Review
A chunky book that throws you into the action.

It kept me hooked and the characters were well developed and I would love to know more.

It's not for the faint hearted and those who are squeamish may struggle.
⭐⭐⭐

A good, gritty thriller. This book will keep you hooked from start to finish, a real page turner you won't be disappointed.

The Jigsaw Man is the first in a new crime series by Nadine Matheson, introducing us to DI Anjelica Henley, a female black detective in the Met Police assigned to the Serial Crimes Unit.

Henley begins investigating when body parts wash up on the banks of the River Thames that bear a striking resemblance to the murders carried out by the Jigsaw Man, a.k.a. Peter Olivier, a serial murderer who almost cost Henley her life when she tracked him down and arrested him. But now, he has been sentenced for his crimes and is in isolation in the high security prison, Belmarsh. Is this a copycat, or is Olivier somehow orchestrating these further crimes from prison?

Henley is a great character, she is flawed and feels alive and real in Matheson's hands. She makes bad decisions, both personally and professionally, but she is also a character who you feel empathy for as she struggles to make her career fit around her home life.

Sometimes police procedurals can feel clunky and the dialogue filled with technical "police speak" but the conversations flow naturally in this book and you don't need the policing manual to work out what's going on.

I also really liked the character of TDC Remouter, who gets thrown in the deep end on his first day with the SCU when the first body turns up. I really hope he makes a comeback in the next book.

The book is great at demonstrating how the awful crimes that the police have to deal with do affect them personally, finding bodies chopped into pieces isn't just another day at the office for them and nor should it be. Sometimes crime novels can get carried away with the level of violence they feature and everyone just carries on like normal, but this book ably shows the real impact on that of the officers who have to deal with it.

Peter Olivier is also really well written, a creepy killer who knows exactly who and how to manipulate.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was pacy with enough twists to keep you guessing. It was also written with empathy and care which I felt set it apart from a lot of crime novels.

This book is definitely not one for anyone who is squeamish, but I loved it!
The intricate backstorys and relationships between the characters create a realistic and intriguing storyline. (Think Hannibal)
Gruesome and fast paced it makes for an excellent pageturner, sucking you in to the plot.
The drama that surrounds the characters alongside the plot make a well padded and exciting read.
A fantastic debut, I'm looking forward to reading more by Nadine Matheson.

A killer is leaving the bodies of victims on DI Anjelica Henley's patch & there's something very familiar about the MO, but it can't possibly be the Jigsaw Killer as Henley put him away 2 years ago.

If you like your police procedural drama fairly graphic with a dark twist & a serial killer or two then you'll love The Jigsaw Man. Feisty yet flawed Henley is a brilliant main character, the supporting cast are great and I hope there's more to come from this team as I'd love them to be explored further, Ramouter & Ezra were two of my favourites.

A fantastic debut, I'm hoping this is just the start in a series.

A body is discovered along the banks of the River Thames, and DI Angelica Henley thinks it is the work of Jigsaw Killer, Peter Olivier. Olivier is in jail so how can it be?

The deaths are gruesome. The writing of Nadine Matheson is fast paced and excellent. A true page turner.

Who is behind the murders? Will she have to face the man she put behind bars to find out who it is copying him? Henley’s private life features a lot in this book. I found that really interesting to. How do you have a married, family life when you are working all hours and how do you switch off once home and with family?

A great debut novel. Will look for more of her work in the future

This was a gruesome, gritty read.
Like other readers, the backstories of the characters was intriguing but lacking explanation in this book. Although, there's definitely room for a prequel!
The crimes were very gory, and you need to be made of stern stuff not to be phased by them!
The title was very clever, multi layered and as the plot developed, the writer seemed to add another layer!
Overall, an enjoyable book.

When body parts start turning up on the banks of the River Thames, Deptford near London, DI Angelica Henley realises that the killings have some similarities with a former case. A case where Henley was almost killed by the perpetrator, Peter Olivier - the Jigsaw Killer - who is now serving life in prison for dismembering his victims. Henley struggles with her first case back in the field after being attacked, along with a new rookie partner, and problems at home and things get worse when Olivier escapes from prison. Is there a copycat killer or has Olivier been pulling the strings all along?

