This had me enthralled from the 1st chapter.

Plenty of twists to keep you interested, sub plots, grisly details, the chemistry between the main detectives, the Scandinavian setting - what’s not to love?

So looking forward to what this author offers next.

Well this book really is a mixed bag. The plot is interesting enough and the way it plays itself out is satisfying to the reader, it is different enough to hold attention. However the first quarter of the book are difficult to follow, the characters keep changing, as does the action, often in the middle of a chapter and the pacing of the narrative is all over the place. Some of the subject matter, child abuse and torture killings, won't be to everyone's taste and I was shocked at the casual racism that crept into the text, not through a racist character but seeping into the narrative. The dynamic between the detectives follows the well worn path of an unlikely pairing though the lone wolf character Hess just needs to communicate more effectively with his partner and things would not be so odd. The translation is clunky at times and the only saving grace is that the chapters are so short you can finish them off before doing something else, perhaps TV writers think more in terms of viewers who apparently have short attention spans and forget that readers can, and wish to sustain more intense experiences in their reading.

Overall the book does have plus points and could with some more judicious editing be a really worthwhile read. I have a feeling this book will divide opinion and will be early 2019 marmite in publishing.

#TheChestnutMan #NetGalley

I really really want to give this book 5 stars as it really did blow me away. It had my pulse racing especially when the crimes were happening and I was truly frightened. Thrillers are my favourite genre and this one surpassed many that I have read.
It is fast paced right from the get go, with action occurring in the first chapter. I was not able to predict the ending and it kept me going eager to finish it. I was not disappointed.

Now the reason I am going to give this 1 star is because of the subtle prejudice in the book towards people of different ethnicities. I am surprised that in such a modern age and advanced information that, and I'm hoping it was done in error, a word such as "Paki" can be used so subtely. I find this completely unacceptable and hope that this can be corrected before this is released. For now I will hold off on putting my review on other sites but will do so unless this is addressed asap. Penguin UK I expect better from you.

This is a very sophisticated thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. There is a fairly gruesome undertone to the story - both the killings and abuse which is a large and sad part of the book. The author wrote the script for the epic tv series "The Killing" and if you like that, you will surely love this!

Officers Thulin and Hess are investigating a number of deaths where chestnut figures are left at the scene that appear to depict the way in which the killings have been carried out. The killer seems to be ahead of the detectives at every turn and the last quarter of the book really ramped up the pace as it headed to a climax.

There were a number of sub-stories that all pulled together perfectly towards the end - I wasn't lying when I said it is a very sophisticated read as I found it very clever.

There are trigger warnings for abuse and horrific murders however not graphic enough to take anything away from the epic story.

I highly recommend this stunning book that kept me eagerly turning the pages to find out if Thulin and Hess would save the day but also to try and figure out just who the heck the killer was!

My thanks to Penguin UK (Michael Joseph) for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this this book. Plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested I never guessed who was committing the murders which is unusual for me and I found the ending exceptional. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

The chestnut man#netgalley
I must admit I was a little dubious to start with, it was only the genre that made me want to read this book. I am so so glad I did, it was gripping with enough twists, that quite often I thought I knew who was the culprit only to it change. To be honest I was surprised in the end, I just didn’t expect the ending far better than I imagined. Really really good book and definitely recommend

Soren Sveistrup is the man behind the runaway successful Danish TV series, The Killing, he has now turned his attention to writing his first Scandi-Noir novel set in Copenhagen. The Chestnut Man carries trademark elements of The Killing, it is part police procedural, part psychological thriller, incorporating politicians whilst giving us social realism in its portrayals and insights into the lives of its diverse range of characters that inhabit the story. It is dark, bleak, and brutal with a serial killer running rampant in the present day. Naia Thulin is a detective in Homicide's Murder Squad led by Nylander, feeling that her workload has barely challenged her abilities, she wants more and has plans to transfer to NC3 (National Cyber Crime Centre). She is a single mother, with a daughter Le. Mark Hess has been pushed out of Europol after issues, and lands in the Murder Squad, not wanting to be there, with every intention of being reinstated in Europol as soon as possible. He is partnered with Thulin, who quickly judges him to be a man that will be of little use, with a reputation for not being much of a detective.

