Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Butcher and the Wren by Alaina Urquhart

88 reviews

jesuskleist's review

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

V good! I did spend the entirety of this book waiting for them to fuck though… real twist there… my b Wren

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

bones008's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

It was very gripping! i’m looking forward to more books from this author 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Gore, Torture, and Stalking

Minor: Cursing, Drug use, Death of parent, and Alcohol

The author is an autopsy tech by trade so the details she puts in are unnerving and realistic. i think she’s got a special talent for grossing me out while pulling me in. The twist is a wonderful addition i didn’t see coming. i highly recommend this book

katharina90's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

I enjoyed it, particularly the dual POV, but the book was short and didn't allow me to really get to know the characters. 

A little more depth to the characters would have gone a long way to get me invested in their story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Kidnapping, and Stalking

Minor: Animal death, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Infidelity

parchementhallucinations's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

So freaking good! Best thriller I have read in a long time. How is this Alaina's first book and it's THIS good?? I enjoyed the detailed medical aspect of this book (you may not like it if you're squeamish). I love a dual POV. I also felt like she did an excellent job at making me hate the killer, in that "love to hate him" kind of way. I can't wait for the sequel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

Minor: Animal death and Panic attacks/disorders

princess_marie's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Stalking

aaannina's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

cardenasjamiee's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Kidnapping, and Murder

emreadsmtimes's review

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I know that, and many other reviewers, are huge fans of Morbid— and Alaina absolutely killed it!!! 

It was such an amazingly detailed read, from the plot, the characters, the suspense, and even the Lousiana Byou that holds the stories of the dead in its swampy waters… Another element of this story that I loved was the perspective changes from chapter to chapter (starting with Jeremy, to Wren, to Jeremy, and so on.) It provided a unique reading experience that was executed well!

I read this book in 3 days, and I'm usually not a fast reader, but I simply couldn't put this book down. If you're looking for a body horror, mystery, and thriller book— this is the one for you! Can't wait to read The Butcher Game!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Medical content and Kidnapping

Minor: Sexual content and Grief

karlee_reads's review

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

Be warned, this short novel does not shy away from graphic details. The descriptions of the murders and attacks are violent and visceral. While this doesn't bother me, it is something I would warn people about before they dive in. The Lousiana setting feels both perfect and cliche in the same breath, but I'm not mad about that as a reader. I also really like the attention to sound from Urquhart - acknowledging the cacophony of the night in the swamp and using it with the juxtaposition of music in the murders. 

The use of the intertwining timelines really helped make this a more engaging story for me. More than just 2 points of view, but 2 different times coming together. Wren being Emily was an awesome twist that I didn't see coming. The spiraling out of Jermey/Cal as he gets sloppy out of frustration,  while still being markedely dangerous along the way was a great devolution of the character.

Overall this was a tight and smart thriller that gave a satisfying story to any murder show or podcast fan. Who doesn't love a cliffhanger? Answer: me - haha. Guess I'll have to pick up the next one this fall.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder

ashlymarie's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail