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The Man Made of Smoke
The latest gripping serial killer thriller from the New York Times bestselling author Alex North.
Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?
With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.
Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?
With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.
310 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2025
2186 people are currently reading
82609 people want to read
About the author
Alex North
18 books7,474 followersAlex North was born in Leeds, England, where he now lives with his wife and son. The Whisper Man was inspired by North's own little boy, who mentioned one day that he was playing with "the boy in the floor." Alex North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,909 reviews
May 13, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
“NOBODY SEES and NOBODY CARES”
On the drive home from a visit to the Zoo, the Garvies pulled into a rest stop for refreshments. Young Dan Garvie decided to use the rest room, and in it he ran across a young boy with a dirt streaked face and eyes which seemed to beg for help.
Too young to know what to do-but not too young to recognize danger-he hid. A whistling man, would usher those words- “Nobody Sees, and Nobody Cares” as he left with the boy.
Not much later, Dan would learn that he had crossed paths with a serial killer who would be dubbed, “The Pied Piper”.
Narrowly escaping the fate, that would befall the boy in the restroom, would haunt Dan Garvie. He became obsessed with a book about the case-“The Man Made of Smoke” by Terrance O’Hare, and he would grow up to become a criminal Profiler-trying to make sense of the “human monsters” who inflict that kind of pain on others.
His father John, a Policeman, would spend his retirement years, trying to solve the cold case too.
Dan gets a call summoning him back home, when his father commits “Suicide” but the circumstances surrounding his death seem suspicious, and it’s soon apparent that despite the many years that have passed-this case still has both men firmly in its grip….
This was an engaging slow burn mystery with a strong sense of foreboding from the opening pages-the kind of book that has you double checking the locks on your doors and drawing the blinds tightly shut. Nothing disturbs me more than TRUE CRIME or books that read like such, as this does.
Alex North has done it again!
Some readers who were lucky enough to have a LFL (Little Free Library) near them might have been able to find a copy when early readers like myself dropped off our copies at these libraries on March 1, 2025 behalf of Celadon books!
As of today, the book is AVAILABLE for all! Happy Reading! 📖❤️
Thank You to Celadon books! As always, these are my candid thoughts!
“NOBODY SEES and NOBODY CARES”
On the drive home from a visit to the Zoo, the Garvies pulled into a rest stop for refreshments. Young Dan Garvie decided to use the rest room, and in it he ran across a young boy with a dirt streaked face and eyes which seemed to beg for help.
Too young to know what to do-but not too young to recognize danger-he hid. A whistling man, would usher those words- “Nobody Sees, and Nobody Cares” as he left with the boy.
Not much later, Dan would learn that he had crossed paths with a serial killer who would be dubbed, “The Pied Piper”.
Narrowly escaping the fate, that would befall the boy in the restroom, would haunt Dan Garvie. He became obsessed with a book about the case-“The Man Made of Smoke” by Terrance O’Hare, and he would grow up to become a criminal Profiler-trying to make sense of the “human monsters” who inflict that kind of pain on others.
His father John, a Policeman, would spend his retirement years, trying to solve the cold case too.
Dan gets a call summoning him back home, when his father commits “Suicide” but the circumstances surrounding his death seem suspicious, and it’s soon apparent that despite the many years that have passed-this case still has both men firmly in its grip….
This was an engaging slow burn mystery with a strong sense of foreboding from the opening pages-the kind of book that has you double checking the locks on your doors and drawing the blinds tightly shut. Nothing disturbs me more than TRUE CRIME or books that read like such, as this does.
Alex North has done it again!
Some readers who were lucky enough to have a LFL (Little Free Library) near them might have been able to find a copy when early readers like myself dropped off our copies at these libraries on March 1, 2025 behalf of Celadon books!
As of today, the book is AVAILABLE for all! Happy Reading! 📖❤️
Thank You to Celadon books! As always, these are my candid thoughts!
April 13, 2025
If you’re looking for a thriller that will leave you smoldering with suspense, Alex North’s The Man Made of Smoke is your next read.
From the first chilling pages, North plunges readers into the dark heart of trauma and terror. Dan Garvie, a criminal profiler shaped by a haunting childhood encounter with a serial killer, returns to his small island hometown after his father's suspicious death. What begins as a reluctant homecoming quickly spirals into a harrowing search for the truth, as it becomes clear that the nightmares Dan thought he left behind might never have ended.
North masterfully weaves multiple points of view and timelines, layering past horrors with present dangers. As Dan peels back the secrets of the island and his own buried guilt, people tied to the decades-old crime begin disappearing, each after confronting something unspeakable. The tension builds relentlessly, packed with shocking twists that kept me turning pages late into the evening.
The Man Made of Smoke is more than just a serial killer thriller. It’s a haunting exploration of guilt, redemption, and the shadows cast by the past. North’s writing is at once introspective and utterly terrifying, capturing the complicated bond between fathers and sons while delivering the kind of pulse-pounding suspense he’s known for.
With razor-sharp pacing, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that burns hotter with every revelation, Alex North has another winner on his hands. If you love crime thrillers that dig deep into the human psyche and aren’t afraid to rub your face in raw fear, The Man Made of Smoke will leave you breathless and eager for more.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥- Five out of five fires, this book burns with suspense and emotion.
From the first chilling pages, North plunges readers into the dark heart of trauma and terror. Dan Garvie, a criminal profiler shaped by a haunting childhood encounter with a serial killer, returns to his small island hometown after his father's suspicious death. What begins as a reluctant homecoming quickly spirals into a harrowing search for the truth, as it becomes clear that the nightmares Dan thought he left behind might never have ended.
North masterfully weaves multiple points of view and timelines, layering past horrors with present dangers. As Dan peels back the secrets of the island and his own buried guilt, people tied to the decades-old crime begin disappearing, each after confronting something unspeakable. The tension builds relentlessly, packed with shocking twists that kept me turning pages late into the evening.
The Man Made of Smoke is more than just a serial killer thriller. It’s a haunting exploration of guilt, redemption, and the shadows cast by the past. North’s writing is at once introspective and utterly terrifying, capturing the complicated bond between fathers and sons while delivering the kind of pulse-pounding suspense he’s known for.
With razor-sharp pacing, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that burns hotter with every revelation, Alex North has another winner on his hands. If you love crime thrillers that dig deep into the human psyche and aren’t afraid to rub your face in raw fear, The Man Made of Smoke will leave you breathless and eager for more.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥- Five out of five fires, this book burns with suspense and emotion.
October 23, 2025
Great news—Alex North is back with another psychological thriller featuring his spookiest, most monstrous villain yet! Even better news? He has outdone himself, delivering his best work to date!
I’ll admit, the beginning of the book is a slow burn. With multiple timelines and intertwining storylines, it takes some time to get your bearings and wonder when things will heat up. But trust me—once you pass the first third, the pace picks up dramatically, and everything starts to click into place. The tension builds masterfully, leading to a flawlessly executed final twist. The moment the villain’s true purpose is revealed, the book becomes an unputdownable, addictive masterpiece!
I've been lucky enough to read all of North’s works before their release, but this time, I’m ordering a hardcover copy for my library—because this book is something special and might just be the best thriller of the year!
I want to start with the monster’s chilling words:
“Nobody sees, nobody cares.”
Dan Garvie, a present-day profiler, has spent years haunted by a tragic event from his childhood. When he was just a boy, he hid in a restroom stall while another child—his own age—was dragged away by a dangerous man. That man became known as the notorious serial killer, the Pied Piper, and Dan has lived with the guilt of not doing anything to stop him. He’s not the only one tormented by that day—his father, John Garvie, a police officer, was also there and felt powerless as the killer walked away with his victim.
Now, in the present, Dan receives a call from his childhood bully—now a police officer—Fleming, who tells him that his father may have died by suicide, though his body has yet to be found. This call forces Dan to return to the island he swore he’d never revisit—the same place where the Pied Piper once hunted and killed children. As he digs into his father’s old case files, he realizes one chilling truth: The Pied Piper is back.
His father believed Dan was the only one capable of connecting the patterns between the victims and uncovering the killer’s true identity. But what if the twisted mastermind behind these crimes enjoys the game far too much? What if he has no intention of stopping—until he gets to Dan? Can Dan unmask the monster before the game takes a deadly turn?
Overall:
This book is brilliantly written, gripping, and downright chilling—the kind of smart, twisty thriller that will make your blood run cold, give you goosebumps, and keep you on edge the entire time. It exceeded my already high expectations, and I’m giving it five smoky islander stars!
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for sharing this brilliant and highly anticipated thriller with me in exchange for my honest thoughts!
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I’ll admit, the beginning of the book is a slow burn. With multiple timelines and intertwining storylines, it takes some time to get your bearings and wonder when things will heat up. But trust me—once you pass the first third, the pace picks up dramatically, and everything starts to click into place. The tension builds masterfully, leading to a flawlessly executed final twist. The moment the villain’s true purpose is revealed, the book becomes an unputdownable, addictive masterpiece!
I've been lucky enough to read all of North’s works before their release, but this time, I’m ordering a hardcover copy for my library—because this book is something special and might just be the best thriller of the year!
I want to start with the monster’s chilling words:
“Nobody sees, nobody cares.”
