“A heart-pounding roller coaster ride.”—Tami Hoag, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The BoyA Crime Reads Most Anticipated Book of 2021A serial killer and his copycat are locked in a violent game of cat and mouse. Can DI Anjelica Henley stop them before it’s too late?On the day she returns to active duty with the Serial Crimes Unit, Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley is called to a crime … late?
On the day she returns to active duty with the Serial Crimes Unit, Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley is called to a crime scene. Dismembered body parts from two victims have been found by the river.
The modus operandi bears a striking resemblance to Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer, who has spent the past two years behind bars. When he learns that someone is co-opting his grisly signature—the arrangement of victims’ limbs in puzzle-piece shapes—he decides to take matters into his own hands.
As the body count rises, DI Anjelica Henley is faced with an unspeakable new threat. Can she apprehend the copycat killer before Olivier finds a way to get to him first? Or will she herself become the next victim?
Drawing on her experience as a criminal attorney, debut novelist Nadine Matheson delivers the page-turning crime novel of the year. Taut, vivid and addictively sinister, The Jigsaw Man will leave you breathless until the very last page.
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I love a good cat and mouse between a detective and a killer, and Nadine Matheson’s thriller debut The Jigsaw Man fits the bill. The relationship between DI Henley and Peter Olivier is perfectly creepy–not to mention Olivier’s freaky copycat slaughtering his way through London. From the shocking opening to the explosive ending, I couldn’t look away. The chilling storyline, intense characters, vivid prose, and unflinching crime scenes make Matheson the heir apparent to Mo Hayder and Thomas Harris. Smashing.
When I read that this book takes place in the area of London that my daughter used to live, when she was a Nanny, I was immediately intrigued.
The Jigsaw Man was an intriguing read that had me coming back, night after night, to find out more. You know right up front who the JigSaw Killer is – and he’s as twisted as you would expect, and turns out, he doesn’t like that there’s a copycat out there, using his methods.
There are a lot of games being played within the pages of this story and you’re never raeally sure how it’s going to turn out. Anjelica Henley is an imperfect woman with a life that falls apart around her. I think she’s one of my favorite characters that I’ve read in a long time.
If you like crime reads, if you like puzzles and complicatd characters, you’re going to enjoy this story!
Holy Cow!!!! Holy Cow!!! That’s all I can say!!!!! Wo!! I do not give in detail reviews; I think it sometimes is too much for the review process. You will just have to take my word for it! Wow!
DI Anjelica Henley has had a rough few years, with her marriage on shaky ground, a toddler daughter and recovering from serious wounds – both mental and physical – which she sustained capturing the infamous Jigsaw Killer. While outwardly normal and calm, Henley is barely keeping everything together. So when a copycat killer is leaving dismembered body pieces in highly public places all over London, Henley and her colleagues are drawn back into a psychological game they thought was long over.
I’m often a bit hit or miss with “psycho killer is helping the police – or is he?” style of stories. It’s such a delicate balance to my mind between having your bad guy actually be a bad guy (and not an anti-hero, which is a different thing for me) but also making sure your villain doesn’t appear to be a cartoon character or overdrawn. It’s incredibly hard and that thin line is different for so many readers, and thus a lot of various books out there fall short of the mark for me. I was delighted that – from my perspective at least – this book delivered on many levels and I am already eagerly anticipating hopefully a next book.
I think a large part of this books success for me was much of the story focused closely in on Henley. I loved how her character was flawed – deeply, in a few respects – but Anjelica was trying so hard to keep everything together just as so many women nowadays are. Keeping numerous balls up in the air – husband, child, career, mental health, her own personal happiness – all the while struggling with some serious emotional baggage and well-deserved fears I found her character to be both incredibly relatable but also someone I could hold a deep empathy for. I was particularly pleased that many of her actions weren’t necessarily the “right” choices. I found it deeply relatable but also quite difficult to read about her denial about her mental health and how she managed to juggle these various aspects of her life. While Anjelica thought she did both of these things successfully I wasn’t so sold and this made gripping reading for me. Thankfully, while I didn’t agree with all of her choices, at no time did I feel she was being outrageous or blindly stupid. The author did an amazing job to my mind in showing the reader why Anjelica was making her various choices and how they might not be the “right” thing they were the best decision for her in the moment.
