The Butcher and the Wren: A Novel

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

From the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid, a thrilling debut novel told from the dueling 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.

Now with an exclusive sneak peek at the highly anticipated sequel!

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256 pages

Average rating: 7.58

534 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Kellyo
May 01, 2025
7/10 stars
Only gave it a 7 because I didn’t know it was so short due to it having a sequel. Creepy criminal minds story.
McJen
Apr 26, 2025
9/10 stars
A quick but terrifying read!
LisaPageTurner
Apr 01, 2025
8/10 stars
I've been listening to the author’s podcast "Morbid" for years so I knew she had written a book but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to read it. I finally broke down and bought it a couple of weeks ago, then proceeded to read the entire book over a weekend. Honestly it was hard to put down and I was so disappointed with myself that I hadn't bought the sequel, too. I immediately remedied that thanks to Amazon lol. As I said, overall I enjoyed reading this book. I loved that the reader gets to know the story from both sides, although the plot twist was a little confusing at first. At that point I had a hard time telling when things were happening in the past and what was present day, but it eventually comes together. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who's into thriller type books. However I would also let them know that the sequel is much more graphic. I needed to take breaks and by the time I finished it, I needed to read something much more lighthearted as a palate cleanser.
1mrsbeck
Jan 27, 2025
4/10 stars
Terrible ending
Ciaramariiee
Dec 20, 2024
4/10 stars
2/5 or 4/10. Bummed I didn’t care for this story. I love the morbid podcast and had high hopes for this book. I just couldn’t connect with it. I found my mind wandering or myself skimming over words to read quicker. The last 3 pages made me interested to read the second book since this one was so short. I enjoyed that the MFC has a similar (if not the same) job as the author - leaving a little Easter egg for the Morbid Podcast fans. I just needed more “drama”.

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