The Butcher Book by Jennifer Hillier is a thriller book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you are looking for your next serial killer thriller read, be sure to add this one to your list. If you love thriller novels about murder, serial killer investigations, and hidden family secrets, you will love this book.
Want a thriller book that with unreliable narrators and have you questioning everyone? This thriller book by Hillier will have jaw dropping moments and twists all throughout. Hillier knows how to deliver a gripping crime novel from beginning to end. If you are looking for your next read, add this to your To Be Read list.
In this post you are going to read about The Butcher Book synopsis, book talk which includes some spoilers, and similar authors to Jennifer Hillier. After reading this post, you will have more books added to your TBR and will be excited to chat about this book in your next book club.
This post is all about The Butcher Book by Jennifer Hillier.
Synopsis:
It is 1985. Women are turning up dead and it appears to the same killer on the loose. No one knows how to track down this serial killer which causes panic in Seattle, Washington. The Beacon Hill Butcher. A serial killer from the 80’s that everyone was looking for in Seattle. The former police chief, Edward Shank became well known as justice was served when he killed the Beacon Hill killer. He saved the city from a serial killer that no one could locate. The killings stopped and the city felt at peace once again.
At present moment, the retired chief is gifting his grandson, Matt his home. Edward is officially looking into retirement and will be in a retirement home. Matt is ecstatic to begin this new life. Everything is perfect. Matt has a gorgeous girlfriend, his business is taking off, and now he has a beautiful home. Sounds like the American dream, right? Matt feels like he is on top of the world and unstoppable. He is hopeful for his future with his girlfriend (hopefully wife some day) by his side.
Sam is Matt’s girlfriend who tragically lost her mother when she was a child. Her mother’s murder haunts Sam to this day. She desperately wants to know why her mother was a target of such a brutal murder. Sam always suspected that her mother was killed by The Butcher; however, the police dismissed that theory. Her mother’s murder did not fit the exact MO if the Butcher. However, even as an adult, Sam is seeking justice for her mother’s murder. She decides to take matters into her own hands and investigate her mother’s death. She is determined to find out the truth, no matter how dangerous.
In the present day, new victims are beginning to turn up and these seem similar to the Butcher’s MO from years ago. Could the police have got it wrong or is this simply a copy cat? Sam is desperate for answers; however, at what cost? Is she willing to put her life on the line or the one’s she loves for justice? Will her mother’s mysterious death from 20 years ago be solved? Is Sam incorrect in her theory that the Butcher was involved in her mother’s death at all?
If you want to know more about what happens in this gripping novel, check out the Butcher book.
SPOILER ALERT: The below section contains Spoilers of the book.
Welcome to book talk! A place to discuss books after you read them. This post contains spoiler alerts if you have not read the book already. This post is intended for after you finish the book or a refresher. Let’s talk books! 🙂
Book Talk | Discussion Questions
The below contains questions for your own book club. Please leave some comments below, I would love to hear your thoughts on this novel.
- Do you think that the ending is open to a sequel?
A prequel would be amazing! It would be cool to learn more about The Butcher’s upbringing. This could go into the whole nature vs. nurture debate. However, most serial killers show signs at a young age. A book about what led to his first kill and then how it unraveled would be a great novel. Additionally, since Edward was a master at compartmentalizing, it would be interesting to see his home life. On the other hand, it does not seem like he was the nicest to his family, so maybe they would not have been so shocked to learn what he did in his spare time.
Another idea for a prequel could be the investigation of The Butcher. The reader could see both sides of Edward and how he compromised the investigation throughout. Also, it would be interesting to pick up clues of how the police missed Edward compromising the investigation from the start.
A sequel idea could be what happened to Sam afterwards. Sam was an interesting character from the beginning. A book from her POV would make for a great novel. Additionally, a prequel about Sam’s childhood and why she suspected her mother was a victim of the Butcher would make for a great novel. Edward was smart in that he likely kept tabs on the family of his victims. This novel would be a great way to link the two of them and see how everything unravels. The book did tie up nicely at the end; however, who doesn’t want more from an amazing book?!
2. Did you predict any plot twists?
The only one I predicted was Edward being Matt’s Biological father. I did not predict it early on; however, when they began talking about Matt’s mother I started to piece it together. How evil Edward was and how withdrawn his daughter was, I figured there was likely a reason. Additionally, Edward seemed to have no boundaries and hate women. He killed his own wife like it was nothing. He was overall a terrible human being and nothing would be shocking to learn about him throughout this thriller book.
3. If you were Matt, would you have kept Edward’s big secret?
Since Edward was a terrible person and had no remorse, no. If someone killed in self defense, accidentally, or the person was harming others, then I may keep the secret. This is a tough question unless you are in the person’s shoes. People change in an instant when it comes to protecting themselves and their family. Matt could have felt he was protecting the only family he had. Also, he might not have wanted to be blamed for the murders.
Book Adaptation
4. Do you think this would do well as a film adaptation?
This would be perfect for a limited series. There are so many layers to this thriller book that it would be difficult to do in a movie. A limited series would allow for more plot twists. For example, maybe the audience could learn more about the background of The Butcher investigation. Any adaptation is always interesting to see what was changed for film and how the characters come to life. Also, they could be difficult for this reason since the reader typically has an image of the characters in their mind.
5. If there was an adaptation, who would you choose to cast?
This is always such a tough question. For Edward, it would have to be a seasoned actor that knows how to play someone that is creepy. Like there is something about them; however, you cannot place what is wrong. It is that uneasy feeling that you get when you meet someone or are in danger. For Matt, any good looking actor in his late 20’s/early 30’s. Sam would be a girl next door type but very determined and strong willed. Her character development was amazing and inspiring in this book. For some reason I am drawing a blank on the actors. However, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! 🙂
Similar Authors
Love this book and looking for similar thriller authors? Some thriller authors with a similar writing style or plots to Jennifer Hillier are, Freida McFadden, Alice Feeney, John Marrs, and Mary Kubica. These thriller authors know how to grab the readers attention and have jaw dropping moments throughout their books.
Overall Rating
6. How would you rate the book?
This gripping, fast-paced, thriller book gets five out of five stars. Hillier knows how to captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. Additionally, this serial killer book had a unique concept of revealing the killer from the beginning. This is something that is rarely done; however, Hillier did it flawlessly. She knows how to keep the reader guessing until the very end. The twists throughout and the mystery of each character keeps the reader engaged.
How would you rate the book? Drop your comments below.
Happy reading! xx