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

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CAPTIVATING. T he reader might want to shut their eyes, but the joust between the killer and the pathologist makes that impossible' DAILY MAIL 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

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 seriesMolly Odintz: You’re an autopsy technician. Tell us a bit about your job and how it intersects with your life as a podcaster and writer. The ending is incredibly abrupt but still manages to set things up for more books with The Butcher and The Wren. I can only hope that the publishers don’t allow more of this juvenile writing to be published. Wrens are truly magnificent little creatures. They signify rebirth and protection, immortality, and strength. Because of the wren's small stature, most larger birds and predators underestimate its incredible ingenuity and intelligence. But while technically fragile, the wren outwits its underprepared predator to come out on top when threatened." 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 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.

The only thing that defines Wren is that she’s a medical examiner and a workaholic. I wasn’t particularly rooting for her. To me, this felt more like a beta read. Which would make for a GREAT novel because the bones are there and there is SO much to work with/ add on. But since this almost the final copy, I am not sure how these plot holes, flat characters, and underdeveloped storylines will be fixed in time of pub date?

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I know some people have issues with her descriptions of Louisiana. Having family there and being very familiar with the state, I do see these points. BUT it's really hard to write in a climate that's not your own, so I do give her props to writing in a setting she is not familiar with). Moving on...

I never said it was his sole intention. I just don’t like my abilities being tested by some gutless asshole who thinks he’s Hannibal Lecter or something.” As body after body pile up on Wren's examination table, her obsession grows. Pressure to put an end to the slaughter mounts. And her enemy becomes more brazen.I don't want to discredit Alaina entirely because obviously this was a passion project for her - but I hope for her sake IF she chooses to write another novel to A) HIRE A GOOD EDITOR and B) DO YOUR RESEARCH. She didn't this time around and it shows. The MC, Jeremy, is the serial killer. I actually really enjoyed his character because he had a funny personality and we got to see him go through a range of emotions in almost every chapter. We also got a tiny tiny glimpse into his childhood, which of course helped his character arc. True-crime podcast co-host Alaina Urquhart showcases her propensity for the macabre in chilling cat-and-mouse thriller Sabienna Bowman, Popsugar The author also insists on mentioning other, famous serial killers throughout the book – everyone seems to be a true crime fan in this story – which is offputting. I was half expecting a plug for the author’s podcast to appear, but thankfully she stopped short of this.