As with other self published titles The Butcher and The Wren is a manuscript in need of a heavy handed editor. Nearly every sentence should undergo revision. The lack of flow in the writing makes it impossible for the reader to get lost in the story. Perspective, descriptors and dialog are awkward and excessively verbose. One dimensional, stereotypical characters are not compelling. Overall this title may have traction due to the authors podcast audience but as a work of fiction is clearly an unfinished proof.

I will admit that I am a little biased because I love love love Alaina Urquhart and her podcast(s). This book did not disappoint! Her expertise in anatomy as an autopsy tech, and her many hours of research into true crime created an incredible story. The setting, New Orleans, Louisiana is also perfect for this type of story. Looking forward to pub day and to hearing more from Alaina!

I hate to give The Butcher and the Wren such a low rating because I think it has great potential, but it's just not quite there.

If somehow you've stumbled onto this book and you haven't heard of the author's podcast (Morbid; definitely check it out), let me say that I know Alaina can tell a story. Yes, taking facts and discussing them is different than writing a story that's completely fictitious, but Alaina is great at narrative nonfiction, and that ability mostly extends to her ability to write fiction. That being said, her debut novels needs some work.

In one of the episodes of the podcast, either Alaina or her cohost, Ashleigh, talks about seeing a ghost woman who 'didn't have a body; she was just made of bones,' and oddly enough, I feel like that is the perfect description of The Butcher and the Wren. The story is there, but it desperately needs to be fleshed out to be a real winner. The characters don't have any depth, and I have no idea of their motivations for 95% of their actions. I didn't connect with any of them because there wasn't really anything with which to relate; Wren, the main character, has her work as a forensic pathologist, and that's about it. There are a bare minimum of scenes with her doing anything outside of work, and even those scenes have her talking about her work. We do eventually get more of her story with the twist--which is actually really good--but even that isn't enough to make her feel like a real character. Likewise with the serial killer; his actions are explained by the basic "he wanted to know what it felt like for things to die" motivation, which wasn't enough for me. The setting feels generic as well. The story is meant to be set in New Orleans, but other than visiting St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the setting could be any hot, swampy place near a big city with music festivals, bars, and tarot card readers.

The writing itself has pros and cons. There are a lot of short sentences which make the writing feel choppy, and the chapters are short, too. While I liked the alternating points of view, each chapter is so short that there wasn't time to get back into one character's head before jumping back to the other. This back-and-forth would've worked for a few big scenes (the climax, for example) to keep up the suspense, but the entire book being written this way just made me frustrated. There's also a lot of telling instead of showing. For example, during an autopsy, we're blatantly told that it's hard to snap through a clavicle, whereas we would've learned the same thing having to read about Wren struggling to cut through the bone. That being said, the plethora of details are great, although they sometimes feel a bit much, almost as if Alaina, who works as an autopsy technician, is throwing in everything she knows just because she can. Some detail is appreciated; too much detail just feels like showing off.

The ending is probably the most frustrating thing of all. We get to the big showdown, and the story just stops. Like, right-out cuts off, like we're missing an epilogue. The ending is obviously setting things up for a sequel, but I like when books in a series have some resolution of that book's specific plot while also leaving some loose threads for the next book to pick up. There's no resolution here, and it's quite unsatisfying.

All in all, The Butcher and the Wren has the potential to be a thrilling book with a really great twist, but as it is, it feels more like an early draft that's waiting for the story to be fleshed out.

I’m so excited to be reviewing this book as a fan of Morbid, the true crime podcast that the author co-hosts. I was not at all surprised when Alaina announced that she had written a book. She is very smart, super passionate, and is always popping in with some colorful language, so I have been excited to get my hands on this book. Based on the writing alone, I wouldn’t guess that this is her first novel. I am very impressed with how the language is used in a way to paint a clear picture of the scene and all the emotions in it.
The book is written from two different perspectives: a serial killer, and a medical examiner. Each tells their story one chapter at a time as you watch the story play out.
I found this premise really fun and interesting, but I think it made it harder to get good character development out of both main characters. It seems like you end up getting way more out of The Butcher and his motivations, which is a fun twist from the usual. However, I just think Wren is a really dynamic character and I could totally see this book turning into a long-running procedural series, if that character was able to shine. I almost never say this, but I just think this book needed to be longer to get those characters really fleshed out and ramp up that suspense.

There is nothing Alaina can say or write, that I won't read or listen. I absolutely love her storytelling ability on Morbid which is why I requested this book. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an alternating story between Jeremy--the Butcher, a serial killer and Dr. Wren Muller--a forensic pathologist. Set in the Louisiana bayou, Dr. Muller is seeing cases come into her office that she has never seen before. The bodies seem to have clues and those clues are leading to the next body. With her colleagues (police detectives and others in the forensics office), Wren tries to stay one step ahead of Jeremy but can she stop him before she becomes the next victim?