Dan Garvie, a present-day profiler, has spent years haunted by a tragic event from his childhood. When he was just a boy, he hid in a restroom stall while another child—his own age—was dragged away by a dangerous man. That man became known as the notorious serial killer, the Pied Piper, and Dan has lived with the guilt of not doing anything to stop him. He’s not the only one tormented by that day—his father, John Garvie, a police officer, was also there and felt powerless as the killer walked away with his victim.
Now, in the present, Dan receives a call from his childhood bully—now a police officer—Fleming, who tells him that his father may have died by suicide, though his body has yet to be found. This call forces Dan to return to the island he swore he’d never revisit—the same place where the Pied Piper once hunted and killed children. As he digs into his father’s old case files, he realizes one chilling truth: The Pied Piper is back.
His father believed Dan was the only one capable of connecting the patterns between the victims and uncovering the killer’s true identity. But what if the twisted mastermind behind these crimes enjoys the game far too much? What if he has no intention of stopping—until he gets to Dan? Can Dan unmask the monster before the game takes a deadly turn?
Overall:
This book is brilliantly written, gripping, and downright chilling—the kind of smart, twisty thriller that will make your blood run cold, give you goosebumps, and keep you on edge the entire time. It exceeded my already high expectations, and I’m giving it five smoky islander stars!
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for sharing this brilliant and highly anticipated thriller with me in exchange for my honest thoughts!
medium.com
November 16, 2025
4⭐️
Daniel is a prison criminal psychologist who works with serial killers every day, but when his father disappears, he’s forced to return home and confront the past he’s spent years trying to forget.
I love a good serial killer story, and this one did not disappoint. Despite its slower pace, The Man Made of Smoke grabbed my attention immediately and held tight until the very end. The dark undertone, the way the author ties the past and present together, and the slow reveal of each layer of the mystery really worked for me. And once again, I’m reminded that despite devouring thrillers, I would truly make the worst detective. This is my second Alex North novel, and I think I enjoyed it even more than the first one I read.
Daniel is a prison criminal psychologist who works with serial killers every day, but when his father disappears, he’s forced to return home and confront the past he’s spent years trying to forget.
I love a good serial killer story, and this one did not disappoint. Despite its slower pace, The Man Made of Smoke grabbed my attention immediately and held tight until the very end. The dark undertone, the way the author ties the past and present together, and the slow reveal of each layer of the mystery really worked for me. And once again, I’m reminded that despite devouring thrillers, I would truly make the worst detective. This is my second Alex North novel, and I think I enjoyed it even more than the first one I read.
June 3, 2025
It pains me to say this- but this is my least favorite book by Alex North so far (just so you know, I loved his previous three books). This story started off great for me, the writing is once again phenomenal, but the conclusion of this story just ruined it for me. I felt like it didn’t really “fit” with where this story was going, and I’m very underwhelmed. Also for me personally, I wasn’t that scared or creeped out while reading this (I think I’ve read too many thriller and horror novels 🤷🏻♀️).
This story starts off with Daniel Garvie receiving a phone call that his father is missing, and presumed dead. So Daniel returns back home to his small island to piece together why his father would leave him like that, without saying goodbye. However, inside his father’s car is a note left for Daniel, and from there Daniel is able to start piecing together the puzzle pieces from their past.
When Daniel Garvie was a little boy, he witnessed a young boy being abducted by a serial killer- and he did nothing to help. This has bothered Daniel his whole life. Now, Daniel is a doctor who works with criminals in the prisons to try and understand why they did and do what they did. Can Daniel ever figure out what happened to the young boy who he encountered years ago at a rest stop bathroom? Will Daniel figure out how and why his father disappeared?
There were many alternating chapters in this book between Daniel, his father (John), and then James (2001). They all flowed flawlessly, but I do think some were more interesting than others. This book shows how people deal with grief and trauma from the past, and how it affects their lives moving forward.
All in all, this was a decent book, but it didn’t knock my socks off. I also feel that it’s very forgettable, and as I mentioned above the ending totally ruined this book for me.
This was my May BOTM pick- 2025.
This story starts off with Daniel Garvie receiving a phone call that his father is missing, and presumed dead. So Daniel returns back home to his small island to piece together why his father would leave him like that, without saying goodbye. However, inside his father’s car is a note left for Daniel, and from there Daniel is able to start piecing together the puzzle pieces from their past.
When Daniel Garvie was a little boy, he witnessed a young boy being abducted by a serial killer- and he did nothing to help. This has bothered Daniel his whole life. Now, Daniel is a doctor who works with criminals in the prisons to try and understand why they did and do what they did. Can Daniel ever figure out what happened to the young boy who he encountered years ago at a rest stop bathroom? Will Daniel figure out how and why his father disappeared?
There were many alternating chapters in this book between Daniel, his father (John), and then James (2001). They all flowed flawlessly, but I do think some were more interesting than others. This book shows how people deal with grief and trauma from the past, and how it affects their lives moving forward.
All in all, this was a decent book, but it didn’t knock my socks off. I also feel that it’s very forgettable, and as I mentioned above the ending totally ruined this book for me.
This was my May BOTM pick- 2025.
July 31, 2025
4.0 stars —This is the third novel written by Alex North that I have read, and the first one I didn’t give a 5 star review. However, I am still a big fan of Alex North and “ The Man Made of Smoke” is definitely worth reading in my opinion. “Smoke” is a very well written book with a lot of moving parts, but it was still able to grab and hold my interest until the very end. ‘Smoke’ begins with Daniel as a boy paralyzed by fear and unable to act when he observes a young child begging for help in the clutches of a killer. This occurred when Daniel was alone with the boy and the murderer inside a rest area bathroom. When the child is later found dead, Daniel spends his life dealing with trauma and regret due to his inability to help the child . Years later when Daniel’s father disappears and is suspected of committing suicide, Daniel returns to the area of his childhood trauma to discover people with connections to his past are being murdered. I found the premise of the book interesting and the author did a very good job of building a great story that was very suspenseful. As always, North is able to keep you guessing as to what will happen next, as well as the ability to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. I was close to giving this one 5 stars but there were some slow periods where the action seemed to drag and also some plausibility issues during the big finale that made the book a little less enjoyable. But, I continue to be a fan of North, and I have never been disappointed by any of the books I’ve read by him. If you haven’t read any of his books, you might want to start with “The Whisper Man” which was definitely my favorite of the 3 I have read.
May 28, 2025
EEEEKK! A haunting tale of trauma, guilt, grief, and redemption, The Man Made of Smoke’s lyrical prose was packed with just as much spine-tingling fear as it was thought-provoking observations. You see, with a serial killer premise that took me into the dark heart of a monster, I was shaken down to my bones as I raced through the pages. And let me tell you, due to the plot’s ever-present sense of foreboding, I made sure to keep the light on as I read this mind-blowing psychological thriller. Wouldn’t you want to avoid being in the dark if you were watching a chess match with a killer? Dark and disturbing yet also downright addictive, I was won over hook, line, and sinker from the very first word. After all, this well-crafted storyline delivered memorable characters on top of a plot that had me checking that I’d locked all of my doors.
Now to get down to the brass tacks of the novel. Weaving together multiple timelines and distinct POVs into an onion-like plot, North illustrated his masterful skill. You see, both introspective and thrilling, the relentless pace immersed me in quite the hard-hitting, intensely raw tale. Throw in a handful of gasp-inducing, “WTF?!” twists that had me making faces of utter shock while I smiled with glee, and it just couldn’t have been better. I swear that I’m not exaggerating in the slightest. After all, I didn’t guess a single one and, if I can gloat just a bit, I’m pretty good at guessing most twists. But it was ultimately the introspective, genuine nature of both John and Dan that had me falling in love. Realistic and deeply flawed, they both gave us a glimpse into the human psyche that most thrillers can’t manage.
All said and done, I’m now a huge, spanking-brand-new fan of this talented author. Beginning with a heart-pounding scene that had me sitting up to take notice, I was thrilled to find that there wasn’t a lull to be found once we got going. I mean, how often do you find an explosive Criminal Minds-esque climax paired with a soul-satisfying conclusion? Beyond the perfectly paced storyline, though, was the chilling atmosphere and sharp, complex plot, which brought an addictive, one-more-chapter vibe to the novel. So as long as you love dark, eerie thrillers with monsters straight out of your nightmares, this book is for you. Maybe then you’ll understand my need for the overuse of adjectives and adverbs in order to do justice to this unputdownable novel. Rating of 5+ stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child―narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?
Thank you to Alex North and Celadon Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 13, 2025
Content warning: suicide, abduction, forced captivity, violence
Now to get down to the brass tacks of the novel. Weaving together multiple timelines and distinct POVs into an onion-like plot, North illustrated his masterful skill. You see, both introspective and thrilling, the relentless pace immersed me in quite the hard-hitting, intensely raw tale. Throw in a handful of gasp-inducing, “WTF?!” twists that had me making faces of utter shock while I smiled with glee, and it just couldn’t have been better. I swear that I’m not exaggerating in the slightest. After all, I didn’t guess a single one and, if I can gloat just a bit, I’m pretty good at guessing most twists. But it was ultimately the introspective, genuine nature of both John and Dan that had me falling in love. Realistic and deeply flawed, they both gave us a glimpse into the human psyche that most thrillers can’t manage.
