The Jigsaw Man is a must read! This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat and is guaranteed to leave you checking under the bed before you fall asleep.

When body parts start to surface in Greenwich Pier during the early morning hours, Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley and the SCU know they have their work cut out for them. As the investigation begins into the brutal murders of the first two victims, Detective Inspector Henley starts to identify the unsettling similarities between these murders and those of Peter Oliver, better known as The Jigsaw Killer.

Oliver, currently serving time in a high security prison can’t possibly be responsible for the dismembered bodies, or could he? Is Oliver continuing to terror Greenwich from Belmarsh Prison, or is there a copycat on the loose?

This book will not disappoint. One of the best thrillers I have read this year. I especially love the fact that we can continue to follow Inspector Anjelica Henley in this new crime series for what I hope is several more books to come. (YES!!!!)

Thank you Net Galley and Hanover Square Press for allowing me to read this ARC.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A darkly complex serial killer thriller filled with a gruesome series of crimes, a compelling investigation, and a fabulously plotted game of cat-and-mouse.

When reading crime fiction, there is a general formula most authors follow. However, those who excel in this genre, take what the reader expects and makes it so much more. In THE JIGSAW MAN, Matheson cultivates a landscape of murder, mind games, and depravity in a manner that can’t help pull you in.

I will admit, it has been a while since I have invested in a new DCI. However, with Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley and the Serial Crimes Unit, something clicked. The way the author brings in the characters and begins to reveal their personal stories made the backdrop of the murders more interesting to me. By showing the humanity, vulnerability, and flaws of those investigating these horrendous crimes, allows the grit and evil of the murders to shine through.

From the opening of this book, I knew I was in for one hell of a ride. What I didn’t expect was to become completely addicted to this dark and at times, macabre thriller. This tale is not for those faint of heart, but if you are a crime junkie, jump in with both feet. I cannot wait to see what happens next because that ending left me to want so much more!

As I got swept away into this novel, I thought I was watching a Criminal Minds episode. The author is able to mix just the right amount of gore and serial killer mind games to feel like you're in the middle of a popular crime show. In fact, I was so swept up into the story I didn't bother trying to figure out who the culprit was, I just followed where the author was leading me. If you're looking for a fast-paced crime novel and aren't deterred by slightly disturbing content, I highly recommend this book.

Thank goodness this is the first in a series, as the story wasn't fully wrapped up and I'm excited to see what the future has in story for Inspector Anjelica Henley.

The Jigsaw Man follows Inspector Hanley, just coming off leave from being brutally victimized by The Jigsaw Killer into a series of scattered body parts. The crimes bear similar markings that The Jigsaw Killer left behind as his signature card on his victims. The story moved slow at times as it gave glimpses into Hanley's life as well as that of her new rookie partner Ramotour. I'm not aware if this being a part of a series, if there are any books prior or after scheduled. It seems there possibly could be as I felt a bit lost when certain characters were mentioned or discussed. It appears that Inspector Hanley had an affair with another Detective who is now her superior. It seems her marriage is falling apart, her husband does not like that she is an Inspector but he married her knowing this was her career. The Jigsaw Man was consulted on this new case and he picks up immediately what they signify. He ends up escaping to exact revenge upon the copycat as well as Hanley. He finds the killer before the Inspector does and commits damage upon her, her lover and ends up getting lost in the wind. The ending of the story was unsatisfactory for me, and I need to verify of another is planning to be released. Too many loose ends in this book to warrant higher than 3 stars for me. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this publication in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.

