The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart is a tense and thrilling crime novel in the Dr. Wren Muller series. With a chilling cat-and-mouse chase between a medical examiner and a serial killer, the book delivers suspense, twists, and dark intrigue. A must-read for fans of gritty crime thrillers.

Audio Book Review - A challenging story that has been carefully narrated by Sophie Amoss and Joe Knezevich bringing together all the facets of horror and disturbing beautifully. A chilling tale that leaves you with troubling feeling - definitely worth a listen

This book grips you from the first page and never lets go. Every chapter tightens the tension, every twist lands just right, and just when you think you have it figured out, it pulls the rug out from under you. By the end, you won’t just be breathless—you’ll be looking over your shoulder.

The sequel to "The Butcher and the Wren" picks up just weeks after the first book. This is a full-on cat-and-mouse chase as Wren hunts Jeremy across state lines, desperately trying to stop him before he claims more victims. Sounds thrilling, right? Unfortunately, the audiobook didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
🔪 Narration: - We have two narrators again, with Sophie Amoss returning as Wren and Alaina Urquhart voicing Jeremy. Amoss does a solid job, capturing Wren’s determination, but her tone felt a little too detached at times, making it harder to connect emotionally. Urquhart, on the other hand, gives Jeremy a chilling, eerie presence—but at times, it felt a little over-stylized, almost performative rather than naturally unsettling.

🎧 Production & Pacing - The audiobook is well-produced, but the pacing dragged in certain parts, especially in Wren’s chapters. The back-and-forth perspectives should have amped up the tension, but instead, I found myself zoning out at times. The stakes are high, but the delivery didn’t always match the intensity the story needed.

Final Thoughts: - if you’re committed to the series, this audiobook will do the job, but it didn’t elevate the material for me. While the narration had its moments, it lacked the immersive, edge-of-your-seat quality I was hoping for. A decent listen, but not a must-hear. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I was a little lost throughout, not realizing this was a sequel. That being said, this was a fantastic audiobook! Plot, characters, twists, all of it was amazing! Can’t wait for book 3 (after I run and read book 1 and reread/listen to book 2)!

The Butcher Game is Alaina Urquhart's follow up to her flashy, thrilling, horrifyingly grotesque first novel, The Butcher and the Wren. I was happy to reunite with Wren and to find out if Jeremy gets his due. Naturally, it left things on a massive cliffhanger and scrambling to google to find out when to expect book 3.

The leaf on the cover draws readers in but the words and plot that winds within keeps us glued to the pages. Despite being the second in the series this reads easily as a standalone as serial killers and medical examiners oscillate within.

Wow, this was a super intense and twisted ride, and I was totally here for it! I really enjoy the characters and their relationships in this book and I can't wait to see what book 3 holds! I am now adding all of
Alaina Urquhart's books to my TBR!


#TheButcherGame
#NetGalley

The Butcher Game was a fun and wild romp. I loved the sequel and thought the character exploration was great. Thrilling!

Forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller faces her most chilling challenge yet as she matches wits with Jeremy Rose, the notorious Bayou Butcher. After narrowly escaping him twice, Wren finds herself drawn back into his deadly game when he resurfaces in Massachusetts, leaving a grisly trail of victims. As Wren closes in on the killer, the lines between hunter and hunted blur, culminating in a showdown where survival demands more than just skill—it requires sacrifice.

Tropes
- Cat-and-mouse thriller
- Dual perspectives: killer and pursuer
- Battle of wits
- Trauma and resilience
- Good vs. evil

Alaina Urquhart ups the ante in *The Butcher Game*, the second instalment in the Dr. Wren Muller series, delivering a chilling and relentless thriller that keeps readers on edge from start to finish. Urquhart’s background as the cohost of the *Morbid* podcast shines through in her detailed, immersive storytelling and her ability to craft a deeply unsettling atmosphere.

The novel’s dual perspectives provide a fascinating dynamic, giving readers insight into both Wren’s unyielding determination and Jeremy Rose’s twisted psyche. Jeremy is a particularly compelling villain—intelligent, manipulative, and utterly ruthless—while Wren’s resilience and vulnerability make her a relatable and powerful heroine. Their dynamic is electric, with each encounter brimming with tension and danger.

