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The Butcher
In this “skillfully penned tale of murder and cover-up that will keep readers enthralled until the powerful finish” (Fresh Fiction), family secrets and a serial killer from the past converge in this electrifying thriller.
In 1985, Edward Shank famously gunned down the Beacon Hill Butcher, ending the serial killer’s reign of terror over the city of Seattle. But now in his eighties, Edward’s action-packed glory days are long behind him. The decorated former Seattle police chief has given up his high-maintenance Victorian home to his grandson Matt for a quiet life at the nearby Sweetbay Village Retirement Residence, where mac-n-cheese Wednesdays have become the highlight of his week.
Though it’s hard to watch his grandfather get older, Matt is thrilled to inherit the large house he grew up in. Already an accomplished chef with a popular restaurant and a TV show in the works, Matt’s dream life is finally within reach…until he discovers a crate buried in the backyard that holds a secret about his grandfather so terrible, it threatens to ruin all their lives if it ever gets out. Especially his girlfriend Sam’s, whose mother was killed when she was only two years old.
As Matt struggles with his dark family secret, Sam’s obsession with solving her mother’s murder continues to grow. A true crime writer now working on a book about the Butcher, Sam has always suspected her mother was one of his victims, even though she was killed two years after the Butcher was supposedly gunned down.
But when new victims begin to turn up, their murders eerily similar to the Butcher’s all those years ago, Sam realizes she might be right. The more she digs into the old murders, the more dangerous it gets…and the truth is closer to home than she ever could have imagined.
“A tense, suspenseful, thoroughly creepy thriller” (Booklist), The Butcher sinks its teeth in you from the very first page.
In 1985, Edward Shank famously gunned down the Beacon Hill Butcher, ending the serial killer’s reign of terror over the city of Seattle. But now in his eighties, Edward’s action-packed glory days are long behind him. The decorated former Seattle police chief has given up his high-maintenance Victorian home to his grandson Matt for a quiet life at the nearby Sweetbay Village Retirement Residence, where mac-n-cheese Wednesdays have become the highlight of his week.
Though it’s hard to watch his grandfather get older, Matt is thrilled to inherit the large house he grew up in. Already an accomplished chef with a popular restaurant and a TV show in the works, Matt’s dream life is finally within reach…until he discovers a crate buried in the backyard that holds a secret about his grandfather so terrible, it threatens to ruin all their lives if it ever gets out. Especially his girlfriend Sam’s, whose mother was killed when she was only two years old.
As Matt struggles with his dark family secret, Sam’s obsession with solving her mother’s murder continues to grow. A true crime writer now working on a book about the Butcher, Sam has always suspected her mother was one of his victims, even though she was killed two years after the Butcher was supposedly gunned down.
But when new victims begin to turn up, their murders eerily similar to the Butcher’s all those years ago, Sam realizes she might be right. The more she digs into the old murders, the more dangerous it gets…and the truth is closer to home than she ever could have imagined.
“A tense, suspenseful, thoroughly creepy thriller” (Booklist), The Butcher sinks its teeth in you from the very first page.
Audible Audio
First published July 15, 2014
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About the author
Jennifer Hillier
13 books18.7k followersJennifer Hillier imagines the worst about people, and then writes about it.
She's the author of seven psychological thrillers, including the USA Today, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestselling Things We Do in the Dark, winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Audiobook. Described as “an intoxicating thrill ride” by the New York Times and “propulsive and chilling” by People magazine, it was a Book of the Month Club selection, an Indigo Top Ten Best Book of the Year, an Amazon Editor’s Spotlight Pick, a Loan Stars pick, and her third consecutive novel to be honored as a LibraryReads pick, which places her in their Hall of Fame.
She's also published six other novels, including the USA Today bestselling Little Secrets (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Anthony Award), and Jar of Hearts (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel and shortlisted for the Anthony and Macavity Awards). She also wrote Creep, Freak, The Butcher, and Wonderland, which have been recently reissued by Gallery Books in beautiful trade paperback formats. Her books have been published in twenty-four languages so far.
Jennifer is Filipino-Canadian, born and raised in Toronto, but she spent eight amazing years living in Seattle, which is where she first became a published author. She's a Seahawks fan who married a Packers guy, and they have a son in middle school who wishes she wrote books like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (she does too, kid, she does too).
She's afraid of the dark and can’t sleep unless she's checked the locks on the doors several times. She loves writing when it’s raining, sleeping when it’s sunny, and reading after everyone else has gone to bed. She's a cat person without a cat, which makes her sad. But she's now back in the Toronto area permanently with her family, which makes her happy.
Heart of Glass, her newest thriller, will be coming August 25, 2026 from Minotaur Books.
She's the author of seven psychological thrillers, including the USA Today, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestselling Things We Do in the Dark, winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Audiobook. Described as “an intoxicating thrill ride” by the New York Times and “propulsive and chilling” by People magazine, it was a Book of the Month Club selection, an Indigo Top Ten Best Book of the Year, an Amazon Editor’s Spotlight Pick, a Loan Stars pick, and her third consecutive novel to be honored as a LibraryReads pick, which places her in their Hall of Fame.
She's also published six other novels, including the USA Today bestselling Little Secrets (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Anthony Award), and Jar of Hearts (winner of the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel and shortlisted for the Anthony and Macavity Awards). She also wrote Creep, Freak, The Butcher, and Wonderland, which have been recently reissued by Gallery Books in beautiful trade paperback formats. Her books have been published in twenty-four languages so far.
Jennifer is Filipino-Canadian, born and raised in Toronto, but she spent eight amazing years living in Seattle, which is where she first became a published author. She's a Seahawks fan who married a Packers guy, and they have a son in middle school who wishes she wrote books like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (she does too, kid, she does too).