For fans of; Silence of the Lambs, M.J. Arlidge books, and cat and mouse games, this is the book for you! I absolutely love police procedural books, and this debut novel did not disappoint. It was SO dark and twisted, at times it reminded me of some Nordic Noir reads. This book instantly starts of with a bang and had me hooked right away.
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D.I. Henley thought today was like any other day, until she got a call to report to a crime scene. Henley hasn't been in the field for awhile and there is a reason for that, so for her to have to report to a crime scene it must be serious. My, oh my, Henley(or me) did not expect to be dealing with this first thing in the morning. Body parts have been found scattered all over, and instantly Henley is reminded of why she isn't in the field. Is there a copycat? Why does this scene seem so familiar? Unfortunately for Henley, the only way to solve this case, is to confront her past. You see, Henley caught the famous Jigsaw Killer but the question now is, can she catch the copycat? Like damn, this was so gritty, and gruesome at times and everything I look for in a crime fiction novel. To make it even better, I absolutely loved all the characters in this one, even the Jigsaw killer🤣 I was a big fan of him(typical, I know)

A female detective Angelica Hanley. Body parts turn up leaving clues that a serial killer is on the loose, but that’s not the end of the story. Instead that is just the beginning because the serial killer has a copycat! This is such a unique take on the serial-killer-sub-genre-of-killer-thrillers and I LOOOOOVVED IT! I love thrillers in general, but The Jigsaw Man holds a special place in my heart because it kept me guessing, utilized dark humor, and serves readers with some smart, crafty, unapologetic villains.

Each character has depth and complexities which author Nadine Matheson is able to highlight through their backstories from the detective to the serial killer she helped put away. We see the pain and anxiety of Hanley to the mission of Oliver as someone new takes the streets intent on spilling more blood and raising the stakes even higher!

The pacing is perfect for this London borne nightmare and the darkness…right up this reviewer’s alley!

I give The Jigsaw Man ✨✨✨✨✨ (5 Stars)!!

Nadine Matheson did a great job! This was a spooky ride! I loved it! I look forward to reading more from this one.

DI Henley is just returning back to a full work load when she gets a call about body parts scattered all around the river. When more parts show up belonging to someone else, it all seems like the last case she worked. Peter Olivier is behind bars and there is no way this could be him, but who could he be working with? Then Olivier escapes from prison and now there are two killers on the loose. Will Henley and her team be able to catch both killers, or be part of the prey?

Thank you to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I love stories about female detectives serving justice, especially when it's a woman of color. But this story started a little slow for me. It was hard for me to want to pick up this book. I read about ten pages a day until I got a little over half way through and the story began to pick up.

I think that this is the beginning of a series, so if that is the case, I will continue to read the books. This book took me over a week to read, which is unusual for me. I'm not sure what made me not like this book as much as I wanted to. One thing that I was really disappointed about was that there was the storyline of an affair in the book. This woman of color survived almost being killed, she is a mother, a wife, and a high ranking officer. Throwing that in took away from her integrity which I don't think was necessary for this story.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller, Procedural

Anjelica Henley is a detective and has finally come back to work after a horrific ending to a case. But what she isn't quite expecting is her first case back to be almost an exact replica of the case that sent her packing in the first place.

Henley also has a new partner to contend with, a husband who is less than stellar at understanding her job and what it does for her, a boss whom she can't quite seem to let go of, and a psychopathic killer who is obsessed with her.

Henley is complex, but she is also somewhat of a limp noodle when it comes to her personal life. I wish that she were written to have more of a backbone when it came to her husband, whom I absolutely hated. Henley also has good working relationships, but also a side man whom she can't quite seem to shake. Does she love him? Does she love her husband? I would have preferred her to be stronger when it came to telling her husband to take a hike.

Peter Olivier is a fantastic, complex, creepy killer. I loved how this character was written. He was icky without being over the top. Olivier is smart, cunning, and patient. Those are his best attributes. But he's also obsessional and likes to take revenge.

Within this story is a lot going on. New characters, hints at what was before, a game of cat and mouse between two killers and the police, as well as glimpses of the officers' personal lives. And while I enjoyed this story, it was SO DENSE that I almost had to stop reading. There was A LOT of detail, a lot of dialogue, and a lot of description. I think this would have rated higher for me had it not been so long. However, I am looking forward to more from Henley. I want to see if the author resolves Henley's issues, because there are a lot.

Triggers: Stalking, Murder, Cheating

The cover of this one drew me in but the story made me continue to reading it. I couldn't get enough of this page turner.