Things I liked about this book:
◉ the scene: I think she did a really great job of describing the areas of Louisiana. I could truly picture them in my mind.
◉ the alternating view points: usually you find out who did it at the end but this time, they essentially tell you the person in the beginning and you learn more about him as you go along.
◉ Wren: I didn't necessarily like her but I did like that she was a strong woman and a forensic pathologist, not a police detective.
◉ The twist at the end

Things I didn't like about this book:
◉ the alternating view points: yes, I just said that I liked that but I also disliked it. Because we learn about him as we go along, there was no real character surprise at the end like other books.
◉ the writing: to be honest, I don't think it was well written. For such a storyteller, I just don't think it was well done. I truly, truly believe if she continues (warning, left a cliffhanger), that each one will be better and better.
◉ It was a little too slow-paced for me. I put it down multiple times because it really wasn't that interesting to me. It likely is me and how many mysteries and suspense I have read but some parts were just super slow.

Louisiana has more killers than just the natural wildlife. When a multitude of murders start popping up with unusual circumstances, forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is determined to find out what happened to the victims. The bodies begin to pile up and the killer becomes bolder in his game with the authorities. In a race against the clock, Dr. Muller must work with her team to discover who the Butcher is and how to make him stop.

I love Alaina's work on Morbid so I was super excited to read this debut novel. I liked the concept of the story, the dual POV, and the twist in the plot that kept the reader guessing. I don't know how to put my finger on it, but there were just some things about the writing style that I was not 100% in love with. I did, however, find interest in the characters which I think is so important in being invested in a story.

I would recommend this to true crime lovers and those interested in a good cat and mouse chase. I look forward to reading other books by this author!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
In The Butcher and The Wren by Alaina Urquhart, we see a series of gruesome murders through the eyes of the serial killer committing them and the forensic pathologist trying to find and stop him before more bodies drop.
This book gave me serious Silence of the Lambs (meets The Most Dangerous Game) vibes, with Dr. Wren Muller as Clarice and the serial killer Jeremy being a cross between Hannibal Lector and BTK—smug, sadistic, yet somehow still occasionally a bumbling idiot.
The start was slow for me but picked up around page 90, building enough tension and suspense to have me sprinting to the end. Wren was very likable, particularly what we see of her through Jeremy’s eyes, while Jeremy was a complete asshole, making me very glad that this book has competent police officers. The twist was stunning!!! I truly did not see it coming and it made everything click into place—I literally said “Ohhhh” out loud.
I think this definitely reads like a first novel, so I’m sure many of my critiques will be smoothed out in subsequent works. The first issue I had is that there were simply too many characters introduced by name that served a small function only to disappear. I think working with a smaller cast would’ve helped with character depth, as it took awhile to even feel close to Wren, and I still feel like I don’t know much about major side characters like Leroux and Will. Another thing that might’ve helped me feel closer to the characters is showing, rather than telling. There’s a lot of self-psychoanalyzing going on, which isn’t surprising since Alaina’s podcast involves telling the stories of serial killers while psychoanalyzing their behavior and pathologies—and while it might’ve worked with Wren analyzing Jeremy or vice versa, it didn’t work so well with them analyzing themselves. The ending (no spoilers!) was somewhat disappointing, but potentially makes way for future books centered on Wren.
All in all, I think The Butcher and the Wren was a solid first novel that got better as it went on, and I would gladly read a sequel—or, hey, a whole series! I would also KILL to listen to an audiobook narrated by Alaina, so fingers crossed that that happens. Thank you again to netgalley and the publisher!
3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

I was super excited to read this book! I'm a huge fan of Alaina's and Morbid. I was not disappointed! For fans of Morbid, you'll recognize Alaina's knowledge of autopsies and medical examinations, while also appreciating her knowledge of serial killers and their crimes. If you are lucky enough to pick this book up randomly, you won't be disappointed: no knowledge of the podcast or the author is necessary to enjoy this book.

If you're a fan of Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series, especially the early novels, you'll enjoy this story.

What Worked:
There's a pretty solid narrative. The chapters alternate POV between Wren, the protagonist, and Jeremy, the antagonist. (Let me also just say, reading Jeremy's chapters made me wince at times - which is a credit to the writer. The details and inner monologue were truly terrifying.).

Just when you thought there wasn't going to be any major twist, BAM! one shows up. And it makes the entire book make sense. The twist also leaves for great character development.

The characters are well developed. If this would turn into a series (please Zando!), there's a lot of room to dive into them more individually.

