I loved this book. Once I got my hands on it and the audio, I just couldn't stop. The story line was catching, reading the story from two different perspectives. I didn't see the twist or the ending coming at all!

First off, a round of applause to Alaina Urquhart for her debut novel, The Butcher and the Wren. I am suitably impressed. I loved the title, but once I saw the cover, I had to have it. And the fact that there is something dark lurking in a Louisiana bayou, oh yeah. Just keeps getting better. I love when authors draw on their experiences to pen their work. It helps create a sense of reality, filled with accurate details, enriching my reading experience.

I love that Detective Leroux, who Wren works with to solve serial killer cases, is a bit different from the usual police officer, and you will need to find that out for yourself.

I love the way Alaina Urquhart wrote The Butcher and the Wren, because when I found out what really happened to Emily in the beginning of the book, I was about sixty percent and it hit me hard. I think I see what’s coming and it would been too easy to see if she hadn’t written this the way she did.

Books like this is why I keep my ‘heavy’ drapes closed.

I would love for part of the book to be fleshed out more, more detail, more evil. I missed the cringing, spinetingling menace that oozes off a five star read, for me.

I must warn you, though. It isn’t a fingertip dangling cliffhanger, but you will need the next book to know the ending. I wish authors and publishers would make that known from the getgo. I look forward to seeing how Alaina Urquhart’s writing career develops and what the outcome will be for Wren and her fellow characters.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

I absolutely loved The Butcher and the Wren, right up until the last page, and only because it ended far earlier than I wanted it to! I need to know more. I need to know more about what makes Jeremy tick, and what will Wren do next! I did a little research and discovered there's another book coming, which makes my cold little thriller-loving heart happy.

I was lukewarm about the book. It felt like a debut novel to me, which isn't a criticism, but felt like the author was still learning her craft. It kept my interest, although several times I felt the story was a little implausible.

Overall the book was pretty good, and the setting was well described and played into the story.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book was noticing and intriguing. The two main characters perspectives were unique in that we don’t typically here from a medical examiner as a narrator. I enjoyed the cat and mouse chase and the story line did keep me engaged and wanting to come back for more. The last few minutes of the book really drew me in and kept me on the edge of my seat!

The Butcher and the Wren
A Novel
by Alaina Urquhart
Thank you SO much to NetGalley, Zando publishing, and affiliates for providing me early access to this read.
oh my GOSH, this book was so full of greatness. A Psychological thriller that takes you into the mind of the killer, and I devoured it all. I actually had a wild nightmare myself and never in my life have read a book that PUT me into the swamps and the gory. BRAVO!!

I'm going to be quite blunt about this book: it was not good. In fact, at its best, I would consider this book to be more of an unpolished draft. I could definitely see what Urquhart was trying to do with the story, but everything felt very disconnected from the plot. I also think this book would have benefitted from a longer, more detailed plot. There was nothing distinguishable about each of the characters - none of them had their own voice - and what little information that we did get about their backstories as told to us, not shown.

Overall, I feel like this book was in serious need of an editor. It could've been a great, interesting, in-depth thriller novel with a unique premise, but unfortunately, the inexperienced, technical side of the writing brought it down to a 2 star rating.

Wren Muller has worked hard to become a New Orleans medical examiner, putting in grueling hours and sacrificing most of her social life in order to help find closure and justice for the dead and their grieving families. When bodies start turning up in the bayou and surrounding areas, each bearing a cryptic hint as to the location where the next victim will be found, it quickly becomes clear that a serial killer is at large. Worse, he seems to be challenging Wren’s skills by putting his victims through increasingly convoluted tortures as part of covering his tracks.

While Wren usually has a genial relationship with Police Detective John Leroux, she is a bit annoyed when he laughs off this observation. Frustrated, she tells him:

QUOTE
“I never said it was his sole intention. I just don’t like my abilities being tested by some gutless asshole who thinks he’s Hannibal Lecter or something.”

She pulls out a tool like a pair of hedge clippers and begins using it to snap each rib from the bottom up to the clavicle. The force and sound of snapping ribs make for perfect catharsis whenever she feels frustrated. The dense clavicle bone takes some extra elbow grease to crack, a job she relishes at this moment.
END QUOTE

Things take a decided turn when one of her business cards is found neatly tucked away near the latest body attributed to the Bayou Butcher, as the serial killer has been termed by the press. The Butcher seems to have some strange interest in Wren, leading to an elegant mid-book twist which impressed even this jaded mystery reader. Will Wren and Leroux be able to successfully team up in order to keep her and the rest of their Louisiana parish safe, or will this cunning killer successfully complete his ritual of carnage?

