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The Butcher and the Wren (Paperback)
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The Butcher and the Wren (Paperback)

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Price: £10.99
Paperback 304 Pages
Published: 20/07/2023
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Waterstones Says

Alternating between the perspectives of a brutal serial killer and the forensic pathologist on their trail, the debut crime thriller from the co-host of the chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid is a chillingly authentic page-turner par excellence.

From the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid, a thrilling debut novel told from the duelling perspectives of a notorious serial killer and the medical examiner following where his trail of victims leads...

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. Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of historical crimes, and years of experience working in the Medical Examiner's office, 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.

Publisher information

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781405954778
Number of pages: 304
Dimensions: 198 x 130 x 18 mm
Weight: 213 g
Language: English


MEDIA REVIEWS

Alaina Urquhart's debut novel is incredibly accomplished. Set deep in Louisiana, you can almost feel the heat and humidity. A grisly serial killer, a tenacious medical examiner, and a few amazing twists make this a searing, unputdownable book - Samantha Downing, Sunday Times Bestselling Author

Can a medical examiner outsmart a serial killer? The Butcher and the Wren will keep you waiting for an answer until the last bloody page. Prepare to be disturbed. A deliciously dark debut - REA FREY, bestselling author for Not Her Daughter and Secrets of Our House

Impressively detailed in its analysis . . . Captivating, with lacings of the occult. There may be moments when the reader might want to shut their eyes, but the joust between the killer and the pathologist makes that impossible - Daily Mail

A chilling page-turner with a massive twist in the middle that's sure to give you goosebumps - Woman's Weekly

The Butcher and the Wren is perfect for fans of Dexter. Pitting a brutal serial killer against a determined medical examiner, the story is a pulsepounding race against time. And the details the author weaves in due to her unique background as an autopsy tech heighten the realism and the suspense. Fans of Morbid will love the host's debut novel - KAIRA ROUDA

Urquhart paints a tense and dangerous world for us right from the start and delivers it all with a skilled and evocative hand - AARON MAHNKE, creator of the Lore podcast and author of The World of Lore series

Dark and twisted, The Butcher And The Wren is a gripping game of cat and mouse in the Louisiana bayou that will leave you wanting for more! Alaina Urquhart is a fresh new voice in crime fiction and I can't wait to read what she writes next - LAURE VAN RENSBURG, author of Nobody But Us

Not for the faint-hearted - Heat

A read-in-one-sitting kind of book - Sarah Gelman, CBS Mornings

Looking for the perfect way to kick off your spooky season? Well, you can end your search now as the co-host of the wildly popular true-crime podcast Morbid, who is also an autopsy technician, is offering up a twisted tale of a serial killer terrorizing the Louisiana bayou. Told from the dueling perspectives of a notorious murderer and the medical examiner who is desperate to catch him, this cat-and-mouse thriller will give your goosebumps chills - Tierney Bricker, E! News

True-crime podcast co-host Alaina Urquhart showcases her propensity for the macabre in chilling cat-and-mouse thriller - Sabienna Bowman, Popsugar

Another true crime podcaster brings their flair for the macabre to the page with The Butcher and the Wren. Co-host of the chart-topping Morbid podcast, Alaina Urquhart treats fans of pulse-pounding novels to a thrill ride pitting a notorious serial killer in a battle of wits against the medical examiner determined to bring him down - Books-A-Million, “Our Favorite Debut Authors”, -

A psychic thriller that will have readers on edge from the first page to the last . . . Perfect for those who love: watching Silence of the Lambs - Ashley McLellan, Louisiana Life

Set in the ever-moody and hauntingly beautiful city of New Orleans, The Butcher and the Wren tells the story of a meticulous serial killer and the distinguished forensic pathologist, Dr. Wren Muller, set out to stop him. After researching countless horrific true crime cases over the last several years, we have no doubt Urquhart will knock it out of the park with this one. This is the perfect book to pick up if you want to 'Keep it weird.' - Brett Nicole Hayden, The Everygirl, -

A serial killer novel like none you have ever read, The Butcher and the Wren takes a cat-and-mouse chase between two instantly memorable antagonists and turns all the conventions of the genre upside down. Dark, twisty, full of authentic detail, it'll have you listening to the night in an entirely different way - Neil Nyren, Booktrib, -

If you've ever wanted to actually get inside the mind of a serial killer, look no further - Paste Magazine

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“Excellent Read”

Thank you to the publishers for this early review copy, this is an excellent crime fiction debut.
I am very much hoping that there are plans to develop this into a series, if there are can you please sign me up for... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 41

“Perfect for true crime fans”

Thank you to Penguin for sending me an early review copy.
Forensic pathologist Wren Muller is on the hunt for a brutal serial killer known as the Bayou Butcher, which makes for an incredibly tense plot that kept me... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 39

“An amazing debut”

Such an amazing debut, I’ve been a fan of The Morbid Podcast for a while so this book has been long anticipated by me and it’s safe to say I was completely blown away. Alaina’s writing style is poetic and flows... More

Hardback edition
Helpful? Upvote 35

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