This was such an intense and interesting novel. The flow and pacing was perfect; not too fast or slow. Definitely gruesome at times but I absolutely loved it and can't wait to read more in this series.

I started reading The Jigsaw Man with high hopes. It has a super interesting & creepy premise, I heard many raving reviews, and the title is an intriguing factor. Unfortunately, the book didn't capture my attention as I began diving in. I even tried switching to the audiobook and it still didn't do it for me.

When I read mysteries, I like to be reeled in right from the start or at least see myself enjoying the slow burn. For this book, however, it didn't happen.

I hope to pick this up again another time and prove myself wrong, but for the time being, I have to say The Jigsaw Man did not satisfy my thirst for a unique thriller/mystery.

Thank you so much to Hanover Square Press, Nadine Matheson, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Jigsaw Man!

Ooh time goes by and if i don't write the review right away...sigh. I'm trying to be better. The best i can do right now is give a star count...

This was such a chilling pleasure to read. It is so hard to find black authors in the thriller/mystery genre, as well as horror and I am so glad I got a bit of all that from this book. Can't wait to read more from Nadine!

Upon returning to duty with the Serial Crimes Unit, DI Anjelica Henley is faced with a horrific crime scene. Eerily similar to the case that nearly killed her, DI Henley must ask for help from Peter Olivier, the serial killer known as "The Jigsaw Man". Not for the faint-hearted (due to the gruesome killings), this page-turning thriller will hold you in its tense grip until the very end. Surprisingly it wasn't the killers who unnerved me most, it was the faithful pawns who love and follow them no matter what. A great read for crime-mystery thriller fans!

This one seems to be a bit too confusing for me at the moment. I’m having a hard time visualizing the book, which makes me not want to read. DNF for me,

I finally got to this one and I'm so sorry it took me so long. I loved that it was the first book in the series but the main character had so much backstory for the reader to piece together along with the mystery. The crime storyline was interesting and I liked that it mirrored something that happened before we joined the story so some of her past could be fleshed out in a more natural way. Very eager to read the second book in this series and hope there are many more from this author!

Thank you for the ARC netgalley and the publisher.

A serial killer is leaving body parts in various locations but "jigsaw man" Peter Olivier now serving life for murders mirroring these crimes. Do they have the wrong man? or is it a copycat? What is the motive? This novel kept me guessing. It starts with the return of DI Anjelica Henley to the serial killer unit run by DSI Stephen Pellacia who saddles her with the trainee detective (TDC) Salim Ramouter.

I checked the book twice on Goodreads and google to make sure it wasn't the second in a series because there were some situations mentioned in the book that seemed like I should know what was going on. It is a very good book but maybe there should have been a short prequel to explain what happened in the initial investigation of Peter Olivier.

If there is a sequel I will definitely be reading it!

My pet peeve about detective books is present in this one as well. I hate that the spouses of working police officers always want them to quit, in my opinion if you knew they were in that position prior to the marriage they do not have the right to ask them to stop doing what they love.

By turns dark and compelling, occasionally gruesome, Nadine Matheson’s serial killer thriller left me hanging on the proverbial cliff. As a crime, true-crime, and police procedural fan (okay, obsessive is more accurate) I was happily unable to predict the twists and turns. Plus, didn’t feel like I’d already read it before! Result.

The Jigsaw Man is Nadine Matheson's debut and wow did she deliver with a strong book.

Angelica is back on active duty when she is requested to come out to a crime scene. It's a scene that quickly reminds her of the notorious Jigsaw Killer, but he's behind bars. Has been for two years now. So when the infamous killers learns of this copycat, things become even more interesting.

This book is quite brutal and descriptive but also at time reads like a police procedural. It's extremely well written and keeps readers right at the edge of their seat. There is some backstory blended in to help readers get a better understanding of the connection between Angelica and Oliver (Jigsaw Killer).

This book made my skin tingle in the best ways. I loved getting in the mind of a killer and understanding all their nuances. It does get gruesome, so it may not be for the faint of heart.

The author does a great job of balancing all the POVs along with the personal aspects with the technical details. While I felt the book was a bit long in areas, it did not stop me from being held captive the whole time. I like that the author left this book open in the end to more books in the future, but wrapped up this particular story very well.

I am looking forward to what this author brings us next.