Author Alaina Urquhart is an autopsy technician whose deep knowledge of the subject is on fascinating display in this dual-perspective debut novel, as we learn what makes both Wren and The Butcher tick. She’s also co-host of the popular Morbid: A True Crime Podcast, and uses all aspects of her familiarity with crime, corpses and the practices of forensic pathology to write convincingly about the showdown between a serial killer and an ME. Her setting is especially absorbing, from the haunting darkness of the bayou at night to the rising fears of the characters’ fellow parishioners, as discussed by Leroux and his partner Detective Will Broussard:

QUOTE
“People look for patterns that aren’t there because they are scared shitless. They can’t handle that they are just as likely to be scooped up by a totally normal-looking psychopath as the victims were, so they make this crap up instead.”

“I hate when you make sense.” Will shakes his head and leans back in his seat. “The problem is these people are redirecting the focus now. Instead of looking for the single, basement-dwelling asshole responsible for these weird crime scenes, they are encouraging people to start tackling anyone in a Metallica t-shirt.”
END QUOTE

And indeed, The Butcher isn’t some D&D-playing, heavy-metal-listening social outcast skulking around in the shadows. He looks like an ordinary guy, and is even perhaps a little more charismatic than the average Joe. He has an ordinary job and skilfully hides his heart of darkness from most of the people he interacts with. In this, he’s like many of the other real life serial killers that Wren and her colleagues discuss over the course of the novel, as they seek to stop him from killing again.

I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the ending, but hope it points to more novels in Ms Urquhart’s future. As a debut, it’s promising – again, I found that mid-book twist delightfully astonishing – and I’m hoping to read more from her as her writing career and experience grows.

Thank you to Netgalley, Zando Projects, and the author for an ARC of this book.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, page-turner, this one is for you. There's a lot happening here that shows much promise for Urquhart, the well-known host of the podcast Morbid. In this novel, Urquhart creates her own fictional tale of terror when a young medical examiner (and her detective colleagues) engage in a race against time to stop a serial killer known as The Butcher.

What I liked about this was that is was dark and twisty--even if it doesn't go full dark. I loved that the lead detective on the case, Leroux, is a gay man. We don't see that often--it's about time. Urquhart also works as an autopsy technician in real life so she knows a lot of first-hand information about what a medical examiner would encounter in her work. The story shows that her protagonist's work is well-represented and not just a prop for a fictional character. In addition, we see a few tidbits of real-life serial killers and dark historical tales that pique a reader's interest to find out more. (I was really interested in Jamaican Ginger paralysis--I hadn't ever heard of that!)

So why the three stars? I fluctuated on this rating. I enjoyed this and was anxious to get back to it. I'm also hoping for a sequel in the not-too-distant future. However, this is a first novel and the writing could be a bit stronger. The novel is quite short and the ending is rather abrupt. There are a few questionable narrative turns. Dialogue is often stilted (don't be afraid to use contraptions in dialogue!). And the characters could really be fleshed out. All this means there's lot of fertile ground to cover in future novels in a series, if the author chooses to keep going with these characters--and I hope she does. With some stronger story-telling and writing skills, this series could be really quite good.

I'm glad I read this, and I enjoyed the process. I look forward to future installments in this series.

I love Alaina and I am a huge Morbid fan. That being said, this book just did not live up to the hype. I think the story suffers from Alaina's lack of NOLA experience and the story is just lacking in places. This book has so much potential and I love that it is told from both points of view, it just needed a little more thought.

With the invention of Hannibal Lecter, Thomas Harris ushered in a slew of serial killer copycats. Though SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is probably his most acclaimed work, in part thanks to the Oscar-winning film, I've long felt RED DRAGON is superior. It's wonderfully rendered, offering us, the reader, not only a front-row seat in FBI agent Will Graham's pursuit of the serial killer, Francis Dolarhyde, but also a close perspective of Dolarhyde himself. Happily, with Alaina Urquhart's debut, she was able to do what Harris did so well in RED DRAGON, presenting a cat-and-mouse tale pitting forensic pathologist, Dr. Wren Muller, against Jeremy (Cal), a serial killer villain for the canon. I loved the chapters from both perspectives as well as Urquhart's real world details of autopsies etc. There was a twist halfway through that I can admit not seeing coming. The ending hints at more in the series. Count me as a future reader! Highly recommended.

