The Man Made of Smoke

byAlex North, Shane Zaza (Read by)

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Brought to you by Penguin.

The most terrifying novel of the year, from the internationally bestselling author of The Whisper Man.

You never forget the day you meet a serial killer.

Dan was just a teenager when he had a chance encounter with the elusive killer known only as “the man made of smoke”. Nobody could blame him for being too scared to intervene, for being too scared to save the latest victim, for letting the killer vanish again.

Nobody except Dan himself.

Years later, Dan has a successful career as a criminal psychiatrist, unpicking the very darkest of human behaviour. Because, despite what he saw that day, Dan knows there's no such thing as a monster.

But now his father, John, has gone missing. And, when Dan returns to the small island where he grew up, he finds out that not long before his disappearance, John had stumbled across a body.

As Dan begins to dig, he finds unsettling links, stretching all the way back to the man made of smoke.

Which means this might just be a chance to not only save his dad, but to finally find redemption.
But what if he's been wrong about that day for all these years.

What if he was right to be scared?

A splendidly creepy story - which chills to the bone...a haunting portrait of a psychopath and the psychiatrist trying to understand what drives him
Daily Mail

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, author of Heads Will Roll

About Alex North

Alex North was born in Leeds, where he now lives with his wife and son. He studied Philosophy at Leeds University, and prior to becoming a writer he worked there in their sociology department. The Whisper Man was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller, and is being published in more than 30 languages.

Details

Imprint: Penguin
Published: 08/05/2025
ISBN: 9781405947954
Length: 531 minutes
Price: £14.00

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The Man Made of Smoke

Format:

Buy the book from:

A splendidly creepy story - which chills to the bone...a haunting portrait of a psychopath and the psychiatrist trying to understand what drives him

Terrifying

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

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

**Built around the five stages of grief, The Man Made of Smoke paints a haunting portrait of a psychopath and the psychiatrist trying to understand what drives him**

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

**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. Love it**

About Alex North

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