WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! OMG! OMG! OMG! Nadine Matheson is back with another unputdownable, completely absorbing crime thriller. I loved everything about this book. After the success of the Jigsaw Man, I was really looking forward to getting lost in these pages and let me tell you it certainly did not disappoint. All the characters are amazing and I love the relationship between Angelica Henley and her DC Salim Ramouter, they bounce off each other and I am so happy Salim decides to stay in London working for the SCU. They definitely had a very puzzling case to solve and I loved going along for the ride with them. The plot ranges from exorcisms, murder, jealousy, love and madness, but it flows nicely with plenty of tension, suspense and some really dark twisted characters. Huge congratulations Nadine Matheson, you have written another bestseller and I am so happy I was approved to read the ARC. I loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved it.

This was an engrossing thriller with some very strong characters, I do actually wish I’d read the previous book as I think a lot of the character storylines carry on from that so I did feel as though I didn’t fully understand the full complexities of the team but it didn’t stop me enjoying this. The story was very original with victims suffering horrific torture and the added dimension of a less than trustworthy church and its followers added great suspicion. The dual crime dimension was good especially when political influence was thrown into the mix and it was well balanced with the teams own lives and worries. There’s a fantastic focus on mental health in this which I’m very approving of abd it’s good to see reluctance to engage too as it’s not always straightforward. Overall this was a great crime and the perpetrators were surprising but good.

Having read the first book from this series I was keen to get my hands on this one and it didn’t disappoint, the binding room is a fast and thrilling read. The characters are even more likable and relatable in this book. It can definitely be read as a stand alone but to get the most out the characters reading from the jigsaw man is the best bet. Can’t wait for the next

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of The Binding Room, the second novel to feature DI Anjelica Henley of the Met’s Serial Crimes Unit.

Henley and the team are called out to the fatal stabbing of a local pastor, Caleb Annan, in his church. Further investigation of the building reveals a hidden room with a young man tied to the bed and close to death. Then a body is found with the same torture marks as the young man and suddenly the team have two murders and a serious assault to investigate.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Binding Room, which is an engrossing read with a good mystery at its heart and plenty of twists and turns. It is mainly told from Henley’s point of view with a few inserts from the victims’ experiences and the odd switch of focus to other team members. I like one main narrative as it allows the reader to get stuck into the story and focus on events without distraction and this does the job admirably. I found it a difficult novel to put down.

The author has a good style of writing, drawing the reader in with the initial discoveries and a lively line in dialogue. There is plenty of reference to the previous novel and the trauma they experienced, so I would recommend reading the novels in order, maybe in short order because, although I have read The Jigsaw Man I have no memory of it, so the references passed me by and it was slightly annoying because there are so many.

It isn’t long before the team separate Caleb’s murder from the torture victims, so they are running two enquiries at the one time. There is plenty of twists and a fair amount of misdirection, so, no, I didn’t guess any of the perpetrators’ identities, but can rest on my laurels for guessing some of the other elements. I do like a well concealed murderer as it holds the interest.

I like the characters in this series and the author gets the balance just right between the investigations and the team’s more personal dramas. This latter adds personality to the characters and makes it easier to identify with them.

The Binding Room is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Great story with lots of twists leaving you wondering who is to blame, are everyone as you think they should be and who is telling the truth....

Nadine Matheson has done it again!

What an outstanding read! Fantastic storyline which grips you from the very first paragraph and holds you tight until the last. I simply couldn´t put this one down. I thought the Jigsaw Man was outstanding, but this surpasses it by a mile!

I love the main character Henley, but in all honesty, all of her team have their equal share of limelight.

The storyline is full of twists and turns, keeping you guessing right to the end, and you will never guess who the culprit is...... :)

Can´t recommend this book enough to be honest, can´t wait for the next one.

My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

A well respected pastor is found murdered in his church. The SCU led by Detective Anjelika Hanley are called in to investigate. While searching the church Hanley finds a hidden closet and a young man barely hanging on to life; it's obvious he's been held against his will and has been tortured. The ensuing investigation reveals that the pastor, Caleb Annan, wasn't as respectable as he seemed. Hanley and the team also discover further victims with the same injuries as the young man discovered in the church and they soon realise that someone involved with Annan's church was performing "exorcisms" on vulnerable people.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Nadine Matheson's first book, The Jigsaw Man, and this sequel certainly didn't disappoint. A great read from start to finish.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

If you start to read this book, you will be consumed! It is very cleverly constructed and well written. DI Angelique Henley is called to the murder in his church of the pastor of a non- conformist church he has created. In another room, the police discover a young man bound, gagged and physically abused. That triggers a connection with other bodies that have a connection to this pastor and his church. It emerges that the church finances are dodgy and he is accused of attacking women. Then there is a missing baby. Henley and DC Ramouter lead the investigation despite both having personal issues needing to be resolved. Gradually more information is revealed leading the reader to an exciting and riveting conclusion. Within the text also, issues about race and gender are dealt with. This is a really good read. I strongly recommend it.

An excellent read. I found it difficult to put down. The story is compelling and the characters well developed and interesting. This is the second book with detective Hanley and I thought about whether the Jigsaw Man should be read first and yes, I think it should. That is not to say that The Binding Room is not a stand alone book but I think more will be gained from the characters if more is known about them. The book hints at the past of the main characters and knowing what that is was a bonus. So if you can wait to read Jigsaw Man first do so, it will just improve the read for this one. I cannot wait for the third book to come out. Highly recommend.

I found this book utterly brilliant. Tension filled and breath holding, I was reading faster and faster to find out the end result, and I was not disappointed. Loved it.

Nadine Matheson’s The Binding Room is the follow up to the hugely enjoyable The Jigsaw Man and it is another excellent crime thriller with great characters, excellent pacing and a storyline that has numerous twists and turns.

