Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC of The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup.

Copenhagen is being terrorized by a psychopathic killer who is brutalizing women. His calling card? A stout man made of chestnuts, but the real intrigue comes when a fingerprint on those men are one of a little girl who was abducted years ago. A girl belonging to the Minister of Copenhagen.

I have a serious problem that I'm truly ashamed of. It's why I struggled with the Dragon Tattoo series, and also why I don't read a lot of fantasy. I have a tough time with names. Remembering a culturally familiar name to me is hard enough, but when I'm not used to them, it's like my brain just cannot compute. It's terrible.

Having said that, I had to initially work hard on this novel, switching between audio and ebook in order to keep everyone straight. BUT, once I was pretty firm in my who's who, I was all in. This is a great crime novel, the characters were excellent and the plot was thick and intriguing.

The Chestnut Man begins in 1989. A police officer doing a simple check walks in on a massacre. Flash forward and mother's are being killed and mutilated. What do the two have in common? That's what keeps you reading. I have to say that the killer was not a big surprise. The clues led right to him, so the reveal wasn't a twist at all. Finding out the backstory was the whole point. For a book as long as it is, there was very little true character development. I don't feel I know Hess well as I should. I know a lot about ridiculously obscure Danish Parliament. I guess that's something. In the end, I do want to see Thulin and Hess again.

I did not care for the book. I could never really get into the book. I tried to read the book several times. Other people may enjoy it, I'm not one of them.

If you are looking for a page turning thriller, look no further. This was a wild and crazy ride that you can’t put down. I would recommend this to anyone looking for their next must read thriller! While the book is long you don’t really realize how long it is because you are so into the storyline!

This debut novel by Soren Sveistrup, a well known screen writer starts off at a rather slow pace. Before long, the story starts to gallup along weaving the different plot lines together. For fans of Nordic fiction this is one not to be missed. A good, albeit violent, and entertaining read.

A spellbinding tale. difficult to put down. This is a wonderful read that 'I will promote and use for Reader's Advisory for many years to come.

Rating: ★★★★☆+

Synopsis

The heart-pounding debut from the creator of the hit Scandinavian television show The Killing.

If you find one, he’s already found you.

A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen.

His calling card is a “chestnut man”—a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts—which he leaves at each bloody crime scene.

Examining the dolls, forensics makes a shocking discovery—a fingerprint belonging to a young girl, a government minister’s daughter who had been kidnapped and murdered a year ago.

A tragic coincidence—or something more twisted?

To save innocent lives, a pair of detectives must put aside their differences to piece together the Chestnut Man’s gruesome clues.

Because it’s clear that the madman is on a mission that is far from over.

And no one is safe.

Review

Thanks to HarperAudio and the author for an LC of The Chestnut Man in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this listening copy did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

If it isn’t obvious, based on my reading criteria, that requesting the audio for this one was a no-brainer, then you haven’t been following my blog closely enough. This debut, alongside North’s The Whisper Man, were two (2) titles I had high up on my TBR since their announcement as I have come to LOVE mystery thrillers over the past couple of years, thanks in part to CJ Tudor’s The Chalk Man and Stephen King’s Mr. Mercedes.

The Chestnut Man is another must-add thriller alongside Michaelides’ The Silent Patient, North’s The Whisper Man, and Tudor’s The Hiding Place that cements 2019 as the ‘Year of the Thriller’. Bloody addicting, ferociously gripping, and knowingly relentless. This is exactly what I desire in a thriller and Sveistrup absolutely delivers.

Knowing Sveistrup was the creator of ‘The Killing’ and that this was his debut novel, I had a few (albeit tiny) reservations about jumping into this book with both feet. I have been let down enough times in the past be it a director, screenwriter, etc. and have come to wonder if it is just name alone that sells books and brings in rave reviews. Well, having finished The Chestnut Man, I can tell you that if you have the same reservations, throw those things in the trash and light them on fire. There is no need to hesitate going out and purchasing a copy of this novel for yourself.

First off, the opening chapter is breath-takingly terrifying and is an automatic “well I have to read chapter 2 now” guarantee. How can you not love when a thriller opens with brutal violence, murder, and an air of mystery? On top of that, the way the author begins introducing the cast of characters, giving us glimpses into their everyday lives on top of the reality they are set in, really feels like the setting of a TV drama. You can see where episodes end and others begin; cliffhangers leaving you wanting to flip to the next page late at night. Chapters are broken up between different characters, showing the overarching mystery from several POVs and even giving us eyes into the department and behind those of the suspects. It all works together so well.

