Publication: 13th September 2022 – Michael Joseph
From the host of chart-topping true crime podcast MORBID and autopsy technician Alaina Urquhart, THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN is dark, twisted, and not for the faint-harted: perfect for fans of The Silence of the Lambs, Dexter, and Patricia Cornwell.
In the Louisiana bayou, a methodical killer with a taste for medical experimentation is hard at work completing his most harrowing crime yet, taunting the authorities who desperately try to catch up.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is the best there is. Armed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of historical crimes and years of experience, she’s never encountered a case she couldn’t solve.
Until now.
As case after case lands on Wren’s examination table, she is sucked into an all-consuming cat-and-mouse chase – all too aware she is on the tail of a brutal murderer, getting more brazen by the day…
Good morning and happy Monday everyone! Today, it’s my turn on the blog tour for The Butcher and The Wren, the thrilling debut novel by Alaina Urquhart.
Spooky season is here so if you are looking for a chilling and dark read to get you in the right mood, The Butcher and The Wren is what you are looking for. A serial killer who likes to torture and play with his victims before killing them and the forensic pathologist who hunts him, all set in the bayous of New Orleans.
The story is told from two different perspectives. On one side, the author takes us right into the killer’s mind. He is a complex, highly intelligent character who loves terrorizing and killing his victims in the most gruesome and agonising way. Because of him, the streets of New Orleans are no longer safe. Young people, especially women, disappear and their bodies are found a few days later, showing signs of torture. The press has renamed him “the Butcher”. Who is he? And can he be stopped?
“The thoughts of the depraved fascinated Wren. But the last thoughts of the dead fascinated her even more.”
The other point of view is Dr Wren Muller. A renowned forensic pathologist with knowledge of criminology, Wren knows death. She often collaborates with the police in solving cases and she is determined to find this serial killer before he kills again, and, as the body count rises, the search becomes an obsession for her.
I loved the dual narrative as I was absorbed both in the killer and Wren’s gripping stories. The pace is right and fast, the suspense kept me on the edge from the first to the last pages, and the twists took me completely by surprise. The story is well-written, the story is intense and compelling, the characters are fascinating and well-developed and I am really hoping for a sequel, because I want more!
A huge thank you to Sriya and Michael Joseph for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a proof of this fantastic novel.
Please, follow the rest of the blog tour:
Alaina Urquhart is the science-loving co-host of the chart-topping show Morbid: A True Crime Podcast, with over 1m listeners and 3m views on TikTok. As an autopsy technician by trade, she offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue, putting victims at the heart of every story she tells.
Before writing her first psychological horror novel, she received degrees in criminal justice, psychology, and biology. 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.
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