A Brilliantly Plot Full of Suspense and Intrigue.
This is the first book in a new series and the first book I have read by Jenny O'Brien, and it is set in Clonabee Ireland. The story is about a disabled police officer called Alana Mack, but everyone calls her Alan. Alan is working three different cases which all seem to come together.
The story starts where Penny who loves her daughter Casey but is a young, destitute, and unwed mother when she abandons her young daughter in a Dublin grocery store in a cart full of groceries. The police find Casey with only a note pleading for no one to look for her? Alana finds herself suddenly responsible for Casey while trying to track down the missing mother and solve another missing person's case of a retired newsagent who has vanished from his home. Then a bag of human remains is found in a bin, with human kidneys and livers and a chilling link is made as the DNA matches Casey.
I do not want to give too much away, but this has everything you would want in a thriller including a brilliantly plot full of suspense and intrigue. I loved all the twists and turns, with the characters all being strong people, and you will also find that you do not want to put this book down. The book is professionally written and a fast-paced crime thriller that you genuinely enjoy. It has left me looking forward to Jenny O'Brien next book.  Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

An abandoned toddler is left at a supermarket with a well loved rabbit soft toy and a note asking for Casey to be looked after and that it wouldn’t be safe to look for the mother.
Alana (Alan) Mack is the detective in charge and takes Casey under her wing. Alan has recently been recovering from an accident, leaving her wheelchair bound. She asks her ex-husband, an child psychiatrist to analyse Casey using art therapy.
Meanwhile, another case of discarded organs discovered in an alley suddenly becomes linked to Casey, as DNA shows a familial match.
A great start to a new series, I can see a strong future for Alan Mack and her team. A gritty and graphic plot, and involves a lot of abuse triggers. Looking forward to the next instalment already.

Really enjoyed this book. Alana - aka Alan, is a great character. The story is sad and twisty and you don't quite know where its going but its gripping. The mystery of the little girl who they are trying to reunite with her mother. The search for the missing men - who are connected in some way. Very well written, enjoyable read. Would like hear from Detective Mack.

I just reviewed The Puppet Maker by Jenny O’Brien. #thepuppetmaker #netgalley

This is the first time I have read this authors book and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It is the first book in a series of Detective Alana Mack who had a work related accident and uses a wheelchair to do her job. The Detective managed to lead her team when an abandoned toddler was left in a supermarket by her mother, and then some homeless men found a bag of human remains in the bin. Truly amazing story

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

Laying my cards on the table, I have to say I hardly ever read crime fiction. It has a habit of giving me nightmares, and there isn’t enough romance in it for my liking. I made an exception for this book because the premise in the blurb was so intriguing. I’m glad I did - it was a gripping read, with a fascinating protagonist and a couple of well-drawn villains. Add to that a raft of interesting secondary characters and a race against time, and the result is a highly entertaining, pacy read that really drew me in. A book well worth changing genre for - you can bet I’ll be the at the head of the queue to read future stories featuring Alan Mack.

The Puppet Maker by Jenny O’Brien is the start of a new series set in Ireland. The main character is Detective Alana (known as Alan) Mack who due to a work related incident is in a wheelchair. What have an abandoned little girl and two homeless men with 2 bags of dubious meat got in common? Stand by for the rollercoaster ride of a book that dishes up the answer. Thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced (and at times pretty gruesome) story with great characters and great plot. I look forward to more in the series. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for introducing me to the talents of Jenny O'Brien.

The Puppet Maker - the first book in the Detective Alana Mack series was an interesting read. The book was written with multiple points of view and I often found myself confused and lost. It felt a little bit all over the place. Detective Alan investigating murders of 3 individuals and then a child was left abandoned in a grocery story. The viewpoint of Alan’s is the part I felt bored about thru out the book but when it got to the view of the mom Penny who abandoned her daughter in the grocery store I was engaged and interested in what led her to abandon her daughter and the history in her life that made her get to that point. The police/investigation side was drawn out and not very much character connections that drew me into the characters. Overall it was a decent read, the twists were fun and interesting. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, to Jenny O’Brien, and to Storm Publishing!

A brand new author for me and the start of a new series. Always a win.
Love starting a new series, learning about the characters and their lives.
A very well written storyline that keeps you on your toes, it keeps you guessing.
Some good characters that I can see weill grow over times. For the start of a series this is good and I will certainly be watching out for more from this author.

Wow! Terrific book, literally. I always feared pupped and doll maker, and this book made me understand the reason. You’ll keep reading till the end.

"The Puppet Maker" is a breathtaking introduction to an author whose work I'll certainly be seeking out in the future. This gripping Detective Mystery had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page, and I found it impossible to put down.

As a lover of stories that keep you guessing and questioning every detail, "The Puppet Maker" delivered in spades. The plot was exceptionally well-crafted, so much so that I could easily envision it as a thrilling movie. The author's ability to keep readers engaged and intrigued throughout the narrative is truly commendable.

What makes this book stand out is the masterful way in which it weaves multiple mysteries together. Detective Alana Mack's journey is not just about solving a missing person's case but also navigating her own life as a wheelchair user after a life-altering accident. This depth adds a layer of authenticity and relatability to the story.

The character development, especially with Alana, is exceptional. Her reliance on ex-husband and child psychiatrist, and their use of Forensic Art Therapy, adds a unique and intriguing dimension to the investigation. The emotions and complexities of their relationships are skillfully portrayed.