She's afraid of the dark and can’t sleep unless she's checked the locks on the doors several times. She loves writing when it’s raining, sleeping when it’s sunny, and reading after everyone else has gone to bed. She's a cat person without a cat, which makes her sad. But she's now back in the Toronto area permanently with her family, which makes her happy.
Heart of Glass, her newest thriller, will be coming August 25, 2026 from Minotaur Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,610 reviews
January 16, 2025
4.5* rounded up. Dark, disturbing, and compulsively readable. I LOVE JENNIFER HILLIER!!! 🗣️
March 31, 2025
THIS BOOK IS NUTS. So sick, so twisty, so wild
April 29, 2025
my 3rd Jennifer Hillier book and definitely a wild ride! i do feel as though this could have been 50-100 pages shorter if she left out some of the random internal dialogue or just parts that were unnecessary to the plot
April 30, 2025
1.5 stars— After thoroughly enjoying “Little Secrets” by Jennifer Hillier, I decided to take a chance and read one of her earlier books, “The Butcher.’ Unfortunately, the two books were as different as night and day. ‘The Butcher” is plagued by the fact that the entire book is centered around Edward Shank, the recently retired police chief of Seattle and his grandson, Matt, two very unlikable main characters that I found myself rooting against the entire story. I have mentioned in other reviews and still believe that I am unable to enjoy a book when most of it is written from the point of view of a character that I don’t like. In this case two of the characters were angry, violent criminals who for the most part had no redeeming qualities. Even though some may say this is a testament to Hillier’s terrific writing, I say I hated both of them and could care less about reading about them. In fact, I spent most of my time counting the number of page left until I finished the book. “The Butcher” had other problems as well that I also believed dragged the book down. First, an early discovery by Matt of a crate that contained evidence and information so horrible that 99 percent of people would immediately turn it into the police was never even considered by Matt. I found this to be strange. Second, the constant unnecessary and gratuitous use of vulgar language always negatively impacts my enjoyment of a good thriller (and it definitely did in this book). Third, the author made Matt and Edward so unlikable you begin to question why any of the other characters would even want to be near them much less in a romantic relationship or lifetime friendship with them. The more I write of this review the more I believe that the attitudes and behaviors of both Edward and Matt somehow triggered me and sent me over the edge of my Kindle. 🤔Whatever the problem was, I can honestly say (much like a toxic friendship) I am just glad that I can move on to my next book and be free of Matt and Edward forever.
March 6, 2025
Monsters like that don’t die, unless they’re killed
Police Chief Edward Shank is widely known in Seattle as the chief who finally hunted and killed the infamous “Beacon Hill Butcher”. Its now thirty years later and retired and widowed Edwards gives up his large home to his grandson Matt who he also raised.
Matt while doing renovations in the home stumbles across a locked crate in the backyard and when he opens it, he is absolutely disturbed by its contents. He is now faced with whether to spill to the police, keep in this deep family secret or take matters into his own hands. To make matters even worse, Matts girlfriend Sam believes that her mum was killed by the ‘butcher’ and while she is on the hunt for answers, she is about to walk into matts terrible secret.
GUYS!!!!!! It has been a minute where a book has stolen my entire attention. I could not put it DOWN! This was one hell of an addictive thrilling ride, and I couldn’t get enough!
This book is different as the reveal is told very early on and we spend the rest of the book seeing how it will unfold and whether said people will get their comeuppance! Now let me just say… CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS! This book is depraved, vile and pretty much offensive.
The characters were all flawed and even my most hated characters, I couldn’t help but race through their chapters and delve deeper into their depraved mindset. Yes, the book is predictable, but I didn’t care, the characters and the plot were so just too exciting and thrilling. There was one twist I did not see coming and I almost spat out my dinner in utter shock and disgust!
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Fast paced
➽ Serial killer is revealed immediately
➽ Suspenseful through the chapters
➽ Quite graphic
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ The ending felt rushed
➽ Romance sub plot
➽ There is a particular scene involving Sam that was brushed away too easily
I think this is my most favourite Jennifer Hillier book to date and I can see it being a part of my top reads of 2025
4.5 ⭐
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
My first read of March!✨
On a mission to finish this authors backlist!
Heard so many good things about this one!
Its my birthday month so i only deserve 5 star reads right!?😏
❤️❤️❤️
Police Chief Edward Shank is widely known in Seattle as the chief who finally hunted and killed the infamous “Beacon Hill Butcher”. Its now thirty years later and retired and widowed Edwards gives up his large home to his grandson Matt who he also raised.
Matt while doing renovations in the home stumbles across a locked crate in the backyard and when he opens it, he is absolutely disturbed by its contents. He is now faced with whether to spill to the police, keep in this deep family secret or take matters into his own hands. To make matters even worse, Matts girlfriend Sam believes that her mum was killed by the ‘butcher’ and while she is on the hunt for answers, she is about to walk into matts terrible secret.
GUYS!!!!!! It has been a minute where a book has stolen my entire attention. I could not put it DOWN! This was one hell of an addictive thrilling ride, and I couldn’t get enough!
This book is different as the reveal is told very early on and we spend the rest of the book seeing how it will unfold and whether said people will get their comeuppance! Now let me just say… CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS! This book is depraved, vile and pretty much offensive.
The characters were all flawed and even my most hated characters, I couldn’t help but race through their chapters and delve deeper into their depraved mindset. Yes, the book is predictable, but I didn’t care, the characters and the plot were so just too exciting and thrilling. There was one twist I did not see coming and I almost spat out my dinner in utter shock and disgust!
