My biggest issue with book one- The Butcher and The Wren, was how it ended. Why would you end it like that?!? Imagine my joy when I saw that there was a book 2!

The Butcher Game picks up right where The Butcher and The Wren ends. This was just as twisted and graphic as the first one and I ate it right up!!

As seems the be the way of this series, we were left with a cliffhanger so I'll need book 3 ASAP 😩

It’s safe to say no sophomore slump here! This book just seemed a continuation of The Butcher and the Wren, which I absolutely loved and recommend to those who love dark books! This book is so terrifying and realistic and amazing! I love books that put me in real life situations and genuinely scare me! The way the author has two completely different POVs and makes you feel like you’re with each character and truly seeing into their minds is wild! Being inside the head of Jeremy Rose was honestly hard to read at times, but in the best way! Not sure what that says about me 😝 And the strength and courage Dr Wren Muller shows is admirable! I would be terrified after what she went through in the first book, but she is determined to bring Jeremy in and protect others from him. With that being said, I would highly suggest reading the first book, The Butcher and the Wren before picking up this one! And with that wild ending, it seemed maybe this isn’t the last we will see of Wren and Jeremey!!

Thank you, NetGalley for this early copy

I ran to NetGalley after reading the first book and realizing there was a 2nd coming out I had to know what happened. This was a great 2nd book I feel like we are left with just enough curiosity to want to continue but a good amount of closure to be satisfied with the ending. I was obsessed with the story of the first book and loved the way it continued flawlessly into this 2nd one while keeping the perspective of both our FMC and MMC so we got a deep look into both mindsets and thought processes.

WOWZA!!!!! Dark, gripping, tense, pulse pounding and hard to put down, The Butcher Game is a bloody fantastic page turner! It is also the second book in the Dr. Wren Muller series and I highly recommend reading, The Butcher and the Wren prior to reading this book. Would this book work as a stand-alone? Perhaps, but you would be missing so much backstory, the events that led the characters to this book, and fabulous writing. Plus, Alaina Urquhart gives readers a real treat- POV's from both Wren and the Butcher!

I was so excited when I saw that Alaina Urquhart had another book coming in this series. She did not disappoint with this dark, deadly, and thrilling book. Whew! This has some gruesome scenes people so be warned. It also has some brilliant cat-and-mouse scenes that kept me on my toes and with a grin on my face.

Wren is an intelligent, diligent, and courageous medical examiner who is traumatized by events in the first book. The Butcher (Jeremy) is a twisted, clever, diabolical and vicious serial killer. Wren wants justice, but will she get it? You will have to read to find out!

Whew! This book kept me on my toes, and I could not stop turning the pages. I was fully invested in this book from the very beginning. It was hard to put this book down when life got in the way. I loved the plot, the cat-and-mouse, and the introduction of another character with ties to the butcher, who plays an 'interesting' part in this book.

This book is oozing with atmosphere, tension, dread, danger, vivid descriptions, and suspense. It's chilling, graphic, dark, and oh-so-good! Plus, the ending! Man, this book put me through the ringer and left me wanting more. Thankfully, with that ending, there must be another book in the series!!!! I for one, can't wait!

I highly recommended this book series.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Alaina Urquhart for an ARC of The Butcher Game. I have been anxiously awaiting this sequel and this fulfilled my expectations and more. This was the sequel we needed of 2024. You can feel Alaina’s heart in this book giving us what we needed and what she’s learned/talked about in Morbid. I am ready for the next book anytime now and don’t know how I’ll be patient until that time comes 😂 I loved that she helped us out by putting little reminders into this book of what happened in the last one going oh yeah! And that it picked up shortly after the first one ended. Alaina’s humor in this book was just the cherry on top as well. Side note: this is a sequel you do have to read The Butcher and the Wren first before reading The Butcher Game. Also can we admire the cover??

Jeremy Rose is the a ruthless killer on his way north to evade his crimes. He seeks coverage with an old friend that he knows will help him. Jeremy keeps his eyes set on Wren, Dr. Muller. She has escaped him twice, but he knows that was the last time. He will do whatever it takes to bring her down. Wren hasn’t recovered from the last attempt the Bayou Butcher tried to kill her. She is now on medical leave trying to heal, but we all know that’s easier said than done. Wren hears about a fresh trail that could only be of Jeremy’s doing and she realizes the only way to actually heal is to see this to the end. Wren makes her way up north to Massachusetts and hopes she doesn’t find herself in another one of Jeremy’s traps. Wren will do whatever it takes to bring Jeremy down and now this is personal.

I happily requested an ARC of The Butcher Game after reading The Butcher and the Wren I love Alaina Urquhart's style and was extremely excited to snag the sequel. Perhaps my favorite part of Alaina's style is the alternating POVs of Wren and the killer. Coupled with a fast-paced plot, I could not put The Butcher Game Down down and am waiting anxiously for Alaina's next book!

A second part to The Butcher and the Wren. I'm glad I read the The Butcher Game because it tied up the storyline nicely. I was a little disappointed by the ending because it left one small part unfinished, which makes me wonder if there will be a third part with a new main villain. I look forward to reading it if there is!

Overall I really enjoyed it, I feel like if you enjoyed the first book, you will love the sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐭. 𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐫. 𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫. 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥.

Book two was everything I hoped it would be. I would highly recommend starting with the first installment, THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN, and not read this as a standalone.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is still recovering from the events in book one; however, Jeremy Rose, the Butcher of the Bayou, isn't quite finished with her yet. Known as the only target who has ever escaped him, he's determined to slink out of the shadows when she least expects it. While on medical leave from her job, she becomes aware of growing evidence that suggests Jeremy has headed north, leaving a trail of freshly mutilated victims in his wake. Feeling the only way to heal her physical and emotional scars is by tracking him down, she heads to Massachusetts. Is she walking into the lair of a monster, or will she finally bring him to justice?

