DI Anjelica Henley works for the Serial Crimes Unit and she finds herself leading an investigation into a serial killer whose modus operandi is strikingly similar to that of Peter Olivier, aka The Jigsaw Killer. Peter Oliver received that particular nickname because he quite liked to dismember his victims.

Olivier is already serving time behind bars after being caught by Henley, but now it looks as though she might need Olivier's help, if she is to track down the copycat killer. But it isn’t as easy or as straightforward as copycat killer types usually are, it’s fast-paced, quite edgy and definitely keeps the interest.

I loved this book. Great characters love or hate them. Plenty of twists and turns. Can’t wait to read more!

Enjoyed this book. Great example of a police procedural, twists turns and found myself holding my breath onto the next page...

Peter Olivier is the notorious Jigsaw Killer but he has been in prison for two years when dismembered bodies bearing his distinctive hallmarks start to be discovered around London. Inspector Anjelica Henley was the person to put him behind bars but only after he attacked and seriously injured her. So, when the new serial killer emerges, Henley is the obvious person to be assigned to the case. Throughout the book, Henley must wrestle with multiple forces: her mental trauma after the attack, the possibility that she may have to meet her attacker again, the stress of investigating a new case, the responsibility of working with a new partner, and the pressure of being apart from her husband and child so much because of her job.

Written by Nadine Matheson, a criminal defense lawyer based in London, the book is incredibly well written, is fast paced and gritty, and is very complex with fascinating characters as well as well-developed secondary characters. It's all the more impressive that it's Matheson's debut and, as it's the first in a series, I can't wait to read more.

What an amazing read. It had me gripped from the start and I didn't want to stop. I look forward to reading more

Enjoyed this book. Read in one sitting. Well written page turner.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. This was an excellent read.
Thoroughly recommended

This was a very good police procedural story. Lots of action, tension and twists and turns. that kept me absorbed throughout.

This book is superb. If you love a dark, gruesome plot then you'll love this outstanding crime debut.

I was gripped from the start and it kept me reading late into the night.

Henley is a flawed, determined DI who puts work before anything else. She's a great character.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. Look forward to the next one.

A tense, gripping and page-turning book with a wonderfully flawed protagonist. I can’t wait for the next in the series. Definitely recommend and have bought the audiobook for my mum!

The Jigsaw Man's main protagonist; Anjelica Henley, is very similar to Jessica Daniel in Kerry Wilkinson's successful detective series and possibly this is because the story has been played out a few times before. The hot-headed young female DI risks herself and those around her to 'get her man'..

Not one, but two serial killers are at play. One has already has been put away by Anjelica but still has a point to prove and the second has a point to prove to the original killer himself. A little cliched, perhaps.

Nonetheless, an enjoyable read and I would read the next in the series if one follows.

Four stars from me.

The Jigsaw Man was one hell of a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several twists and turns along the way. On more than one occasion I almost had to read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next… got the adrenaline pumping, the blood pressure rising and sent my heart rate through the roof… I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout.

The problem with reading multiple books at the same time is that I tend to finish a few titles in a short space of time. My review writing does not keep pace with my reading so (long story short) some reviews don’t get written when they should. Couple this with my goldfish memory and it is only when I revisit my Netgally library that I realise I have finished some books and not provided the feedback.

Putting a positive spin on all that means I have a great book to review today even though I have not actually finished reading any new books this week. Hurrah. And strap in – this one’s a bit graphic in places!

The Jigsaw Man, Peter Olivier, is in prison for multiple murders. He acquired his name as he dismembered his victims leaving limbs well apart from their body. A charismatic character who believes himself to have a superior intellect, he was caught by DI Anjelica Henley who was badly injured in by Olivier when he was arrested. Henley has been absent from work for a prolonged spell but her recouperation is complete and she feels ready to resume her duties in full – her mental recouperation may not quite be where it needs to be though.

Unfortunately for Henley she is returning to work just as a new killer is making his presence known, an Olivier copycat, which means more bodies are going to be found and readers be warned…Nadine Matheson is giving you details of his crimes so be sure you are ready for some detailed descriptions.

Henley isn’t working alone though and we get to enjoy a new investigating team. This includes her very new trainee: Ramouter who is to work alongside Henley. Ramouter is cutting his teeth on a dangerous and disturbing investigation and I loved this pairing who are finding their feet with each other as we watch. It’s a fun dynamic and Nadine Matheson makes it work really well.

Serial Killer stories are a particular favourite of mine and I prefer my crime thrillers to lean towards gritty so The Jigsaw Man was ticking all my boxes. It’s a brilliantly spun story and one I thoroughly enjoyed, flying through it in just a couple of days. More like this would be very welcome but if you haven’t picked up your copy yet – go get one today.