⋆｡°✩WHAT I LIKED⋆｡°✩
➽ Fast paced
➽ Serial killer is revealed immediately
➽ Suspenseful through the chapters
➽ Quite graphic
⋆｡°✩WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE⋆｡°✩
➽ The ending felt rushed
➽ Romance sub plot
➽ There is a particular scene involving Sam that was brushed away too easily
I think this is my most favourite Jennifer Hillier book to date and I can see it being a part of my top reads of 2025
4.5 ⭐
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
My first read of March!✨
On a mission to finish this authors backlist!
Heard so many good things about this one!
Its my birthday month so i only deserve 5 star reads right!?😏
❤️❤️❤️
October 1, 2025
This was incredibly disturbing, still couldn’t put it down. Was proud of myself (but also sad) for clocking the plot twist though!
August 10, 2014
On the one hand, I could give this book a scathing review, clap my hands together and walk away; on the other, I could do a bit more analysis, delve a bit deeper than its rusty surface, and throw in a few psychobabble terms for my handful of diligent readers out there. Let’s see, I think we’ll go with Option B, Alex, and let’s make it for $600, just to make things interesting. And…here…we…go.
More than a few reviewers have been less than generous, and if I could offer up a deduction, I’d say it stems from the following sentence: “A thriller with taut, fast-paced suspense, and twists around every corner, The Butcher will keep you guessing until the bitter, bloody end.” This, unfortunately, does not do Jennifer Hillier any favors, as THE BUTCHER is not that type of novel. To be perfectly blunt about it, another publisher has fucked an author in the ass. If I were king for a day, I’d probably fire more than one marketing department, and send them back to school for their MBAs. Because we certainly didn’t learn that shit in any marketing class I ever took. But in my experience, most publishers are experts in publishing, not marketing, and yes there is separation of church and state, at least in this case. Sorry, the chopper interrupted my train of thought. Let’s move on, shall we?
Instead of taking a cleaver to this tale, I actually was rather happy to bump and bounce along through the streets of Seattle with Pike Place firmly etched in my rearview. Sure, the characters might have been a bit one-dimensional—Matt and Edward were certainly no exception—but that was all part of the experience. Sam, on the other hand, proved a tad more interesting, at least in my estimation. Even though the killer is revealed in the first 30 pages, the real fun is in seeing how it all goes down on the playground, and what will await us at the end of our journey.
With a clipped pace and bodies stacking up to the left and right, I found myself rushing forward with both hands in front of my face to swat away errant limbs and branches. And, yes, you have to be of a particular persuasion to enjoy this tale, since it covers sunny topics like rape and incest and murder.
So, yes, we can castrate the author or the novel for what it isn’t based on the last paragraph in the description, or you can expunge that last sentence from your brain (as I did) and focus on what this particular novel is. If you can reach a separation of church and state, then you may have found yourself a winner.
I received this book for free through NetGalley.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
More than a few reviewers have been less than generous, and if I could offer up a deduction, I’d say it stems from the following sentence: “A thriller with taut, fast-paced suspense, and twists around every corner, The Butcher will keep you guessing until the bitter, bloody end.” This, unfortunately, does not do Jennifer Hillier any favors, as THE BUTCHER is not that type of novel. To be perfectly blunt about it, another publisher has fucked an author in the ass. If I were king for a day, I’d probably fire more than one marketing department, and send them back to school for their MBAs. Because we certainly didn’t learn that shit in any marketing class I ever took. But in my experience, most publishers are experts in publishing, not marketing, and yes there is separation of church and state, at least in this case. Sorry, the chopper interrupted my train of thought. Let’s move on, shall we?
Instead of taking a cleaver to this tale, I actually was rather happy to bump and bounce along through the streets of Seattle with Pike Place firmly etched in my rearview. Sure, the characters might have been a bit one-dimensional—Matt and Edward were certainly no exception—but that was all part of the experience. Sam, on the other hand, proved a tad more interesting, at least in my estimation. Even though the killer is revealed in the first 30 pages, the real fun is in seeing how it all goes down on the playground, and what will await us at the end of our journey.
With a clipped pace and bodies stacking up to the left and right, I found myself rushing forward with both hands in front of my face to swat away errant limbs and branches. And, yes, you have to be of a particular persuasion to enjoy this tale, since it covers sunny topics like rape and incest and murder.
So, yes, we can castrate the author or the novel for what it isn’t based on the last paragraph in the description, or you can expunge that last sentence from your brain (as I did) and focus on what this particular novel is. If you can reach a separation of church and state, then you may have found yourself a winner.
I received this book for free through NetGalley.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
May 19, 2025
OMG that twist. Holy S---!
I was dying... returned the audiobook by accident when the story was about to unfold and had to wait weeks to learn what's going to happen. This was another unputdownable thriller by Jennifer Hillier. 💓🔪💓
I was dying... returned the audiobook by accident when the story was about to unfold and had to wait weeks to learn what's going to happen. This was another unputdownable thriller by Jennifer Hillier. 💓🔪💓
May 21, 2014
Coincidence upon coincidence upon coincidence. Did I mention that the book is chock full of coincidences?
My bullshitometer was off the charts with this one.
Full review to come.
February 18, 2025
It wasn’t a terrible read, but there were aspects of the story that won’t make me run to recommend it.
I've read books before through the eyes of a serial killer. One that comes to mind is ' Notes on an Execution.' It was a 5-star read, going into the depths and soul of the killer, but done palpably. 'The Butter,' was crass. There were sexual assaults and grotesque thoughts that kept enduring. I get that he's got demented thoughts, but this felt extreme—especially every man’s description of women.—you would think it was impossible a woman wrote this book. It was hard to overlook, but somehow, I was curious to learn how everything connected.