The detectives find themselves on a brutal murder scene where a 37 year old mother, Laura Kjaer, has been horrifically killed with her amputated hand missing, and left at the scene is a chestnut man. A still grieving Rosa Hartung is returning to her post as politician and Minister for Social Affairs in the government after the disappearance of her 12 year old daughter, Kristine, a year ago. Linus Bekker confessed to and is sectioned in a psychiatric facility for her murder, although his memory of the act was poor but evidence suggests the conviction is secure. Rosa is plunged into fresh turmoil when fingerprints on the chestnut man at the murder scene are identified as being that of Kristine. Additionally, Rosa is receiving disturbing death threats. As further murders occur with a similar MO of mothers with children with the signature chestnut men with Kristine's fingerprints, the police struggle to find any leads whilst the serial killer runs rings around them. Hess and Thulin are ordered to ignore the Hartrup connection, despite the fact it seems to be critical to the investigation.

Sveistrup gives us compelling crime fiction with a fascinating partnership between Thulin with her eyes on a future out of the murder squad, and Hess, with a traumatised past with little interest initially in the case. One of the highlights of the novel is the development of their characters and their relationship from such poor initial beginnings. Hess becomes a man obsessed to the point of falling apart, determined to get to the bottom of the heinous murders being committed. None of the Murder Squad are accepting of him and the boss has lined him up as the fall guy as the pressure intensifies on the police. It takes time for Thulin to see Hess as a dedicated and effective detective that challenges the perceptions of the case, dogged in his determination to find the killer and willing to enter forbidden territory, convinced the case is rooted in the past and that Rosa Hartung is central to it. This is a crime thriller that will appeal to fans of Scandi-Noir, a genre defined by its darkness and harrowing murders. Sveistrup has succeeded in making a brilliant chilling debut, compulsive and gripping reading, packed with suspense and tension, and with great characterisation. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

Not my usual genre but this book had me gripped throughout. Will be looking out for more of the same!

In Thulin and Hess we have two very interesting detectives thrown together, by chance, to solve what becomes a series of murders. The story is centred in Copenhagen and we are soon deeply drawn in to a gruesome murder hunt. As with most Scandanavian noir novels bodies pile up as the detectives find themselves continuously outfoxed. The ending when it comes is certainly unexpected and I suspect sets us up for future novels involving this unlikely duo.

Wow! What a book! Absolutely loved it. Gripped from the first page. Couldn’t put it down. Full of twists and turns.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this thrilling book

what a spooky thrilling book this one was to read...so much so that i couldnt put it down as i wanted to know what had happened to everyone....

a missing girl who's body has never been recovered but her case closed with someone jailed for her death
mutilated bodies with their hands and legs cut off, is he guilty of murder or other crimes

and crimes scenes where chestnut characters are found...what do they mean or is there a reason, what could it all signify...


our two detectives have their work cut out for them with everyone breathing down their necks but first they have to get over their dislike of each other

wow what a storyline and one that never got boring just one incident after another and the author kept your attention right to the last page in the book...

this is one author i am going to be keeping an eye out for,

As a fan of The Killing i was really eager to read this book and i am glad to say that i was not disappointed. This is a chilling story and had me gripped from the first to the last page.
A new author for me and a debut book. WOW WOW WOW.
This is another of my favourite books of the year. It is packed to the rafters with tension and suspense and it is certainly a page turner. A fast paced thriller with so more twists and turns and a really nasty serial killer to boot.
This is my kind of book and an easy five stars. I hope that this book is not a one off as i definitely want to read more of this authors work.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and a MUST READ. This story would make a good film or series well i can hope can't I ????
I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin U K- Michael Joseph for the ARC of this book in return for giving an honest review.

