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sberry225's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Cursing, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual violence and Terminal illness
Minor: Suicide
aw_nf15's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
midnightmarauder's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Joining her is Trainee Detective Constable Salim Ramouter. Henley, a tough and well-respected detective, isn't too fond of him initially. Yet, as time goes on, the pair become close and work well together to solve the case.
What I liked about this book is how fleshed-out the characters were. I related a lot to Henley, as she is another person who puts up a tough exterior, but internally, is very fearful and anxious. She had a traumatic incident with Olivier at the time of his arrest, which left her with a panic disorder. The incident prevented her from working for a while, but she stayed determined to solve the crimes and despite being fearful, pushed through and did her best to stop the murders.
Ramouter is well-written too, even though I would've liked to see more of his thought-processes when it came to solving the murders.
Olivier is written almost too well. He is a haunting, sociopathic individual with little regard to how other people feel. Why he begins to murder people is explained briefly at the start of the book, but I would've wanted to see a bit more about his childhood and how it may have affected his mental state.
Overall, this book was an enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and more from Nadine Matheson as a whole.
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Dementia, and Death of parent
giasbookhaven's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Forcing her to confront the past while trying to stop the bodies from piling up. Henley is a complex character who's committed to her job and her young daughter. But there's not enough of her to go around and the culprit seems to be four steps ahead of her.
The narrative is written in a steady, consistent manner that delivers information to the reader in third-person. This helps to keep readers informed without being too distracting or overly pretentious. I felt the close were laid out in a what that I could piece together elements of information of the case along with the detectives.
Olivea's character was one for the books because he was truly bone chilling creepy and conniving. He lives up to the hype that we're given about him in the beginning. And he really doesn't take kindly to someone else creeping onto his "reputation" as the Jigsaw Man.
I feel there's a lot that can be said about all the elements of this case having to do with Henley and the killers. I would recommend this book to crime podcast enthusiasts and thriller readers alike.
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Racism and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Dementia
ibjilln's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
However, the majority of the tense action takes place in the last 10 (short) chapters of the book and is done in a manner that feels rushed and needing to be quickly wrapped up. This is no more evident in the back to back chapters where there is a huge mistake with details.
<Spoiler> When Kirkpatrick is taken and we finally get the POV scene in chapter 95 of Pine getting ready to torture and dismember Kirkpatrick, we are given the graphic scene of Kirkpatrick having his arm sawed off. "... He couldn't ignore the feeling of the skin on his right arm being gently tugged and the river of vibrations as the saw went back and forth. He couldn't shut out the heavy groaning sound as the saw made its way through bone. Then it stopped... He could see the bone now as his arm hovered in front of his face .. he didn't close his eyes as the blood from the separated arm fell..."
As well as additional reference to his leg then being sawed through. Only to have chapter 96 tell us that "his hands were tired behind his back" and that " Henley...cut the cable ties binding Michael's wrists and feet".
It just gets worse. In chapter 98 we are told that Kirkpatrick is "being treated for dehydration and shock. He hasn't got any serious injuries." As well as a statement from him that "Pine...was going to come back and was going to start by cutting off his left arm..." Which directly contradicts chapter 95 where his arm is graphically cut off. </Spoiler>
Needless to say, this oversight, although perhaps minor to the book as a whole, took me completely out of the story. There was no coming back from that for me, and the rest of the book (4 ch.) wrapped up far too quickly and without a full resolution to completely redeem itself.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical trauma, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Dementia, and Sexual harassment
soobooksalot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada @marisolfokes for my gifted copy of The Jigsaw Man for review!
It's DI Anjelica Henley's first day back on active duty after being attacked by serial killer Peter Olivier. Her Day One begins with the discovery of body parts belonging to more than one body.
It resembles the work of Olivier, but he serving a life sentence in prison. Who is the copycat and what is the motivation?
For fans of crime thrillers, The Jigsaw Man cannot be missed.
It is full of strong, flawed and absolutely human characters with imperfect home lives and often disturbing backgrounds. Add in fascinating forensics, red herrings and investigation procedure and this is a win. It's a dark, compelling and complex storyline and totally unapologetic tense atmosphere. All the elements I love in a thriller.
Author Nadine Matheson has nailed it with this one, and this is the first in an intended series. I cannot wait to read her subsequent books. If this genre is your thing, absolutely recommended!
Released on March 16.
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Rape, Torture, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Suicide, and Dementia