In 1985 Seattle, the notorious serial slayer known as the Beacon Hill Butcher was gunned down by cop Edward Shank. His heroic actions in killing the Butcher led to him being named Seattle Chief of Police, and he loved every minute of fame. Now, 30 years later, the chief has retired and following the death of his wife, he's decided to move from his large house into a retirement home. With his only child also dead, Shank gives the house to his closest relative, Matt, the grandson he's raised since he was an infant.

Matt, a chef and restaurateur on the fast track to celebrity, is anxious to make the house his own by starting some much-needed renovations. The first thing he builds is a large deck for entertaining in the backyard. While digging the footings, workmen unearth a large pad-locked box. Anxious to see the contents, Matt picks the lock. The atrocious things he sees inside have him struggling to decide what to do with his discovery. No matter his decision, it will change his life, and the lives of those he loves, forever.

Matt's girlfriend, Sam, an author of true crime novels, has always believed her mother was murdered by the Butcher, even though it happened two years after he was killed. As she does research for her next book and also works to uncover clues that could prove her theory about her mother's death, Sam finds it harder to deal with Matt's unstable moods. Even though they've been together for three years, Matt doesn't want Sam coming to his new home. The fear of anyone finding out his dark secrets puts Matt in a tenuous situation. But there are even more devastating secrets to be revealed as Matt spirals out of control.

Jennifer Hillier's THE BUTCHER is a rapid-fire thriller of dark, unsettling proportions with some very surprising twists. With the turn of each new page, the suspenseful plot is tense and gripping. Even knowing the identity of the Butcher does not diminish the excitement of figuring out just how everything will be resolved. THE BUTCHER is a skillfully penned tale of murder and cover-up that will keep readers enthralled until the powerful finish. Thriller fans should not miss THE BUTCHER!

Book Summary

From the author of the acclaimed suspense novels Creep and Freak and whom Jeffery Deaver has praised as a “top of the line thriller writer,” The Butcher is a high-octane novel about lethal secrets that refuse to die—until they kill again.

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.

A thriller with taut, fast-paced suspense, and twists around every corner, The Butcher will keep you guessing until the bitter, bloody end.