All said and done, I’m now a huge, spanking-brand-new fan of this talented author. Beginning with a heart-pounding scene that had me sitting up to take notice, I was thrilled to find that there wasn’t a lull to be found once we got going. I mean, how often do you find an explosive Criminal Minds-esque climax paired with a soul-satisfying conclusion? Beyond the perfectly paced storyline, though, was the chilling atmosphere and sharp, complex plot, which brought an addictive, one-more-chapter vibe to the novel. So as long as you love dark, eerie thrillers with monsters straight out of your nightmares, this book is for you. Maybe then you’ll understand my need for the overuse of adjectives and adverbs in order to do justice to this unputdownable novel. Rating of 5+ stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child―narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?
Thank you to Alex North and Celadon Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 13, 2025
Content warning: suicide, abduction, forced captivity, violence
October 23, 2025
**4.5-stars**
🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤
When he was a kid, Dan Garvie had an encounter with a serial killer that he luckily escaped physically unharmed, but he's been mentally haunted by that day ever since.
It had a huge impact, not just on him, but also on his Dad, John, as well. John was a police officer at the time the killer was active, and to have his son directly impacted by that encounter definitely hit a little too close to home.
As an adult, Dan has moved away from his small island hometown and has dedicated his life to understanding criminal minds. Focused on forgetting his past, Dan doesn't keep in as close of touch with his Dad as he probably should.
When he receives news that his Dad has passed away under highly-suspicious circumstances, he rushes back to the island determined to uncover the truth.
Returning to his childhood home stirs up a lot of feelings and memories for Dan. It also brings him into contact with people he hasn't seen in many years, including his childhood best friend, Sarah.
As Dan starts digging around, trying to find out what could have happened to his Dad, he uncovers some startling things. Is it possible his Dad's unfortunate fate is connected to that horrible nightmare Dan has been running from for all of these years?
The Man Made of Smoke was so incredibly-engaging. Gripping and intriguing from the very start, I found it difficult to put this one down once I was reading it.
The story is told via three perspectives and I appreciated what each of them brought to the story. I grew attached to each character, but particularly to John. This is one of those rare Crime Fiction novels that really tugs at your heart-strings, or at least it did mine.
We also get past and present perspectives, which I feel like helped to really build out the truth behind this story.
The past perspective had a visceral feel to it; imagining being in the circumstances portrayed was gut-wrenching. The current perspectives were similarly impactful, filled with the character's inner regrets and turmoil.
It was so well executed and really made me feel connected with this story. I actually cared. There's no way I could have walked away from this one.
It also didn't hurt that the set-up of a character returning to their hometown, after a long period of time away, and they have to reinsert themselves into their communities in order to solve something, either an old or new mystery, is one of my all-time favorite tropes.
As someone who moved away from their hometown many years ago, this idea always intrigues me. Maybe I should go back and solve some stuff, you know? Also, it's set on an island, which is another thing I love.
All around it was clear from the start that this should be a hit for me, and Alex North definitely pulled it off. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of North's previous novels, or if you love darker Crime Fiction stories in general.
Thank you to the publisher, Celadon Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This definitely met my lofty expectations. Well played by North!
🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤
When he was a kid, Dan Garvie had an encounter with a serial killer that he luckily escaped physically unharmed, but he's been mentally haunted by that day ever since.
It had a huge impact, not just on him, but also on his Dad, John, as well. John was a police officer at the time the killer was active, and to have his son directly impacted by that encounter definitely hit a little too close to home.
As an adult, Dan has moved away from his small island hometown and has dedicated his life to understanding criminal minds. Focused on forgetting his past, Dan doesn't keep in as close of touch with his Dad as he probably should.
When he receives news that his Dad has passed away under highly-suspicious circumstances, he rushes back to the island determined to uncover the truth.
Returning to his childhood home stirs up a lot of feelings and memories for Dan. It also brings him into contact with people he hasn't seen in many years, including his childhood best friend, Sarah.
As Dan starts digging around, trying to find out what could have happened to his Dad, he uncovers some startling things. Is it possible his Dad's unfortunate fate is connected to that horrible nightmare Dan has been running from for all of these years?
The Man Made of Smoke was so incredibly-engaging. Gripping and intriguing from the very start, I found it difficult to put this one down once I was reading it.
The story is told via three perspectives and I appreciated what each of them brought to the story. I grew attached to each character, but particularly to John. This is one of those rare Crime Fiction novels that really tugs at your heart-strings, or at least it did mine.
We also get past and present perspectives, which I feel like helped to really build out the truth behind this story.
The past perspective had a visceral feel to it; imagining being in the circumstances portrayed was gut-wrenching. The current perspectives were similarly impactful, filled with the character's inner regrets and turmoil.
It was so well executed and really made me feel connected with this story. I actually cared. There's no way I could have walked away from this one.
It also didn't hurt that the set-up of a character returning to their hometown, after a long period of time away, and they have to reinsert themselves into their communities in order to solve something, either an old or new mystery, is one of my all-time favorite tropes.
As someone who moved away from their hometown many years ago, this idea always intrigues me. Maybe I should go back and solve some stuff, you know? Also, it's set on an island, which is another thing I love.
All around it was clear from the start that this should be a hit for me, and Alex North definitely pulled it off. I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of North's previous novels, or if you love darker Crime Fiction stories in general.
Thank you to the publisher, Celadon Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This definitely met my lofty expectations. Well played by North!
April 19, 2025
This is a simmering and thought-provoking book that looks at guilt, justice, action, inaction, and trauma. This is a slow burn, and I do struggle with them, and I did struggle in the beginning of this book. Thankfully the second half of this book picked up for me and I enjoyed the mystery, mystery, suspense, tension, dread and the way this book is told through both Dan and John.
Dan witnessed a crime involving a notorious serial killer as a boy and has been haunted his entire life by what he saw after he and his father, John made a stop to use a restroom. Dan silently watched as a killer, who will become known as 'the man make of smoke' said “Nobody Sees, and Nobody Cares.” as he led a frightened boy away. Dan was too frightened to do anything at the time to help the boy. Guilt, shame, remorse never leaves Dan. Since that day, Dan has carried his quilt like an imaginary sack on his back everywhere he goes. He can't put down this heavy burden and has become a criminal profiler who seeks justice for victims.
His father, John, who was a police officer at the time, has spent many years looking into the case. This had become a heavy burden for him as well. When Dan is informed that his father has died under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home......
As I mentioned this is a slow burn. This was initially a struggle for me. I enjoyed how both father and son were affected by that visit to the rest stop and what Dan observed. How it affected their lives and relationship. I thought Alex North did a fantastic job of showing how guilt affects an individual and all aspects of their lives. What haunts us, what burdens we carry, what pain we feel, as humans are all on display in The Man Made of Smoke. The mystery is solid, haunting, intriguing, and well thought out. I just wished the pacing was a little faster. The Whisper Man remains my favorite book by Alex North but this one just might haunt you!
*This was a wonderful witches words buddy read with Brenda. Please be sure to read her review as well to get her thoughts on The Man Made of Smoke.
Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Dan witnessed a crime involving a notorious serial killer as a boy and has been haunted his entire life by what he saw after he and his father, John made a stop to use a restroom. Dan silently watched as a killer, who will become known as 'the man make of smoke' said “Nobody Sees, and Nobody Cares.” as he led a frightened boy away. Dan was too frightened to do anything at the time to help the boy. Guilt, shame, remorse never leaves Dan. Since that day, Dan has carried his quilt like an imaginary sack on his back everywhere he goes. He can't put down this heavy burden and has become a criminal profiler who seeks justice for victims.
His father, John, who was a police officer at the time, has spent many years looking into the case. This had become a heavy burden for him as well. When Dan is informed that his father has died under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home......
As I mentioned this is a slow burn. This was initially a struggle for me. I enjoyed how both father and son were affected by that visit to the rest stop and what Dan observed. How it affected their lives and relationship. I thought Alex North did a fantastic job of showing how guilt affects an individual and all aspects of their lives. What haunts us, what burdens we carry, what pain we feel, as humans are all on display in The Man Made of Smoke. The mystery is solid, haunting, intriguing, and well thought out. I just wished the pacing was a little faster. The Whisper Man remains my favorite book by Alex North but this one just might haunt you!
*This was a wonderful witches words buddy read with Brenda. Please be sure to read her review as well to get her thoughts on The Man Made of Smoke.
Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
August 19, 2025
Whistles in the Dark: The Slow-Burn Sorcery of Alex North
Alex North — wow, this sorcerer of words sure knows how to get under your skin in the best way. I can always count on him to leave me feeling like Hot dang, that was brilliant.
He’s got this eerie gift, for weaving the disturbing with the emotional. He doesn't just write thrillers, he conjures up trauma, family ties, unique unsettling circumstances that haunts his characters. All part of his signature brew. And somehow, it leaves you feeling just a little haunted.
The Man Made of Smoke is no different. Right off the bat, we dive into the lingering trauma of Dan Garvie, whose life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child, one he narrowly escapes from a serial killer. That moment didn’t just scar young Dan. It sent ripples through his life, shadowing even the bond he shares with his father.
