Early Review: The Man Made of Smoke

Alex North has become one of my favorite authors in the past few years, so I was excited to read his forthcoming book, The Man Made of Smoke. It’s due out in May, but I was lucky to receive a physical arc this month.

The Man Made of Smoke has many of the themes that stand out most in Alex North’s work. It highlights relationships between fathers and sons, with all the complications and miscommunications that can come with. Here, Dan and has father John are both torn apart and united by their proximity to a serial killer two decades earlier. When that case comes back into their lives, it threatens to end their relationship forever… or bring them back together again.

I enjoyed the way the characters had conversations with each other in their minds, putting themselves into each other’s shoes. How would my dad think about this? How would my son approach the issue? Another recurring theme is the mantras people tell themselves, often in the most unforgiving, belittling way. It’s what can drive isolation and self-hate if not checked.

This novel is tragic in many ways, and especially now that I have a son myself, it was at times hard to read. But for all the horrors that occur here, it is ultimately about uncovering the real people behind the labels and healing from tragedy.

My full review will be published on May 12, 2025, just before the book will be available for all to read. Please check back for my post then!

Special thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for providing me with physical and ebook ARCs of this book!

Official Summary

“Fans of Thomas Harris will be creeped out by North’s hair-raising antagonist… This is a winner.”
—Publishers Weekly

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.

Get the Book

You can pre-order The Man Made of Smoke here – it’s available as hardcover, ebook, and audiobook.

The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
Audience	Adult
Genre	Thriller
Setting	England
Number of Pages	320
Original Publication Date	May 13, 2025