Is The Chestnut Man on Netflix based on a true story?
It's a sinister story, but is it true?
As ever, there is a lot to get hooked on when you load up Netflix and while Squid Game may be all the rage at the moment, another show has been catching people's eye, called The Chestnut Man.
And despite its title, the titular character is a menacing killer who leaves behind something extremely creepy at the scene of a murder he committed. Here's the official synopsis for the show: "At a grisly murder scene sits a figurine made of chestnuts. From this creepy clue, two detectives hunt a killer linked to a politician's missing child."
Many are wondering whether The Chestnut Man is a true story, and likely hoping that it isn't given how sinister the plot is, and now we know the answer - nope, it's, thankfully, entirely fictional.
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Is The Chestnut Man based on a true story?
Thankfully not. The Danish drama is actually an adaptation of a book by writer Søren Sveistrup but while the murders were conjured in his head, Sveistrup told Crime by the Book that the creepy twist does have roots in Danish culture - making them is an annual tradition for some in Denmark.
"One Autumn day a few years ago I came to pick up my youngest in kindergarten and I saw the kids assembling chestnut men while they were singing a children's song: Chestnut man, do come in, Chestnut man, do come in" Sveistrup explained. "To me, the invitation sounded creepy even though the context was so innocent. Or maybe exactly because the context was innocent. Anyway, I decided to follow my anxieties and use the small doll as a signature on a scene of a crime."
So, we have children to thank for the disturbing image that The Chestnut Man leaves behind at the murder
You can see how creepy it is for yourselves as all six episodes are available to stream right now.
The Chestnut Man is now streaming on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best TV series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.