A Crawl, a Walk, Then the Burn
Now, when North writes tension, it’s not the heart-racing kind. It’s quieter, a creeping dread. In The Man Made of Smoke, North takes his sweet, shadowy time. Maybe too much time. The build is slow, like a candle burning down to nothing before the flame really catches. It takes about three-quarters of the way through, before the threads start to tighten, and suddenly you’re in the thick of something brilliant.
This book doesn’t just whisper to you. It whistles and then disappears into smoke.
And wow, when it hits—it hits hard. Emotionally rich, disturbingly tense, and suddenly, everything all comes together in a thrilling climax and conclusion. Still, I wish he’d let the sparks fly a little earlier. Because when you’ve got something this good, you want the payoff to be the only thing you are thinking about.
So, Stick with it, and you won’t just read the ending You’ll feel it.
A Witches Words buddy read with Debra!!
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
Alex North — wow, this sorcerer of words sure knows how to get under your skin in the best way. I can always count on him to leave me feeling like Hot dang, that was brilliant.
He’s got this eerie gift, for weaving the disturbing with the emotional. He doesn't just write thrillers, he conjures up trauma, family ties, unique unsettling circumstances that haunts his characters. All part of his signature brew. And somehow, it leaves you feeling just a little haunted.
The Man Made of Smoke is no different. Right off the bat, we dive into the lingering trauma of Dan Garvie, whose life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child, one he narrowly escapes from a serial killer. That moment didn’t just scar young Dan. It sent ripples through his life, shadowing even the bond he shares with his father.
A Crawl, a Walk, Then the Burn
Now, when North writes tension, it’s not the heart-racing kind. It’s quieter, a creeping dread. In The Man Made of Smoke, North takes his sweet, shadowy time. Maybe too much time. The build is slow, like a candle burning down to nothing before the flame really catches. It takes about three-quarters of the way through, before the threads start to tighten, and suddenly you’re in the thick of something brilliant.
This book doesn’t just whisper to you. It whistles and then disappears into smoke.
And wow, when it hits—it hits hard. Emotionally rich, disturbingly tense, and suddenly, everything all comes together in a thrilling climax and conclusion. Still, I wish he’d let the sparks fly a little earlier. Because when you’ve got something this good, you want the payoff to be the only thing you are thinking about.
So, Stick with it, and you won’t just read the ending You’ll feel it.
A Witches Words buddy read with Debra!!
I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
March 21, 2025
The man made of smoke
“Nobody sees and nobody cares” and right now in the service station near Rampton that is certainly true but in years to come it won’t be. Daniel Garvie is a teenager when he first encounters the serial killer who comes to be known as “the man made of smoke” but he’s way too scared to help his latest victim. Years later Dan is a successful criminal psychiatrist working in a prison and also profiling. In the present day, his father John, an ex police officer, has gone missing and somewhat reluctantly. Dan returns to the island where he grows up. It soon becomes clear that after John discovers a badly burned female body, he goes on the trail of a killer. As Dan retraces his father steps, there are some very unsettling links to the “man made of smoke“. This time Dan won’t ignore his fear, perhaps he can find his father and in the process gain redemption for something that has haunted him for years. The story is principally told by father and son.
Brace yourselves. As per usual, Alex North ramps up the creep factor to its max and fear ain’t far behind. The five stars clearly indicates that this is another cracking read as it’s so powerfully dark and richly atmospheric. The plot unfolds organically from past to present, the storytelling is haunting,eerie, elusive and shadowy, as if you’re trying to clutch at a dark cloud. It’s one of those cold chill down the spine reads, with a frosty whisper at the back of the neck. It seems to tap into so many fears via the power of suggestion and more. As Dan follows the breadcrumbs he’s left, it builds in intensity and on occasions it’s the scarcely breathe variety as it’s terrifying as well as completely gripping.
The characterisation is excellent and it’s true for all the characters but especially Dan and John. The teenage encounter deeply impacts Dan as the shame and guilt and trauma changes his personality. He may seem calm and detached on the outside but underneath he’s frantically paddling. He seems to be floundering in the dark as he chases after his father and what else?? John becomes very driven and possibly obsessive and it also has an impact on his personality and the father/son relationship.
As the novel reaches a suspenseful crescendo, towards the end the tension is off the scale and there’s a surprise or to in store. I’ll say no more but it’s good. Very good.
Overall, I genuinely couldn’t put this down as I don’t just want to know I need to know. This has got best seller written all over it as it’s Alex North at his absolute best. I highly recommend it to fans of the dark thriller genre. As for that cover, it certainly does the book justice.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
“Nobody sees and nobody cares” and right now in the service station near Rampton that is certainly true but in years to come it won’t be. Daniel Garvie is a teenager when he first encounters the serial killer who comes to be known as “the man made of smoke” but he’s way too scared to help his latest victim. Years later Dan is a successful criminal psychiatrist working in a prison and also profiling. In the present day, his father John, an ex police officer, has gone missing and somewhat reluctantly. Dan returns to the island where he grows up. It soon becomes clear that after John discovers a badly burned female body, he goes on the trail of a killer. As Dan retraces his father steps, there are some very unsettling links to the “man made of smoke“. This time Dan won’t ignore his fear, perhaps he can find his father and in the process gain redemption for something that has haunted him for years. The story is principally told by father and son.
Brace yourselves. As per usual, Alex North ramps up the creep factor to its max and fear ain’t far behind. The five stars clearly indicates that this is another cracking read as it’s so powerfully dark and richly atmospheric. The plot unfolds organically from past to present, the storytelling is haunting,eerie, elusive and shadowy, as if you’re trying to clutch at a dark cloud. It’s one of those cold chill down the spine reads, with a frosty whisper at the back of the neck. It seems to tap into so many fears via the power of suggestion and more. As Dan follows the breadcrumbs he’s left, it builds in intensity and on occasions it’s the scarcely breathe variety as it’s terrifying as well as completely gripping.
The characterisation is excellent and it’s true for all the characters but especially Dan and John. The teenage encounter deeply impacts Dan as the shame and guilt and trauma changes his personality. He may seem calm and detached on the outside but underneath he’s frantically paddling. He seems to be floundering in the dark as he chases after his father and what else?? John becomes very driven and possibly obsessive and it also has an impact on his personality and the father/son relationship.
As the novel reaches a suspenseful crescendo, towards the end the tension is off the scale and there’s a surprise or to in store. I’ll say no more but it’s good. Very good.
Overall, I genuinely couldn’t put this down as I don’t just want to know I need to know. This has got best seller written all over it as it’s Alex North at his absolute best. I highly recommend it to fans of the dark thriller genre. As for that cover, it certainly does the book justice.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
February 26, 2025
THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE is the best book Alex North has written since THE WHISPER MAN! I said what I said! I became enamored by Alex North's writing since his thriller debut, The Whisper Man, but have had some mixed opinions about his second and third releases. That being said, North is an auto-read author for me, so I will always dive into what he's writing and I am so glad that I prioritized THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE!
THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE is a back to basics for North, leading us on a cat and mouse game between a man looking for answers and a serial killer. Dan Garvie barely escaped a notorious serial killer as a child, leaving him haunted ever since. Now a criminal profiler, he has dedicated his life to seeking justice for victims. When his father dies under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home, fearing the monster from his past may have returned. This emotional and terrifying tale explores fathers and sons, buried secrets, and the struggle to escape the past.
This book was dark, haunting, and a thriller journey from start to finish. I couldn't put it down, and in fact, had to double check the locks on my door last night because this book got me scared out of my wits! Alex North is back in action with THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE and I can't wait for readers to dive into this entirely f'd up scary journey. You will be left guessing until the very end!
AUTHOR RANKINGS
- The Whisper Man (still the GOAT)
- The Man Made of Smoke
- The Shadows
- The Angel Maker
THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE is a back to basics for North, leading us on a cat and mouse game between a man looking for answers and a serial killer. Dan Garvie barely escaped a notorious serial killer as a child, leaving him haunted ever since. Now a criminal profiler, he has dedicated his life to seeking justice for victims. When his father dies under suspicious circumstances, Dan returns home, fearing the monster from his past may have returned. This emotional and terrifying tale explores fathers and sons, buried secrets, and the struggle to escape the past.
This book was dark, haunting, and a thriller journey from start to finish. I couldn't put it down, and in fact, had to double check the locks on my door last night because this book got me scared out of my wits! Alex North is back in action with THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE and I can't wait for readers to dive into this entirely f'd up scary journey. You will be left guessing until the very end!
AUTHOR RANKINGS
- The Whisper Man (still the GOAT)
- The Man Made of Smoke
- The Shadows
- The Angel Maker
May 16, 2025
Alex North is back—and this time, he brings us a new favourite main character, Daniel. He’s a prison psychologist with a dark and haunting past that still follows him.
This one’s a slow burn, but trust me, it’s worth the wait. There’s a subtle hint of darkness that makes the story even more gripping. The pace fits perfectly, letting you really feel how Dan’s past slowly creeps into his present.
I really enjoyed Dan’s character, a bit complex, thoughtful, and very real. This book is definitely worth reading for the story and the experience.
Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this ARC!
This one’s a slow burn, but trust me, it’s worth the wait. There’s a subtle hint of darkness that makes the story even more gripping. The pace fits perfectly, letting you really feel how Dan’s past slowly creeps into his present.