In the mid-80s, Edward Shank, Seattle's police chief, finally found and killed the infamous Seattle serial killer known as 'The Butcher.' Shank, now in his 80s, is retired and living in a Victorian home with his grandson, Matt. In chapter one, we learn the killer's identity, and through Matt's eyes, we follow his discovery of the murders.
What everyone thought was a closed case is now opened, the serial killer is alive and back to the same style of killing.
Matt's girlfriend, Sam, lost her mother to the killer and is desperate to uncover the truth of her death. As she begins to dig, she learns more than she bargained for--it can't be true.
The author Jennifer Hille, wanted the reader to find one likable character, but unfortunately, I wasn't cheering for anyone. I was more curious to discover how key players would react once they learned what I knew all along--the killer's identity.
I'm giving this story three stars because it kept me engaged, regardless of the grotesque details of the killer's fetishes. However, there was a lot of unnecessary repetition, and I got it by the fifth or sixth explanation. Some implausible character coincidences pulled me out of the story.
Overall, 3/5 stars
Or maybe 2.5 stars....
I've read books before through the eyes of a serial killer. One that comes to mind is ' Notes on an Execution.' It was a 5-star read, going into the depths and soul of the killer, but done palpably. 'The Butter,' was crass. There were sexual assaults and grotesque thoughts that kept enduring. I get that he's got demented thoughts, but this felt extreme—especially every man’s description of women.—you would think it was impossible a woman wrote this book. It was hard to overlook, but somehow, I was curious to learn how everything connected.
In the mid-80s, Edward Shank, Seattle's police chief, finally found and killed the infamous Seattle serial killer known as 'The Butcher.' Shank, now in his 80s, is retired and living in a Victorian home with his grandson, Matt. In chapter one, we learn the killer's identity, and through Matt's eyes, we follow his discovery of the murders.
What everyone thought was a closed case is now opened, the serial killer is alive and back to the same style of killing.
Matt's girlfriend, Sam, lost her mother to the killer and is desperate to uncover the truth of her death. As she begins to dig, she learns more than she bargained for--it can't be true.
The author Jennifer Hille, wanted the reader to find one likable character, but unfortunately, I wasn't cheering for anyone. I was more curious to discover how key players would react once they learned what I knew all along--the killer's identity.
I'm giving this story three stars because it kept me engaged, regardless of the grotesque details of the killer's fetishes. However, there was a lot of unnecessary repetition, and I got it by the fifth or sixth explanation. Some implausible character coincidences pulled me out of the story.
Overall, 3/5 stars
Or maybe 2.5 stars....
March 1, 2026
4.5 absolutely loved this book! Perfect balance of dark and suspense, with some great characters too that I was genuinely rooting for. Made me question my morals with some of them
December 3, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I gotta hand it to Hillier. She handled the storytelling in this book with a deft hand. I can tell you firsthand that this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Hands down. IYKYK
Seriously though, this one is good. It isn’t groundbreaking, or especially elevated. It won’t wow you with sophisticated prose or superior wit. It won’t twist your mind into knots with unexpected plot turns. It just does what it does very well. And what it does is pull you into the story, keep you on the edge of your seat, and reels you into its satisfying conclusion.
This is my first Hillier book, but it won’t be my last. She has been added to my list of authors whose books act as perfect palette cleansers when you need something predictably good…
I gotta hand it to Hillier. She handled the storytelling in this book with a deft hand. I can tell you firsthand that this is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Hands down. IYKYK
Seriously though, this one is good. It isn’t groundbreaking, or especially elevated. It won’t wow you with sophisticated prose or superior wit. It won’t twist your mind into knots with unexpected plot turns. It just does what it does very well. And what it does is pull you into the story, keep you on the edge of your seat, and reels you into its satisfying conclusion.
This is my first Hillier book, but it won’t be my last. She has been added to my list of authors whose books act as perfect palette cleansers when you need something predictably good…
August 4, 2023
Wow. As a Filipino woman. I really appreciate the fact that one of the main characters has a Filipino background. And to my surprise, Adobo has taken centre stage! With mentions of Sinigang, Lumpia, Champorado and Empanadas. Oh boy, it sure felt like home for a moment.
Matt Shank stumbled upon a locked crate buried in his grandfather's backyard. Filled with locks of hairs from different women, fingers in jars and a dvd with a gruesome content. Faced with this dark family secret, Matt is on the downward spiral heading for destruction or worse, murder.
This book is OK. Although I know from the get-go who the killer is, it didn't take away the slight suspense in any way. BUT. Matt? Me, being a fellow Filipino—do not acknowlege assholes like him. His character is very unlikeable, so is his girlfriend—Samantha. I just felt like the good plot was wasted on a very anti-climatic end. Also, there were a lot of opportunities for this to be really great but for some reason, it just didn't live up to its full potential. Sad.
The occasional sprinkle of romance? Completely unnecessary. Ugh. I don't need that! I don't need a stupid love-triangle in a serial killer trope or in any book for the matter and that bit of cliched romance really threw me off. And the ending? "Will you kiss me?" Ugh. Cringy much. Haha
Matt Shank stumbled upon a locked crate buried in his grandfather's backyard. Filled with locks of hairs from different women, fingers in jars and a dvd with a gruesome content. Faced with this dark family secret, Matt is on the downward spiral heading for destruction or worse, murder.
This book is OK. Although I know from the get-go who the killer is, it didn't take away the slight suspense in any way. BUT. Matt? Me, being a fellow Filipino—do not acknowlege assholes like him. His character is very unlikeable, so is his girlfriend—Samantha. I just felt like the good plot was wasted on a very anti-climatic end. Also, there were a lot of opportunities for this to be really great but for some reason, it just didn't live up to its full potential. Sad.
