The Chestnut Man: A Novel

The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup is a chilling serial killer thriller set in Copenhagen. Thulin and her new partner, Hess, are assigned what is initially believed to be the isolated murder of a single mom. More murders occur, each with a chestnut man left behind. Every time the police think they have answers, another happens, and it’s possible these murders are tied to not just the recent kidnapping and suspected death of Minister Rosa Hartung’s daughter, but a mass killing decades in the past.

This story is yet another example of why I’ve fallen in love with Nordic mystery/thrillers. There are so many interlocking stories here, all fascinating. Masterfully done! Just when I thought I’d figured things out, WHAM! Another curveball. I’m just sad that one of my favorite characters turned out to be the culprit.

Besides the character in question above, Hess was my favorite. He’s so broken, and at first, you think he doesn’t really care about the case, but as the story progresses, you see how smart he is, and learn why he’s rather standoffish. I think he’s a good man, dealing with a lot. I’d love to see another story featuring Hess and Thulin, or just Hess alone.