Originally published: 13 September 2022

Author: Alaina Urquhart

Published by: Michael Joseph

Genre: Crime Thriller

Length: 256 pages

Reading dates: 15-18 September 2022

WREN WAS NEVER AFRAID OF THE DARK. UNTIL SHE LEARNED THAT SOME MONSTERS ARE REAL . . .

In deep Louisiana, a serial killer with a taste for medical experimentation is completing his most ambitious project yet. The media call him ‘The Butcher’ – and, so far, he’s proved impossible to catch.

With her encyclopaedic knowledge of humanity’s darkest minds, and years of experience examining their victims, forensic pathologist Dr Wren Muller is the best there is. The longer the Butcher’s killing spree continues, the more determined she is to bring him to justice.

And yet, he continues to elude her.

As body after body piles up on Wren’s examination table, her obsession grows. Pressure to put an end to the slaughter mounts. And her enemy becomes more brazen.

How far is Wren willing to go to draw the Butcher into the light . . .?

“Jeremy hears screaming through the vents.” What an amazing opening sentence, one which put me on edge straight away and made me keen to know more! Jeremy we soon find out gets his kicks by kidnapping, torturing and killing men and women which has earned him the title of “The Butcher”. The police are unable to get close to him. Forensic pathologist Dr Wren Muller is keen to track him down and works closely with the police and his victims to try and find clues.

Told in chapters from both Jermey and Wren’s point of view, it was great to see into the unsettling mind of a serial killer, how he lives a normal life on the surface holding down an office job and is charming and handsome to people he meets. Wren’s mind is another interesting place to be – the toll it takes on her seeing the victims shows her strength of character and her determination shows through. I found the forensics really interesting too.

An exciting, page turner of a story The Butcher and the Wren is a relatively short novel that packs a lot in. It is not for the faint-hearted – the murders and torture are described in detail but as a lover of horror films, I was OK with this. It instantly reminded me of The Silence of the Lambs and later on in the novel, it is indeed referenced. I also liked the location of the novel – set in Louisiana, the setting of the swamps and bayou definitely put me in mind of the True Blood series of books,

With a heart racing twist, The Butcher and the Wren was a fantastic and exciting read with some memorable characters. It does feel like there is a sequel in the pipeline and I really hope there is. I love a strong female character and would like to read more about Wren.

Thank you to Sriya and Michael Joseph for inviting me on the tour and for the proof copy of the book. Take a look at the other great bloggers talking about this book below.

About the author:

Alaina Urquhart is the science-loving co-host of the chart-topping show Morbid: A True Crime Podcast. As an autopsy technician by trade, she offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue. Alaina hails from Boston, where she lives with her wonderful husband, John, their three amazing daughters, and a ghost Puggle named Bailey. She is about 75 percent coffee, and truly believes she and Agent Clarice Starling could be friends.

Before writing her first psychological horror novel, she received degrees in criminal justice, psychology, and biology. When she isn’t hosting Morbid, she hosts the Parcast original show Crime Countdown, and a horror movie podcast called Scream!. Her days are usually spent either recording or eviscerating. The way she sees it, when she hangs up her microphone for the day, it’s time to let the dead speak.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlainaToTheMax
Morbid Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1cpyLfDHP1cNnyOb478qrt