Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

3.5/5 stars

This was a very interesting take on serial killers. I figured out who it was a bit early on, but the classic “villain’s monologue” was very fun. Dawn was a good character, however she is a bit whiny. There’s a lot of whiplash with “is he the killer? No he can’t be, but is he?” Lots of repetition that dragged the story. Overall, I would recommend this as a good spooky/horror novel.

I was excited about receiving this book after reading the description - When Dawn Hildegard’s best friend Rose is kidnapped by “The Dollmaker,” a crazed serial killer who creates “art” from women’s bodies, she drops everything to find her... Only, after "reading" 22% of the book, this still hadn't happened yet.
I felt like I was listening to an 8th grade essay where there was a requirement to have a certain amount of words and the author was just adding unnecessary information to meet that quota. I didn't like the main character and at some point began to not care if she was kidnapped and killed by the Dollmaker.
I listened to the audiobook version of this and just could not connect with the narrator. The reading felt very stiff and the characters did not seem real. I ended up speeding up the narration to 150% because the pace was so slow. I could not wait to get to the end of this and just be finished.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. I was really excited about this book. I loved the cover, synopsis etc. The book all though promising after first just started to go very slow and down hill. I don't really like any of the characters, it is very predictable who the killer is and I just feel like honestly the story could have been cut in half with what little goes on in the story plot. I am not really a fan of the main female character. After a while you get tired of hearing the feminist liberal female complaints on how terrible men are and poor me blah blah blah. It was just okay.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great. The plot sounded so intriguing but it didn't really work like I had hoped. It was a very slow book with little payout. I'm sure others will love it,but it wasn't the book for me.

This book is classified as horror, I admit that I don't consider it as such, I consider it as suspense and mystery.

I really liked the theme: the approach to the role of women in society at the beginning of the 20th century. Don's anxiety about being a doctor and people seeing her as inferior compared to male doctors. There were even those who spread a rumor that she was a witch, because a woman could not be capable of being a doctor.
This young woman spends her life fighting against society and trying to gain her place, but on top of all that, which is already a huge struggle, there is also a serial killer who kidnapped her best friend. I loved Don's journey. I created a great empathetic bond with it, and I liked how the author chose to characterize human nature.

I recommend!

What an incredibly engrossing mystery, suspense, and thriller! I tried to figure out who was the doll maker by going from person to person, but after so many detours, Dawn and I were at a loss as to who it could be!

I had sympathy for Dawn. She was a letdown to her terrible parents, who didn't even like her. To them, she was nothing more than a property they might make her marry so they could profit.

In the 1920s, women were treated differently, which is when this took place. Dawn aspired to become a doctor, but at the time, they believed that doctors should only be men. But Dawn was a tough cookie. Her coworker, the doctor, allowed her to assist patients.

💥ARC Review💥

🎧The Dollmaker by: Morgan Shamy


Fantastic new genre bender! Shamys new release combines romance and horror to bring us an interesting take on Jack the Ripper. Our leading lady, Dawn, is thrown into a dark world of murder and mystery; when her best friend gets kidnapped by a serial killer who fancies chopping up body parts and sowing them in to life size dolls. (Hence the title.) There is A LOT of body gore (I mean, there’s a serial killer who chops womens bodies and sows them to each other.) I enjoyed Shamys writing, she does a very good job at dragging the reader into the dark atmosphere. Her writing is fluid and though the plot wasn’t something extraordinary, it was suspenseful enough to keep you reading.

This was a very slow to start twisty YA read. I had hoped for a different storyline, so I can't say if the story disappointed me or if I disappointed myself with expectations and hopes. I was enthralled to continue through, but could have DNF if this was not given to me by netgalley. Not my cup of tea.

- I did enjoy the narrators voice and style.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Audiobook!

Good murder mystery with romance thrown in.
Characters were great, specially Dawn, Gideon and Sebastian.
I loved Dawn- she's not like other girls but it's not in annoying type of way. She's a good role model.
Sebastian is mysterious and that makes him so interesting. I do wish we had had more background on him. I was left with a lot unanswered questions.
Gideon was cold but also so dreamy.


I will say I picked this up because it reminded me of an episode of Criminal Minds, but the story didn't have that great ending I was waiting for. But it could be because I went in with expectations... though I will say, the twists make it worthy read. I thought I had it figured out and, obv, that was not the case.

I was given this read by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately I couldn't get into it and didn't make it through the book.

Criminal Minds meets… American 1920s Bridgerton? This was ok. There wasn’t enough depth to the characters or their motivations beyond what was initially introduced. Also, the lack of police involvement in the extremely violent crimes is hard for even me to buy.

I may have enjoyed this more as a physical book; the narrator’s dialogue made everyone sound like they were about to cry.

What a fun (if mutilated and amputated bodies can be considered fun) murder mystery! I enjoyed the historical elements as well as the horror. And that twist was one that I didn’t see coming!

Don’t waste your time with this book… I really thought I was going to be listening to this scary tale of a serial killer named The Dollmaker and SPOILER ALERT is the story of this woman back in the early 1900 that apparently needed to be married and she doesn’t want to but she has to because that’s the only way she would be a healer.

