Title: The Jigsaw Man
Author: Nadine Matheson
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5

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?

I enjoyed this novel, although the first half felt very slow to me. Olivier is creepy beyond words, and the crime scene descriptions were a little much for me, but entirely believable. I liked Anjelica, and would definitely read more about her. The reader is solidly in her head and emotions throughout the novel, bringing every detail to life.

Nadine Matheson lives in London. The Jigsaw Man is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Hanover Square Press exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 3/12.)

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

I always love a good serial killer thriller and I knew that I wanted to read The Jigsaw Man as soon as I first read the blurb. The promise of a twisted serial killer as well as a focus on race and discrimination and a black female detective lead was more than enough to tempt me, and I most definitely liked what I found! This is a story that is right up my alley: dark, gritty, gruesome and without doubt a very entertaining crime thriller ride.

The first thing that stands out is the focus on race and discrimination I mentioned as well as the fact that we finally have a black female detective lead. I'm all for diversity and in a way it's strange that we don't see a diverse cast of detective leads and other supporting characters more often; both in race, nationality and beliefs. The Jigsaw Man finally gives us a refreshing point of view, and it was interesting to see the discrimination the different characters have to face both inside the police and during their investigation in general. I found this element to be developed realistically and it really added something extra to the plot. I also really liked how the PTSD element was incorporated into the plot.

The plot itself is well developed, and I love that we have not one, but TWO serial killers in play. It's not a secret that I have a strange obsession with serial killer thrillers and I really feel like I got a two-for-one deal here! It was truly fascinating (and disturbing) to slowly get to know both better, and I liked how each character was incorporated into the plot. The murders are pretty gruesome though, and things can get quite graphic, so The Jigsaw Man is definitely not for those with a weak stomach!

I did think the story could have been a tad shorter, as the pace wasn't always consisent and certain parts started to drag, but as a whole I still had an excellent time with this story. The Jigsaw Man is definitely one of those books that makes it hard to stop reading before you reach the final page! All in all it's an excellent debut and I can't wait to hear more of this author.

I really enjoyed this book! It had me gripped from the very beginning and I was hooked. The story is well-plotted with all storylines weaving together perfectly. The story picks up a lot of pace toward the end and will have your heart pounding right to the last page. I enjoyed learning the back story of the original murders and how they were linked to the recent ones. Again, the pacing of the story was just very well done and made it very readable. I don't usually enjoy short chapters, but these were not bad. I read a lot of books about murders and crimes and this one still managed to stand out for me as an enjoyable read. I loved the characters and there was enough of a side story for Henley that I really connected with her. The villain was also a really believable and good baddie. Thank you!!!

Synopsis: The day that DI Henley returns to active duty, she is called to a crime scene where dismembered body parts from two different victims are found. The MO is similar to that of the notorious Jigsaw killer, Olivier, who is serving a life sentence in a high security prison for several murders. As if having a copycat isn’t bad enough, when Olivier escapes prison, DI Henley is now on the hunt for two serial killers. The body counts rise as the two killers are playing a game of cat and mouse.

My thoughts: I thought that this was a really good book! It took me a bit longer to get through as I’ve started a new job. This book definitely had some twists that I didn’t see coming but there were also a few “twists” that I predicted. I found the book kind of dragged on at times but one thing that I really did love about this book was how real the characters seemed. They had a backstory and a family and their families had their own difficulties.

So, I’m going to start with The Jigsaw Man himself. He’s gruesome, a great villain, and…I never bought into his psychosis. Don’t get me wrong – he’s entertaining as can be! But he’s got like every abnormal psychological condition rolled up in one.

The rest of the book is gold. We have main characters who live and breathe, a truly fascinating spate of murders, and extremely interesting reasons behind everything. Add to that some perilous situations that leave you breathless – well, you just don’t want to put it down.

Fair warning: the book is gruesome! I mean things are sliced and diced and chopped and stabbed and everything else in graphic detail. So if you like a softer mystery, this isn’t for you. But if you can stand the ick, grab it!

