The Angel Maker

I'll admit – about half the reason I decided to read this book was because of the name. An intriguing name for a book in general, but a badass name for a serial killer especially. The plot was interesting as well, but the name was what really drew me into it.

The pace of the book was almost split down the middle: slow in the first half, reading more like a cold case rather than an active thriller like I expected, but things definitely start picking up in the latter half of the book. Generational trauma is a huge theme of the book, and even though it's not an excuse for anyone's actions, it gave an insight into the whys of it all at least. 

I do wonder if maybe there should've been more of a focus on the Lock family rather than the Shaws, since it seemed like the plot sets them up to be the main characters more than Katie and Chris and their side of things, but I feel like we still got enough from them to be invested.

Some of the philosophical themes kind of wigged me out (a personal issue) but it was really interesting to have them be such a present theme in a thriller novel, when most others of its kind go for a more psychological route. I wonder if it would've been as impactful without determinism being based on God for the most part, but I do like religious horror so I enjoyed it either way.

I genuinely did NOT see the Joshua reveal coming, or the fact that Alan switched Joshua and Nathanial out. I was convinced he just left the nursery empty instead of putting another kid in there. That was absolutely brutal even though I could see where Hobbes was coming from. Horrific nonetheless.

Overall a very solid thriller novel. Good way to kick off spooky season from the slasher movie side of things.