The Chestnut Man: A Novel

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the novel’s dark, rainy atmosphere affect your reading experience? Did you find that the classic Nordic Noir setting enhanced the suspense and the story’s grim themes, or did it feel overwhelming at times?

2. The reluctant partnership between the brilliant but troubled outsider and the competent but frustrated local detective is a staple of crime fiction. How does the dynamic between Hess and Thulin compare to other famous detective pairings you’ve encountered, like Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist in Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or its sequel, The Girl Who Played With Fire?

3. What were your theories about the killer’s identity as you were reading? Did you suspect Simon Genz at any point, and what clues either led you toward him or threw you off the scent? How satisfying did you find the final reveal of his motives and history?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Mark Hess operates on powerful intuition, while Naia Thulin relies on methodical, evidence-based police work. When you’re faced with a complex problem, do you tend to trust your gut instincts like Hess, or do you prefer to follow a logical, step-by-step process like Thulin?

2. Think about the secrets hidden in the homes of Laura Kjær and the Sejer-Lassen family. Did this aspect of the story make you think differently about the communities around you? What kinds of secrets have changed your perception of your neighbors or the people around you?

3. Steen Hartung clings to the hope that his daughter is alive, while Rosa tries to accept her death and move forward by returning to work. Did you find yourself sympathizing more with one parent’s approach than the other? How would you navigate that grief or help that parent to reckon with it?

4. How does Naia Thulin’s ambition to join the NC3 unit shape her initial approach to the case? Her journey involves rediscovering her purpose within the Major Crimes Division. Think about a time your own career goals shifted. What prompted that change for you?

5. Rosa Hartung is haunted by a lie she told as a child, an act that had unforeseen and catastrophic consequences decades later. Without sharing anything too personal, think about a small decision you’ve made that ended up having a much larger impact than you ever expected. How does Rosa’s story reflect on the long reach of our past actions?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What does the novel’s exploration of the whistleblower scheme reveal about the potential gap between a social program’s intent and its real-world impact? Though set in Denmark, what parallels can you draw to child protection systems or other social welfare programs in your own communities?

2. The killer justifies his horrific actions as a form of vigilante justice, punishing a system he believes failed to protect him and other children. Where does the novel draw the line between seeking justice and enacting personal revenge? In what ways does this story serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of taking the law into one’s own hands?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The chestnut men are the central symbol of the novel. How does their meaning evolve from a simple childhood craft, to a killer’s calling card, and finally to a deep representation of Genz’s personal trauma and his weaponized rage?

2. How does the recurring motif of basements and hidden rooms function as a physical representation of the characters’ repressed secrets and psychological trauma? Consider the basement at Chestnut Farm, the bunker in Hauge’s garage, and the hidden lab where Rosa is taken. What does the act of descending into these spaces reveal?

3. What do you think is the turning point in the professional relationship between Hess and Thulin? When do they move from being reluctant, mismatched partners to a truly effective team, and what cements that bond?

4. Why do you think the author chose to reveal the details of the 1989 Møn massacre in the prologue? How did knowing about that past horror shape your understanding of the present-day crimes as the investigation unfolded?

5. Linus Bekker is a willing participant in Genz’s deception. What does his admiration for the “master” reveal about Genz’s manipulative genius and the psychology of those who are drawn to criminality?

6. The novel concludes with the ominous thoughts of the newly released Linus Bekker. What was the impact of this final scene on you? What might the author be suggesting about the nature of evil and the possibility of true resolution?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were casting a screen adaptation of The Chestnut Man, which actors would you choose to play the world-weary Mark Hess and the ambitious Naia Thulin? What qualities would they need to bring to the roles to capture the characters’ complex chemistry?

2. Imagine you are in charge of designing the book cover for a new edition of The Chestnut Man. What imagery would you use to capture the novel’s atmosphere and central themes without giving away any major spoilers?

3. What kind of new case would you create to challenge the newly-formed partnership between Hess and Thulin? Would you design a mystery that plays to their combined strengths, or one that exposes their remaining vulnerabilities?