The occasional sprinkle of romance? Completely unnecessary. Ugh. I don't need that! I don't need a stupid love-triangle in a serial killer trope or in any book for the matter and that bit of cliched romance really threw me off. And the ending? "Will you kiss me?" Ugh. Cringy much. Haha
March 4, 2015
Let the eye rolling begin... This was just bad, plain bad. I have read Hillier before and quite enjoyed them. But this was a train wreck. I don't know why I stayed with it so long. I got to about 3/4th's of the way in and NOPE!
March 14, 2026
Do you prefer your serial killer books on the dark side? Careful what you wish for…
Matt’s Grandfather Edward Shank retired as Chief of Police and moved into a retirement home. He now finds himself struggling to settle in on both accounts.
Understandably so… he was famous for bringing down Seattle’s most notorious serial killer, The Beacon Hill Butcher.
But of course, life moves forward.
Matt is quite famous himself. He’s the head chef and owner of one of the newest, most sought after restaurants in Seattle. His girlfriend Sam is his biggest supporter… that is when she’s not researching killers. Not so odd, given that she’s a true crime author. Sam's newest killer she’s following, or should I say obsessed with is none other than that Beacon Hill Butcher.
Quite the coincidence that it’s Matt’s grandfather that brought him down. Talk about having access to an important source material!
I love a good serial killer book…and this one delivered!
Leave it to Jennifer Hillier to write a dark, gruesome, shocking book that will have you (double) checking the locks on your doors and sleeping with the lights on!
I finished the audio for this one just in time as her latest Heart of Glass is set to be released later this summer! That gives me just enough time to recover!
✍️ Jennifer Hillier
🎧 10 hours 3 minutes
🎤 Chris Henry Coffey, Corey Brill, Raquel Beattie and Zac Aleman
🗓️ Available Now
📈 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 Thriller, suspense, serial killer
Matt’s Grandfather Edward Shank retired as Chief of Police and moved into a retirement home. He now finds himself struggling to settle in on both accounts.
Understandably so… he was famous for bringing down Seattle’s most notorious serial killer, The Beacon Hill Butcher.
But of course, life moves forward.
Matt is quite famous himself. He’s the head chef and owner of one of the newest, most sought after restaurants in Seattle. His girlfriend Sam is his biggest supporter… that is when she’s not researching killers. Not so odd, given that she’s a true crime author. Sam's newest killer she’s following, or should I say obsessed with is none other than that Beacon Hill Butcher.
Quite the coincidence that it’s Matt’s grandfather that brought him down. Talk about having access to an important source material!
I love a good serial killer book…and this one delivered!
Leave it to Jennifer Hillier to write a dark, gruesome, shocking book that will have you (double) checking the locks on your doors and sleeping with the lights on!
I finished the audio for this one just in time as her latest Heart of Glass is set to be released later this summer! That gives me just enough time to recover!
✍️ Jennifer Hillier
🎧 10 hours 3 minutes
🎤 Chris Henry Coffey, Corey Brill, Raquel Beattie and Zac Aleman
🗓️ Available Now
📈 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 Thriller, suspense, serial killer
November 19, 2019
Chilling, uneasy, tense, fun, and twisted!
The Butcher is a reverse whodunnit, where the identity of the killer who terrorised Seattle thirty years ago is revealed to readers in the first few chapters. So instead the focus is on a conscienceless sociopath intent on his murderess spree, all while continuing to hide his true nature, and stay one step ahead of authorities. And what a loathsome villain he is – vile, tricky, evil, and merciless. There's also a true crime writer (with personal ties to The Beacon Hill Butcher) unaware of just how much danger she is in, and the grandson of The Butcher who is desperately fighting his own darker impulses.
I have to admit, being in the know is not my favourite kind of mystery. I don't mind it, but prefer being as much in the dark as the characters, figuring things out as they do. There were a couple of small surprising reveals, but the bigger twists I predicted. Also, it was a bit too black humour for my tastes, which was fun, but tended to stretch the fabric of believability. The pacing was excellent – fast and exciting with no dull moments, making it a surefire quick read. Those familiar with Jennifer Hillier will know that she doesn't shy away from gory and sexually sadistic details, and being inside a serial killers head, and the fact that he preys on some of the most vulnerable members of society, may put some readers off. But for those who have read Hillier before, or who relish a more gruesome thriller, then this will be right up your alley.
Macabre, creepy, and comical is The Butcher, but Wonderland and Jar of Hearts – with their gothic horror-ness – retain their positions of my top two favourites by this author. Can’t wait to read the Creep series, and Little Secrets in 2020.
The Butcher is a reverse whodunnit, where the identity of the killer who terrorised Seattle thirty years ago is revealed to readers in the first few chapters. So instead the focus is on a conscienceless sociopath intent on his murderess spree, all while continuing to hide his true nature, and stay one step ahead of authorities. And what a loathsome villain he is – vile, tricky, evil, and merciless. There's also a true crime writer (with personal ties to The Beacon Hill Butcher) unaware of just how much danger she is in, and the grandson of The Butcher who is desperately fighting his own darker impulses.
I have to admit, being in the know is not my favourite kind of mystery. I don't mind it, but prefer being as much in the dark as the characters, figuring things out as they do. There were a couple of small surprising reveals, but the bigger twists I predicted. Also, it was a bit too black humour for my tastes, which was fun, but tended to stretch the fabric of believability. The pacing was excellent – fast and exciting with no dull moments, making it a surefire quick read. Those familiar with Jennifer Hillier will know that she doesn't shy away from gory and sexually sadistic details, and being inside a serial killers head, and the fact that he preys on some of the most vulnerable members of society, may put some readers off. But for those who have read Hillier before, or who relish a more gruesome thriller, then this will be right up your alley.