Here’s hoping there are more books to come soon!

*ARC via Net Galley

This is one creepy story - complete with dismembered bodies scattered across southeastern London and a charismatic serial killer and police detective locked in a desperate struggle for control of the situation. Other people have compared it to Silence of the lambs, and I can totally see that, though the characters definitely have their own flair - Anjelica is feisty and determined in a way that just will not give in to the fear that Olivier wants her to which frustrates him to no end.

Getting back to the review, lol.

This book was a thrill ride from start to finish. It’s an intriguing mystery locked within this struggle between the two other characters, who are struggling with their past interactions and it creates such a great atmosphere of tension and suspense.

I also really liked Anjelica, I’m glad it seemed like we could be seeing more of her from the ending (?). I’m thinking I would definitely be into that (hint hint!) She was worth rooting for in every sense and she was such a great heroine in that she was both very strong and capable but also very flawed and weak in some areas. It was very emotional in different parts to see her struggling with her PTSD and her relationships. I like that the author treated these issues delicately and brought them to light instead of glossing over them - like she stood down a serial killer and was just fine afterward.

Overall, this book is a great, dark thriller for fans of spooky stories that will have you checking the locks. It is a great debut for a new author to watch!

Are you into fast paced gory thrillers? How about characters that make your skin crawl and others that are so human, you love them but want to shake them at the same time? DI Henley, I’m talking to you …
Debut novelist Nadine Matheson has delivered a page-turning debut novel. A dark & twisted crime novel with “Silence of Lambs” vibes. Alight Miss Matheson, you’ve got my attention. I am so ready for the 2nd book in this series which promises to be a roller coaster!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. The Jigsaw hits shelves March 16, 2021!

Serial killer Peter Olivier is in prison for brutally murdering seven people by cutting their bodies up like puzzle pieces and scattering them around. When a copy cat killer begins running around South London killing at a higher rate than the original serial killer, Anjelica Henley and her trainee, Salim Ramouter must work round the clock find the killer.

The perfect cat mouse chase that will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you looking over your shoulder when you are walking down the street. This novel is disturbing, dark and so good! It is perfect for the crime and whodunit lovers. It reminded me of an episode of Criminal Minds. I loved the characters (even the serial killer) and the plot was outstanding. It is a lot longer than other thrillers or books in this genre but its well worth it. I really hope this isn't the last of Henley and Ramouter!

I absolutely LOVED this book! Fast-paced and intriguing, I flew through The Jigsaw Man's 488 pages like the wind! Anjelica Henley is a Detective Inspector who has caught and imprisoned the infamous serial killer labeled Jigsaw Man. But then, a body shows up by the water, completely dismembered, reminiscent of the Jigsaw Man's victims. But how can it be him when he is in prison? Henley finds herself caught in a game between the serial killer obsessed with her and the copycat killer looking to impress her. I always enjoy a good detective novel, and this one was so good! I truly hope there is a sequel in the works!!

Book: The Jigsaw Man
Author: Nadine Matheson
Rating: 1 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Hanover Square Press, for sending me an ARC.

I was really interested in the concept, but I felt like it was really lacking something in order to keep me fully engaged and interested. This is one of those things were the whole idea sounds really good. I just think it was missing a lot on the execution end. It needed a lot of work on that end. I honestly don’t know what it needed in order to really drive the point home.

This plot is actually very complex and has so many layers. We are following the characters as they try to figure out who has done this horrible crime and who is leaving body parts throughout the city. Yes, that’s right I said body parts. Again, this does sound like an amazing story and it should have been one that I did really enjoy. However, the way it was presented just didn’t do it for me. It felt like the author was just going through the motions of giving us this amazing and strong read, but failed to give us what we really needed. This should have been a heart pondering and gut-wrenching story. Instead, it felt flat and I really felt nothing. I wanted to feel the horrors that the characters were uncovering along with them.

