Look at that fabulous cover! I know one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I simply love its simplicity. It's the kind of cover I'm drawn to. And, the best part is that the story is ABSOLUTELY fabulous as well! The Chestnut Man is the very first book I gave a 5-star this year (2019). The combination of a thrilling case with two great detectives, the tough Naia Thulin and burned out investigator Mark Hess who has been ordered to take a break from Europol. They make an excellent team, well not at first, it will take some time for them to get used to each other. However, I can tell you this much, the dynamic duo is now a personal favorite of mine.

As for the story, great pace, intriguing case, and what a fabulous ending! I did suspect the individual behind it all, but I did have some other suspects in mind as well. I liked how it all was resolved and I definitely loved the open ending. I ended this book both hoping for a sequel soon and a TV-series based on this book.

Fantastic read, one of those tomes that is in-depth, weaving a web of intrigue and suspense that is rich in detail and plot.

The fact that The Chestnut Man is the first novel from the writer of The Killing television show piqued my interest enough to read what I was concerned may prove to be just another run of the mill ‘Scandi Noir’ novel. Was The Chestnut Man just trying to cash in on the success of The Snowman? Yes it probably is. And it contains everything I expected it to: abduction, mutilation, murder; but fortunately it is not quite everything I worried it might be, if that makes sense...

Scandi Noir is a much overused term (and boy am I going to overuse it…) and to be fair it is a lazy shorthand for almost any crime novel to come out of northern Europe. It is a stereotype but we do generally get what we expect from this type of novel: we expect it to be dark and extreme, we expect it to be gruesome, we expect exactly what we get but to be fair if the quality of this new ‘genre’ wasn’t almost uniformly high and enjoyable to those who revel in this type of writhing, then the label would not exist.
In many respects, this novel is exactly what you would expect from any Scandi Noir story but the writing is very much of the quality end of the subgenre. However, it suffers from this categorisation too as it is not just what you would expect. The storyline may not be anything experimental or remarkable but it is very well plotted, well-constructed, and well written and translated, with an urgency that draws the reader through each chapter and ultimately through the book to get to the resolution.

But better than that for my sensitive constitution, the descriptions of mutilations (almost a requisite of this genre and which are present here) are stated matter-of-factly without great relish or overemphasis which helps make this a little more palatable.

But beyond even this, a more unusual aspect of this book is that it tackles loss and bereavement in a sensitive way that isn’t a bland, two-dimensional back-story construction or simply a means to an end but is an integral part of this story. And so for those reasons and simply because I really enjoyed it, I am inclined to up the rating a little beyond what I was expecting as it is certainly a notch above much of the competition.

This Scandi noir story had me hooked from the start. The detective Thulin, who investigates the first gruesome murder, is a bit of an enigma in terms of her background and home life. Her assisting officer, Hess, under a cloud for some unknown misdemeanour in his Copenhagen police base, has been banished to help out with Thulin’s investigation as the body count increases. The mystery of the missing girl from one year previously, the daughter of a senior politician, becomes enmeshed in the current investigation. The link is the presence of a chestnut man at the various crime scenes, which coincidentally the missing girl had made each autumn with her friend.
The twists and turns of the investigation are fast faced, and keep the pages turning. I did find the descriptions of the murders very graphic and unsettling, a little bit gruesome for me, so I did not dwell on these.
I found it difficult to connect with the investigating officers, I did not warm to them - but this is not a warm and cosy story.
This did not detract from the excellent writing and clever plotting, and the race to the end of the story was riveting.
My thanks to publisher Penguin and Netgalley for my advance copy.

A dark and chilling story of a hunt for a brutal serial killer.

The Chestnut Man was not what I'm used to when it comes to Scandinavian crime. If you'd read a few, you probably noticed that in addition to the twisty mystery, there's always a lot of focus on how all the gruesomeness and brutality affects people, and how they feel. I didn't get same vibes reading this one, but it was nevertheless a totally addictive thriller, filled with vibrant details. Written by the man who wrote one of my favourite TV series, The Killing, I just knew this will be an outstanding book.