From the popular true-crime podcast MORBID, co-host, and creator Alaina Urquhart comes an edgy killer thriller debut, THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN —bloody good!

Perfect for fans of Dexter, a cat-and-mouse game battle of wits, told from the POVs of a notorious evil serial killer and a determined medical examiner on a mission to bring him down.

A long-awaited delight...a thrill-ride escape!

Set in the alluring and sultry Louisiana, New Orleans, surrounded by the swamps and bayous, historic landmarks, jazz, music, food, heat and humidity, tarot card readings, and of course, ghosts, the dead, the cemetery, and a serial killer, all set the mood.

We are introduced to a mastermind serial killer, a sadist killer—Jeremy (known as The Bayou Butcher); chronically understimulated, he fed his own huger by experimentation. His father's early advice echoed in his mind over the years. "You want to learn about something, son? You have to open it up."

As a kid, he took out books at the library on lobotomies. He became entranced with the medical procedures of Dr. Freeman. We hear about his earlier time in a lab and his lab partners.

He blends in. Based on his profile Wren believes he was able to convince most of his victims to leave with him willingly. He is interested in causing chaos from afar, not becoming entrenched in it himself.

His grand return. Seven years. Seven years of plans and work.

"Wrens are truly magnificent little creatures. They signify rebirth and protection, immortality, and strength. Because of the wren's small stature, most larger birds and predators underestimate its incredible ingenuity and intelligence. But while technically fragile, the wren outwits its underprepared predator to come out on top when threatened."

Dr. Wren Muller is a Forensic pathologist in Louisiana. She is seeing cases she has not seen before. The serial killer leaves clues about this his next body drops. However, seems oddly familiar.

With the help of police detectives and others in her office, Wren tries to stay one step of Jeremy, but can she stop him before she becomes the next victim?

I loved this book!

Wren is a fascinating character, and you will root for her to the end. The serial killer is evil, ruthless, and chilling. Move over, Joe there is a new psycho in town. A short book, which I read in one sitting. Morbid podcast fans and crime junkies will devour! A mix of crime, psychic, and medical thrillers.

The author brilliantly crafts a darkly, intelligent, addictive, and twisty unputdownable (hopefully a new series) psychological crime thriller mixed with humor, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

As an autopsy technician by trade, the author offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue with expertise. THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN is the perfect addition to the author's portfolio with her Morbid Podcast — an author to watch. I cannot wait to see what comes next and my fingers are crossed for a series. #CoverCrush

For fans of authors, Jennifer Hillier, Caroline Kepnes, and Lisa Gardner.

A special thank you to #Zando and #Negtalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Sept 13, 2022
My Rating: 5 Stars
Sept 2022 Must-Read Books

The butcher and the Wren was a fast paced cannot put it down book. It is told in two perspectives the hunter and the hunted. The reason for 4 stars and not five are some little things that didn’t complete the book for me. The characters I feel were not fully developed but I did like or come to like Wren. The synopsis of the book is what pulled me in and I will say it did keep me engaged but feel the ending was a bit abrupt and some things were not truly emplaned now I don’t know if that means a sequel? I will keep my eyes out for that as I would like to know what happens after.

Overall it kept me intrigued and was fast paced with some more depth maybe with a ending not so abrupt I would have given it a 5 star!

So I have previously listened to Morbid, so I heard about Alaina writing a book, and was curious on how the book turned out. I want to give props for completing her goal, but this book isn’t my cup of tea and is lacking in some areas. This is a dual-perspective and dual time-line-which I think causes some issues. I feel like I know more about the killer than the hero. When the “twist” happens in the middle of the story, without giving any spoilers makes the timeline more confusing. I didn’t necessarily enjoy her prose, at times it felt unnecessarily wordy. She used a lot of references to real life serial killers and Buffalo Bill/silence of the lambs, I wish she wouldn’t have and instead take more time to flesh out the main character. She set it up for a sequel, so hopefully the next one will be better.

The Butcher and the Wren
⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/13/22
Author: Alaina Urquhart
Publisher: Zando Projects
Pages: 256
Goodreads Rating: 3.63

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Zando Projects and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Something dark is lurking in the Louisiana bayou: a methodical killer with a penchant for medical experimentation is hard at work completing his most harrowing crime yet, taunting the authorities who desperately try to catch up. But forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is the best there is, she's never encountered a case she couldn't solve. Until now. Case after case is piling up on Wren's examination table, and soon she is sucked into an all-consuming cat-and-mouse chase with a brutal murderer getting more brazen by the day.