I also was delightfully frustrated but in awe of how well the author doled out the backstory – and particularly the information related to Peter Olivier – the serial killer Anjelica and her coworkers incarcerated a few years previously. Indeed I think much of my enjoyment of this story was learning about Olivier – and what, exactly, was going on – in a slow, drip-feed style of manner. There was no massive info-dump early on, explaining the scene or letting the reader in on the machinations of what was occurring. And while a few times I was frustrated that I had no idea of some of the aspects of the past related to the case, it’s closure and exactly how everyone came to be in the situation they were, the author was exceptional in slowing fleshing out that history as it became relevant to the current circumstances. For a debut book I feel this was handled masterfully and while I’m not sure it will be every readers cup of tea (it really was annoying at times to know I was missing pieces of the puzzle – heh – and having to wait for the author to give it to me rather than having everything up front) it also kept the tension, pace and eagerness for me to continue reading really high. This could easily be a story readers devour in a sitting or two mainly because the urge to discover what’s going on, to solve the puzzle and get those answers was huge. This was a page turner in many respects.
Finally, I really enjoyed how the plot itself was fairly simple the story as a whole was so much greater than that. The way the characters – Henley’s colleagues at the Serious Crime Unit in particular – all interacted and how all the moving parts of the story wove together. This book was refreshing and different but familiar enough I didn’t feel out of my depth. In particular Olivier’s character – even though he’s nowhere near as prominent in the story as Anjelica and her team mates – were all handled exceptionally well and I am really hoping there’s not a big lag before the next book comes out. This story doesn’t end on a cliff hanger as such – the plot is rounded out nicely, but Henley does make a large and serious personal decision in the last few pages of the story. It’s obviously the set up for the next book, and I am deeply intrigued how the author will handle it.
Readers who like a gritty, complex and character-driven mystery story should find this as wonderful as I did. I am eager for more stories from this author.
4.5/5
Holy moly! Everyone stop what you are doing and buy The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson, ESPECIALLY if you love police procedurals. Not only is this a debut, but it is also very gritty, detailed, and immersive. It is very heavy on the procedural aspect, so if you aren’t a fan of those this might not be the book for you. I happen to love them, and Matheson really gets down and dirty with it. This is not for the squeamish and I would compare it to reading a Karin Slaughter novel when it comes to gore. It was a very gruesome read but not done gratuitously and it really fit with the story. I loved Matheson’s writing straight away, and I am still shocked over the fact that this is a debut which is why I keep saying it. It is very complex with lots of moving parts, and the ending blew me away.
The audiobook is also a star, narrated by Davine Henry. She did such an incredible job narrating and is exactly how I would have expected Henley to sound. She has only narrated two other books which I couldn’t see myself reading, so I hope she will choose to narrate the rest of this series and other books to come. Since this is book one of a series (like I said), we also get to know our main character Henley pretty well. She is a great female lead and it sounds to me like we will be digging deeper into her story in books to come. The serial killer aspect was absolutely terrifying, and while this is a slower burn overall, it definitely has its moments. I actually saw Matheson during a virtual author event and from that moment knew I need to own and read The Jigsaw Man. I was not disappointed in the slightest and I can’t wait to see what book two will bring!
Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley caught Peter Olivier, aka The Jigsaw Man, 2 years earlier, but not before he injured her. She has been on desk duty after suffering PTSD s as a result. But now, dismembered bodies are being found around London, and Anjelica fears that someone is copying the heinous acts of The Jigsaw Man. Anjelica has to come to terms with her fears and anxiety of the Jigsaw Man to solve this case.
I loved Anjelica, and how she is a flawed character. I loved the uncertainty of the ending and can’t wait for the next installment. This novel is not for the faint hearted as it is a bit gory at times, but I really enjoyed it.
Classic crime thriller mystery, brilliantly strong female lead. Starts with a series of body parts turning up and the thrills and chills keep on coming after that. Amazing pacing, the pages turn themselves, and a really satisfying ending. Recommended if you like Robert Galbraith, Angela Marsons or Caroline Mitchell.
From the title I knew this one going to be a gruesome one, the details of the body parts really gruesome, got me winced a lot yet I keep reading, there’s a copycat killer, there’s a real serial killer escaped from prison, and both has personal interest to one of the detectives that handle this case. Oh yeah it’s complicated, entertaining and definitely a page-turner.