DNF @25%
2021; Hanover Square Press/HarperCollins

I tried REALLY hard with this one! I tried the audiobook a few times, and even the ebook. I just could not pay attention to the story. I start off well, but then I get distracted and lose interest. It's too bad as I have heard so many good things.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I love that The Jigsaw Man features a woman detective (and one of color at that, which is something you don’t often see), and I thought the overall story of The Jigsaw Killer and their maybe copycat was really interesting. I read this one quickly, and I’m excited to read the next installment in the series. There are some typical storylines that you often find in books like these, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.

really enjoyed the way Nadine Matheson writes her mystery story, the characters were great and I thought the plot was really well done.

Anjelica Henly is a London Inspector who is just getting back to work after a long hiatus. Her last big case led to her taking down The Jigsaw Killer, and her new case appears to be a copycat serial killer. She needs to prove that she can handle this case, but honestly maybe she can't. It doesn't help that she has to go to The Jigsaw Killer (who actually stabbed her during the arrest) for help, or that her husband is threatening to leave her and take their daughter if she doesn't quit her job.

When this book first came out I was very excited to read it, until I saw people complaining that the concept is unoriginal. To be honest, we've seen this plot before. However, that didn't make me enjoy The Jigsaw Man any less. What really stands out are the unique and diverse characters, any of whom I'd be happy to read another book about. There's Henley having panic attacks because normal people can't just go back to work after a trauma. There's her old partner, gay as fuck and amazingly supportive. There's her new trainee, struggling to reconcile his dreams with his responsibilities. There's the city as a whole, kind of rude and kind of racist and generally not understanding why people of color would WANT to join the police. Everything about this is painfully and beautifully human, and that alone makes it worth the read.

I had started reading this book, but it did not hold my attention. I am sure there are others who will really enjoy the book, however.

This is a really fast-paced police procedural. I liked it but it was a touch too gritty, dark and and gory for me. But I still enjoyed it and moved past a slight squeamishness (my bar is pretty high for squeamish but this one tested me) and I really enjoyed the procedural aspect and the possibility of getting to know the characters more and especially Henley. I stayed up way too late reading this and would recommend with a bit of a trigger warning for yikes graphic violence.

The Jigsaw Man is one of the best beginnings to a new police procedural that I've read so far this year! This book is dark and won't be for every reader - I think the above summary should give you an idea of how dark this book really is. The mystery is compelling though and despite it being a chunkier book I flew through the pages. I just didn't want to set it down. I really enjoyed the fact that the author showed the struggles that Henley had with balancing motherhood and her job. The guilt that she felt at times when her job took her away from her daughter more than she wanted it to. It was something that I definitely could relate to as a mother myself. I found myself racing through this book eager to see how it would all end. And that ending....all I can say without giving anything away is that I NEED the next book in this series ASAP. So good! I cannot emphasize enough how strong I found this beginning to a new detective series to be - it's one that I have been recommending over and over!

Overall, this is an author to watch and a must read for mysteries and thriller lovers like myself. I wouldn't recommend this one though if you cannot handle gore or don't care for darker reads. If you read and enjoyed The Chestnut Man though (I feel like that's a pretty good comparison with how dark this book gets), then definitely get your hands on this one. Highly recommended!

Bottom Line: This book is very likely going to be on my top reads for 2021 - it was that good!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. I ended up reading a print copy from my local library. Honest thoughts are my own.

CW: Attempted rape

Murder! This is more of a crime-mystery than a thriller, so not what I was hoping for in my next read. Maybe I'll revisit it.

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 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 becomes 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 case. I highly anticipate the continuation of her saga in the sequels to this series. A great debut for Nadine Matheson.

First, I want to say I loved reading about an area of London where I don't typically see novels set. This book was chilling all the way through, and I loved the complexity of the main characters- it really showed how imperfect the protagonist of a story can be, while still maintaining likability.
My primary gripe with this book is I felt it was too heavy on the investigation process and could have been 100 pages shorter. I remember getting to page 250 wonder how on earth I was only halfway through. The book picked up around the 40% mark which I was thankful for. Additionally, the way we, as readers, entered the book, it felt as though I were reading the second book in a series. There was an over-familiarity with the characters that confused me- isn't this the first novel in a series? I found myself flipping back a few times thinking there was something I must have missed in an earlier section, maybe a prologue? Since this is the first in the series, I am wondering if perhaps there is a plan to dig deeper into the main character's back story that would make the character setup in book 1 make more sense.
I felt like the story itself was well plotted, a bit slow on the uptake but the last half was really something. While I didn't love this particular book, I would read the next book in the series.