I really enjoyed Dan’s character, a bit complex, thoughtful, and very real. This book is definitely worth reading for the story and the experience.
Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this ARC!
May 14, 2025
Right off the top I want to thank Celadon Books for granting my wish, via Netgalley, to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own. I now believe that wishes do come true!
When Dan Garvie gets a call telling him that his father has passed away under suspicious circumstances, he revisits the small island community where his father lived, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Dan’s life has been haunted by a crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer.
I really enjoyed this book and never would've guessed how it would all come together at the end. The story is told from the pov's of multiple characters over multiple timelines but It's not too confusing if you pay attention. There are many layers to the story, there's definitely a "creep" factor and it's very suspenseful. Highly recommended!
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
When Dan Garvie gets a call telling him that his father has passed away under suspicious circumstances, he revisits the small island community where his father lived, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Dan’s life has been haunted by a crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer.
I really enjoyed this book and never would've guessed how it would all come together at the end. The story is told from the pov's of multiple characters over multiple timelines but It's not too confusing if you pay attention. There are many layers to the story, there's definitely a "creep" factor and it's very suspenseful. Highly recommended!
Publication Date: May 13, 2025
July 18, 2025
This was an engaging - albeit a bit slow-paced at times - psychological suspense with good twists.
July 4, 2025
“Nobody sees and nobody cares.”
Dan is haunted by a crime he witnessed as a child. He still carries guilt that he didn’t do more to save a child from a serial killer, even though he was just a child himself.
The killer moved through the world, seemingly invisible, as if made of smoke… “Nobody sees and nobody cares.”
How many of us are guilty of not noticing things or if we think thinks seem off, passing it off as our imagination? But in this case, if anyone sees and tells, they become the next victim.
Dan is now an adult, a psychiatrist and criminal profiler. His father John, a police detective, goes missing and is presumed dead. Dan returns to his hometown, and considers the possibility that the serial murderer is back.
The exploration of grief, guilt, and a complicated father-son relationships set alongside a serial murder mystery, made this a riveting page-turner.
This is an eerie, haunting story that In the last 15% or so, had me on the edge of my seat.
Told in two different timelines, Dan and his father’s, I was deeply invested in these characters, their thoughts, emotions, memories, and their trauma. I loved the imagined conversations Dan had with his father, which helped lead him to the truth.
Narrated by Shane Zaza, he did an excellent job, adding to the chilling atmosphere, although the story would have benefitted from multiple narrators.
Deliciously creepy and chilling, I highly recommended!
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
Dan is haunted by a crime he witnessed as a child. He still carries guilt that he didn’t do more to save a child from a serial killer, even though he was just a child himself.
The killer moved through the world, seemingly invisible, as if made of smoke… “Nobody sees and nobody cares.”
How many of us are guilty of not noticing things or if we think thinks seem off, passing it off as our imagination? But in this case, if anyone sees and tells, they become the next victim.
Dan is now an adult, a psychiatrist and criminal profiler. His father John, a police detective, goes missing and is presumed dead. Dan returns to his hometown, and considers the possibility that the serial murderer is back.
The exploration of grief, guilt, and a complicated father-son relationships set alongside a serial murder mystery, made this a riveting page-turner.
This is an eerie, haunting story that In the last 15% or so, had me on the edge of my seat.
Told in two different timelines, Dan and his father’s, I was deeply invested in these characters, their thoughts, emotions, memories, and their trauma. I loved the imagined conversations Dan had with his father, which helped lead him to the truth.
Narrated by Shane Zaza, he did an excellent job, adding to the chilling atmosphere, although the story would have benefitted from multiple narrators.
Deliciously creepy and chilling, I highly recommended!
* I received a digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
August 19, 2025
**Man Made of Smoke: by Alex North
**Narrator: Shane Zaza
**Audiobook: Speed x1.10
**Duration: 8 hours and 4 minutes
In "Man Made of Smoke" by Alex North, the narrative captivates readers with its atmospheric writing, making them feel like silent observers immersed in the unfolding story. The book presents a slow-burning serial killer mystery, filled with well-developed characters who embody emotional flaws and complexities, allowing readers to relate to their struggles deeply.
I found my reading experience enhanced by pairing the print copy borrowed from the Gravenhurst library with the audiobook version from Audible, creating an engaging journey that left a lasting impression. Despite battling a bad case of the flu during this experience, I was enthralled by North's masterful storytelling.
The tale is told through the multiple perspectives of Dan Garvie, a criminal profiler and therapist, and his father, John Garvie, a retired cop and an unknown voice. Using multiple POV lends a nuanced exploration of their thoughts and emotions, delving into profound themes such as culpability, guilt, shame, identity, acceptance and forgiveness.
Set against the haunting backdrop of a small island town, Dan returns home after his father's suspicious death, eventually finding himself entangled in the haunting traumas of his past. What starts as a reluctant homecoming quickly evolves into a desperate search for truth, revealing dark secrets tied to a decades-old crime and illustrating that his nightmares are far from over.
North skillfully intertwines multiple perspectives and timelines, crafting a narrative rich with tension and unexpected twists. The introspective writing highlights the complex relationship between fathers and sons, all while maintaining a pulse-pounding suspense that keeps readers on their toes.
In summary, "Man Made of Smoke" transcends the typical serial killer thriller, emerging instead as a profound examination of guilt and redemption. With its sharp writing and unforgettable characters, North has crafted a compelling mystery that leaves readers eager for more.
Mini review
I read the book in two sittings and found Alex North's atmospheric writing captivating; it makes you feel like a silent observer. The story unfolds as a slow-burning mystery, featuring well-developed characters who are emotionally flawed, broken, and strikingly realistic. I found myself relating to them deeply.
Overall, it was an engaging journey that left a lasting impression, and I plan to share my thoughts in a full review soon. I am currently fighting a bad case of the flu.
**Narrator: Shane Zaza
**Audiobook: Speed x1.10
**Duration: 8 hours and 4 minutes
In "Man Made of Smoke" by Alex North, the narrative captivates readers with its atmospheric writing, making them feel like silent observers immersed in the unfolding story. The book presents a slow-burning serial killer mystery, filled with well-developed characters who embody emotional flaws and complexities, allowing readers to relate to their struggles deeply.
I found my reading experience enhanced by pairing the print copy borrowed from the Gravenhurst library with the audiobook version from Audible, creating an engaging journey that left a lasting impression. Despite battling a bad case of the flu during this experience, I was enthralled by North's masterful storytelling.
The tale is told through the multiple perspectives of Dan Garvie, a criminal profiler and therapist, and his father, John Garvie, a retired cop and an unknown voice. Using multiple POV lends a nuanced exploration of their thoughts and emotions, delving into profound themes such as culpability, guilt, shame, identity, acceptance and forgiveness.
Set against the haunting backdrop of a small island town, Dan returns home after his father's suspicious death, eventually finding himself entangled in the haunting traumas of his past. What starts as a reluctant homecoming quickly evolves into a desperate search for truth, revealing dark secrets tied to a decades-old crime and illustrating that his nightmares are far from over.
North skillfully intertwines multiple perspectives and timelines, crafting a narrative rich with tension and unexpected twists. The introspective writing highlights the complex relationship between fathers and sons, all while maintaining a pulse-pounding suspense that keeps readers on their toes.
In summary, "Man Made of Smoke" transcends the typical serial killer thriller, emerging instead as a profound examination of guilt and redemption. With its sharp writing and unforgettable characters, North has crafted a compelling mystery that leaves readers eager for more.
Mini review
I read the book in two sittings and found Alex North's atmospheric writing captivating; it makes you feel like a silent observer. The story unfolds as a slow-burning mystery, featuring well-developed characters who are emotionally flawed, broken, and strikingly realistic. I found myself relating to them deeply.
Overall, it was an engaging journey that left a lasting impression, and I plan to share my thoughts in a full review soon. I am currently fighting a bad case of the flu.
May 15, 2025
3.5
I really, really, really wanted to like this. Unfortunately, it just missed the mark for me. The best way to describe my thoughts on this one is to include spoilers so…Spoilers below……
Daniel, his family and his friend Sarah, stop at a rest area after a trip. While in the bathroom, Daniel has an encounter with a young boy and a strange man. Something doesn’t sit right with him, but he doesn’t say anything until he realizes later on that there was a possibility this young boy was abducted by a serial killer. Fast-forward to present day, Daniel receives a phone call that his father has died. He returns home and discovered that his father was investigating the serial killer that has mentally haunted Daniel all of his life. Daniel continues on with where his father left off as it appears maybe the killings are still occurring.
What I liked :
- The writing style. This author sure knows how to write and suck you into a story. The rest area scene was super creepy and I liked how everyone who is there had a part to play further on in the novel.
- The concept of how the killing/kidnappings were occurring.
- James’ chapters. I would’ve liked more of those chapters to give more depth to the Pied Piper and his relationship with James as it evolved.
What I didn’t like:
- Interestingly enough, I liked the concept of the killing/kidnapping as mentioned above. But I didn’t like how it just sort of fell off the grid. This really could’ve played out well. It seemed by the time we get to the end with Sarah and his father, everything happened so quick and was resolved in a blink of an eye.