Macabre, creepy, and comical is The Butcher, but Wonderland and Jar of Hearts – with their gothic horror-ness – retain their positions of my top two favourites by this author. Can’t wait to read the Creep series, and Little Secrets in 2020.
October 30, 2025
Phew! That was a pulse pounding story with the most evil and cunning killer!
Retired police chief of Seattle, Edward Shank, is a well respected member of society but he needs to give his Victorian mansion to his grandson, Matt. The house has deteriorated somewhat and Matt, an up and coming chef, is the one who should get the home.
Matt is happy about that and decides to do some renovations and discovers a strange box buried in his backyard. When opened the box contains the direction Matt's life will take.
Matt is dating Samantha, but their relationship is on shaky ground for Sam is obsessed with the murder of her mother years ago by the Beacon Hill butcher. However the Butcher had died years before her mom's murder. Sam is convinced that the Butcher still roams Seattle.
What happens next is a harrowing journey, one that is conveyed in every pulse pounding chapter and seems to place everyone in jeopardy.
Kudos to Jennifer Hillier for writing a terrifying story for those of us who liked being scared and having a hair raising book in our hands.
Retired police chief of Seattle, Edward Shank, is a well respected member of society but he needs to give his Victorian mansion to his grandson, Matt. The house has deteriorated somewhat and Matt, an up and coming chef, is the one who should get the home.
Matt is happy about that and decides to do some renovations and discovers a strange box buried in his backyard. When opened the box contains the direction Matt's life will take.
Matt is dating Samantha, but their relationship is on shaky ground for Sam is obsessed with the murder of her mother years ago by the Beacon Hill butcher. However the Butcher had died years before her mom's murder. Sam is convinced that the Butcher still roams Seattle.
What happens next is a harrowing journey, one that is conveyed in every pulse pounding chapter and seems to place everyone in jeopardy.
Kudos to Jennifer Hillier for writing a terrifying story for those of us who liked being scared and having a hair raising book in our hands.
April 5, 2015
A Thriller Without the Thrills - 2 Stars
When a book holds itself out to be a thriller, especially one that involves a notable serial killer, I expect there to be some suspense. I can tell you right now who the killer in this book was. It wouldn’t be a spoiler. Read the first chapter and you will know within two minutes. In fairness to the author, I believe she was trying to be bold and take a different approach to the often formulaic telling of crime thriller. Sometimes an author steps out of the box and writes a masterpiece and sometimes they step out and fall off the cliff they couldn’t see from inside the box.
Plot summary
You would be best to avoid the plot summary listed on Goodreads or elsewhere as it is very misleading. The summary will talk about mystery and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end of the story. The reality is more mundane. The story opens with the reader learning that a character in the story is a serial killer. This is quickly followed by another character realizing that the first character is a murderer. We are then introduced to a third character who does not know the truth and we follow that character around until they quite literally stumble onto the truth.
The Good
She Took a Chance
This review should not be construed as knock on author. The writing is above average quality and while most of the characters tend to be a bit one dimensional, the story is written in clean prose with a brisk pace. In reading the story, I had the distinct impression that the author was trying to do something different. Instead of leaving us guessing as to WHO was the murderer we were meant to keep guessing IF he would get away with it.
Unfortunately it just did not work...
In my opinion, a crime thriller in which the mystery of “whodunit” is removed requires another equally compelling hook. For example, had the story had strong psychological thriller elements and provided a compelling look into the mind of the killer, the fact that murderer was known may not have mattered. As the characters did little to drive the story, I was uninterested in the fact that the story largely focused on the uninformed character and their quest to find the identity of the killer.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the novel was anticlimactic. There is a reason that most crime thrillers reveal the killer at or near the end. The reader expects it. This may have worked as a character driven novel, a la Tana French, but it did not work here. I read the novel to the end but was left unimpressed.
Content Advisories
As this was one of about six books I read over a week long vacation, I am bit fuzzy on the content specifics. Please be aware that these are likely to be less accurate than normal.
Scale 1 – Lowest 5 – Highest
Sex - 3.5
The killer was a psychotic criminal who obtained sexual gratification through the act of murder. This theme in and of itself will be disturbing to some readers. That said, it mild to moderately graphic in description and was not pervasive.
Language - 3.5
To play it safe, I am giving this a three. There low use of mild language and some low use of the f-word. The usage of all adult language was generally low.
Violence - 3.5
There is some description of some historical murders and multiple murders as the novel progresses. The description of the historical murders were moderately to highly graphic. We are informed that a murdered body was dismembered but it is not described. Several murders take place with moderate violence (single blows to the head)and some murders are not violent (poisoning).
When a book holds itself out to be a thriller, especially one that involves a notable serial killer, I expect there to be some suspense. I can tell you right now who the killer in this book was. It wouldn’t be a spoiler. Read the first chapter and you will know within two minutes. In fairness to the author, I believe she was trying to be bold and take a different approach to the often formulaic telling of crime thriller. Sometimes an author steps out of the box and writes a masterpiece and sometimes they step out and fall off the cliff they couldn’t see from inside the box.
Plot summary
You would be best to avoid the plot summary listed on Goodreads or elsewhere as it is very misleading. The summary will talk about mystery and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end of the story. The reality is more mundane. The story opens with the reader learning that a character in the story is a serial killer. This is quickly followed by another character realizing that the first character is a murderer. We are then introduced to a third character who does not know the truth and we follow that character around until they quite literally stumble onto the truth.
The Good
She Took a Chance
This review should not be construed as knock on author. The writing is above average quality and while most of the characters tend to be a bit one dimensional, the story is written in clean prose with a brisk pace. In reading the story, I had the distinct impression that the author was trying to do something different. Instead of leaving us guessing as to WHO was the murderer we were meant to keep guessing IF he would get away with it.
Unfortunately it just did not work...
