The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier

by:  Jennifer Hillier
publisher:  Gallery Books
publication date:  July 15, 2014

A rash of grisly serial murders plagued Seattle until the infamous "Beacon Hill Butcher" was finally hunted down and killed by police chief Edward Shank in 1985. Now, some thirty years later, Shank, retired and widowed, is giving up his large rambling Victorian house to his grandson Matt, whom he helped raise.

Settling back into his childhood home and doing some renovations in the backyard to make the house feel like his own, Matt, a young up-and-coming chef and restaurateur, stumbles upon a locked crate he’s never seen before. Curious, he picks the padlock and makes a discovery so gruesome it will forever haunt him… Faced with this deep dark family secret, Matt must decide whether to keep what he knows buried in the past, go to the police, or take matters into his own hands.

Meanwhile Matt’s girlfriend, Sam, has always suspected that her mother was murdered by the Beacon Hill Butcher—two years after the supposed Butcher was gunned down. As she pursues leads that will prove her right, Sam heads right into the path of Matt’s terrible secret.

I read Jennifer Hillier's first book Creep and thought it was great.  I was excited to read this one.  I wasn't let down.  I read this one in almost one sitting.  At a softball tournament!  That's how caught up in this book I was.

This is one of those serial killer books that you know who the killer is throughout most of the book.  Generally, I don't like those kind.  That kinda takes away from the mystery of it.  However, in this case it was pretty creepy and weird so that made up for it.  I really felt bad for Matt throughout this book.  His whole life was falling apart and he didn't have anywhere to turn to.

I would recommend this book to the mystery/thriller readers out there.  If you haven't read Creep, check it out too.  It's a good one too.  When you're headed to the beach this summer and you need a dark, twisted book to add to the beach bag The Butcher would be perfect!