pickBook of the Month Club selection for May 2025
3.5 Stars • The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North is a creepy thriller about Dan, a profiler haunted by a childhood encounter with a serial killer. When his cop dad dies mysteriously, Dan returns home, digging into a case tied to his past. It‘s a slow-burn mix of guilt, family drama, and eerie vibes, with a twisty plot that keeps you hooked, though the ending might feel a bit vague.
pickHappy July 4th!! Hope you all get some good pool and BBQ time today, followed by some gorgeous fireworks this evening.
This novel was actually my favorite, so far, from this author.
June 2025 Wrap Up
* The Man Made of Smoke ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not my best reading month for sure 😂
I'm in be mood for a thriller, so I'm starting this one tonight.
so-soThis was a well written story but as a new mom it struck a bit harder so I also had a hard time with parts of it.
pickThis is an intellectual thriller in the sense that we spend a lot of time in the minds of the two main characters, a father who is an ex-cop and his grown son, a criminal profiler and psychiatrist. The book, which featured two serial killers, had a somewhat creepy atmosphere and a constant sense of dread, but not a lot of action. I enjoyed it, but thought it dragged a bit at times. Thank you to Edelweiss+ for the digital ARC. 3.5/5 stars
pickI was ready for a thriller and this was a good one. The story was set up in a way that it could have gone in several directions. I never figured out the ending and that‘s always entertaining.
Happy Caturday!! 🐾 🐈
Finishing up this nail biter 😬😬
The Man Made of Smoke
You follow Dan Garvie from when he was just a kid who escaped a serial killer at a rest stop. Dan was with his parents and his best friend Sarah. He always felt guilty that he didn't save the little boy that was with this man. The boy with the haunted eyes. The scared child that it seemed everyone turned their backs on.
Full review: https://lsmoore49.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-man-made-of-smoke-by-alex-north.html
pickI have read and loved every Alex North thriller. He has a way of chilling you to the bone. The killers are human but very twisted and oh so believable. This one is a freaky twist on the Pied Piper. An island, trauma, child abduction, guilt, shame, rage, a sick, domino-effect murder path. You need to read this and all of Alex North‘s books. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
3 of my favorite things: a thrilling book, my book buddy Jolene, and reading outside! Alex North definitely delivered on the thrilling book part! A slow build to a twisty ending 😱
pickI‘ve been such a fan of North‘s since THE WHISPER MAN (which still gives me the shivers!) & I‘m delighted to say my high expectations were exceeded with his latest! I could not put this one down at all! Opening with a haunting scene in a rest stop bathroom that reverberates throughout the book, this thriller also focuses on the relationship between fathers and so sons. Spanning decades & fast-paced with multiple POVs, this is one of his best!
pickThe events of the novel are presented through the use of a non-linear timeline and are told through multiple points-of-view. The characters, although well developed, left me wanting more from them; overall they were a bit disappointing. I have read all of Alex North‘s novels, so I came into this one expecting a lot, but for me this one didn‘t deliver. The audiobook was ok. I have listened to better and I have listened to worse.
pickWhile 'The Man Made of Smoke' wasn't my favorite book by North, it still had tons of suspense and a feeling of dread. Dan returns home after his father dies of an apparent suicide. He soon discovers things aren't as they seem and may tie into a strange interaction that he had as a boy with a potential serial killer. The mercurial nature that can appear between fathers and sons was also explored. All in all, a well-done thriller. 4 stars.
The Man Made of Smoke: A Novel | 