In my opinion, a crime thriller in which the mystery of “whodunit” is removed requires another equally compelling hook. For example, had the story had strong psychological thriller elements and provided a compelling look into the mind of the killer, the fact that murderer was known may not have mattered. As the characters did little to drive the story, I was uninterested in the fact that the story largely focused on the uninformed character and their quest to find the identity of the killer.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the novel was anticlimactic. There is a reason that most crime thrillers reveal the killer at or near the end. The reader expects it. This may have worked as a character driven novel, a la Tana French, but it did not work here. I read the novel to the end but was left unimpressed.
Content Advisories
As this was one of about six books I read over a week long vacation, I am bit fuzzy on the content specifics. Please be aware that these are likely to be less accurate than normal.
Scale 1 – Lowest 5 – Highest
Sex - 3.5
The killer was a psychotic criminal who obtained sexual gratification through the act of murder. This theme in and of itself will be disturbing to some readers. That said, it mild to moderately graphic in description and was not pervasive.
Language - 3.5
To play it safe, I am giving this a three. There low use of mild language and some low use of the f-word. The usage of all adult language was generally low.
Violence - 3.5
There is some description of some historical murders and multiple murders as the novel progresses. The description of the historical murders were moderately to highly graphic. We are informed that a murdered body was dismembered but it is not described. Several murders take place with moderate violence (single blows to the head)and some murders are not violent (poisoning).
April 24, 2025
4.5⭐️
Well this was brutally in your face! I do love a good impossible to put down thriller and this held up! Only thing that held me back from an official 5 star rating was that the characters (specifically the male characters) were insufferable… even the ones who were supposed to be the good ones! BUT… I find that that’s often the case with thrillers and what makes them so readable is you almost can’t wait to see what horrible ending awaits them.
This was my first from Jennifer Hillier but definitely won’t be my last! It’s a well told, fast paced story and I did audibly gasp once or twice: I did sort of see the big reveal coming but that’s okay! This was extremely dark so check her listed trigger warnings at the start and if you feel safe to proceed… enjoy the chaos!
Well this was brutally in your face! I do love a good impossible to put down thriller and this held up! Only thing that held me back from an official 5 star rating was that the characters (specifically the male characters) were insufferable… even the ones who were supposed to be the good ones! BUT… I find that that’s often the case with thrillers and what makes them so readable is you almost can’t wait to see what horrible ending awaits them.
This was my first from Jennifer Hillier but definitely won’t be my last! It’s a well told, fast paced story and I did audibly gasp once or twice: I did sort of see the big reveal coming but that’s okay! This was extremely dark so check her listed trigger warnings at the start and if you feel safe to proceed… enjoy the chaos!
January 11, 2015
This book was a mess.The characters are unlikeable,at best."Sam" is a mealy-mouthed dishrag,her reaction to one scene in this book is just criminal.The male characters are so creepy,and not in a good way,that I feel the reader has a hard time getting past it. It was also a little too "romancey",again in a creepy way, for me.
Overall, I had a hard time finishing the book and I will be giving this author a skip in the future.
Overall, I had a hard time finishing the book and I will be giving this author a skip in the future.
April 1, 2026
I enjoyed this book. It is definitely different from other murder mysteries I’ve read. It gives away the murderer almost immediately, so the novel is told with the reader reliving the past murders as the murderer reminisces or the reader reads of the murders as they happen in real time.
👉A peek inside:
A retired Police Chief, Edward Shank, with a remarkable history, and city wide reputation insists that the Beacon Hill Butcher (the haunting serial killer) is dead! If that isn’t enough to hang your hat on, he is also the one who killed him. He is who caught the Butcher and ultimately, ended his life.
So…. after the Chief’s retirement, he moves himself into a mildly relaxing retirement community to live out the rest of his life in a carefree environment. His grandson, Matt, an up and coming chef, inherits his Grandfather’s old, but beautiful home. However, things start to unravel when Matt starts renovations to the home. New truths come to light.
Matt dates Sam who lost her mother to the Butcher when she was a young child. She is forever investigating the Beacon Hill Butcher following lead after lead.
Here is where the story unfolds …🖤
If I’m being transparent, I wasn’t truly sure where it was all going, but with that being said, the author does a nice job of story-telling and tying past events with current ones. Some chapters are better than others with an upbeat tempo filled with light suspense, but others seemed to lack importance. I felt the characters were nicely developed and I liked them. I think this could have been a shorter novel-some information and sideline story’s really didn’t need to be included.
Overall, it was a good book with gory and shocking details of encounters with a serial killer.
I give this book a 4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
👉A peek inside:
A retired Police Chief, Edward Shank, with a remarkable history, and city wide reputation insists that the Beacon Hill Butcher (the haunting serial killer) is dead! If that isn’t enough to hang your hat on, he is also the one who killed him. He is who caught the Butcher and ultimately, ended his life.
So…. after the Chief’s retirement, he moves himself into a mildly relaxing retirement community to live out the rest of his life in a carefree environment. His grandson, Matt, an up and coming chef, inherits his Grandfather’s old, but beautiful home. However, things start to unravel when Matt starts renovations to the home. New truths come to light.
Matt dates Sam who lost her mother to the Butcher when she was a young child. She is forever investigating the Beacon Hill Butcher following lead after lead.
Here is where the story unfolds …🖤
If I’m being transparent, I wasn’t truly sure where it was all going, but with that being said, the author does a nice job of story-telling and tying past events with current ones. Some chapters are better than others with an upbeat tempo filled with light suspense, but others seemed to lack importance. I felt the characters were nicely developed and I liked them. I think this could have been a shorter novel-some information and sideline story’s really didn’t need to be included.
Overall, it was a good book with gory and shocking details of encounters with a serial killer.