Well, I’m just going to say I do not think this book is getting the credit that it deserves (thank you to @netgalley for my ARC). I found it to be the most unique crime fiction story I’ve read in quite some time. It has all the qualities that keep us coming back for dark, British detective story telling. The Jigsaw Man has complex characters, layered mystery, & strong procedural elements that only the British are able to do from across the pond. I love the protagonist Detective Inspector, Anjelica Henley—she’s a passionate, black female police professional though unlike her male colleagues she has to contend with also fulfilling her role as wife and mother. Throughout the novel, there are subtle aspects of racism noted in the novel, which lends to a modern perspective in crime fiction. The premise of Matheson's debut involve a serial killer that almost stabbed her to death before being convicted; however DI Henley & The Jigsaw Man meet again when a copycat killer begins torturing London. Suspensefully plotted, this is British crime drama at its finest. The author’s expertise as a criminal

My new girl crush Is Detective Inspector Angelica Henley who makes me swoon on nearly every page. A dark, grim tale of an imprisoned serial killer and a copycat dismembering bodies is not my favorite topic but reading this crime book was startlingly engrossing and I can’t wait for tv series. A smart, intelligent, assertive detective way ahead of her colleagues.? Oh yes, give me more please.

I wanted to like this book, but I gave up about 30% in. It seemed like every cop in this book had an issue at home. I really am tired of reading about the poor detective who has issue sat home and how it affects work. For once, I would like to read a police procedural where the cops are happy. I also felt like I was missing some serious back story, but this is the first book in a series.

This was such a fun, dark detective thriller. I don't generally love detective focused thrillers, but when I do read them I want them to be dark and gritty. I essentially compare to and look for the the vibe of the tv show The Killing and if it's got that, I'm happy! From the start of the first chapter, the vibe was dark and atmospheric and I was engaged in the mystery and the characters from beginning to end. It was definitely GRAPHIC too so TW.

I LOVE detective series books and this one is looking like it's going to be great. The Jigsaw Man is a riveting story staring Anjelica Henley as the lead detective. There is a copycat killer, demons from Henley's past, and plot twists all over.

Henley is a strong female lead which I love! The book itself was fast-paced and easy to read. I couldn't put it down because the story kept me coming back for more. There is a lot of blood and gore and the descriptions are gruesome, leaving little to the imagination.

I actually enjoyed the procedural aspect to this novel. Sometimes in novels with a lot of police jargon and descriptions, I get bored and tend to glaze over those portions, but the way this is written is interesting and weaves well into the story.

The cliff-hanger ending means there will be another installment and I'm excited to see where the next book leads.

This book held promise. It is the type of book that I usually read. In the beginning, I was hooked. What an opening first chapter. People in various locations find body parts. My interest stayed for about six chapters in. Then my interest left me for this book.

This is because it moved at a very slow, slow pace. It seemed there was more talking then progression with the story. In fact, I have to admit that despite me trying to stick with this book that I actually jumped forward to the last several chapters of the book. Now, this is where the pacing was much better and I was very interested again in what I was reading. If the overall vibe of the story was like the beginning and ending mixed together; my feelings would have changed about this book.

The Jigsaw Man is a serial killer who uses a jigsaw and other items while doing the murders. He is caught and put in jail. There's a copycat killer! This angers the jigsaw man.
Our main protagonist Henley is a DI in this British police procedural book. Because of the mode of killing, you can be sure this is a gruesome book. Many people die. There are several suspects and potential victims. I had to pause at times because of the tension with body parts strewn around. No surprising twists for me.
This is the first in a series, so the characters in the Serial Crimes Unit have known each other for years. The hardcover has 496 pages. Hopefully there will be more books in this series so that we can have some questions answered.

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!

A serial killer thriller set in South London. The best part of this novel is the vivid details that take you down on the river bank and through the gritty streets of that neighborhood. It is a British police procedural and there were slang words, technical terms and acronyms I didn't understand. Other than that, it's a pretty good read.