- The killer. I don’t like it when thrillers have the culprit being somebody that had zero page time. Maybe that was the point being that you can’t see me and no one cares applies to Craig. He’s always there repairing and fixing things on the island and gets no appreciation. But I still didn’t like it.
- The pacing was rather slow. I found myself skimming a bit during some of the inner monologues.
While it seems like I didn’t like the novel, I really did it just wasn’t as good as some of his prior novels. It all boils down to whether the mystery and execution of it worked for me and in this case, I just found it an OK thriller.
I really, really, really wanted to like this. Unfortunately, it just missed the mark for me. The best way to describe my thoughts on this one is to include spoilers so…Spoilers below……
Daniel, his family and his friend Sarah, stop at a rest area after a trip. While in the bathroom, Daniel has an encounter with a young boy and a strange man. Something doesn’t sit right with him, but he doesn’t say anything until he realizes later on that there was a possibility this young boy was abducted by a serial killer. Fast-forward to present day, Daniel receives a phone call that his father has died. He returns home and discovered that his father was investigating the serial killer that has mentally haunted Daniel all of his life. Daniel continues on with where his father left off as it appears maybe the killings are still occurring.
What I liked :
- The writing style. This author sure knows how to write and suck you into a story. The rest area scene was super creepy and I liked how everyone who is there had a part to play further on in the novel.
- The concept of how the killing/kidnappings were occurring.
- James’ chapters. I would’ve liked more of those chapters to give more depth to the Pied Piper and his relationship with James as it evolved.
What I didn’t like:
- Interestingly enough, I liked the concept of the killing/kidnapping as mentioned above. But I didn’t like how it just sort of fell off the grid. This really could’ve played out well. It seemed by the time we get to the end with Sarah and his father, everything happened so quick and was resolved in a blink of an eye.
- The killer. I don’t like it when thrillers have the culprit being somebody that had zero page time. Maybe that was the point being that you can’t see me and no one cares applies to Craig. He’s always there repairing and fixing things on the island and gets no appreciation. But I still didn’t like it.
- The pacing was rather slow. I found myself skimming a bit during some of the inner monologues.
While it seems like I didn’t like the novel, I really did it just wasn’t as good as some of his prior novels. It all boils down to whether the mystery and execution of it worked for me and in this case, I just found it an OK thriller.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2025
Please help me.--------------------------------------
Nobody sees.The Man Made of Smoke is Alex North’s fourth horror/thriller novel. (after eleven as Steve Mosby) It eschews magic for the most part relying on the native ability of people to see what they want to see, and avoid seeing what they don’t. A lifetime ago, at a highway rest stop a boy made a stop in a Men’s room. There were two other people there, a man in a stall, whistling, and a young boy standing outside the stall, clearly terrorized and pleading with his eyes for help. That moment has haunted Daniel Garvie all his life. Finding the presence in the stall intimidating, he retreated, leaving the boy to fend for himself. The man turned out to be the Pied Piper serial killer. Daniel’s failure to help the boy helped allow this madman to murder more people. Now an adult, Garvie is a prison psychiatrist in another place.
And nobody cares.
Alex North - image from Dead Good
Daniel would have stayed away forever but it appears that his father, John, has gone missing. It looks like suicide. Tall cliff, abandoned car, rough sea. But when Daniel takes up temporary residence in his childhood home he gets re-engaged with the ancient case. After retiring from the local police force, Dad had taken on looking into cold cases. The Pied Piper was among them, and the game is afoot, as Daniel follows the breadcrumbs John had left, and starts counting the bodies that have been turning up.
It has become a hallmark of Alex North books that there are long ago horrific crimes that impact characters today. Kidnappings and killings in The Whisper Man, a gruesome, cultish killing in The Shadows, in which one of his adolescent friends was hacked to bits, an old serial killer journal in The Angel Maker, and now a child-murderer in The Man Made of Smoke. Characters in the present are tasked with figuring out not only what really happened in the wayback, but who is responsible for the new crimes.
Someone who had tormented Daniel when they were in school together has enhanced his charming personality with the addition of state sanction. He is now the local detective no one would turn to for insight, empathy, or investigative prowess, a bully with a badge eager to dismiss the results of any investigation not his own. Thankfully, Daniel gains an ally in an old friend from childhood, Sarah. The mysteries are unraveled through Daniel’s pursuit of a steady procession of clues, interviews, and re-examination of existing evidence.
While there is a spooky element in the feel of the story, there is no actual paranormal activity at play. There are, however, many elements in this novel that appear in his prior three books. Parent-son relationships figure large, particularly those that entail estrangement of some sort and the hope for reconciliation. Not only on the main character side of things. The baddies are shown dealing with younger sorts whether connected by blood or not. It is not only serial killers who have patterns.
The locations are unappealing spots, from which the main character has usually fled. In The Whisper Man, Tom and son return to the place where his wife had been found dead in their house. In The Shadows, Paul Adams returns to Grittin, where a drive through the town marks seemingly endless scenes of decay and rot. In The Man Made of Smoke, one of the characters says who wants to come back here, right? So, no lush vacation spots on display, but our leads feel compelled to return. Characters look at childhood from their perspective as adults. A variation on coming-of-age, one in which the adult processes the past and the time between to come to an understanding and/or acceptance of what had happened, and their role, if any, in dark events.
We get the story primarily (27 out of 38 chapters) through Daniel Garvie’s first person eyes. Our other POV (third person) is John. James, the boy Daniel sees with the Pied Piper, gets a handful, and there are a couple more beyond that. Daniel engages us throughout.
We are asked to suspend disbelief here. This is not something that is at all rare in thrillers, suspense tales, fantasies, political biographies, or many other sorts of writing. In this case the specific thing we are asked to accept is that no one can really manage a decent look at the face of the killer we meet (well, glimpse really) in the opening pages. ("He's not the kind of man other people see." - In each case, witnesses recalled seeing an old camper van, and a man they found hard to describe. - A face with something behind it that made you want to look away again very quickly.) It is as if he wears some sort of cloak of invisibility, or one that generates discomfort, anyway. This spares us the troublesome detail of having a described perp to hunt down. North likes to operate in the shadowy places, so clear sight is at a premium. The unseen can be an effective locus of fear.
The story is quick-paced. It will sustain your interest with its dropping of a trail of clues, twists, and revelations. North makes particularly good use of photographs in the story (there are no actual pix in the book). While I did not find it as scary as The Whisper Man or The Shadows, it is certainly unsettling enough.
Gripe/Kudos
We get nada on the origin or psychology of the Pied Piper, or an explanation of what makes him so unseeable. On the other hand, one of North’s strengths is his King-ian strength in the portrayal of children. He always gets me with how relatable he makes his fictional kids, particularly their experience of vulnerability. And I appreciate the care he takes in crafting parent-child interactions. This makes his books more than mere scare-fests. I also enjoyed the internal back-and-forth dialogues between Daniel and those he is trying to imagine.
No smokescreen involved. It is plain as day, albeit a gray, darkly threatening one. Yet again, Alex North (Steve Mosby) has written a compelling, discomfiting tale that will have you flipping the pages and losing sleep as you stay up, over and over, for just one more chapter. He continues to produce riveting thrillers while adding in a layer of creepiness to give the tension added zest.
I’d always thought of it as peaceful and calming here, and knowing what I did gave it a sense of threat instead. The world was almost silent, and as far as I could tell I was alone, but there was the sensation of being watched. Despite telling myself it was ridiculous, I found myself listening carefully and keeping an eye on my surroundings, and I made sure to walk in the middle of the path, well away from the edge of the tree line.Review posted - 5/23/25
Publication date – 5/13/25
I received an eARE of The Man Made of Smoke from Celadon in return for a fair review, and agreeing to release my prisoner. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to North/Mosby’s personal, FB, Instagram, and Bluesky pages
Interviews
-----The Nerd Daily - Q&A: Alex North, Author of ‘The Man Made of Smoke’ - by Elise Dumpleton
-----Cinema Chords - From Remorse To Redemption: Alex North Talks Latest Thriller “The Man Made Of Smoke” - by Howard Gorman - 38:55
-----Substack - Catch up with Alex North in Conversation by Suw Charman-Anderson (from 2023)
My reviews of other books by North
-----2019 - The Whisper Man
-----2020 - The Shadows
-----2023 - The Angel Maker
Item of Interest from the author
-----Google Books - excerpt - Chapter 1 to partial Chapter 4
May 19, 2025
This is my least favorite of Alex North's books. I had high expectations, thinking it would at least be better than The Angelmaker, but I was wrong about that.
This was too slow. The plot felt like it was moving at a snail's pace. And I'm sorry, but the plot was boring. It also felt convoluted and unbelievable at times.
The twists weren't for me. They were underwhelming, disappointing and unsatisfying. Nothing really jaw-dropping. And I feel like there was no way for you to guess them. They were kinda out of left field... at least the last one was.
The characters had very little personality and lacked depth, IMO.
The voices talking to Dan that he kept conjuring up from his subconscious (as he had said himself) was so repetitive. And so was the dialogue tag "I thought". It was so annoying. The constant thought thought thought was really testing my patience. It all just got very old, very quickly.
And oh my lord... how many times did he say to himself that he was "detached" and "calm."...