This book sort of reminded me of the show Broadchurch with David Tenant and Olivia Colman (Anna Gunn replaced Colman on the US version called ‘Gracepoint’). Everyone is a suspect. Every object at a crime scene is a clue. It is almost impossible to figure out who the culprit is until the very end (unless you are super intuitive, which I am not). I loved the show, so that may have helped me love this book even more than others.

All in all, if you need another thriller in your life, this is an easy purchase. If you enjoyed any of the above referenced thrillers (The Silent Patient, The Whisper Man, or The Hiding Place), do yourself a favor and grab a copy of The Chestnut Man. Just don’t come crying to me if you scream the next time you walk by a kid’s craft table and see one of these little men staring back.

Wow what an incredibly engrossing and amazing book The Chestnut Man was! The characters, attention to details, and the plot were all so well done. Thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the twists and turns were simply riveting.

Definitely had me hooked from the start but I just had a little trouble keeping the characters straight. Some names too similar I think. But I loved everything else about it!

Thank You to NetGalley and Harper Collins and the author for the digital ARC I received in exchange for a candid review.

The beginning is extremely violent and the murders continue along this graphic line. The story is page turning and gruesome as expected for a suspense crime novel. I didn’t find any part obvious, although the ending did feel a bit conventional and seemed to be never ending. I feel like the explanation of why the killer committed each murder would have created more suspense throughout the novel rather than at the end. It seemed anticlimactic at that point.

Having said that, I did love the plot of the story and the twist to who the Chestnut Man was. I enjoyed the detective’s stories and how the author went through the problem solving for the different elements of the story. Overall, it was still a good story.

"Scary" books can be hard for me to get through sometimes, as I don't like reading anything too scary alone at night (which is when I do most of my reading), but I simply couldn't put down The Chestnut Man! Read this book!

Boy oh boy this was a good one! Super short chapters immediately draw you into the very fast pace of this story. Each chapter is under two minutes (according to my Kindle and my slow reading) yet the author is able to dig in deep and build really solid characters and never leave the reader behind during the lightning speed of the very intricate plot. You like a fast paced read and a sadistic serial killer? You will not be disappointed with this one.

A serial killer is on the hunt in Copenhagen. Leaving behind a chestnut man as his calling card, the killer marks their presence at gruesome crime scenes. These tiny dolls made from matchsticks and two chestnuts could hold the key to a much older disappearance. A lone fingerprint rests at the bottom of each doll belonging to a young girl, a government minister’s daughter, who was kidnapped a year earlier. The girl was believed to have been murdered, but her body was never found.

Detective Thulin has been paired with Hess, a detective recently suspended from Europol, to find out who is behind these killings. Who is the Chestnut Man and where will he strike next?

I’m keeping my synopsis short and sparse for THE CHESTNUT MAN because I think it’s best to go into this book fairly blind. I say fairly because I know for most it will be hard to agree to read a 500+ page book without a hint of what is going to happen. I urge you to trust me on this one and pick up a copy of THE CHESTNUT MAN quickly!

Last year this book hit shelves in the UK and I was mesmerized by all of the fantastic reviews bloggers were putting out. It was in my cart to order from Book Depository several times. When I heard it was finally coming to the US I knew I needed to beg, plead, and cry for a copy. The book gods answered and I was not once disappointed while reading this beast!

Sveistrup chooses to open THE CHESTNUT MAN with a compelling and gruesome event from the past. The reader instantly knows that this event is somehow tied to the crimes that are happening in present day, but the link is puzzling. Each victim and crime scene, as well as the detective’s moves are methodically plotted out for the reader. There isn’t one bit of information given that doesn’t play a part in making this book work. That being said, the pacing isn’t breakneck for a book being marketed as a thriller. It is however true to its roots as a book I would classify as Nordic Noir.

Helping to keep the plot continuously moving along are the main detective duo of Thulin and Hess. These two are an odd couple match-up. They have completely different backgrounds and different ambitions, but at the end of the day they both want to do what is best for the victims. I loved how they each shined individually, as well as working together.