I think that was the major issue I had with this book: the overall lack of emotion. I needed something more to really hit me in the gut and make me feel all of the feelings. I wanted to feel everything that the characters were feeling and that just wasn’t doing it for me. I felt like I was just watching instead of being thrown into the story. If you want to keep me hooked, you have to make me feel something. You have to make me a part of the story. I honestly felt like the author failed to do that in this case.

There was a lot of moving parts in the story and I normally will eat that up. However, again, the lack of emotion and attachment that I felt toward the characters and plot just didn’t do it for me. I needed a reason to keep on reading. I needed to feel something.

Anyway, this was a miss for me and just wasn’t the right book. This book does come out soon-March 16, 2021.

This debut by Matheson had phenomenal writing and was tormentingly suspenseful.

I always love and appreciate a good cat and mouse chase and this truly delivered with an infamous serial killer, a savage copy cat and a strong and compelling heroine in detective Henley! I also enjoyed the usage of the unique and diverse range of characters!

I was fully immersed in the game and I found everything to feel so accurately depicted as Matheson did an exceptional job using her experience as a criminal attorney to generate this feeling.

My only criticism is that I found it to be a little too long (496 pages) due to being extremely detailed oriented and an abundance of background story telling.

All in all, it was an enticingly dark and twisted read and be prepared to buckle up for a gripping and gruesome journey!

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.

What a ride this book takes you on. I was sucked in from the very beginning by the many-layered mystery and couldn't put it down! The characters, one of which is basically London, feel so real. Everyone needs to read this mystery!

DI Anjelica Henley has her hands full for more than one reason. Professionally, she is after a copycat serial killer. Also, she struggles with racism due to her position as a BIPOC Detective Inspector. Furthermore, as she works her current case she clearly sees resemblance to a previous serial killer case. The killer was given the name Jigsaw Killer. He is Peter Oliver and is in prison. However, his signature is being found on recent victims.

As difficult as it is, Anjelica heads to the prison that is holding Oliver to see if he is aware of who the copycat killer could possibly be. Oliver is not taking this lightly. In fact, the danger that surrounds him increases exponentially, especially as he refuses to accept that the limelight surrounding his kills might be taken off of him.

Meanwhile, the deeper Anjelica investigates, the closer she herself comes to danger. Trying to discover the motive for the recent murders is no easy task. Just as it is not easy to discover solid clues as to who the killer could be.

The twists and turns in this book, the plot, the grittiness - well, it all worked remarkably well together to create an incredibly intriguing book. Be aware, there are some very dark and disturbing moments in this book. I also want to note that Nadine Matheson is said to be a debut novelist. She is debuting in this genre, as she has written a previous book. Nonetheless, her entry in this field is definitely a job well-done.

Many thanks to Hanover Square Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

A serial killer and his copycat are locked in a violent game of cat and mouse.

My thoughts

Rating: 5

Would I recommend it? Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes

First off I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher Hanover Square Press-HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada), the author Nadine Matheson , and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it.Wow what a ride of a story , it has everything in that I love in a thriller

a serial killer

a copycat

a jigsaw ( why a jigsaw because its not your typical murder weapon at all, usually its used after the deed is done and yes maybe I do read and watch way to many crime books & shows to know that lol)

a fight to see who comes out on top the between the original one or the copycat, and caught in the middle is the female Detective who has to stop both of them.Another thing I love was the inter action between the detectives as well as how the author wrote her serial killer The Jigsaw man, and how real her characters was , it was non stop from the very start and dark and twist as well the perfect blend of both . I do have to say it could be gory in its descriptions but then again I love having that in my books , because it helps with the creepiness of it.