A very captivating read! The plot and characters were really strong and I was hooked from start to finish. I hope there is a sequel somehow. Being the first book I have read form the author I was pleasantly surprised but I am so glad I got to read this - well done!

In this police procedural, Salim Ramouter is partnered with Anjelica Henley when lots of different body parts start being found around London. Murderer Peter Olivier, who is known as the Jigsaw Man, and who has a past with Anjelica, is maybe thought to be responsible, but he is already in prison, so who could have done it?

I found this book fantastic, although it was a little bit too gory for me, as the goriness was repeated rather frequently. However, I did enjoy it and I loved the characters and the story. There was a lot of suspense, tension and good banter and I found the book gripping and exciting. I would like to read more of this author's work in the future.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Originality is a big ask given serial killer thrillers are two a penny and Nadine Matheson’s debut is a commendable effort, but I will admit to my hopes sinking somewhat with the introduction of another detective with demons in DI Anjelica Henley of the Serial Crimes Unit. Having been stabbed by Peter Olivier, a man dubbed the ‘Jigsaw Killer’, in her last case on active duty, she has spent eighteen months behind a desk and battling PTSD. Yet when a number of dismembered body parts are found around Deptford Dockyard, bearing all the hallmarks of the work of her nemesis, she is abruptly recalled to the field without notice. With one of the victims a black female and all of the body parts found in the vicinity of where Henley grew up she can’t help but feel these murders are directed at her. If the sudden recall wasn’t difficult enough for the reader to swallow DI Henley is also teamed up with a rookie and recent transfer from Bradford in TDC Salim Ramouter. Given Peter Olivier is currently banged up in the High Security Unit of Belmarsh but someone is using his MO, including cutting marks into some of the dismembered limbs, Henley finds herself left with no choice but to visit the man himself to find out what he knows. Is supercilious Olivier pulling the strings from inside or is there a copycat killer on the loose? As more body parts accumulate, necessitating further visits to probe Olivier, and the small Serial Crimes Unit (SCU) try to keep ahead of the investigation, DI Anjelica Henley teeters on the brink of crumbling as things get out of hand both at work and at home...

The standout feature of the novel for me was the characterisation and whilst DI Henley is the usual combination of flawed and vulnerable with a troubled marriage I found her relatable and could empathise with her opinion that she shouldn’t have to choose between a child and a career. Whilst TDC Ramouter and SCU boss Stephen Pellacia are well-drawn and clearly have more to give with backstories of their own, Peter Olivier is truly repugnant, clearly obsessed with Henley and has an arsenal of mind games in his locker. The second half of the investigation I found to be slightly more baggy with the plotting noticeably sloppier, frustratingly so given how it drags on the pace, with Henley and the SCU almost reduced to bystanders before a dramatic denouement. The novel covers almost 450 pages and the writing is neither incisive enough, nor the plot slick enough, to justify it. My biggest disappointment with the novel was the ending as it feels purposefully set up for Nadine Matheson to write a second, very similar, version of the same story and I won’t rush to read it. Whilst this was a solid debut that I liked more due to living in the neighbourhood and being able to visualise the locations it all felt a little too clichéd to make it a must read recommendation.

Enthralling and compelling!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

Brutal but brilliant!!

The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson is a fast paced, gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This is certainly not for the faint of heart as some of the scenes are gruesome and rather disturbing but brutal and imaginative. I loved the varied and intriguing cast and enjoyed this nail biting journey with them. Thoroughly recommended!!

This is a great debut thriller from Nadine Matheson. She has truly set herself up to continue with the main characters in a series of further books, having cleverly made this first one read as though it is the second!

Very dark and intense, and quite gruesome in places, it gives a good insight to police procedures.

Will be interested in seeing what the author produces next. Highly recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the opportunity to read and review honestly, an advanced copy.

This is a high 3 star.
I did really enjoy this. I had no issue just sitting and reading this. I got lost in the story. I didn't find myself trying to figure things out as I felt this is the story where I was fine just letting the book tell me.
It didn't feel close to 500 pages as the pacing kept up. Although towards the end there was some flashbacks that slowed the momentum that was being built. I did understand the purpose of them and they did add to the story but the placement slowed the build for the ending I felt.
One issue I had was this felt a little like a second book. Henley and Olivier had history that we didn't know going into it. But also Henley was in recovery from something that happening during the case with Olivier. It would have been interesting to have had a book with that case. I think having that knowledge beforehand would have added to this story.
I am interested in reading more thrillers by Matheson in the future.