This was the first book I've read from the author and it was a good start. The story line was well-plotted and the main character's backstory was filled in and well-drawn. The scenes of violence were detailed and rather brutal. I did find though, that even with all that was going off, parts of the books did seem to drag at times. I liked it but I didn't love it.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers, HQ, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I would describe The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson as being a whodunnit mystery with dark elements. I found that the majority of the story to be really slow and I almost gave up but I’m glad I didn’t because the last part of the story was brilliant. There were so many enjoyable characters such as DI Henley, DS Stanford, DSI Pellacia, Trainee DC Ramouter, Joanna, Dr Mark Ryan, Dr Linh Choi and DC Eastwood. I absolutely hated Henley’s husband Rob and his mother.

I absolutely loved the ending because there was so many twists and turns. There was one part that truly had me shocked but I’m glad it wasn’t what I thought it was. This was an interesting book with great characters.

I recieved an advanced copy for free, and this is my honest opinion.

As DI Henley returns to the field after a period of office work, she is soon in the thick of a very difficult case. As the body count rises and more gruesome discoveries are made, we learn about DI Henleys past, is she about to become part of this case as she did her last?

Be ready for lots of twists as you get pulled into this one from page one. There’s lots of different characters so be ready to sort out who’s who’s and how they are important in DI Henleys life.
It is very well written, a little gruesome in places, but that’s to be expected with this genre of book.
The author builds the characters well and you grow to care for them as the book continues.
My only negative is that I feel the book was a little long, occasionally stopping and thinking I’ve been reading for a while but those parts could have been condensed a bit. Despite this it was a real page turner and I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
A few bits were a little predictable but there are certainly plenty of surprises!

I would certainly read more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and most importantly the author, for the chance to read this book, in exchange for an honest review.

i absolutely loved this book. i found it extremely gripping to the point where i couldn’t stop reading - i had to find out what happened. it was twist and turns all the way through - i never guess who did it.

thank you to netgalley and hq for the advanced copy of this book.

Body parts are found along the River Thames and DI Henley is put on the case. It seems like the work of the serial killer called the Jigsaw Killer, but it can’t be him, as he is behind bars.
This has all signs of a copycat killer and Henley must move quickly to stop more body parts washing up. She can think of only one person who can help, but dare she ask the man she hoped to never see again - Peter Olivier aka The Jigsaw Man.
This book explodes from the start, and doesn’t stop until its breathtaking end.
An intense, grizzly, heart-racing story, with spine tingling moments, graphic scenes and a no-nonsense main character.
A book is of the highest quality and one hell of a debut novel . Outstanding.

This is definitely not a novel for the faint hearted – dismembered body parts and descriptions of violent, gory crimes are described in detail throughout this book.

But if you can get past that, this is a whopper of a crime novel. Matheson’s debut novel, The Jigsaw Man will have you perched on the very edge of your seat, furiously turning pages to get answers. But the more you read, the darker it gets, the higher the stakes, and the more questions arise.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s so clever, with such a well thought out plot, and it’s clear that Matheson is a criminal lawyer. The details of the investigation and the associated departments involved – forensics and the like – are fleshed out so well, giving the reader a real insight into the details of the case. This is not one of those crime novels where the detective is suddenly ten steps ahead of the reader with no rhyme or reason how they figured something out until they give their dramatic speech to the villain at the end. I felt I was with Henley every step of the way, figuring things out with her and getting drawn deeper and deeper into the plot. That’s not to say this isn’t a clever plot, and there are definitely turns you won’t see coming, there are surprises and cliff hangers at the end of most chapters. But it feels like you can solve this alongside Henley. The only question is can she before the time runs out?

I have seen rumblings that The Jigsaw Man may be the first in a series of novels following DI Henley, and I have to say I hope those rumblings are true. If not, I hope Mathesone carries on writing crime, as this is the first thriller in a long time I have awarded five stars to, and that I still wished I was reading days after I put it down!

Very good debut book. Not for those of a nervous disposition, because there are pretty grisly and gruesome scenes in places. Well written, and with a good pace. Good book to read for those of us who enjoy this genre.