If there's one thing that stands out in this book it's how cinematic it is; there's a lot to "see". Reading this story is quite a visual experience. Snow, vast landscapes, blood, chopped off body parts, there's something for everyone!

Thulin is a stubborn woman, whose aspirations lie in cyber crime. She likes to play by the book, even when it doesn't bring results fast enough. A single mum, he relies a lot on the help of her daughter's honorary grandpa. I found this quite a lovely parallel to The Killing where the detective's son was often looked after by an older lady to whom they were not related.

Hess, the man with the mysterious past is also quite headstrong, but he's way more imaginative and doesn't shy away from questioning his colleague's actions, which obviously doesn't earn him too many brownie points with the team.

To say that Thulin and Hess had clashing personalities would be the understatement of the year. Yet, their differences were just as important in solving the case as their undeniable skills. Their relationship could be summed up as...

Hess: So, I had an idea.
Thulin: Nope.
Hess: But I was thinking -
Thulin: Don't.
Hess: But we could try -
Thulin: Ain't happenin', mate.
Hess: But, how about...?
Thulin: Don't get creative.

Unraveling the twisted mystery surrounding Rosa Hartung's daughter was an absolute delight. How is she connected to the bizarre little chestnut figures popping up on each new crime scene?

A fast paced and gripping thriller, The Chestnut Man will appeal to fans of Nordic Noir with a touch of graphic violence.

Not for the faint of heart, this Scandi noir comes from the writer of the tv series The Killing. With a multiple murder happening within the first few pages you know this is going to be a grizzly journey.

We follow the Danish police as they try to find a sadistic killer dubbed The Chestnut Man, as he leaves a chestnut doll behind at every murder scene. And things get even more interesting when it is discovered the fingerprints on the chestnut dolls belong to a politician's daughter who has been missing, presumed murdered, for over a year.

The pace really picks up about three quarters of the way through and I had no clue who the elusive, murderous Chestnut Man was. And I really enjoyed the character of Hess, who never gives up fighting for the truth or justice even if no one believes him and it will get him into trouble.

I was completely absorbed and unable to pull away from the spell of The Chestnut Man. Simply mesmerizing and action packed, it kept me up late into the night needing to know what happened next.

Definitely a novel for those who don't mind gory serial killer thrillers. There's more than a fair bit of violence and heavy doses of stressful tension. Perfect for those who like Jo Nesbo, Stieg Larsson, Jussi Adler-Olsen and other authors of note in the Scandi Noir realm. It's a cracker!

I don't have a single criticism. The atmosphere, the characters, the complexity of the mystery and the big reveal were all brilliantly depicted. Thulin and Hess were ideal investigating partners balancing each other out nicely. Both flawed and looking to move elsewhere, the murders they investigate have deeper implications than either could know. Great plot that ties up all the strings.

The Chestnut Man is the perfect companion to curl up with in front of the fire and fully enjoy a cold winter's night in. 2019 may be the return of Scandinavian thrillers for me. Hooray!

It is so long since I have read a book of this genre, but the author is also the same guy who wrote the TV series The Killing, so I am thinking 'its sure to be good, right?" RIGHT! If you like your crime novels to be gruesome and confronting with terrific pace and a few twists and turns along the way, then this book will not disappoint.

I suspect we have not seen the last of the 2 main detectives, they definitely have a stand-alone sequel or prequel in them that I would be keen to read. Interested to see what Soren comes up with next...

I was lucky enough to be given a pre-published copy of this book by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Just finished this exciting read which I have to say is not for the faint-hearted - there are some quite graphic scenes. The book is well written with rounded characters and a well constructed plot which keeps the reader guessing all the way through. I understand this is Soren Sveistrup's debut novel although he was a scriptwriter on The Killing. This novel would transfer well to the screen. I thoroughly recommend this book as a good read and hope that Hess and Thurin reappear in a future novel - the start of a series perhaps?
Many thanks to Netgalley/Soren Sveistrup/Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own..