The discovery of Casey, along with the cryptic note, sets the stage for a riveting tale. The connection between Casey's drawing and the house she lived in is eerie, and the bag of human remains that surfaces adds a spine-chilling twist to the narrative.

As a reader, I was not only engrossed in solving the mystery but also emotionally invested in the characters and their struggles. The book skillfully balances personal and professional aspects, making it a well-rounded and immersive experience.

“The Puppet Maker" is a pulse-pounding, addictive read that I already have plans to revisit. It's a book that lingers in your mind, and I can't wait to see what Detective Mack encounters in future installments of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my approval to read and review this book.

Detective Alana (call me Alan) Mack is a detective in the Gardai. She arrives at Clonabee Police Station to find a toddler called Casey that has been found abandoned in a supermarket nearby. Meanwhile, a bag of meat has been found by two homeless men, they make the decision to take it to the police station. This then sets up a mystery of who it is? When the DNA results come in, Alan is shocked to discover they match Casey.

Along with finding Casey's Mum and two missing men, Alan and her team begin investigating to find the killer. I have found the book to well written with great descriptions of the characters and locations. The ending was a complete surprise to me! I will be recommending this book to other readers.

Graphic and grisly in places, a unique character of a detective being a wheelchair user after an accident and all the difficulties that entails, a boss who is really disinterested in the detectives ideas and theories.
Great characterisation and brilliant storyline.
First in a series and I think the author has already found their place in crime fiction. I look forward to the next one.

I have to say that the writing style took some getting used to in this book. The plot was get disjointed and quite difficult to follow and I was not really grabbed by it until about half way through There are a lot of characters so it took a while to get used to who is who. Then the story started to make more sense and to pique my interst more and I started to feel more affinity with the detectives . The pace is fairly fast paced throughout, but because I became more invested in the story, it became a real page turner and the different strands of the investigation came together.
I liked the setting, always have a soft spot for a book set in Ireland. I like police procedurals too though this felt as if the investigative technigues were a bit hit and miss. A great lead detective, a disabled woman with a past which is hinted at . I look forward to reading more about her. Perhaps some of the points I have mentioned are because this is the first in the series and are due to scene setting . The crimes are quite graphic too and there are triggers for child neglect and abuse.
My thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3,5 stars for me, but I will round up to 4 as the book improved as it went along

This one had a great start for me as I’ve visited Dublin several times and usually stay in Temple Bar. (Check out Boxty if you ever go! Their coddle is incredible!) In any case, it made it so easy to immerse myself in the setting. I checked reviews before I starting reading and noticed quite a few comments about how odd the names were. I wholeheartedly disagree. I’ve come across almost all of the names in this book on holiday in Ireland. As far as the story itself, I absolutely loved it. The characters were fantastic and so easy to get attached to. I will definitely be reading the next in the series!

Huge thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

Thanks to NetGalley, Jenny O'Brien and Storm Publishing for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: The story follows Detective Alana Mack in a small Irish seaside town on the outskirts of Dublin when her team finds a distressed two-year-old girl sobbing on the floor. Abandoned in a local supermarket, the child tells them her name is Casey.

Then a bag of human remains is found in a bin, and a chilling link is made; the DNA matches Casey's.

Review: I liked the book, the overall erie feeling, the characters and the plot was amazing.

While the pace was somewhat slow at the beginning, I found it realistic. This is a series I definitely intend to read more of.

The Puppet Maker is the first book in the Detective Alana Mack series, which was a bit of a surprise as each of the characters seem to have quite the backstory, these are touched upon at regular intervals, but not in any great detail, I assume we will learn more as the series progresses. There were several macabre parts throughout, but I felt they added to the tale and weren’t included simply to shock/upset the reader. This is the same with the depictions of abuse, again I didn’t feel these sections were gratuitous, but they are hard hitting and uncomfortable to read. The book has a brilliant plot, teeming with suspense and intrigue, although I found some sections confusing, as not everything is explained in detail, and I found myself going back to re-read portions on more than one occasion. All in all, this is a great first instalment, and I look forward to reading the sequels that I feel sure are coming!

A new series set in a fictional location in Ireland with Detective Alana Macky.

Bullet points for Puppet Maker:-
📕if you’re expecting cosy turn back now!
📕It has character diversity.
📕it’s dark and gritty with an original aspect
📕it’s based in Dublin
📕 There are several threads
📕a couple of characters appear from the previous series
📕although surrounding a police investigation it’s not heavy on boring procedural detail

The main character Alana is paraplegic, a homeless man Alfred is an ex pathologist who finds human organs in a public waste bin, and turns amateur sleuth. They are both endearing characters. I like Alana’s relationship with Paddy another of the detectives. Alan even works with her ex during this case, and even William the newbie.

Although it’s set in Ireland for me the dialogue didn’t have much of an Irish feel.
It’s darker in nature than the author’s previous series which I really like as I hang out on the darker side of the spectrum. Although I wouldn’t describe it as graphic.
The writing style makes for easy reading.
I enjoyed it, be warned it takes a much darker turn than the author’s previous series and may have triggers for some. I look forward to seeing where this series goes.

I enjoyed the style of writing. A solid four star read. Great premise. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing Would definitely read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

The story is good, but maybe a little too graphic at times for me. I loved the title. I was confused at times and even the name change got me a little bit confused. It's good for crime fiction lovers.

A bit too graphic for me with way to many characters, I want to be able to follow a book not constantly try to remember who they sre. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy