The Jigsaw Man – Inspector Anjelica Henley Series #1

Author: Nadine Matheson
Genre: Crime Thriller
500 pages
Publisher: Hanover Square Press, 2021

Synopsis
When body parts are found on the banks of the River Thames in Deptford, DI Anjelica Henley is tasked with finding the killer. Eerie echoes of previous crimes lead Henley to question Peter Olivier, aka The Jigsaw Killer, who is currently serving a life sentence for a series of horrific murders.

When a severed head is delivered to Henley’s home, she realizes that the copycat is taking a personal interest in her and that the victims have not been chosen at random.

To catch the killer, Henley must confront her own demons – – and when Olivier escapes from prison, she finds herself up against not one serial killer, but two.

My review
The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson was a surprisingly good crime thriller! And, for a debut novel, it was excellent. Though the storyline wasn’t entirely original, Matheson added her own twist to the serial killer, cat and mouse theme, so the story kept me engaged and interested for 500 pages.

This is a gritty, graphic, solid police procedural but what I really appreciated was the character development. Matheson did a fantastic job creating interesting and believable characters. She added just enough backstory to provide insight into the characters. I especially liked the strong, charismatic main protagonist and hero of the story, Inspector Anjelica Henley. She was a well-rounded character struggling with PTSD from an earlier case and I found her engaging as she confronted her own demons while racing to solve the case. She was definitely someone I could root for throughout the story. Matheson also fleshed out the supporting cast and I especially liked her trainee Ramouter and partner Stanford.

This story is disturbing and darkly compelling, so be prepared to sink into the mind of a killer and a woman who must face her deepest fears to stop him at all costs. There are vividly depicted, gruesome scenes of mutilation and physical and emotional torture. This book is not for the faint of heart or the squeamish!

Overall, The Jigsaw Man was a fantastic cat and mouse crime thriller and it’s impressive to think this is a debut novel. Matheson crafted an intricate story that was engrossing, fast-paced, and addictive. I look forward to reading The Binding Room, the next installment in the series!

My recommendation: read it!