The Man Made of Smoke: A Novel

Written by Alex North

Narrated by Shane Zaza

"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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: May 13, 2025
• ISBN: 9781250401816

Alex North

Alex North is the internationally bestselling author of The Whisper Man, The Shadows, and The Angel Maker. He lives in Leeds, England, with his wife and son, and is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name.

Reviews for The Man Made of Smoke

[Emily Lassiter Branch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I do enjoy a good serial killer book, and this one fit that bill nicely. It's creepy. It's deep and definitely about more than the hunt for a serial killer. The different timelines and points of view require some concentration, but that adds to the feeling of being a bit off-kilter, which seems appropriate for the subject matter. I liked the protagonist, Daniel, whose close encounter with a serial killer as a child has greatly influenced his adult life and relationships. The narration of the audiobook by Shane Zaza only served to increase my enjoyment of this story. Once again, well done, Mr. North. Well done indeed.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.