The Butcher and the Wren: A chilling debut thriller from the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast MORBID

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Thrillers can be very predictable, but honestly I was kept guessing until the end of the book, and there were so many twists that I never saw coming! Lobotomies were mentioned so many times as Jeremy's interest but the potential to build up on this was lost. 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. This is why cemeteries in NOLA have above ground tombs - it's legit part of why the city is so darn spooky!

The fast-paced story and constant suspense keep you hooked, making it very difficult to put the novel down once you start reading it. If you like Patricia Cornwell and have watched Dexter with undisguised glee (and a sped up heart rate), this one is for you. Just like the person on my autopsy table is a human being who has people who love them, the people we discuss on Morbid are mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, and friends. 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. I would like to thank edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN is the perfect addition to the author's portfolio with her Morbid Podcast — an author to watch. He’s capable of failure, and luckily, my girl Wren is there to catch those small slip-ups with her own sharp mind. 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. 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!

She doesn’t like having unfinished business, and especially not when she’s reminded of it every time she opens the freezer door. With her encyclopaedic knowledge of humanity's darkest minds, and years of experience examining their victims, forensic pathologist Dr Wren Muller is the best there is.The entertainment industry is hell-bent on convincing viewers that morgues are high-tech space labs with touchscreen computer walls. But I just wish there was a bit more substance to it, a bit more backstory and character development to ground us within this story and these characters. As I was reading, there were several times I felt myself thinking, "this is definitely her first book. On a more personal level, she differs from me in her ability to let herself feel her emotions and feel them hard. Also I still don't understand how the cops and Leroux knew who this guy was for so long yet they almost waited around to catch him?

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

When the Tribe doled out death decrees, they were a necessary punishment to those who sought to undermine the advancement of Africa as a whole. There is nothing predictable about this book, and it is clear Alaina has figured out the perfect recipe for a thriller. I feel like if y In most of the horror books I read (not many), the killer takes his time, sure, but he is more eager and sloppy than Jeremy is.

Reasons to read: If you're a big Morbid fan, you'll love to see one of your fav hosts writing a book. Which would make for a GREAT novel because the bones are there and there is SO much to work with/ add on. 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. A retired optometrist crashed his moped into a tree, and there has been a row about milk bottles, but that was about it for excitement.

There is some attempt at giving us insight into why the killer behaves as he does but I found this heavy handed. When Wren discovers that the victims she has been working on are the victims of her same abuser/almost killer a number of years prior, it's already pretty far into the book. The next chapter we meet Wren, who is a no-nonsense kind of gal, with an encyclopedic knowledge of historical crimes such as this current case, and dead set on stopping the murders, at all costs.