An impressive debut novel by Nadine Matheson that combined gruesome descriptions of murder scenes with a serial killer who was impressive, intimidating and calculated. There was a delicate balance of the police investigation into multiple murders and the personal lives of the police and prison staff that intersected with the killer and his crimes.

There's a clear tease into a follow up book and I will no doubt reading it when it comes out as there are many questions that require answers. Overall a great, fast paced read and I would recommend it without reservation to anyone that loves a serial killer thriller.

When body parts are discovered on the banks of the Thames, DI Henley is called out. The team discover the parts come from two people and Henley is concerned to learn that there is a mark that had been left on the bodies.
This symbol was left by The Jigsaw Killer on his victims, but he’s inside serving a life sentence, so who could be killing these people?
Henley knows she needs to face her fears and visit the man she put in prison and as expected it’s not the best experience for her and her partner.
This is a gripping crime thriller that definitely kept me guessing and the ending was surprising.
A great debut novel.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is the one for you! This book truly lives up to its title. When a copycat killer is on the loose dismembering bodies and leaving them in the style of a previously convicted serial killer, alarm bells ring for DI Angelica Henley from the Serial Crimes Unit. She previously investigated the Jigsaw Killer and this all seems like it has happened before. To be able to solve this case, she must confront the man who almost killed her. But can she solve the case before it's too late?

This was a phenomenal debut novel that left me wanting more, desperate to find out what was going to happen next. It isn't an easy read and is gruesome at points to read. I don't think you can expect much else when there's a jigsaw killer on the loose!

The author equally creates fantastic characters with characters to root for and a great police procedural mystery. It's a twisted, fast-paced journey and one that I enjoyed being taken along for the ride with!

My only dislike was the length of the story, it felt as though it could have been shorter without taking away from the story.

Psychopathic serial killers who delight in maiming and torturing their victims are not a rarity in the world of fiction. They are even more common in this book because it features two examples. Peter Olivier killed and dismembered a series of men who had colluded in his rape when he was in the Army. He used an electronic jigsaw, hence the nickname he acquired. During his arrest he had deliberately, with malice, stabbed DI Henley, who was pregnant at the time.
As the story opens, he is in Belmarsh and she has been on desk duties but has just returned to the front line, working for the Serial Killer Unit – a small, undermanned offshoot of the Met. Pieces of a body have just been found and Henley is appointed as SIO. To assist her, she has a new Trainee DC – a useful literary device for providing an excuse to rehearse the background but he is more than just a spear-carrier. Two other bodies turn up fairly quickly and at least one of these has been branded with a mark used by Olivier and not released to the general public. It seems clear that this new killer is imitating the original, possibly as an homage. However, the original is incensed and starts to devise a scheme to identify and kill the upstart who has stolen his sobriquet. He is charismatic and urbane, easily capable of persuading others to his cause. He is also fixated on Henley, whose team are trying to find a link between the new victims and between any of them and Olivier.
The book is quite well written and the author has a good ear for describing the frequently violent incidents which pepper particularly the second half of the book. Overall, it works well and the conclusion is interesting.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A well-written murder investigation. Matheson's descriptive writing really draws you in, but, I found it too graphic at times. I think I am getting squeamish in my old age. A great book none the less.

I absolutely love a crime fiction / police procedural book and this ticked all of those boxes!

Firstly this had a brilliant and diverse range of characters which was highlighted throughout, especially with DI Henley being a black female Inspector. She’s a woman not to be messed with though despite battling her own personal demons.

This is essentially a story of serial killer vs serial killer so you can expect plenty of gruesome descriptions which might not be for the fainthearted. I personally didn’t mind these parts and thought it added to the intensity of it all and the desperate need to find and stop whoever was doing this.

The police procedure parts were fantastic and really encompassed that feeling that you were right there in the Serial Crimes Unit with them. However my favourite sections of the book were the prison interviews with the Jigsaw Killer, Peter Olivier. They were intense and had a ‘Mindhunter’ vibe about them. The author captured Olivier’s personality so well and every time he spoke it made me nervous.

Whilst this is a debut novel it certainly didn’t feel like it. We get glimpses of the background stories for some of the characters which at times felt like things we should have known from a previous book. I definitely hope there are more books to come featuring DI Henley so we can explore her character a lot more.

Overall this was a really great crime thriller full of equally great characters!