What Needs Work:
Alaina is a first-time author and the press that published this book is smaller. As I was reading, there were several times I felt myself thinking, "this is definitely her first book." And that's not a bad thing! I do think that Alaina's skill will definitely improve with each book she (hopefully) publishes, and I'm excited to see her grow as a writer.

I'm not sure if it was because this is an ARC or not, but there were a few spots of inconsistency. This is mostly on the editor, not the writer. Hopefully with the published version in September, these will be cleaned up.

I love the Morbid podcast and I think that Alaina is brilliant. She clearly knows what she’s talking about when it comes to serial killers and death. However, I feel like this book needs more editing. There were parts that didn’t make much sense. At one point we find a male body and then the pronouns were switched to female when describing the body later. I think the ending could have been explained more. Overall, the pacing was slightly off. I could have used more detail about our main character and her back story. This was an enjoyable read though and I look forward to what Alaina writes next.

As a listener of the Morbid Podcast I was so excited about this book. Let me tell you it is a fast read only because it grips you as soon as you start reading. It is full of twists and turns that leave you stunned and waiting with baited breath for what comes next. The author's clear knowledge of crime scenes and knowledge of true crime lets her weave details together in such a fantastic way!

Never mind the stiff writing and the too-similar voices of the POV characters, the disregard for impartiality regarding the handling of the case was too much to forgive. Anything Wren touched, witnessed, or found, with her personal involvement especially after she admitted it to John, would be torn to shreds by any defense attorney, judge, or jury and could result in the killer walking free if it leads to trial in the future. As a medical examiner working as closely as she does with law enforcement, Wren would know better. She would know she’d likely have to testify and her being amongst his victims would have to be revealed to the defense as part of discovery. Why she didn’t say something at the first suggestion of a personal connection is irresponsible and ethically questionable at best and a blatant disregard for the proper handling of an investigation at worst.

To touch on the issue with the voice in this, I get the author wanted at times for Wren and Jeremy to have similar thought processes and patterns. That’s all well and good. But, you can do that without having them sound like exactly the same. I don’t think serial killers would use the same words, phrasing, etc. as a medical examiner the same way I wouldn’t use the same words as the next person I run into on the street. Word choice, thoughts, all of that matters in establishing a character’s personality and their worldview and who they are. But the characters in this all talked the same, thought the same, used the same words. It made it hard to root for Wren when she sounded the same as her enemy,

There were other little things too: a lot of sentences were structured the same amongst one paragraph making it sound repetitive and stiff (the first paragraph of Jeremy’s POV is a great example), the dialogue was bulky and unnatural at times, and I found it highly improbable Wren wouldn’t have some sort of protection once she told John about her connection to the case.

All in all, an interesting premise with a clunky execution,

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review!

I was so looking forward to this book the minute I realized one of my favorite podcasters wrote it. So to preface this review, I really enjoy Morbid and was initially drawn to this book as a result.

If you've listened to morbid, you know that Alaina is a master storyteller, and this book is no exception. The story is twisty and fast-paced and mysterious. It centers around a medical examiner who is trying to find a serial killer loose in New Orleans, and the narrative switches between the killer and the ME. This is a really cool storytelling technique that I really enjoyed!

Wren (the medical examiner) is a really fascinating character that you can't help rooting for, and our serial killer is absolutely despicable but somehow fascinating. I was compelled by the narrative throughout the story and finished the last 200 pages in a day! It's dark and mysterious and fun!
The only real critique I have is that the ending was so rushed, and that some of the characters were so flat! I wish there were a bit more substance to it, even if that meant cutting out some scenes or making the book a bit longer.

Overall, this was a really fascinating read and a great debut! I would definitely read more of what Alaina writes!

As a huge fan of the MOrbod podcast, I was so excited to read this book. And it did NOT dissapoint! If it was already known, Alaina is a wonderful storyteller and her debut novel falls nothing short of amazing. Cannot wait to read more novels by her. Easy FIVE stars.

Thank you SO much to NetGalley, Zando publishing and affiliates for providing me early access to this read. I finished it on April 7th and am finally getting around to submitting my honest review. I am a mega fan of Morbid and have been since close to when Ash & Alaina began their podcast journey. I was so beyond stoked to read this and I absolutely adored it. For someone who reads mostly romance novels and fiction books, Alaina inspired me to read a horror novel and she did not disappoint! I absolutely love Wren, the way Alaina so eloquently told her story, and the thoughtfulness poured into this whole book. After that ending, I’m REALLY hoping we get a follow up book ASAP. Until then, keep it weird!!!! 🖤

Finally! A suspenseful true crime novel that pulled me in and didn't let go. This was a quick read, and I was pleased to find it contained no swearing or sex. There were graphic descriptions of violence, however.