Definitely a book for crime readers.

DI Anjelica Henley of the Serial Crime Unit (a small, underfunded part of the Met) is called to the site of a frenzied stabbing in the Deptford ‘branch’ of The Church of Annan the Prophet. The body is that of Caleb Annan, the founder and pastor of the church. There is no reason to think this is a serial killing, but the Met is short staffed and Henley and her partner, DC Salim Ramouter, have been drafted in to cover. Caleb is a well known figure in the community and his death will be a major press story. Searching the rest of the building, Henley and Ramouter discover a locked room in which they find a young man, bound, starved, beaten, tortured, unconscious and close to death. The two crimes must be linked, because the pastor must have known about the prisoner, but how and why? Is the pastor’s upmarket wife involved? While they try to answer these questions the body of a young woman is discovered, with no obvious connections to the first crimes; except that she is in an identical state to the young man with the exception of the ‘close to death’ part. So there could be a serial killer after all, with the clues pointing to Exorcisms that have been too enthusiastic. Henley’s full team swing into action and we embark on a full police procedural story.
This is the second book (often said to be the hardest book to write) featuring Henley and the SCU and it displays characteristics of the first, particularly in the detailed descriptions of torture, death and anatomy. Ramouter, who was a solid character but also (perhaps) a plot device to enable Henley to speak to the reader, is given more depth and a stronger back story, and the rest of the unit are also better characterised. Henley has a lot of personal issues particularly with her baby daughter, her husband, her (sometime lover and) boss Superintendent Pellacia, and flashbacks to the assault she experienced in the previous book. Although it is always good to see that police characters have wider lives than just following procedure, I felt that too much space was devoted to this aspect. As regards the plot, it is quite twisted but not very difficult to unravel. As regards the writing, it is generally good and conversational sections ring true. Overall, not a challenge intellectually but entertaining as an easy read.
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.

The talented Queen herself, Nadine Matheson, is back with a gripping new instalment to her DI Henley series and what a story this one turned out to be!


If you haven’t already read “The Jigsaw Man” go and get yourself a copy in readiness for this new Summer release! This new edition to the series is likely to be a cover you see across many social media platforms this Summer and for a good reason too!


In comparing the two stories from the series so far, overall, I personally loved this one more. Although it wasn’t as gruesome and as gory as the first (which most of you know I really love), the sub-plot and character storylines were much more wholesome, and I really felt invested in where this series was going to go in the future.


My one guilty pleasure with this series, is that I can’t help but route for Pellacia (If you know you know ;) no spoilers here) and I often wonder what Matheson has planned for us readers with his character storyline.


There is something special about Henley and her working relationship with Ezra, Stanford, Ramouter and Eastie. It just works, really works! I for one cannot wait to read more and I am already wishing I had more of this series to binge read.


Multiple deaths with a complicated plot, but easy to follow and well explained when it came to the big twisty reveal at the end.


If the next instalment in this series has just as much character development and plot integration as this one, but has the same level of gruesomeness, edge of your seat reading as in “The Jigsaw Man”, I think that combination would be pretty hard to beat!


This series is perfect for fans of M.J. Arlidge and Helen Fields.


4.5 Stars – Highly Recommended Series Read!


Publication Date: 7th July 2022


Thank you to #NetGalley, #HQ and #NadineMatheson for an ARC of #TheBindingRoom in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a previous book in this series and am familiar with the characters and the sense of mutual support that comes through the story. I felt that it would be difficult to read as a stand alone book as there are many references to past history.
It is a complex story with several threads running though which need careful unraveling as it reaches the conclusion. The police personnel and their colleagues complete their case while dealing with personal issues. These are still unresolved leading the reader to assume that more will follow.
I enjoyed and recommend the book

Wow! Wow! Wow! What a sequel. I thought the first book with DI Anjelica Henley was good but this is fantastic. I couldn’t put it down. A pastor is found murdered in his church but s much more sinister discovery is made in another room. Then other bodies turn up that show signs of exorcisms having taken place. Ramouter is still having problems with the health of his wife. Will he return up north? Henley would love him to stay. Will Pellacia and Henley get together? This would make a fabulous tv series. I certainly hope there are more to come

My thoughts about Nadine Matheson’s The Binding Room i can’t help but share how phenomenal this is for me. It amazes me how intelligent some writers are. The storyline was arranged like I was involved in solving the crime. The ending gave me goosebumps and was thrilled at the same time. The characters were convincing. Nadine Matheson’s The Binding Room is a treat to read. One hell of a climax, totally intriguing, perfectly plotted. The end will make you feel the punch straight to your heart. Author Nadine Matheson delivers yet another masterpiece which will blow your mind, and the return of DI Henley is brilliant. The story of Nadine Matheson’s The Binding Room begins with The Serial Crimes Unit are called in to investigate when a local pastor is found stabbed to death. As DI Henley assesses the crime scene, she discovers a hidden door that conceals a room set up for torture and bound to the bed in the middle of the room is the body of a man. When another body is found, also tied down, Henley realises there’s someone out there torturing innocent people and leaving them for dead. But why. There’s nothing that connects the victims. They didn’t know each other. Their paths never crossed. But someone has targeted them, and it’s up to Henley and the SCU to stop them before they find another binding room. Nadine Matheson’s The Binding Room has full of twists and turns and keeps the reader working at the puzzle until the end. I would like to say a big thank you to Author Nadine Matheson, Publishers HQ Stories and Netgally, for kindly giving me a chance to read and review this brilliant thriller ive enjoyed reading. If you are a fan of solving crimes , thrillers and twisted plot of stories then read this breathtaking thriller. I highly recommend it.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥💥💥