Another part that I love is the personal stories of the detectives. Yup it’s just so heartbreaking, it’s all stressfull wether it’s at work or at home, makes me admire them all.
Although at the beginning it felt like there’s previous book that I need to read, with so many pasts that I’m trying to understand, when I got through it all, I really enjoyed and liked it and definitely recommend this book to all suspense readers.
***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***
What a wonderful debut crime thriller from Nadine Matheson!
Anjelica Henley is the lead in this book and she turned out to be every bit as bad ass as I hoped she would. She’s a DI, in a field that’s male dominated. She knows what she’s doing and she doesn’t take crap from anyone who tries to toss it her way. She’s smart and witty, quick on her feet and trusts her instincts. Her first case back from light duty is a murder investigation. On top of trying to solve the mystery surrounding two dismembered bodies, she’s been tasked with overseeing Ramouter, one of the newest detectives.
There were a number of things that I enjoyed with this story. Anjelica is one hell of a female character. She’s been through a lot, both in her career and personally, but she’s still passionate about the work she does and dedicated to figuring out who is behind these killings. She definitely has PTSD from the last case she worked, but that doesn’t stop her from pushing forward. Matheson did a good job of weaving the PTSD into the story and it felt very realistic as I was reading. I found her to be relatable as a character as well. She struggles to find a balance between being a mom and wife and being a detective, which I think is something many women encounter in their own lives, regardless of career path.
I enjoyed the camaraderie between Anjelica and the others on her unit as well. You could tell they worked together for a while and knew each there well. Even Ramouter began to fit in as the story unfolded.
And the story itself — so good! I appreciated the detail Matheson used, in describing the surroundings and with all the aspects of the case. It’s clear that the author drew on her own experience as a criminal lawyer, and this only made things more enjoyable for me as a reader.
Matheson touches on current societal issues in the book as well. Racism is one of those issues, which Angelica experiences as a black woman.
The only reason I gave this one 4-4.5 stars versus 5 is because I think parts could have been pared down a little and shortened. However, this didn’t detract from the story and I still enjoyed reading the book overall.
If you enjoy crime focused thrillers, this is the book for you.
Four stars to this novel!
THE JIGSAW MAN (An Inspector Anjelica Henley Thriller Book #1) by Nadine Matheson is the first book is a new British police procedural thriller series featuring DI Anjelica Henley and the members of the Serial Crime Unit.
Body parts are found on the banks of the River Thames.
DI Anjelica Henley has been on desk duty since her return to the SCU. The body parts found are eerily similar to the last investigation she worked so she is tasked with the lead on this investigation. The Jigsaw Killer, Peter Olivier is in prison serving a life sentence. Is this a copycat or has he found a someone else to carry on his legacy?
Henley is still dealing emotionally with her last confrontation with the Jigsaw Killer as she investigates this new case. When he escapes from prison, Henley and the other members of the SCU must work to capture not one, but two serial killers as the number of body parts continues to grow and the Jigsaw Killer focuses on his revenge.
This is a dark, gritty and violent serial killer thriller that at times is graphic enough to send chills down your spine and I could not put it down. With every twist and turn of this intricate plot, I was surprised. DI Anjelica Henley is a protagonist that was completely focused on her job and finding justice for the crime victims, but her personal life is very messy. Peter Olivier, the Jigsaw Killer is brilliant and terrifying and I liked that there is a question mark surrounding his demise. All the members of her SCU team are fully fleshed and I am looking forward to reading how Ms. Matheson continues to use them in future investigations.
I highly recommend this serial killer thriller and I am looking forward to more books in this series!
First of all, this was a debut novel and I could tell because of its length and the slow pace at the beginning. Fortunately, the pace picked up as the mystery evolved and more bodies appeared, but I was almost ready to quit reading at some points. The main characters are interesting and add to the story line because of their own personal quirks and backstories. Inspector Anjelica Henley is married and goes into the field to solve multiple murders while her husband Rob is a stay-at-home dad. Her trainee, Ramouter, was the most engaging character to me because he was intuitive and sensitive to Henley’s mood swings and needs. The plot revolves around a copycat serial killer who leaves body parts along the Thames River, much like the imprisoned Olivier had done. There is a backstory to Henley and Olivier and that plays a large part in the story but it isn’t introduced until well along in the plot. This book is a police procedural and a crime thriller. I must say that the gory crime scenes were absolutely revolting at times, again a reason that I almost put the book aside. There were, in fact, some scenes that I skipped over because of the gruesome descriptions which were just too awful to read. I enjoyed parts of the book and may read the second in the series, but I wish the book were shorter and think that it could have been without all of the unnecessary gory descriptions and extra plot twists that seemed to circle back on each other.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
A puzzling procedural that is quite disarming.