Urquhart doesn’t shy away from the brutality of Jeremy’s crimes, creating a visceral sense of dread. However, the graphic descriptions are balanced with moments of introspection, as Wren grapples with the psychological toll of her work and the scars of her past encounters with Jeremy. This emotional depth elevates the story, making it more than just a straightforward thriller.

Narrators Sophie Amoss and Joe Knezevich bring the characters to life with their masterful performances, heightening the suspense and drawing listeners deeper into the story. Their voices perfectly capture the contrasting perspectives, adding an extra layer of intensity to an already gripping tale.

It is a must-read for fans of dark, intricate thrillers with complex characters and high-stakes action. It’s a testament to the strength of Urquhart’s storytelling and a thrilling continuation of Dr. Wren Muller’s journey.

These narrators are wonderful!! The Butcher Game is just a creepy as Butcher and The Wren! Highly recommend and cannot wait for the next!

I thought this was a great sequel in the series! I also loved the little nuggets from the author at the end!

An amazing second book in this series. I can’t get enough! Always intense and keeps you hooked from the very start!!

I abosuletly adored this book and audiobook! the voice of the character si so soothing and enticing! Aliana really gives you more than one perspective and POV which really works well with the book. If you loved the first one or true crime in general this feels like you're in a true crime documentary! I am so excited to see what else comes from this author and this is perfect for spooky season! Thank you thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this wonderful book!

After the way the first book of the series ended, I was thrilled to see a second book was coming. In my opinion, this one was even better than the first book. I was glued to it and could not stop listening to the audio. I love Wren as a character, and her determination to keep hunting Jeremy despite being on medical leave. She is just so determined. If you like scary thrillers than this is definitely the book for you.

I have a confession: I read the first book back in 2022 when it was new, but I can't remember much about it. I kept waiting for context clues to trigger my memories of book one, and while I have vague snippets of recollection, reading this book felt like coming in midway through a story, leaving me feeling lost.

That said, I did enjoy the events that unfolded. I loved the mystery, the grotesque nature of the villain, the build-up for a potential new antagonist, and the psychological terror that plagued our protagonist. However, I noticed a lot of repetition in the narrative. It often felt like we were discussing the same points multiple times.

In this installment, we get the perspectives of Wren and Jeremy after some time has passed since book one. Jeremy travels to the Boston area, and Wren follows after her colleagues call her regarding suspicious deaths. We delve into Jeremy's mind as he stalks his prey and plans to reel in Wren — it’s an interesting dynamic.

The plot and characters are decent, and you can definitely recognize Alaina's unique voice; I love her quirky jokes and dark humor. If you enjoyed the first book, you'll likely like this one as well. The audio version features a Q&A with Ash and Alaina, which is entertaining and offers some background on the writing process. Who doesn't love some fun conversations between Ash and Alaina? The narrators also did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life.

I was so excited to get this audiobook, I loved the first book in this series and the 2nd was just as good. I really enjoy the narrators on these books.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
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The second in the series. This one picks up right where the first left off ( you most definitely need to read the first book before reading this one). This one continues with a dual POV, and this has the same cat & mouse vibes, but this time not even just with Wren. I love where Alaina went with this story, I think it gave such great insight to the characters, and it was a continuation of the first. This has the same fast-paced aspect and hooked me right from the start. You are left with a cliff hanger ending once again, but I'm okay with that, as long as I get my book three!
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I listened to this one via audiobook - Sophie Amoss and Joe Knezevich were awesome narrators. They complimented each other and they really brought this one to life for me. Highly recommending the audiobooks for this series!
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Overall, I am hooked to the series. I cannot wait to see what happens next. A great thriller / serial killer series for anyone who is looking for a new series to binge! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Alaina Urguhart and Dreamscape Select for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

After listening to the first in this series I really enjoyed it and was looking forward to book two. This starts weeks after the first novel and it is important to read the first, first because they are directly related.

A cat and mouse game with Wren on the hunt for Jeremy, following him across state and county lines. Will she find him before he can hurt too many more people?

So glad for Vol 2. Does not disappoint. Duel perspectives. Cliff hanger warning- book 3 is promised.