Butcher's Folly

by Nick Snape

A court conspiracy. A decrepit, gang-ladened space station, and the Bustan Navy on the way. What could possibly go wrong?

Recovering from the events aboard the Scourge, the Wrecking Squad return to Karal and their old job until the Emperor’s Enforcer comes knocking. Forced to travel to the scum-laden Windward System, they are tasked with recovering a shipment of Marine wetware from Benetai, a rundown space station. Finding it filled with the barrel-scrapings of human and Senti origin, they step into a gang war over the missing tech with the hated Bustan Navy on the way. Running out of time, they fall back on their old skills, only to discover infuriating the Bustan Navy has consequences they’re not prepared for.

Join Rebekah and her crew as they navigate conspiracies, in-fighting and battle tech, in their own inimitable style while keeping another deadly secret from the prying eyes of the Emperor’s Court.

Where Firefly and The Expanse meet, with a dash of Aliens action in the mix, Butcher’s Folly is the new book from Nick Snape, author of the hugely popular Weapons of Choice sci-fi series.

Praise for the
'An explosive and gripping interstellar adventure,' SPR
'Fast-paced and action-packed, The Wrecking Squad is a military sci-fi story with some unexpected (and sometimes horrific) twists. And I thoroughly enjoyed it.' FanFiAddict

Genres: Science Fiction

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2025

About the author

Nick Snape has been steeped in Science Fiction and Fantasy since his friends first dragged him from his schoolwork and stuck a book under his nose. Lost to the world of imagination he became a teacher by accident though he thoroughly enjoyed developing the joy of reading and writing in his pupils. Having retired after thirty years he thought it was high time to practise what he preached.

Reviews

[Cory Rathbun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent entry in this series by Nick Snape! A bit of a tonal shift from book 1 but definitely one I enjoyed. Seeing the crew having to fall back on their military training after trying to distance themselves from it in the first book was really interesting. Very different types of personalities from the main characters by necessity made for a great read. The foreshadowing of events near the end of the last entry definitely come into play and I’m looking forward to see how it evolves in the next! Bigger players in the galaxy are being drawn in as secrets best left buried continue to be dragged into the light.

You don’t want to miss this series.

[Ryan M Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Butcher's Folly is a great follow-up to the excellent Wrecking Squad that helps fill the Expanse-shaped hole that has been in my reading library since the final book of that series came out. It really digs into the seedy underside of the universe and the Bustan Navy are a great antagonist. ZZ3 - the robot which was arguably my favorite character in the first book - really comes into its own in this one; a very unique character that fits the story well. A fast read from start to end - go check it out!

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Wrecking Squad as it reminds me so much of what I enjoyed about shows like Firefly and books such as The Expanse. Snape wastes no time dropping the reader into the gritty underbelly of a lived-in universe.

Once again we find our heroes just trying to make their way in the universe, seeking the next job and trying to keep the ship running.

As well as giving us a bit more insight into Rebekah and the twins, we get to see a new side of favourite warbot, ZZ-3!

[Stephen Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent followup book! Butchers Folly is a great continuation of the first book in the series! Full of action and twists, it vaults the stakes even higher, exposing more of the underbelly of the universe the author created. I will be picking up book three to see where this leads. “I am crew.”

[Jeanette Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Nick has a new record with this book. Yes, really, he had me lauthing out loud with the second sentence of the book!😂

What can I say? This particular day, Savvo has gotten out on the wrong side of the bed, as we say in Norway. It means that he is cranky.😂

All is not well on the Sunstar with our merry gang. I mean, squad. I mean, crew. No, wait, I mean they are our squad.🤭

Financials are still dire. Even with new handlers, we do not have to wait at all for some action to fly in.
They know that at some point, the enforcers will betray them. Until then, they have to play nice. They have to say yes when a new mission pops up. A trip to a shitheap of a space station.
This is another mission with minimal info. Well, they were used to this by now, and still, our breakers figure it out and get going. A cargo freight number and that it is wetware they are fetching.

Heki and Tremil, my beloved twins from the first book, now have a pet. A very interesting thing. I am not sure this is good or bad. It seems good for now, so I will let that sleeping symbiote lie.

"At least we know what it eats."

Wait, did ZZ3 just move over there?
Will Davina keep the secret she learned in the first book?

Even though the first book pulled me further into the expanse than this one, this is still a fascinating read, and our squad is just as loveable, loyal, and fierce as in the first book.

"No joke, glorious leader."

Will we get to read more about our Wrecking Squad?
Perhaps. Because nobody breaks the breakers.😉

[Sonny Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

as good as the first

Continues an entertaining story with fast pacing and good action. Can’t wait for third installment. Definitely as good as most of the over priced novels out there.

[Iain Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I made a mistake with my rating on Nick’s first book in the series, Wrecking Squad. I gave that five stars, because it was excellent. However, Bucher’s Folly is better, and I can’t go higher than five. And what happens if the next is better again? It is the culmination of this story arc, after all. Nick is a masterful storyteller, who has created a believable universe with a rich backstory of war, political intrigue and a historic cast of characters. Butcher’s Folly starts almost immediately after Wrecking Squad finished. Each book has been an episode, but with a season arc – like Firefly would have been. It’s not a clean, sanitised future, like Star Trek, nor is it a run-down, how is it holding together future, like Star Wars. This is that middle ground of Phillip K Dick. A human future, with all the baggage humanity brings, and I am here for that. Some parts had a Blade Runner vibe to them, others the deep space camaraderie of Firefly/Serenity. It’s a great mix, with a well-honed team. Each character has a role, and are well drawn – even the periphery characters running the gangs – how they operate and control their sections are distinct and well thought out. I can’t wait for the finale!

[Maria Perez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic follow up to Book One

TBH, their were a few sections in the first part of the book that were a bit slow for me, but I guess necessary to build the intrigue. However, the second part was hard to put down, filled with heart-pumping action sequences that make you feel like you're there. A chef's kiss of a space thriller adventure.

[T.K. Toppin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A punching, adrenaline-fuelled sequel to The Wrecking Squad - and yet another thoroughly engaging book from Nick Snape. Once more, we follow the crew who are at the beck and call of powerful forces, to do their bidding - or else. Tasked with a retrieval job of some questionable tech, they navigate through treacherous gang wars on a far-flung space station outpost, where it seems the dregs and long-forgotten cast offs from the galaxy call home. The characters come alive again, three dimensional and real. The plot thickens as the schemes being to unfold. The viscerally depicted backdrop of space life simply enfolds everything together, and brings it to life. And I found myself, again, rooting for the robot, ZZ3. I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the next installment.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I was as entertained by this book as much as the first one in the series. My attention was grabbed from the opening paragraphs, and I spent time on the edge of my seat as I followed the adventures of Rebekah and her crew. I appreciated the moments of humor. I enjoyed the twists and turns. I appreciated the almost non-stop action. I am looking forward to more stories featuring these characters. I thought Ryan Pierson's narration was great as his performance kept my attention. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

[Bryan Chaffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Snape does it again! The Wrecking Squad's adventures continue in Butcher's Folly, and this fast, twisty-turny story in a well lived-in universe ran me through my emotional paces. Humor, fear, surprise, and the unrelenting anxiety of approaching danger, just to name a few. Rebekah and her badass crew are so easy to root, and settling in with this book was like catching up with old friends. I absolutely recommend this book!

[Adam Bassett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Butcher’s Folly takes things in a slightly different direction, balancing diplomacy and action, while expanding the universe. It’s a worthy sequel to one of my favorite reads of 2026 (so far). Read the full review on FanFiAddict.