THE JIGSAW MAN the first in the Inspector Anjelica Henley Series has definitely earned its place as one of the most anticipated books of 2021.
Thrown into a crime scene with dismembered body parts from 2 different victims on her first day back to active duty, Detective Anjelica Henley has a lot on her plate. It seems this crime resembles the same MO as Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer who arranged is victims limbs in puzzle-piece shapes. When Olivier, who has spent the past 2 years in jail finds out that someone is using his signature, he decides to take matters into his own hands. As the bodies continue to appear, Detective Henley is faced with an odd twist to this new case, can she capture this copycat before Olivier can find a way to get to him first?
This book was extremely well written when it comes to police procedurals, proving that Matheson’s experience as a criminal attorney really paid off. It starts right off with the finding of body parts, and then once you get a little back-story the narrative turns to the gruesome and becomes quite a page turning read. If you like the dark and disturbing (fans of Lars Kepler and Chris Carter take note) you will really love this one. There are tons of twists that will keep you guessing and Matheson’s writing will truly keep you engrossed and turning the pages. The main character Anjelica Henley is well written and her backstory alone keeps you interested in her quest to solve this one. I highly anticipate the continuation of her saga in the sequels to this series. A great debut for Nadine Matheson.
This was certainly a page turner! We meet DI Henley wrestling with panic attacks, her husband wanting her to quit her job and now a serial killer. It was violent and a little gruesome at times. It was a good crime novel. I enjoyed the story!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
Have you ever watched a movie or TV show about a serial killer and been on the edge of your seat the entire time?
Yeah, me too, and reading this book was the same way. Though the author was new to me and this was he debut book I was hesitant at first. However, once I got into the book I could not put it down. It kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.
The writer pulled me in with her descriptive tone and it made me feel as though I was walking through each crime scene.
She also gave me chills with her descriptions of the shady underground world of London and brought so much darkness to life.
Our lead detective was on point and I liked how she was able to survive and do her job even though she was suffering from PTSD.
Overall a bone-chilling, creepy, i\get under your skin kind of thriller. I could see this book coming to life on my TV screen or a movie screen.
The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson is a marvellous, exciting contemporary crime murder suspense. It was totally gripping and consumed me from the start.
The novel concerns a copycat killer who grabs both the readers and the police’s attention. Nadine Matheson has very cleverly constructed and executed her plotline. It was intricate and well thought out. I completely lost myself within the novel – getting up in the morning believing I needed to check the progress on the Jigsaw Man! I had convinced myself the case was real!
I found the characters within the law enforcement to be realistic and likable. The leading lady was thorough in her job and tenacious as she kept going in spite of suffering from PTSD. The scene where she dissolved into tears made her easy to relate to.
There was an eclectic mix of shady characters as the London underworld came to life.
The descriptive narrative enabled the reader to ‘walk’ through some rather gruesome crime scenes as well as the murky docklands.
I am hoping that this book is just the first in a series following Inspector Henley and her team as I feel there are more crimes out there for them to solve.
Nadine Matheson is a new name to me and I think she will be big in crime fiction. I certainly cannot wait to read more by her.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
A seriously solid debut thriller. Looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next. Will most definitely be adding her to my watch list!
For fans of gritty, gruesome serial killer books … check this one out.
Thank you #netgalley, #HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) and #hanoversquarepress for the earc.
Nadine Matheson knows how to grab her reader’s attention from the opening page and doesn’t let go. THE JIGSAW MAN is smart, deftly plotted, and expertly paced, filled with characters you’ll love, and others who’ll make your skin crawl (and read with the lights on!). With a tale that’s dark, devious and deliciously twisted, Matheson brings a fresh new voice to crime fiction that I can’t wait to hear more from.