kristy_likes_books 's review for:

The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart
3.25
dark sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Picked this book up on a whim from my local book club - heavy trigger warnings, but the gore in this book is quite intense. (Thankfully, the other members gave me a heads up!) 

Author Alaina Urquhart moonlights as an IRL autopsy technician, which means the actual autopsy investigation scenes are hyper-realistic... or at least very realistic to me, an untrained couch detective. The plot is a bit all over the place and I don't quite understand
how the twist at the end really worked out?
so if you're looking for a thematic, gory read, this one is for you. Just note that it's the first in a series so you'll need to pick up the sequel (and perhaps an upcoming third?) to finish the plot.

I enjoyed the Louisiana bayou theme even if the plot wasn't entirely coherent, so if you're a ~vibes~ reader, I think you'll like this one.