I loved the addition of a character who was important to Jeremy, and while their relationship is tenuous at best, it added an interesting dynamic to the plot. Without giving spoilers, I feel like the author made a bold and shocking choice for the ending (which begs for a third installment) but in my opinion, it was a calculated risk that paid off. I'll let you decide how you feel! Many thanks to NetGalley and Zando Books for this early read. At the time this review was written, this title was slated to release on September 17, 2024.

Morbid and right up my alley! The description that Jeremy uses during his scenes are fantastic. Kept me guessing and brought me closer to the heart of these characters. A great sequel to The Butcher and The Wren.
I can only hope that book 3 is either set decently far in the future and someone picks up where the killer left off OR a childhood look into their upbringings and what lead to this.

Either way I'll be recommending this to anyone looking for a thriller that's easy to get into.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for this ARC!

I was a huge fan of Alaina’s first book and I was so excited for her to continue the Butcher series. I may have liked The Butcher Game more than book one! This book was intense and dark as hell! I read it almost one sitting and finished it in less than 24 hours.

Without spoiling anything, I can definitely say fans of the first book or the Morbid podcast will love The Butcher Game!

It picks up right where the author left us in the previous book and continues with all the gore and the blood too. Wren and Jeremy are now in a cat and mouse game but Jeremy is always ten steps ahead so it was interesting to see how it would all come to an end. Will the end be satisfying? About the end, it leaves us with more questions and now I am more interested in the next book than I was ever with this one. But it wont be a good ending for many readers and even personally I felt divided about it for a while. The setting is now Salem town and we get more of Jeremy's background and his thinking. Wren's constant mulling slowed the pace a bit and it did not add too much to the plot though I understand it was inevitable with the trauma her characters undergoes.

I read the first book and liked it so I was excited to read it this one. I actually liked this one even more than the first one. Alaina has really grown as a writer and I am excited for her to write more books. I definitely think you need to read the first book to really understand this one but I definitely recommend it.

2.5 ⭐️⭐️ rounded up to 3. The Butcher Game is the second book following Wren. This book was just really hard for me to get into. I felt it dragged and I considered DNF multiple times. It ended up being ok and I’m happy I stuck with it.


Thanks to Zando & NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you, NetGalley and Zando for the copy of The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart. The first book in this series was so good I couldn’t wait to read this one. It really delivered the scares and chills, so be ready for a hair-raising time. It took a little time to get into Wren’s chapters and her life, but Jeremy’s story was compelling from the start. Be prepared for a lot of blood and gore as you accompany Jeremy on his murderous escapades. If you’re looking for a fast-paced book that will keep you reading until the end, this book is for you! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Alaina did it yet again! I was hooked from the first page and thrown right back into the the Butcher's and Wren's world! I was immediately sucked in from the first page. I absolutely loved The Butcher and The Wren and have been dying for this sequel. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The thrill was there every step of the way and I was so appreciative of that as a huge thriller fan. I will forever read anything that Urquhart writes. Her background and writing skills make for being able to put the perfect thriller books out there.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. But ended up enjoying it. Wren's continue story was fabulous. Definitely some detailed gore, but that's to be expected in a book about a serial killer. Good book.

Thank you net galley and the publisher for this arc I was excited to get this one. I bought the first book and thought it was ok this one was much better. I enjoyed Jeremys chapters much more then wrens most of the book . I enjoyed most of the book except for the way it ended I just wanted a little more but overall I would purchase and recommend this book. I listen to the podcast when I can and Alaina is a great writer I hope we continue to get more books from her.

I’m gonna start this review by saying that I honestly didn’t care for the first book in the series. I really wanted to like it, because I love the Morbid podcast, but I felt it fell flat. I requested an ARC of the second book because I wanted to see if the author would get better with experience.

And I’m glad I did. This second installment in the series was much more engaging and brutal than the first. After avoiding being captured at the end of book one, Jeremy is back and bloodier than ever. There are a lot of suspenseful moments and plenty of buildup to keep you turning the pages, not to mention how impactful the ending turned out to be.

There are a few graphic scenes in it so if you’re sensitive to certain subjects, I would check the triggers before diving in.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy.

Thank you Zando for the gifted copy!

I was so excited to dive back into the world of Dr. Wren Muller after loving The Butcher and the Wren! Readers will need to read book one before starting this one, this cannot be read as a standalone in my opinion. Even having brushed up on the first book I found there were some references I had a hard time remembering, so a subtle callback to some of the major plot points from the Butcher and the Wren would've been beneficial for me personally.

There were times throughout the book that I felt the plot was somewhat disjointed and I had a hard time following along. Ultimately the book was good though and the cat and mouse game between Jeremy and Wren was interesting to read.

I won't spoil why but the ending really bummed me out. I do commend Urquhart for going there though because I'm sure she knew it wasn't going to be popular with her readers! I also think it's safe to say we will be getting a book 3 in the series, and I for one can't wait!

The Butcher Game will be on US bookshelves September 17!

I loved The Butcher and the Wren, and absolutely loved this sequel as well. Like the last book, we get dual POVs; Wren and the serial killer. I felt this book was fast paced and dark (as a serial killer book ought to be). I also enjoyed the setting in Salem and the book picks up not long after it left off in the last book. Jeremy Rose, the Butcher of the Bayou is back and out for revenge. I absolutely recommend this book if you liked the last one.