The Chestnut Man

International Bestseller • A New York Times Book Review Best Book of the Year • Winner of the Barry Award for Best First Mystery/Crime Novel

A NETFLIX Original Series. Don't miss the sequel series, "The Chestnut Man: Hide and Seek" premiering May 7, 2026.

“A full-throttle thriller in the tradition of classic Stieg Larsson” —A.J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Window

From Søren Sveistrup, creator of the hit television show, The Killing—a stylish and atmospheric Nordic Noir that follows the desperate race to find a serial killer terrorizing Copenhagen.

A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen.

His calling card is a “chestnut man”—a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts—which he leaves at each bloody crime scene.

Examining the dolls, forensics makes a shocking discovery that deepens the psychological suspense—a fingerprint belonging to a young girl, a government minister’s daughter who had been kidnapped and murdered a year ago.

A tragic coincidence—or something more twisted?

To save innocent lives, a pair of detectives must put aside their differences to piece together the Chestnut Man’s gruesome clues.

Because it’s clear that the madman is on a mission that is far from over.

And no one is safe.