As a proud Weirdo, I was so excited to have the chance to read this novel from one of my favorite podcasters, and it did not disappoint. I cannot wait to read what happens to Wren and the gang.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was one of the absolute best reads I’ve had in awhile. Disturbing, but full of twists and incredible writing. I will definitely be recommending this book to patrons long before it’s even released! 5 stars 100%

I've come to understand that this was written by a woman who hosts a popular true-crime podcast, so I imagine the book will take wing based on her notoriety alone, but it very much reads like a new (inexperienced) author. The pacing is off, and some things like thoughts about objects and settings are drawn out, while important character development and world-building seem slightly neglected. There's the occasional lapse into kind of silly descriptions that make it almost read like YA, notably one instance of describing the police department as smelling of stale coffee and frustration. So we're told about the scent of the police office but have almost no descriptions of the main characters. The killer is blonde but sometimes brunette, and that's the most we get outside of his wickedness. It's very hard to be fearful of someone you can't envision. I was just VERY relieved it didn't read like Silence of the Lambs fanfic, because butcher/wren definitely rings the bells of cannibal/starling. I believe the author has potential and hope that she continues, but a bit more expansively where it counts.

I want to start out by thanking netgalley for the arc ebook of this title. This opinions are my own and are unbiased.
With that said, I am a huge fan of morbid. So as soon as I heard Alaina wrote a book I immediately had to get my hands on it.
Overall impression: not bad for a debute novel. However I feel as though this book is like a beautiful, loosely knitted sweater: all the pieces are there for the patterns and twists and turns to be beautiful but it just needed to be pulled together tighter. It had all the components, I just needed it to be... More.
This book is a shorty. Only 250 some pages. And I feel it would have benefitted with some more meat.
I needed more history and backstory between the butcher and the wren. I need more motivation. I needed more plot and world building. What she has is great! I just wanted to know more behind their complex history. Why did he chose her? Tell me more about the ring? Tell me more behind his methods and madness. It teased me with the little bit of backstory it gave me. I just needed more!
Good things about this was the morbidness (ah see what I did there?) I loved all the graphic detail. Sometimes I just want a book to downright scare me and this one did it spots. There were times where I found myself holding my breath. The grotesque detail was great.
Alainas writing is also great! She wrote beautifully and her writing style is just 🤌 *chef's kiss*
I felt as though I was reading the work of a dear friend. I have listened to every episode of morbid and love ash and Alaina and feel like I could truly hang out with them in real life (so umm let's do that?? I too have a true crime podcast we can bond over *cough*) so I am incredibly proud of her for this undertaking. I can tell it was a labor of love and I really appreciate the time and effort and work she put into this.
And if my only complaint is that I wish it had more content...well then I call that a successful read. I will definitely be reading more from her and I will definitely be buying a copy of this book for my own collection! 3.5 stars because Goodreads doesn't give half stars.

As a huge fan of the Morbid podcast I was already inclined to love this just because I'm so proud of Alaina, but I was also genuinely impressed by the quality of writing and the imagination on display here.

Some of the sentences are so beautifully and intricately constructed they sound like poetry. Alaina is able to simultaneously give believable voice to a cold, calculating, rage-filled, torturous serial killer and a smart, determined, eminently capable forensic pathologist. Her two real-life careers as an autopsy technician and the host of a true crime podcast allow her to infuse both sides of the story with a feeling of authenticity that draws you into their world.

Part one does have an eerie feeling of incongruousness that can make a reader feel as though something is off (y'know, besides all the abductions and murders) but there is a twist that explains that feeling and makes everything come together as you enter part two, and allows you to look back at part one with fresh eyes and make more sense of it all. Part two wraps up somewhat abruptly and with a conclusion that may not leave everybody satisfied, especially if you're used to every book putting everything together in a neat little bow at the end. But it clearly leaves the door open for more books going forward, which I greatly look forward to devouring as quickly as I sped through this one.

There were some small proofing details that still need to be corrected before the final edition in September, but the story itself is solid and I can easily see Wren Muller becoming a well-known and well-loved series character in the thriller genre.

As a long time listener of Morbid, I was so excited that I got an ARC of The Butcher and the Wren! Alaina has been talking about the process of writing this book for years. She put so much hard work and research into creating this story and it is obvious how much care was put into this book. Alaina’s experience as an Autopsy Tech brings so much to the story and brings a lot of realism to the plot. I was sucked into this book from start to finish. I could not put it down until I knew what happened at the end. This is such a good start of Alaina’s writing journey and I can’t wait to see what comes next! Even if you haven’t listened to Morbid and you’re a fan of thrillers, you’ll enjoy this book.