No plot whatsoever, and the worst part? The killer was a woman that killed because she didn’t want any woman to get married and like that punish men… What?

The only good thing, and that’s why I finished this book instead of DNF it was the narrator. Kate Rudd really did a great job narrating this book, it kept me wanting to continue listening to it.

Thank you Netgalley and CamCat Publishing for the ALC in exchange of my honest opinion,

A good YA phycological thriller with a love triangle!

Publisher's summary
No one is safe. Not when The Dollmaker lurks in the shadows.
Dawn Hildegard’s dream is to become a doctor, but for a woman in the 1920s, this is no easy task. When her best friend Rose is kidnapped by “The Dollmaker,” a crazed serial killer who creates “art” from his victim’s bodies, she drops everything to find her. With the help of a handsome new acquaintance and his mysterious brother, Dawn investigates the fascinating case: Women found dead at the scene—their limbs skillfully removed, only to later be found stitched back together, suspended in doll-like positions throughout town in a grotesque display.
While following the trail of clues, Dawn can’t help her growing affection for the brothers, or her sense of unease. The Hemsworth brothers share dark secrets, and both have ties to one of the victims. With time running out, Dawn must use her wits and medical knowledge to find Rose before it’s too late. And before she becomes The Dollmaker’s next victim.

Thanks to NetGalley & CamCat Books for the ARC of The Dollmaker!

Dollmaker
By: Morgan Shamy
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
Publisher: CamCat Books
Release date: 02-28-23

The Dollmaker - Morgan Shamy

Another slow start! So many books these days seem to pick up the pace in the last half 🙄 if I knew this I would start reading from 50% onwards! That said, the last half of the book was really great and I enjoyed it.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC.

I was instantly drawn to this book by the description. It sounded like the perfect blend of horror, crime and mystery. Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with Dawn or staying interested in the story when all the romantic elements took over.. Her personality felt so flat and she was definitely not the strong female protagonist she was billed to be. I also thought the exposition was heavy handed. I was often being told what to think and feel instead of actually feeling it based on the narrative. Disappointed in this one.

Fast Paced! Gripping! And twist galore! When I say you hit the ground running with this book, I mean there are no dull moments. The plot is eventful, so much happens, but its not busy or forced. Love a strong female character, set in a man's world. I didn't think I would like a period piece but I was able to connect with the characters very easily, and found myself trying to make myself read faster to find out what happens next. Mystery, Thriller, You get it all!

The history behind women in medicine in that time period was genius. How she carefully included prohibition and opium in the story line was very tactfully done. The author especially stayed true with the limitations of women in that time period. You didn't find yourself rolling your eyes thinking "of course she got away with it", or thinking "only in books would this really happen." The main character, Dawn, didn't magically know how to fight, or somehow through her past knew how to wield a knife, she had to rely on her wit in a very clever ways. Definitely give this book a try, you'll be hooked!

The narration was good, not amazing but good. She somehow made everyone sound a lot older than how the story was reading. However, she did a great job absorbing you into the story. You could easily depict emotions and the different male and female characters. She brought the story to life and really did a great job on building the suspense.

Set in Rhode Island, 1920. Rose Waterford is the Prima ballet dancer at the local ballet practice. Her friend Dawn Hildegard is a budding doctor, in a time when women are supposed to be wives and nothing more. When women begin disappearing, then turning up dead with body parts horrifically stitched together with other victims, the murderer soon earns the title of ‘The Dollmaker’. Question everything, suspect everyone. Women are not safe in this town.

It took me a little time to appreciate the characters in this, I’m not sure why. It truly is a gripping read, but it took me about 25% to fully become invested. The author does a great job of building relationships and makes you question everything throughout. I would say this is more of a historical crime thriller than a horror, so if that’s your thing then definitely give this a read. I only wish the suspense in various areas had been drawn out more to add to the tension.

The narrator was excellent, I recognised her from narrating Storm Glass and The Harbinger series. She does fantastic character voicing and imbues the book with emotion.

I breezed through it. It was so good. I could not stop listening. The narrator has a very soothing voice and the book was a five star read for me. I absolutely loved it. This book is a historical mystery with a little bit of romance thrown in. It kept me guessing the entire time. I was completely emersed from beginning to end. I highly recommend this one.

This book is about Dawn, who is a young woman living in the 1920's. Dawn is a aspiring doctor. The problem is, at the time, strong, independent, women are frowned upon. Dawn is often called a witch. Dawn wants to make her own way in the world without the help of a man. Dawn's parents are determined to marry her off. There is a serial killer, killing and dismemberming women. The dollmaker then uses the desirable parts to create the perfect doll. Dawn is drawn to the Hemsworth Brothers for different reasons, while simultaneously wondering if they could be the killer themselves. This book is suspenseful and keeps you guessing who the killer could be. When it came down to it, I was blown away by who the killer actually was. Poor Dawn was ahead of her time and fighting for feminist rights but found a way to be happy in the end.