As the title suggests, Detective Alana Mack and her team are on the hunt for a twisted killer who leaves their victims posed, but who are they and why do they resort to this public and darkly artistic tableau?

As the victims do not share immediate, obvious links, there is little for the team to go on but O'Brien teases out the story in a way that almost builds compassion for the killer. But what is the connection to Casey?

The Puppet Maker was a nicely constructed thriller with some intelligent touches throughout that elevated the story above the norm, and I enjoyed reading about Alan and her team - I imagine there will be more books to follow!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and Storm Publishing for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I DNFed the book. Tried a few times to get into the book. but just could not. So DNFing it again for the time being Hoping to get back to it in the near future. The premise of the book is good but somehow the book still has not clicked with me yet.

This was a thrilling police procedural that kept me in its grip until the end. Interesting new character and I hope we see more of her soon.

This is book 1 in the Detective Alana Mack series. Injured on duty, Alana is in a wheelchair but her mind is still sharp and up to solving this latest crime in Cloonabee. When she arrives at the crime scene a sobbing 2 year old little girl has been abandoned with a note that indicates that she is in danger.
When a bag of human remains is found in a bin, and a chilling link is made – the DNA matches Casey's. Alana and her team must find the body and make the connection with the missing newsagent fast if she is to prevent another life from being taken. But with someone in her department leaking confidential details of the investigation to the media, can Alana set aside her emotional involvement in this case and find Casey’s mother and the killer before it's too late? A good fast paced mystery. Looking forward to book 2.

A gripping and intense ride through the tangled web of family lies and betrayals. This domestic thriller will keep you guessing until the very end

Oh this book chilled me to the bone and I absolutely loved it. The Puppet Maker is the first book in an exciting new police procedural series starring Detective Alana Mack and I can't wait to read more so I hope Jenny O'Brien is a fast writer.

Alana knows all about prejudice in the workplace as her boss is a blatant misogynist and not only is Alana female, she's also disabled. Alana may have steel wheels but she also has a rod of steel for a backbone and she is a strong and inspirational team leader. So you don't want to be in the shoes of the mole in Alana's team when she finds out who is leaking information to the press.

There's a lot going on in the story to keep the reader hooked and the police busy. There's the heartbreaking story of a little girl abandoned in a supermarket, a gruesome discovery in a bin and a missing person. All seemingly unrelated...or are they?

Just thinking about the 'puppet maker' makes my skin crawl but I also felt really sad as it just shows how things that happen in your childhood can leave very deep scars. I liked the way that Jenny O'Brien showed different sides of the perpetrator, almost humanising them without excusing their heinous crimes.

The Puppet Maker is a chilling, heartbreaking and very gripping police procedural novel with characters that I can't wait to meet again. This may be my first Jenny O'Brien book but it certainly won't be my last. Very highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I liked reading this book but it didn’t keep me interested in it all the time. But it was still a good book to read.

I liked this book and the storyline. I’m excited to continue this series. I recommend this book to thriller fans. I read this in one day. Huge thanks to netgalley for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

“The Puppet Maker” by Jenny O’Brien is book 1 in a new detective series.

The book is fast paced, action packed, and told from multiple POVs to keep the reader invested.

Detective Alana Mack is suddenly inundated with multiple cases and must race against time to solve them. This is a fun read and I’m looking forward to continuing this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for gifting me this advanced copy.

I loved this book one in Alana Mack series and I can't wait to read move from this detective. A gripping read that keeps you hooked from the very first page.

The first book in a series of three so far this mystery has a lot of layers in the plot and the characters. Poverty, abuse, illness and disability also have their place this book A good read.

Wowza! Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this eARC of The Puppet Maker by Jenny O'Brien for an honest review.

Again, WOW. I'm so glad I was finally able to get to this book. It's...different than what I'm used to reading before and am very glad for having the opportunity to. This is my first book by the author and I'm hooked! This book had a lot of twisted plots and the characters were very well thought out. I'm glad I got to finish this book in time before the second book in this series is released next month!

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

THRILL tingling police procedural involving the abandonment of a little 2 year old girl. Well written with a suspenseful story line while introducing a new lead detective. Enjoyed fully & RECOMMEND totally!! Thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC in return for my honest revuew.

What did I just read!!!!! The Puppet Maker by Jenny O'Brien is a new and very addictive Irish crime thriller and mystery novel
This is the first book in the new Detective Alana Mack series and what a brilliant first book this was.

Set in Clonabee, Ireland Detective Alana Mack is known as Alan to everyone and I loved this character. She returns to work after an shattering accident that has left her disabled and in a wheelchair but nothing stops her.

A two year old Casey is abandoned in a local supermarket. In one of her pockets they find a scrap of paper which looked as if it had been torn from a diary. The words written in faint pencil, with the letters rounded, almost childlike. "Please look after her. Her life and mine depend on you not trying to find me."

Then, a retired newspaper journalist has disappeared from his home without a trace. Then, human organs are found in a trash bin.

Wow!

Is there a connection factor the police are yet to see? and what is it?

With Alan still struggling to come to terms with her current situation, is she strong enough to control her emotions and do what needs to be done?

But, where does she start?

This book was excellent especially with brilliant twists and turns that will make your head spin! It was so addictive I had to finish this book before I started to cook tea for my family. I am looking forward for the next book within this Detective Alana Mack series.

I highly recommend it.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for my ARC copy.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. This is the first book of a new series about Alan , a disabled detective and her team In the Irish Garda. They are faced with finding the mother of an abandoned toddler, and then the souce of body parts found nearby.
I found it completely addictive, even though some of the content is very distressing. I can recommend this book to others who enjoy crime fiction. I look forward to reading more in this series.

The first in the Detective Alana Mack series. I’ve read some of this author’s other series which is great and I think this series is going to be as good. A really good storyline, It will be interesting to see how the main characters develop with the series.

Wow, what a brilliant start to a new Detective Alana Mack series by Jenny O’Brien

The Puppet Maker, is a fantastic and thrilling novel! The story follows Alana Mack, a Detective in the Irish Garda, who arrives at the police station in Clonabee, a small seaside town near Dublin, to the sound of a young girl's screams. The girl, who identifies herself as Casey, has a note hidden in her pocket, asking for her to be taken care of, but not to look for her family as it could put them both in danger.

Without giving too much away, this novel is full of unexpected twists and turns from the talented author. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a gripping read!

I’m a huge crime thriller reader so imagine how thrilled I was to see The Puppet Maker is the first book in a new crime series., so of course I was going to read it. I really enjoyed this book As with the best stories, the secrets of the main characters are slowly but deftly revealed, they are individuals in their own right, each with their own backstories, trials and tribulations. There are a couple of threads to the plot that mean the investigation moves along at a steady pace, and during the lulls it allows the reader to learn more about the main characters. There’s nothing I love more than gory crime scenes and Serial killers, this book has both which I loved! It’s far from being a cosy crime read, it’s gritty, gory just how I like it! I like the authors style of writing it’s sharp and to the point, her characters are intriguing and I’m looking forward to seeing them grow, I found this book gripping from start to finish which is always a good sign. This is a great introduction to the series and I will most definitely be reading the next book in the series

This started off really promising and I was so excited for it but I feel it was a little far fetched and lost its excitement (personal opinion).

Still an enjoyable read, clever story and thrilling.