THE CHESTNUT MAN is dark, twisted, gritty, and intensely atmospheric. Your attention will be grabbed from the opening pages and you’ll find yourself up late into the night chasing a serial killer. You’ll be guessing at every possible motive and suspect only to be swept away in an ending made for TV. This book isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s perfect for diehard crime fiction and Nordic Noir fans who enjoy intricate and complex police procedural stories.

This is one of the best thriller I have read in a long time. Its fast pace and will keep you guessing until the very end. The ending was shook me. filled with twist & turns, I promise you won't want to miss this one. I highly recommend.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I did not care much for The Chestnut Man. I read police procedural and crime novels often, but something about this one bothered me. I read some and skimmed some, but I didn't like what I did read. I found this story disturbing, and it's definitely not for me.

A current Danish murder is entwined with an earlier closed case by a child’s Chestnut Man.

Almost a year ago, a girl named Kristine disappeared. Her mother, Rosa, is high up in Danish politics. Police find a mentally ill man who confesses to the crime and is quickly convicted. However, Kristine’s body is never found.

In the present day, Laura is killed in a graphically violent way on a local playground. Suspicion immediately falls on her live-in boyfriend. Out of town for the day, his alibi is thin. If their relationship was perfect, why had Laura changed all the house’s locks while he was gone without telling him? Her autistic son can’t help explain and he was the only witness inside the family. However, when a Chestnut Man is found at the scene of Laura’s murder with the partial fingerprint of Kristine, the investigating detectives, Thulin and Hess, decide to dig into the earlier case too.

This enthralling police procedural contains a complex and challenging mystery. Despite the rather graphic murder scenes, it is not the typical dark Nordic Noir. I adored this twisty book. It is perfect for armchair detectives who want to challenge themselves.

Even though it is over 500 pages, I was disappointed when it ended. Now I guess I will have to watch The Killing on Netflix by the same author and pray for a sequel. 5 stars!

Thanks to Harper Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Whoa...this book was so dark, brutal, gory...fantastic...

I have been wanting to get ahold of this book for a loooong time. I finally got lucky enough to get a copy. I must admit I was a bit intimidated when I discovered it was over 500 pages and that it was a police procedural. Trust me, none of that matters. The chapters were short and I flew through them. I found the tension building as I raced through them. I am not a fan of police procedurals but this had such a intriguing blurb that I had to dig in and yes it was addictive.

The crimes are not for the faint of heart. I found myself almost wanting to cover my eyes and peek at the pages, it was that gory. Yet what did I expect? This is a flipping serial killer that is into some weird games. He leaves his calling card at each scene...a handmade chestnut man. Yet the tiny chestnut dudes all have something in common. They all have the fingerprints of a victim that has been thought to be dead for a good year. Hmmm...is she alive or did she make these before she was brutally murdered?

I was all over the place with my suspicions as to whom might be "the chestnut man" as the killer was justly named by the media. We follow along with the team of detectives and they were just as much in the dark as I was as to who this twisted psychopath was.

I loved the ending and dare I say I predict there may be a sequel? Do I dare say the author left an opening for yet another twisted book? I really thought this was going to be just "too much for me" when I started it. Yet, it was like a bad accident, I just could not look away. I got caught up in the story and I had to know.........who is the chestnut man?

From comments, I expected serious gore, even splatterpunk. But although it has gore (and certain revelations later on that may be psychological triggers), it wasn't nearly as extreme as I expected or as the reader's hook seemed to indicate. A plethora of character building and evolution (and devolution) and an enormously twisted mystery provided quite the entertainment and kept me in suspense throughout. This is fine Scandinavian Noir indeed.

From the writer of the TV series “The Killing” comes a debut that’s a twisty good read from start to finish. Sveistrup takes us on a romp that is not for the feint of heart. There is more than one gruesome scene, that at times made me cringe. With a rock solid plot and an excellent set of characters this book drew me in and kept me riveted until the final page. From that final page it looks like we will be seeing more of Thulin and Hess in the future. I’m hoping for much more!!

A thrilling murder/mystery that takes place in Denmark. A serial killer is leaving chestnut men at the scenes of his crimes- little dolls made of matchsticks and chestnuts. A fingerprint on the dolls ties them to a closed case involving the disappearance of a young girl. The twists and turns of the plot keep you guessing and entertained up until the very end.