It looks to be a typical day in the life of DI Anjelica Henley. An argument with her husband, too little time with her son, being late for work, and another dull day at the office. She hasn't worked a case in the field since she was injured, almost killed by a suspect, the Jigsaw Man. She receives a call from her boss telling her not to head to her desk, but rather to an active crime scene. Body parts have been found, and since the Jigsaw Man is behind bars, they might have a copycat killer on the loose.
Not only is DI Anjelica suffering from PTSD, but she is also trying to figure out why this killer has suddenly emerged and if Peter Olivier( the Jigsaw Man) is somehow involved. Did he have an unknown accomplice? DI Anjelica will be thrust headfirst back into her traumatic nightmare when she has to question Peter and put the pieces together between both cases.
Quite a few characters and storylines are introduced. Anjelica's family, her coworkers, the many suspects, and all the people related to the victims. It was a little bit much at times, it almost seemed like a first and second book combined. Besides wanting to learn more about Anjelica, my favorite character was Trainee Detective Salim Ramouter. No one is seemingly immune to a heartbreaking backstory as you will find out.
Now about the Jigsaw Man. He was charismatic with a healthy dose of evil mixed in. I tried to think about him in relation to other serial killer books I have read, and while he didn't grab my complete attention, as say Jurek Walter or Hannibal Lector, it is only the first book. It is going to be a series, right? There is much more to learn about the main characters and I do hope to see them again.

First of all, I’m super pumped to have a new (female!! Black!!!) crime writer to follow. Nadine Matheson is an extremely talented author and I’m excited to see what she comes up with in the future.

Okay. So this book is twisted and GRITTY. If descriptive, dark, serial killer/police procedural novels aren’t your jam, then this is not for you. It’s pretty...macabre. It also seems like it’s the second novel in the series, which it isn’t.

That said, there are some serious clarice/hannibal vibes between Olivier and Henley. This book is atmospheric and suspenseful and had me intrigued up until the end, which was rather...sudden. I’m thinking there must be a second book in the works.

All in all I enjoyed this and I look forward to reading Matheson’s subsequent novels, she’s got a unique and strong voice!!

3.5 stars

Thank you to Hanover Square Press for sending me a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley has a problem. A new series of copycat murders have happened that mimic a perp whom she put behind bars previously. She is also in love with one of her bosses at her police unit, to the concern of her husband. After fending off an attack by the perp, she returns to duty to deal with the copycat killer. The bodies start to pile up and her husband wants her to quit the force. "I want the job and I want my family. It just seems like I can't have both at the moment," she says at one point.

It is a classic situation but artfully told with some great characters and plot points. Even though I am not very familiar with the London locales the story still kept me engaged until the end. For thriller fans I would highly recommend this book.

A very packed crime fiction read. Fans of homicide investigation stories and detectives carrying their own trauma will be drawn to The Jigsaw Man.

I think it's a good story, and the ending certainly sets the reader up for a sequel, if not a series, featuring Detective Anjelica Henley. I wanted to love this book, but there were several distractions that took me out of the story enough times that I ultimately finished reading it just to see what happens, but likely won't continue if it become a series.

First, there are A LOT of names. Every character we meet or hear about is named. I did find this overwhelming and confusing. Not only do we meet all of her coworkers in the serial crime unit, but also the forensics team, and cops from another station when they take a case over. There's the initial set of victims that we learn is linked to a jury, so a dozen more names. Plus, family of the victims. Contacts the killer had while in prison, several guards, witnesses. Then also the detective's extended family. There are just a TON of names. It did open my eyes to what a real detective deals with in a case, but as a reader it was a lot to keep track of and I felt some of that could've been edited out or simplified. I still couldn't tell you what gender several of her team members are because I mixed them up so many times, I gave up trying.

Another distracting element for me was too many side plots that don't really go anywhere and serve as more of a crutch for the main character to make her more complex. I'm not sure it was needed. She has a history with the serial killer and there's a copycat on the loose. That's a lot for her to deal with already, but then we also have chapters about her struggling marriage, a past affair that may or may not be over, and her father is battling depression and no longer leaves or cleans his house. It was a lot of drama for one character, but some of the plot lines were introduced and then left for chapters at a time I'd forget it was an issue until it was re-introduced. I could've done without her dad and brother as they didn't add anything to the main story. The affair was also a little cliche to me with her husband only communicating in ultimatums. I just didn't love these segways and wanted to stick to the action packed, fast paced crime investigation.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.