Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North

23 reviews

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Alex North is a master of suspense wit twists and turns that you never see coming. This is a tale of the guilt and shame experienced by those who failed to help a little boy in the clutches of a monster on a sunny afternoon in a service station.  North takes you on a journey that you cannot wait to finish just to know the truth. Alex North gets better and better! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

  was saying if this book wasn't good from BOTM I was going to be quitting it, but it really delivered. I liked the way that it went between the present, the near past and then the past-past, bringing together Dan's story, John's story and James' story. Telling us just what we needed to know but not giving it all away by telling us TOO much in the past bits, cutting off just as Dan was learning new things so that we were going through it with Dan. I will say this is the third book I've read this year where a father son relationship tries to bond over boxing/hitting a boxing bag. What's up with that? Is this a thing men really do with each other? It's weird. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Following Dan Garvie, we see how his life was shaped by coming in contact with a serial killer as a kid. He has struggled with the guilt of feeling as though he didn't do enough which leads to him becoming a criminal profiler. He soon begins to investigate the mysterious death of his father which brings him back to his close-call as a child.

I loved how this book weighed the consequences of both action and inaction. How one simple choice can alter the course of not only your life, but others as well. For better and for worse. Dan, deeply battling his guilt, strives to make up for his inaction as a child. It really fuels him as a person and it was interesting to see how things could come full circle.

This book kept me guessing which kept me incredibly interested. This wasn't a book that I found easy to figure out. The characters were complex, which I liked. I don't want to spoil anything, but these characters had me feeling an array of conflicting emotions. This book also reiterated the importance of speaking up when you feel that something is wrong.

The mystery and the investigation kept me on my toes and I felt invested in this storyline.

This book was narrated by Shane Zaza and I adored his narration. I hope to listen to future books narrated by Shane. He spoke clearly and with inflection. His voice was also relaxing to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7459350978
Fable Review: https://fable.co/review/494bcc61-23d6-4175-9465-ce356fa305eb/share

Expand filter menu Content Warnings