An addictive read with straight-from-the-morgue details only an autopsy technician could provide, The Butcher and the Wren promises to ensnare all who enter.

My Thoughts: This story is narrated by Dr. Wren Muller and the serial killer, in a dual POV, that was fascinating to read. This was a unique premise, which drew me to the book, along with the beautiful cover. I really wanted to like this book but there were some things that fell short for me. The setting of NOLA didn’t feel flushed out, I did not feel like I was there. It was more of an overview of NOLA that we all know from other shows. The characters were not flushed out enough. I wanted to know more about the serial killer, as what made him become a murderer. I could not connect with Wren either, I would loved to see more background on her. Then there is the ending, I will not give to much to not spoil it, but felt it was too open and vague. Even if this book is part of a series, there should be some type of resolution. This was not a bad book, I was just left wanting more in those areas. Now, as a debut writer, Urquhart has a strong start and I know her podcasts are amazing.

The author is co-host from one my favorite podcasts and when they announced she had written a book and it would be out soon, I was like meh, not interested. When I had the opportunity to get an advance copy from #netgalley, I said well why not.

I immediately connected with Wren and you can tell the Author, who is an autopsy tech, wrote from a place she knew. As a kid, I always wanted to be a forensic pathologist, loved anything horror and scary and was always called a Morbid (WINK WINK Hope I get a shout out!) little kid. However, I didn't connect with the Butcher for at least 50 pages. I was like this dude is boring and unsuspecting and who the hell would ever talk to him? Umm DUH LINDA are you NOT a life long True Crime fan?? Isn't this how ALL these killers are?? The story progressed at a nice pace and wasn't boring but something was lacking until BAM! SLAP RIGHT IN THE FACE. I said CHRIST ON A F'ING CRACKER! After that, I couldn't stop reading. I HAD to know what the hell happened. The book is short; a little less than 250 pages but it really is good and I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers and semi-horror. This book gave me Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta vibes and I am absolutely begging for a series from this author. You know what else would be good? Call Apple+ or HULU and make this a show!

I think that Alaina is a very talented story teller (hello Morbid!!), and I love the concept of this book. It's awesome that she was able to take her expertise and interests and write an awesome story.
Unfortunately, the whole thing felt a little clunky and fell a little flat for me, but I will definitely read anything she puts out next!
Btw... this book is not for the faint of heart! Be warned!

As a huge true crime fan, I was so excited to hear about Alaina from the Morbid podcast writing her own thriller! I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, and was elated when I received an ARC. This novel was so well-written and I loved the story about a forensic pathologist trying to find a serial killer who does medical experimentation. It gave me Dexter vibes, so if you like that, you'll love this. I also loved the fact that the author made references to famous crime cases such as Israel Keyes, and just how descriptive she was with every scenario presented in the book. It felt like I was there, and I truly could not put this book down. This book had all the perfect twists and the chapter cliff hangers kept me reading (and kept me up WAY past my bed time). There is nothing predictable about this book, and it is clear Alaina has figured out the perfect recipe for a thriller. I really hope she continues to write more!

This book opens with the reader knowing the villain and murderer right from the start. Jeremy/Cal is a twisted individual. His methods of killing and torture are truly horrifying. Wren Muller is the medical examiner that has to do all of the autopsies on the Bayou Butcher's victims. The media has dubbed him the Bayou Butcher because all of his victims are tortured, and eventually murdered in the Louisiana Bayou.
Even though we know the victim from the beginning he leads, Wren and the police detectives on a game of cat and mouse. He leaves hints, and clues along the way. Its like he wants to be caught. But as you keep reading you will learn there are many secrets and shocking twists to be discovered. This book kept me up until early morning because I couldn't stop reading it. As you learn more and more clues and reasons for his reign of terror, you have to keep reading to reach the horrifying end. It's like a crescendo building for the shocking conclusion. When I reached the end of the book, I thought this could be the beginning of a series. I'm not sure if that is what the author plans, but I feel there is still more story to tell. I highly recommend this book to readers that love a good story of cat and mouse.

This book was too vile and gory for me. Jeremy is disgusting and an abominable psychopath and I hated being in his brain. While I liked Dr. Wren, I did not enjoy all of the medical talk about the gory murders performed. These details do not a story make. It is just a collection of shocking images created to sell books. Not impressed.