This killer plot is worth piecing together

The Jigsaw Man

I have two really close pals named Victoria, nicknamed V1 and V2 so we can easily determine which one we are referring to.

As well as a name, they also share a sick fascination with true crime. They love a murder podcast and event and regularly chat about the killers they’ve learned about.

I, on the other hand, just don’t have the stomach for it. That’s where fiction comes into its own for me.

I can sleep easy at night knowing in my head and my heart that the story I have read is not real. These murders did not happen in real life.

Something that I always find interesting in these fiction-based tales is when a convicted murderer is roped in to help with investigating and tracking down another killer who has committed heinous crimes.

And this brought me to this week’s book – Nadine Matheson’s debut The Jigsaw Man.

Set in London, body parts start washing up along the banks of the Thames.

The Serial Crimes Unit is called in to begin their investigation.

But it quickly comes to light to DI Henley that there isn’t just one victim. There are two. This is the work of a serial killer and there may be more bodies to find.

There’s something sticking in the mind of

DI Henley. The state of the bodies matches how the notorious Jigsaw Killer Peter Olivier would dispose of his victims.

But he’s in jail; Henley put him there. However, with little to go on, Henley needs Olivier’s help.

He could be the key to uncover who it is and help the team to stop the murderer in their tracks. But does Olivier really want to help? Hardly. It’s the last thing on his mind when he finds out about the new murders.

So who will catch the killer first? Henley or the original Jigsaw Killer?

We all love someone with insight don’t we? And Nadine Matheson has this in spades thanks to her career as a criminal attorney. She’s got the goods to bring this story to life, especially when it comes to police procedure, which can feel a little ropey in tales of this sort.

Nadine’s writing flows well and it doesn’t feel like a debut. This is a story that’s been worked on thoroughly. You’ll definitely feel this when you learn more of the relationship between Henley and Olivier. It’s gruesome. Backstory is big here. At times it juts in where you think you don’t want it but it helps you along the way to the unexpected ending.

Would I read more from Nadine? Yes. Do I want to find out more about her experiences dealing with real people behind crimes like this one? Absolutely not. Let’s keep things fictional bet ween us.