Tag: serial killers

Book Review: The Lady Butcher by Sian B. Claven

The Lady Butcher
Series: The Butcher #4
Author: Sian B. Claven

Published: January 15, 2021
87 Pages

Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: May 25-29, 2022
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars

Book Description:

In it, for one more kill.Just when you thought the killing was over, a new butcher arrives in town.

A young boy in an abandoned warehouse. A young man with Down Syndrome behind the arcade. A teenage boy in the woods. A homosexual girl in a motel. All these murders are familiar…but are they?

While Derick is trying to navigate his new love life with Kimberly, the copycat Butcher killer drives him to drink, especially when the killings seem tied to the sweet family that lives next door to him, and the killings just don’t stop. He feels hopeless as The Butcher eludes him and the relationship with the only family he has becomes strained.

Thank God he has Kimberly beside him to see him through this mess.

Jessica’s Review:

I have enjoyed The Butcher series and absolutely loved the final novella in the series: The Lady Butcher. It seemed like Sylvana was going to be the final Butcher novella, but Claven brought the butcher back for one last kill!  And she brought this final novella on with a kick and wrote a fast-moving novella with a lot going on in just under 90 pages.  This time we have a new butcher who is seemingly targeting different sort of individuals.  Who will be this butcher’s next target?

We have two POVs: The Butcher and Detective Derick Wyatt.  We see first-hand the new butcher’s depravity while keeping to the previous butcher’s MO. Then we see Detective Wyatt struggle to find this new killer while also seeing his home life with the neighbors.  We see the story come full circle and I was rooting for Wyatt to end the butcher once and for all.  It was an intense finale that brought several emotions.  And the ending was perfect for me! I was very satisfied with this whole series.

The only negative for me was on my part and not Claven’s: The Lady Butcher is short, and I wish I had been able to read it in one or two sittings.  Working full time with things to do afterwards and not being a superfast reader doesn’t give me a lot of free time to read at night.

There is a special edition hardback that has the complete Butcher series and The Lady Butcher has an alternative ending! I’ve added The Butchery to my Amazon Wish list! 

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

The entire Butcher series in Hardback with the alternative ending to The Lady Butcher:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

Audiobook Review: Sylvana by Sian. B Claven

Sylvana
Series: The Butcher #3
Author: Sian B. Claven

Narrator: Jacq Ainsworth
Audiobook

Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: May 13, 2022
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars

Book Description:

Diana and Robbie are tired of moving their family of five around. When Robbie is offered a great job, and permanent position, they must find somewhere to stay temporarily while they house hunt. Aware of the gruesome murders that happened in the Metz family house, they move in regardless and instantly regret it. With nowhere to go and no one to turn to, Diana and Robbie must face their greatest horror. A copycat killer starts to strike around their neighbourhood, just like the Butcher once did, and Diana’s family seems to be right in the centre of it.

Where is Sylvana when her tenants need answers?

The Butcher might just strike them where it hurts most before they get the answers they seek.

Jessica’s Review:

Sylvana is the third novel in the Butcher series as the story continues.  If you thought the Butcher was gone after the end of Kallista, you were wrong! The Butcher is back!

Many people have tried to move into the Metz house and failed, and now we have a new family who is temporarily moving in until they can get settled in the area. Uh oh- there were murders in the house: But there is nothing to worry about because the killer is also dead…Or is he?  Diana and Robbie along with their three children are the focus of Sylvana while Sylvana herself is a minor character. No one living or otherwise rests easily in the Metz house. Please keep in mind that there is a paranormal take in this series, it’s not just a serial killer series! 

As with the other novellas in the series, the violence is present and parts are surprising!  It is a quick read/listen and there is seemingly a conclusion as it seemed that Claven was winding down the Butcher series. But surprise: There is one more novel out called The Lady Butcher, so it seems like our killer’s story continues yet again! This last one is not currently available on audio, but I already have it on my kindle. I will be reading this one very soon.

I also have Sylvana on kindle, but Claven was kind enough to send me the audible copy to listen to, which I started right after finishing Kallista.  As with the previous novellas Jacq Ainsworth narrated. While she has done a good job previously, her voice of Charlie rubbed my ears the wrong way.  Yes, Charlie is a small child, but her narration of this character didn’t work for me as Charlie’s voice was irritating for me.  It could be because I do have a hearing issue and the higher octave sounds can hurt my hearing. Otherwise the narration was fine!

I have enjoyed this series and look forward to The Lady Butcher and the final conclusion to the Butcher series. (Or will it be the conclusion???)

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

[Top]

Book Review: Kallista by Sian B. Claven

Kallista
Series: The Butcher #2
Author: Sian B. Claven     

Published: February 15, 2018
Audiobook

Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: May 10-12, 2022
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars

Book Description:

All her life Kalli thought that her sister had lost her mind, seeing a ghost everywhere and associating it with death. Kalli wants her own answers though, and spends her life working towards being granted access to the Butcher files and solving the deaths that rocked their community all those years ago.

Things take a turn for the worst when the haunting figure from her sisters’ twisted mind starts appearing to Kalli and she is left questioning her sanity and whether the Butcher is back.
Kalli must find the answers before it’s too late.

Before she sees the skeleton girl one more time.

Before she meets her own demise.

Jessica’s Review:

I have the whole Butcher series on kindle, but Claven was wonderful enough to send me Kallista on audio as I can get to audiobooks much quicker than kindle or physical books due to my daily commute. My review for the first in the series, Tatum, is here.

Kallista is the second in the Butcher series and takes place 10 years after the events of Tatum. Kallista (Kalli) is determined to find the Butcher and is working to become a profiler and we go on this journey with her!  We have two pov: Kalli and The Butcher himself!  I was invested in the whole story, and cannot decide which pov I preferred! I was rooting for Kalli but loved getting into the disturbing and depraved mind of The Butcher. And I was dying of curiosity the whole novel: Just WHO is The Butcher?!!??!!?

Besides the mystery of The Butcher, we have a horror and thriller novel with paranormal take on it that will keep you reading. I also enjoyed this as we see that the skeleton girl is back! Just an FYI:  This series deals with an extremely disturbing serial killer and Claven doesn’t hold back with the violence and goriness as she tells us her tale, so reader prepare yourself.  But I can’t help that I enjoy the dark and disturbing!  

I really enjoyed everything about this continuing story. Kallista kept building to a very intense climax and just when you think the story is over, Claven comes back with one more “gotcha” moment! I can’t wait to see where the series goes next, and thankfully Claven also sent me the audio of the third novel: Sylvana, so I can start it right away!

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

[Top]