I give this book a 4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 23, 2026
3.5
Didn't know I could hate men anymore than I already do. This proved me wrong.
Solid thriller, not super heartstopping but a well
Rounded crime thriller in my opinion. 👌
I'm not even going to sugarcoat my hatred for the male protagonist (matt(m) he had a lot of excuses for his behavior, ended up sexually assaulting his gf, because he couldn't handle rejection (I mean he was a psychopath, but man was a whimp)
Grandpa psychopath have no words for him, just disgusting but made for a good crime thriller.
Surprised detective Bobby wasn't also someone who fondled himself behind the bushes d/t the fact he called sam (FMC protagonist) "my sweet" I loved everything about him besides that. LIKE WHY? Pls can we not give me the ICKKK LOL
overall I enjoyed this. It was quick and fun.
Didn't know I could hate men anymore than I already do. This proved me wrong.
Solid thriller, not super heartstopping but a well
Rounded crime thriller in my opinion. 👌
I'm not even going to sugarcoat my hatred for the male protagonist (matt(m) he had a lot of excuses for his behavior, ended up sexually assaulting his gf, because he couldn't handle rejection (I mean he was a psychopath, but man was a whimp)
Grandpa psychopath have no words for him, just disgusting but made for a good crime thriller.
Surprised detective Bobby wasn't also someone who fondled himself behind the bushes d/t the fact he called sam (FMC protagonist) "my sweet" I loved everything about him besides that. LIKE WHY? Pls can we not give me the ICKKK LOL
overall I enjoyed this. It was quick and fun.
January 9, 2025
Absolutely diabolical, so entertaining
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYwbSvFE/
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYwbSvFE/
December 6, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up. A dark, straight forward, sometimes intense thriller! I kept thinking of Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. I thought the dialogue was a little strange/clunky sometimes, and I wish a few things happened differently, but overall I enjoyed it and will definitely be checking out more by this author!
January 15, 2025
What an amazing book!! Kicking myself for not reading this one sooner. My new favourite from this author for sure. Dark and messed up in so many ways. The audiobook was so well done with all the different voices for characters. Highly recommend
August 25, 2020
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
I can’t get enough of Jennifer Hillier's work, The Butcher is a horrific, fast-paced, intriguing and twisted serial killer story combined with a family drama of buried secrets. Unusually the killer’s identity is revealed early in the book but it’s still a chilling ride to see what happens at the conclusion.
Would you know if a member of your family was a killer? Something to ponder.
Edward Shank, a retired Seattle Police Chief and local hero is moving out of his beautiful Victorian home and into an expensive retirement village. He’s turned 80 years old and it’s becoming harder to look after his home especially after a recent fall scare which left him with a badly bruised hip. He's decided to give the house to his grandson Matthew as part of his inheritance.
Matthew is a successful chef, he owns his own restaurant, a few lucrative food trucks and is about to become a reality TV show star, his girlfriend Samantha is a writer and has had two true crime books published so far and she’s currently writing her third book.
There are themes of incest, rape, murder and dismemberment in this dark tale. A compelling and very well written story recommended for readers of crime.
I can’t get enough of Jennifer Hillier's work, The Butcher is a horrific, fast-paced, intriguing and twisted serial killer story combined with a family drama of buried secrets. Unusually the killer’s identity is revealed early in the book but it’s still a chilling ride to see what happens at the conclusion.
Would you know if a member of your family was a killer? Something to ponder.
Edward Shank, a retired Seattle Police Chief and local hero is moving out of his beautiful Victorian home and into an expensive retirement village. He’s turned 80 years old and it’s becoming harder to look after his home especially after a recent fall scare which left him with a badly bruised hip. He's decided to give the house to his grandson Matthew as part of his inheritance.
Matthew is a successful chef, he owns his own restaurant, a few lucrative food trucks and is about to become a reality TV show star, his girlfriend Samantha is a writer and has had two true crime books published so far and she’s currently writing her third book.
There are themes of incest, rape, murder and dismemberment in this dark tale. A compelling and very well written story recommended for readers of crime.
June 9, 2014
A good twist at the beginning, but I didn't really care for any of the characters. For me, I need to care and find someone to root for, and I just didn't find that with this novel. It's more of a thriller than a mystery, since the identity of the culprit is shown from the beginning. Yet I wanted more--some sort of twist to make the villain get what they deserved in the end.
July 28, 2025
Jennifer Hillier does it again! this was amazing!
June 11, 2025
I am so mad at myself that I waited this long to read a Jennifer Hillier book. I know I’m really late to the game but I finally read The Butcher, and it was hands-down, no questions asked, a five star read 🌟
This book was everything I could’ve asked for in a thriller. It was dark. It was twisted. It was messed up. I was pulled in instantly from the very beginning and I was hooked the entire time. The things that take place between the front and back covers of this book, we’re absolutely unhinged and I truly didn’t see any of it coming.
I also love that this book had multiple plot twists; with one in particular really standing out to me. Like talk about jaw dropping 🤯 I was shook.
So it goes without saying that I will be singing the praises of this book for a long time to come and obviously I’m going to be reading so much more from Jennifer Hillier going forward. This book was fantastic!
This book was everything I could’ve asked for in a thriller. It was dark. It was twisted. It was messed up. I was pulled in instantly from the very beginning and I was hooked the entire time. The things that take place between the front and back covers of this book, we’re absolutely unhinged and I truly didn’t see any of it coming.
I also love that this book had multiple plot twists; with one in particular really standing out to me. Like talk about jaw dropping 🤯 I was shook.
So it goes without saying that I will be singing the praises of this book for a long time to come and obviously I’m going to be reading so much more from Jennifer Hillier going forward. This book was fantastic!
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