This is an amazing piece of writing, filled with a brilliant storyline that twists and turns, excellent characterisation, including a down-at-heel hero, who is an amazing detective, his partner, who has her own frailties, and a villain right out of Silence of the Lambs!

I loved the back stories, the pace, the settings and would recommend this highly to any lover of a fabulous detective story.

Sveistrup is a new must-read for me!

This is my first book of this genre, and I enjoyed it very much. It took a little while to get into but the characters are intruiging and I’m glad I stuck with it.
There were many twists and turns along the way that I didn’t see coming and it kept me gripped to the end.

A superb read. Quite unexpected and I did not see the end at all. Very likeable characters and a super story plot.

This is a chilling story that kept me gripped right to the very end. It is set in Denmark, but it is far from the image of hygge.
It starts when a government minister returns to work the year after her young daughter has gone missing.. Although the child's body has never been found, her murderer has been convicted. The politician tries to throw herself into work to distract herself from her grief, though she is constantly having to deal with tabloid journalists asking questions about how she is coping. In the following days several murders take place, each more horrific than the one before. The country is horrified as the news leaks out that a serial killer is on the loose. The murderer's trademark is that a model of a man made out of chestnuts with matchsticks for arms and legs is found at the scene. The horrific descriptions of the murders.contrasts with the poignant images of family life for the grieving politician and her husband and son. The mundane domestic arrangements, with school pickup being delayed by a father's drinking, show the remaining child feeling neglected as his parents each deal with their own private grief.
The way the detectives work with a forensic scientist to try to find a link between the murdered women, and then try to predict where he might strike next, goes to the heart of the story. In the race against time to stop the killer, The stresses and strains between police officers and politicians leads to more false turns. I didn't guess who the murderer was, or the connection between the victims until the very end.
I would recommend this book, but make sure you've locked your doors before you settle down to read.

Oh my gosh! This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I just couldn't stop reading it. The story was chilling and had me on the edge of my seat eagerly seeing what else was around the corner. I loved the main characters too and thought they were really well developed and interesting. I have my fingers crossed that this is not a one off and is the first in a series of books. Highly, highly recommend!

I’m finding this book difficult to get into. I’m not giving up, it’s a good story and with an interesting,plot.

What a great read!!

This is packed full of tension and suspense and the short, interwoven chapters would make this perfect for a TV series. This writer is excellent at both providing background to the characters and the separate strands of the investigations with the minimum of excess.

The story starts with an historic case and then moves to a murder investigation that is set in the present day. This case links with the abduction and supposed murder of the daughter of a prominent politician when her fingerprints are found on a chestnut man at the crime scene.

There was some overlap of characters from books that follow a similar thread; the determined policewoman with a tragic back story and the lone wolf type investigator who gets the job done by unconventional means, but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the plot line.

The story led in one direction but all the while the reader was aware that a deeper story could emerge and emerge it did. The history of some of the characters was explored and this made for an action packed ending. All the loose ends were tied up which I find satisfying, I would thoroughly recommend.

My thanks to Net Galley and Penguin UK/Michael Joseph for the opportunity to read THE CHESTNUT MAN.
Soren Sveistrup very quickly took me into a very dark place when I read this intriguing novel.. Set in Denmark during the winter, it's easy to become immersed in the atmosphere of gloom and damp which adds to the premise of the story.
Following Naia Thulin as she investigates the case that has more twists and turns than a corkscrew, her meeting with the much maligned Hess, an officer who has been temporarily kicked out of Europol begins a partnership of sorts where each is suspicious of the other, yet turns into one of grudging respect. They're following the trail of The Chestnut Man, a killer of women between 25 and 40 with a child or children, who leaves a doll made from chestnuts at each murder site. Thulin and Hess quickly realise there is a connection, but were is the clue that will lead them to find the person who has been pulling their strings. Child abduction in crime thrillers is not new, but I really liked the way the story played out, and was intrigued by the writing style. I'd like to read more cases with Thulin and Hess. There's always room for another dynamic duo!