Wow, if this is the debut novel, I cannot wait for more! The story kicks off with a quick flashback to 30 years ago and then moves straight to the present day with the discovery of murdered woman. One of her hands has been sawn off and taken, and above her hangs a small doll made of chestnuts and matchsticks. The case is assigned to Detective Naia Thulin who is keen to leave the murder team and transfer to the fast moving computer and cyber crime department. To her dismay she is partnered with Mark Hess, a Danish Europol officer who has been sent back to his old office whilst complaints against him are discussed. The usual leads and suspects are followed up until a strange piece of evidence is discovered, linking this murder to the year old disappearance of the daughter Social Affairs minister Rosa Hartung. The problem is that someone is already locked up for this and has confessed to the death of the girl. Matters become even stranger when a second woman is killed with another little chestnut man on display. Soon the detectives are racing against the clock to find not only the murderer of these woman but also a link to Rosa's daughter and a possible false murder conviction. This is a very well written book and the pace is relentless with characters which were well described and rounded. It seemed quite a long book but no words are wasted - each chapter brings something new to the story right up to the shocking ending and thrilling conclusion. I eagerly await more from this author.

This story opens with a gruesome murder of a young woman and hanging above her is a doll made from chestnuts. Young detective Naia Thulin and her partner Mark Hess, who has been kicked out of Europol, are assigned to the case and, whilst neither of them really likes the other, they bring out the best in each other and work well together, both are determined to crack the case. When it is discovered that on the chestnut man is a fingerprint of a young girl that went missing a year earlier, presumed dead, it opens up a new avenue to the investigation that neither of them expected but are now even more determined to find the killer, especially when another body is discovered with another chestnut man, are they linked to the missing girl?

This book is the debut novel of this author, who also wrote the very successful Danish tv series, The Killing and I can see his books being equally successful. The story is very gruesome and definitely not for the squeamish. It is full of twists and turns and just when you think you've figured out who the killer is the author throws in a curveball and sends you off in another direction completely. It is set in two timelines, past and present and you do need to concentrate during the first 30% of the book as it jumps backwards and forwards between different narratives which makes it hard to understand whose narration you are reading, this becomes more structured as you go through the book.

I really enjoyed this story and the ending was totally unexpected. I would highly recommend it and can see it being big during 2019. I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for the approval and will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads and share on Twitter.

I was send an uncorrected proof copy of The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup to read and review by NetGalley.
I was eager to read this novel after reading the comments in the blurb and how highly most reviewers rated it, unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The story is very involved, which is good, but in fact at times it could be quite confusing - although I don’t know whether the confusion was due to the fact that I was reading an uncorrected proof or not. This issue arose for me because sometimes a paragraph or sometimes even a sentence immediately changed to a completely different scenario with absolutely no indication of this transition. The story itself seemed also to be written in two very differing styles, at one moment captivating you in a traditional storytelling way but then changing to a much more documentary style when informing the reader of more background type of information or procedures. I personally didn’t find this very satisfactory and wonder whether it is partly down to the translation as I have experienced this in some other novels. There are areas of the book that I found quite gripping and there are some good twists and turns but I’m afraid I couldn’t take to the explanations around the edge of the story; I just found them tedious and quite impassively written. I know that I am in the minority with this review but I feel that this could have been a really good engrossing book had it been written in a rather more cohesive way.

I found this to be an excellent book. I thought it was going to be a typical Scandi Noir novel but it turned out to be far better than many . There were many unexpected twists to the story and a totally surprising killer revealed at the end .