This felt like a debut novel. Seriously, it feels of less quality than The Whisper Man and The Shadows; the prose though mostly similar, felt not as good. The storytelling wasn't as catching. And the twists didn't seem as thought out. It's hard to believe that The Man Made Of Smoke actually came AFTER those two.
Sorry, if I come off as rude in this. I don't mean to. I am just quite disappointed in this one. 😅
I am still interested in reading Alex North's future novels, especially since The Shadows was amazing. But hopefully they'll start going up from here on out, instead of the other way.
This was too slow. The plot felt like it was moving at a snail's pace. And I'm sorry, but the plot was boring. It also felt convoluted and unbelievable at times.
The twists weren't for me. They were underwhelming, disappointing and unsatisfying. Nothing really jaw-dropping. And I feel like there was no way for you to guess them. They were kinda out of left field... at least the last one was.
The characters had very little personality and lacked depth, IMO.
The voices talking to Dan that he kept conjuring up from his subconscious (as he had said himself) was so repetitive. And so was the dialogue tag "I thought". It was so annoying. The constant thought thought thought was really testing my patience. It all just got very old, very quickly.
And oh my lord... how many times did he say to himself that he was "detached" and "calm."...
This felt like a debut novel. Seriously, it feels of less quality than The Whisper Man and The Shadows; the prose though mostly similar, felt not as good. The storytelling wasn't as catching. And the twists didn't seem as thought out. It's hard to believe that The Man Made Of Smoke actually came AFTER those two.
Sorry, if I come off as rude in this. I don't mean to. I am just quite disappointed in this one. 😅
I am still interested in reading Alex North's future novels, especially since The Shadows was amazing. But hopefully they'll start going up from here on out, instead of the other way.
April 20, 2025
The Man Made of Smoke is a crime thriller with all the elements of a good mystery. The beginning hooks the reader in with an interesting opening. It starts as a slow burn that introduces you to the characters, their backstories, connections, and settings. The atmospheric setting of the island is the perfect spot for suspense. The story continues with a perfect pace, rich layers, and a surprising reveal.
The Man Made of Smoke is my fourth read by Alex North and it did not disappoint. Readers of Alex North’s prior works as well as crime thriller fans will love this one.
Man Made of Smoke by Alex North will be available on May 13. Many thanks to Celadon Books for the gifted copy!
The Man Made of Smoke is my fourth read by Alex North and it did not disappoint. Readers of Alex North’s prior works as well as crime thriller fans will love this one.
Man Made of Smoke by Alex North will be available on May 13. Many thanks to Celadon Books for the gifted copy!
June 2, 2025
4 eerie and suspenseful stars!
“Nobody sees and nobody cares.”
A closed serial killer’s case is reexamined. The serial killer died decades prior, but witnesses from his past crimes are now going missing.
I had an immediate connection to this eerie and atmospheric story. It has a dark, creepy, haunting, suspenseful, shadowy tone to it that had me feeling slightly uncomfortable throughout.
I enjoyed how the story unfolded through the father and son perspectives, a retired police officer and a criminal psychologist. Through both of their perspectives, the case unfolds in clever and unique layers.
One of the characters hears his father’s voice in his head, leading him forward and providing wisdoms and guidance. I really enjoyed this element and felt like it added immensely to the characters personality.
I was fully invested throughout the story but took a star off for the unrealistic and overly dramatic ending. Regardless of this, I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel and do recommend it.
Audio rating: 5 stars! Although it took me a few minutes to click with the audio narrator, I ended up loving him and found he greatly enhanced my connection. He added to the eerie atmospheric tone of the story. I highly recommend the audio!
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced listening copy!
“Nobody sees and nobody cares.”
A closed serial killer’s case is reexamined. The serial killer died decades prior, but witnesses from his past crimes are now going missing.
I had an immediate connection to this eerie and atmospheric story. It has a dark, creepy, haunting, suspenseful, shadowy tone to it that had me feeling slightly uncomfortable throughout.
I enjoyed how the story unfolded through the father and son perspectives, a retired police officer and a criminal psychologist. Through both of their perspectives, the case unfolds in clever and unique layers.
One of the characters hears his father’s voice in his head, leading him forward and providing wisdoms and guidance. I really enjoyed this element and felt like it added immensely to the characters personality.
I was fully invested throughout the story but took a star off for the unrealistic and overly dramatic ending. Regardless of this, I still thoroughly enjoyed this novel and do recommend it.
Audio rating: 5 stars! Although it took me a few minutes to click with the audio narrator, I ended up loving him and found he greatly enhanced my connection. He added to the eerie atmospheric tone of the story. I highly recommend the audio!
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced listening copy!
August 13, 2025
Have you ever had the hairs on the back of your neck rise because you have perceived evil or danger? Have you ever thought that someone was in trouble but you felt you couldn't intervene?
For young Daniel Garvie, now grown to a doctor whose interest is in people who commit heinous crimes, he is haunted by a memory of being in a bathroom with another young boy and an evil man. Daniel knows that there is danger there, but he is a child, and he doesn't know what to do. So he does nothing, but later learns he has had an encounter with the notorious Pied Piper serial killer and one of his kidnapped victims.
Years later, he is called home because his father, John, is presumed dead. Daniel comes to the island where he and his dad once lived. His dad is retired, a former member of the police force who now has spent his days researching cold cases. Daniel and his father have always had a strained relationship but in their minds, they have longed for better.
As Daniel returns home, he is once again embroiled in his nightmare of years past, and the fear that the Pied Piper is back. Daniel, over the years, has been obsessed with the book A Man Made of Smoke, and this obsessions led to not only his profession but also has deepened the chasm that exists between himself and his father, John.
This was a fantastic hold onto your head and heart thriller which packed a huge psychological punch. Extremely well plotted and paced, this book sent the reader down those fearful dark alleys and nightmares of the past.
Are we all people who practice the "Nobody sees, nobody cares" code about us? This was not your average "fright" book but one that had deep meaning and a glimmer of hope and redemption. Definitely highly recommended.
For young Daniel Garvie, now grown to a doctor whose interest is in people who commit heinous crimes, he is haunted by a memory of being in a bathroom with another young boy and an evil man. Daniel knows that there is danger there, but he is a child, and he doesn't know what to do. So he does nothing, but later learns he has had an encounter with the notorious Pied Piper serial killer and one of his kidnapped victims.
Years later, he is called home because his father, John, is presumed dead. Daniel comes to the island where he and his dad once lived. His dad is retired, a former member of the police force who now has spent his days researching cold cases. Daniel and his father have always had a strained relationship but in their minds, they have longed for better.
As Daniel returns home, he is once again embroiled in his nightmare of years past, and the fear that the Pied Piper is back. Daniel, over the years, has been obsessed with the book A Man Made of Smoke, and this obsessions led to not only his profession but also has deepened the chasm that exists between himself and his father, John.
This was a fantastic hold onto your head and heart thriller which packed a huge psychological punch. Extremely well plotted and paced, this book sent the reader down those fearful dark alleys and nightmares of the past.
Are we all people who practice the "Nobody sees, nobody cares" code about us? This was not your average "fright" book but one that had deep meaning and a glimmer of hope and redemption. Definitely highly recommended.
May 14, 2025
What a chilling book! First of all the audio narrator did a really great job, there are alternating chapters in this book that switch between past and present and it was always obvious what timeline we were in and all what was going on.
The premise follows a criminal profiler who interviews prisoners to study their motivations and childhood experiences through interviews and hypnosis. He returns home after his father, a retired police officer, is missing presumed dead. Whilst in his childhood home he finds a mysterious photograph pertaining to a recent dead persons case and starts to wonder how many things are connected.
I loved the mystery surrounding the main characters childhood and its connection to present day murder cases. This book is definitely eery and chilling and I’m a big fan of the authors ability to evoke these reactions in the reader.
The only thing that didn’t deliver for me was the ending, it just didn’t pack a punch or the surprise factor I was expecting.
Thank you for the gifted copy!
Publish date May 13th
The premise follows a criminal profiler who interviews prisoners to study their motivations and childhood experiences through interviews and hypnosis. He returns home after his father, a retired police officer, is missing presumed dead. Whilst in his childhood home he finds a mysterious photograph pertaining to a recent dead persons case and starts to wonder how many things are connected.
I loved the mystery surrounding the main characters childhood and its connection to present day murder cases. This book is definitely eery and chilling and I’m a big fan of the authors ability to evoke these reactions in the reader.
The only thing that didn’t deliver for me was the ending, it just didn’t pack a punch or the surprise factor I was expecting.
Thank you for the gifted copy!
Publish date May 13th
May 16, 2025
4 solid stars - Alex North just writes so very, very well in this particular lane - Serial killers featuring father & son main characters. I really loved his “Whisper Man” so very much some years ago and this new one is also very, very good. It’s also quite fast-paced & had some surprising twists, and I loved how it all came full circle in the end. Highly recommend to those who like their thrillers on the “dark” side!!
June 17, 2025
Dan Garvie, a criminal profiler, is called back home after his father, John Garvie, a retired cop, appears to have committed suicide, though no body has been found. Dan returns to the island town where he grew up—a place he couldn’t leave fast enough after high school.
