"Rollicking... Fans of Thomas Harris will be creeped out by North’s antagonist and gripped by the plot’s dual investigations. It’s a hair-raising delight."
Publishers Weekly

"A mesmerizing read, best read in a well-lit room."
Booklist, Starred Review

"Nobody does redemption story arcs – or family relationships – like Alex North. Nobody creates thrillers that grip and disturb and yet manage to rip your heart strings loose like Alex North ... The twists and turns in this book are whiplash inducing, and there’s one in particular that left me open mouthed with shock."
Derek Farrell, Interview Room One

"Creepy, compelling and so fiendishly tricky, I couldn’t put it down. Another surefire winner from the king of haunting!"
Natalie Chandler

"A haunting, atmospheric story about the long shadow evil casts on all it touches. Truly a white-knuckle read from start to finish."
Tracy Sierra

"Alex North mixes the emotional with the thrilling so expertly. Just a mind-blowingly tense and brilliant read."
Louise Swanson

"Alex North has done it again. He has managed to craft a serial killer thriller with strange beauty, big heart and seemingly effortless elegance. The Man Made of Smoke was in equal parts terrifying, creepy, thrilling and moving - a book you want everyone else to read immediately because it's so damned good. Alex is simply master of the sub-genre."
Marnie Riches

"Creepy and atmospheric from the first page, The Man Made Of Smoke is as well-written as it is tense. There were whole pages where I held my breath. It tugs on the heart strings too."
Rachel Wolf

"Balancing his trademark hint of the supernatural with very real fears, this is a book full of regret and grief, but most of all heart. I loved Dan - I was swept up in his story, riding the wave of his uncertainty and worry."
Sam Holland

"I tore through this gritty tale of guilt, grief and the ghosts that haunt us. The twists are exceptionally well executed, the emotional through line compelling, and the mercurial baddie is genuinely unsettling. With this book, Alex North dares to peer into the darkest corners of the human psyche, and the results are eerie and moving in equal measure. If you loved The Whisper Man, you’ll love this, too. Nightmares guaranteed!"
Josh Winning

"It is a rare talent to be able to write a compulsive thriller with such heart. The Man Made of Smoke is a rare gem that is both terrifying and heart wrenching, bittersweet and hopeful, nightmarish and deeply, deeply human. Written with skill and intelligence, and told with empathy and nuance, this is a novel that’s not to be missed. I loved every word."
Rebecca Thorne