Midwest Book Review

Coming in the October edition of the Midwest Book Review: “Killing the Butterfly!”

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Subtitles are usually mere definitions of genre to avoid reader confusion and help library shelvers; but finally, here is a book subtitle that lives up to its potential of capturing reader attention from the start: Killing the Butterfly: A Thriller So Abusive, It’s Criminal. 

The story’s opening paragraphs are equally alluring as nineteen-year-old Patty relives the nightmares/visions of her youth and struggles to escape them—by involving herself and her boyfriend in a crime spree that lands her in trouble.

On the run from her past and on the lam from authorities and her own psyche, Patty can’t escape her boyfriend Roy, or the consequences of her choices and actions, which keep haunting her every step.

When the two stumble upon a lone man at a lake cabin who seems to offer a way out of their dilemma, even more trouble looms as evil enters the picture to warp any possibility of safety or redemption.

Dale Ward cultivates a fast-paced novel that swings back and forth between Patty’s past and present, infusing the plot with rationales for her perceptions, behaviors, and the patterns which continue to hold her in thrall.

Just as captivating as the plot’s unexpected twists and turns is the presence of angst that permeates a lonely life, buffeted by her stormy relationship with Roy and a road trip gone awry.

Although the positive influence of her Aunt Meredith offers some respite and a refuge, Patty can’t help but long for different possibilities for her future: “She rested, her eyes wide, in a different bed. This one in Aunt Meredith’s place. The house was quiet. She was at work. Patty was alone again. There had to be a better life out there for her. She wanted a normal life. She really did. Whatever that was. Patty had never known one. Will I ever know one? Her one escape was her poetry.”

Ward steeps this suspense thriller in elements of coming-of-age that increases its appeal to mature teen and new adult readers, but its adult themes and the nature of Patty’s evolution really places it in the adult crime novel genre.

This audience will appreciate Ward’s attention to captivating descriptions and unexpected events that help grow Patty’s psyche and realizations about her options and future.

As unhappy lives evolve, dovetail with, and feed one another, leading to new possibilities, readers receive a powerful saga that journeys through disparate lives touched by evil, angst, and determination.

Killing the Butterfly is a thriller that holds the potential to reach beyond the usual crime story readership and into the hearts of those interested in how bad results come from well-intentioned efforts. Book clubs and therapy groups focused on this process will find plenty of food for thought and discussion here, while libraries looking for thrillers that embrace a healthy degree of growth and psychological insights will relish the special nature and descriptive prowess of Killing the Butterfly.

Diane Donovan, Midwest Book Review