoy adult fiction with a mind-bending plot will appreciate it, but you must suspend your beliefs. It is not for everyone. Check the trigger warnings before proceeding.

Angel Maker audiobook is available on February 28th.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sharing this audiobook with me. Your kindness is appreciated!

#TheAngelMaker

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this ARC. I enjoyed the narrator of this one, but the story fell flat for me. I think the writing was done well, but the plot was all over the place. With the amount of characters and the amount of going back and forth in the timeline, it became confusing.

This is my third read by this author and I’d say this was my least favorite. I would read more from them in the future!

This one had me all over the place, now granted, I've not read any of Alex North's other books, but there were too many viewpoints firing off with polarizing views and tones for me to keep up. There were the flashbacks to the infamous serial killer who took the lives of several children and teens; then we have the mentions of a tightly bound brother/sister relationship that's seen its case of struggles from addictions to vices and more, and then on top of it we have some detectives who are trying to solve a different issue of a fanatic who harbored a dangerous obsession to the aforementioned serial killer "The Angel Maker."

Overall, it was just a lot for me to process, and I hope to have better luck with his other two novels. Still, I am very thankful to Celadon, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for granting me Advanced Listener Access before its publication date of February 28, 2023. Maybe I'll pick it up for a do-over again soon, but I'm doubtful.

For years, Katie Shaw has carried around the guilt she feels for her brother’s brush with death when the siblings and Katie’s brother cross paths with a psychopath. Now, Katie is married with a child and she and her brother are estranged. Still, when she gets word that Chris is missing, Katie is determined to make up for her past failings by finding him. North is one of the most accomplished and unusual authors of the 21st century. This book is part thriller, part mystery, past philosophical debate and 100% thrilling