When Dan was eleven, he encountered the Pied Piper, a serial killer. He didn’t see the man but glimpsed a young boy, his own age, with the killer in a rest stop restroom. Instead of helping the boy to safety, Dan hid in a stall and waited until the man left with the boy. Dan carries this regret, his deepest shame, every day.
Upon arriving at his father’s house, Dan discovers his father was investigating a murder—or murders. The clues suggest John’s disappearance is tied to the Pied Piper.
Who is behind the killings now, and why? Who’s next?
The Man Made of Smoke is dark, thrilling, and atmospheric. I enjoyed the narration by Shane Zaza. It helped with the different POVs and timelines.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
When Dan was eleven, he encountered the Pied Piper, a serial killer. He didn’t see the man but glimpsed a young boy, his own age, with the killer in a rest stop restroom. Instead of helping the boy to safety, Dan hid in a stall and waited until the man left with the boy. Dan carries this regret, his deepest shame, every day.
Upon arriving at his father’s house, Dan discovers his father was investigating a murder—or murders. The clues suggest John’s disappearance is tied to the Pied Piper.
Who is behind the killings now, and why? Who’s next?
The Man Made of Smoke is dark, thrilling, and atmospheric. I enjoyed the narration by Shane Zaza. It helped with the different POVs and timelines.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
August 21, 2025
Review to come.
June 22, 2025
Daniel Garvie has spent his life running from the crime he witnessed as a young boy, becoming a criminal profiler to seek justice for other victims as a way to atone for not helping the young boy caught in the trap of a monster. But when Dan’s father is presumed dead under mysterious circumstances, he is forced to return home and confront the demons from his past.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, creates the dark, gritty atmosphere wrought with tension, quite like Alex North can. From the moment the story begins, through the introduction of our notorious serial killer known simply as The Man Made of Smoke who whispers but a few words - “nobody sees and nobody cares”, I had nothing but goosebumps as I felt completely immersed in the haunting nature of the story.
When Daniel witnesses the young boy in the bathroom terrified of the monster he is with, I was right there beside him. North’s slow, but evocative writing style allows you to literally experience the drip, drip, drip as it occurs. And as a grown man, searching for his missing father’s remains, I was there too with Dan, right beside him as all of the past traumas he had worked tirelessly to overcome came roaring back to life.
This book is decidedly slow burn, but with good intentions. It’s that slow, eerie nature that amps up the horror element and creates the sense of things going bump in the night, the shadows following you home at night. While the pacing itself didn’t throw me off, there is always some aspect of North’s books that leaves me slightly confused and feeling dreadfully unintelligent. In this case, it was the final reveal surrounding the young boy. I won’t say more to prevent any spoilers, but even after finishing it, I am still slightly unsure of what actually happened. Is this the point? Perhaps. But given the masterful way he tends to wrap up his novels, I have a feeling this one is just slightly over my head. And yet I still enjoyed it immensely.
🎧 Shane Zaza’s solo narration is good; however, there were times I felt slightly confused between whether it was Daniel or John’s POV as the voice wasn’t well distinguished. However, it was very easy to decipher with a little bit of context. And the narrator does a terrific job of amping up the atmospheric nature of this book. If you are a fan of this type of book, I highly recommend reading it, especially around spooky season.
Read if you like:
▪️gritty atmospheric reads
▪️horror-tinged thrillers
▪️serial killer plot lines
▪️overcoming trauma
▪️father/son relationships
▪️past/present timelines
▪️dual POVs
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Celadon and Macmillan for the advanced copies.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, creates the dark, gritty atmosphere wrought with tension, quite like Alex North can. From the moment the story begins, through the introduction of our notorious serial killer known simply as The Man Made of Smoke who whispers but a few words - “nobody sees and nobody cares”, I had nothing but goosebumps as I felt completely immersed in the haunting nature of the story.
When Daniel witnesses the young boy in the bathroom terrified of the monster he is with, I was right there beside him. North’s slow, but evocative writing style allows you to literally experience the drip, drip, drip as it occurs. And as a grown man, searching for his missing father’s remains, I was there too with Dan, right beside him as all of the past traumas he had worked tirelessly to overcome came roaring back to life.
This book is decidedly slow burn, but with good intentions. It’s that slow, eerie nature that amps up the horror element and creates the sense of things going bump in the night, the shadows following you home at night. While the pacing itself didn’t throw me off, there is always some aspect of North’s books that leaves me slightly confused and feeling dreadfully unintelligent. In this case, it was the final reveal surrounding the young boy. I won’t say more to prevent any spoilers, but even after finishing it, I am still slightly unsure of what actually happened. Is this the point? Perhaps. But given the masterful way he tends to wrap up his novels, I have a feeling this one is just slightly over my head. And yet I still enjoyed it immensely.
🎧 Shane Zaza’s solo narration is good; however, there were times I felt slightly confused between whether it was Daniel or John’s POV as the voice wasn’t well distinguished. However, it was very easy to decipher with a little bit of context. And the narrator does a terrific job of amping up the atmospheric nature of this book. If you are a fan of this type of book, I highly recommend reading it, especially around spooky season.
Read if you like:
▪️gritty atmospheric reads
▪️horror-tinged thrillers
▪️serial killer plot lines
▪️overcoming trauma
▪️father/son relationships
▪️past/present timelines
▪️dual POVs
Check out my Bookstagram post here ♥
Thank you Celadon and Macmillan for the advanced copies.
May 20, 2025
Thanks to #NetGalley and @McMillanAudio for providing me with the audiobook ARC of The Man Made of Smoke.
Now that that’s out of the way, kids, today’s lesson will be centered on how to handle disappointment after months of anticipation. LITERAL MONTHS! Sorry to raise my voice it’s just that I found out about this book in February and, just like with Head Cases, thought “oh look here comes a slam dunk 5 ⭐️ uhhhhhhh no. There was more excitement however, when I received the audiobook a few weeks early, and I was ready to pop in the ol air pods and be scared when it got dark out because this Man Made of Smoke!
Then I started to listen and, oh no, do I not like this author’s writing style? Is this book kinda giving me a #seriallillerlivesmatter vibe? Why do I not feel any tension in the story?
All that to say the book never pulled me in, I didn’t care about or even understand the reveal, and this has forced me to rethink the type of “thriller” I enjoy.
Sorry to be harsh, but this one just didn’t work for me.
Now that that’s out of the way, kids, today’s lesson will be centered on how to handle disappointment after months of anticipation. LITERAL MONTHS! Sorry to raise my voice it’s just that I found out about this book in February and, just like with Head Cases, thought “oh look here comes a slam dunk 5 ⭐️ uhhhhhhh no. There was more excitement however, when I received the audiobook a few weeks early, and I was ready to pop in the ol air pods and be scared when it got dark out because this Man Made of Smoke!
Then I started to listen and, oh no, do I not like this author’s writing style? Is this book kinda giving me a #seriallillerlivesmatter vibe? Why do I not feel any tension in the story?
All that to say the book never pulled me in, I didn’t care about or even understand the reveal, and this has forced me to rethink the type of “thriller” I enjoy.
Sorry to be harsh, but this one just didn’t work for me.
March 10, 2025
What an eerily suspenseful book this was!
This was a slow burner for me, until about 2/3 of the way through, at which point I just COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN! I found myself constantly looking at what page I was on to see how many pages I had left until the end. You know the kind of book where you’re counting down the remaining pages, knowing you’re so close to the end and the answers, but also worried that you’re so close to the end and it doesn’t feel like there are enough pages left to give you all the answers? Well, that was this book for me. And the answers did come, but I feel like I still have just as many questions.
It’s hard to say a lot about this book without spoilers, but I can say that I enjoyed the unspoken connection between Dan and his father and how it helped to guide Dan on his journey for answers. Although this is not the primary storyline in this book, it was integral in moving the story along. I enjoyed journeying with Dan as he discovered that he had a stronger connection with his father than even he knew, and I found it saddening and frustrating to learn how their relationship had become somewhat distant by each of them mistakenly misinterpreting the other’s words and actions without ever actually communicating. Again, I know that this is just a small part of this overall story, but sometimes there are little nuggets of thought provoking wisdom in the most unexpected of places. For me, it was in this story about a serial killer. I did see and I did care.
With thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book for review. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Alex North.
This was a slow burner for me, until about 2/3 of the way through, at which point I just COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN! I found myself constantly looking at what page I was on to see how many pages I had left until the end. You know the kind of book where you’re counting down the remaining pages, knowing you’re so close to the end and the answers, but also worried that you’re so close to the end and it doesn’t feel like there are enough pages left to give you all the answers? Well, that was this book for me. And the answers did come, but I feel like I still have just as many questions.
It’s hard to say a lot about this book without spoilers, but I can say that I enjoyed the unspoken connection between Dan and his father and how it helped to guide Dan on his journey for answers. Although this is not the primary storyline in this book, it was integral in moving the story along. I enjoyed journeying with Dan as he discovered that he had a stronger connection with his father than even he knew, and I found it saddening and frustrating to learn how their relationship had become somewhat distant by each of them mistakenly misinterpreting the other’s words and actions without ever actually communicating. Again, I know that this is just a small part of this overall story, but sometimes there are little nuggets of thought provoking wisdom in the most unexpected of places. For me, it was in this story about a serial killer. I did see and I did care.
With thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book for review. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Alex North.
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