Last year at this time we were all talking about The Chalk Man, but this year it is going to be all about The Chestnut Man. Written by Søren Sveistrup, the creator of the TV drama The Killing, this is a fast paced, dark and disturbing crime thriller. The narration focuses on Rosa Hartung who as just returned to work a year after her daughter went missing, presumed murdered; Naia Thulin who is part of the murder squad; and Mark Hess, seconded to the murder squad after an incident at Europol. These three narratives give different perspectives to the murder investigation, and the hunt for the killer.

The Chestnut Man grabs your attention from the first chapter and draws you in. Disturbing and grisly at times, this book has so many twists and turns it makes you dizzy, and keeps you guessing. Interestingly, the two people on the case, Thulin and Hess, have an unconventional relationship. Neither want to work with each other or be on the case. Thulin is waiting for a transfer to another department, and Hess is waiting for his imminent return to Europol. They spend most of the time investigating the murders separately, bringing different ideas to light, but ultimately their different styles compliment each other. I really enjoyed their different relationship, it added to the suspense and gave a different dimension to the story.

There is no doubt of Søren Sveistrup’s credentials as a crime writer, but this is his first novel, and hopefully not his last. I found this a deliciously dark and disturbing read at times, and I was totally engrossed in the plot and the characters. This is certainly action packed, with what seem disparate story lines coming together to what I felt was shocking and thrilling conclusion. My only complaint would be that the narration jumps around quite a bit so you are not quite sure whose narrative you are reading. I think this could be due to the fact that this is a translated text, and as the saying goes somethings to get lost in translation.

I found The Chestnut Man to be an intelligent, gripping and immersive read; I read seventy percent in one day as I had to know how it ended. The combination of crime thriller, domestic fiction and interesting characters draw you in and make this such a sensationally sinister read. I am going to predict that The Chestnut Man will be a bestseller in 2019, deliciously dark and disturbing, I loved it

A page turning thriller which kept me reading. Up there with the best of Scandi Noir. Memorable characters and a great hook with the Chestnut Men.

What an excellent book The Chestnut Man is. If you like books with bloody and violent killings then this is the book for you. I thought I knew who the killer was quite early but Søren Sveistrup had me fooled.

Do believe the hype. This was a fantastic thriller. I enjoyed every minute of it and while I didn't want it to end, I couldn't put it down. A perfectly paced page-turner. Kept me guessing until the final reveal and still gave more. Quite chilling but not overly graphic or gory. I really liked that all of the characters had a purpose and weren't there as obvious red herrings. And I really hope we will get to see more of Hess and Thulin in future novels. I feel that Søren Sveistrup is about to be the next big thing in Scandi Noir.

Not 5 stars as some bits of the translation seemed off to me.

This is a brilliant crime book, with grisly but intriguing murders that have you wondering what little bit of a clue will be coming along next. Tension is high the characters well rounded and interesting to read. A scandi-crime book well worth a read on these cold winter nights

Great characters, so good to have a lead woman who didn't do dumb things just for plot progression coupled with a convincingly damaged and irritating (in a good plot way) lead man.
Twisty plot meant I just had to keep reading a bit more. A thriller like this always tempts the reader to guess what will happen next and how it will all be resolved, pleased to report the book has many surprises and kept me guessing to the end. Scandi crime has another must read author. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin for providing me with this free ARC.

This modern thriller provides plenty of tension and fear as the Chestnut Man commits a series of gruesome murders.
Sveistrup engages the reader through the involvement of the detective, Thulin, whose personal life is busy and complicated, worsened by the necessity of working with an apparent reject from Europol. This relationship adds to the interest and is a way of providing clues throughout the course of the inquiry.
The involvement of a high profile Minister adds to the mystery as it now appears the Minister's daughter, believed to have mysteriously disappeared in the past, may still be alive.
On several occasions Sveistrup successfully puts a spanner in the works just as the reader feels s/he has the answer, thereby making this quite compulsive reading.
To be recommended for fans of modern detective thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) for this copy in exchange for an honest review.