**Thanks to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.**It is rare that I read a book that makes me feel as though if I don't write my review the second I finish it the wonderfulness of it may escape me. This was one of those. Yearning for a good whodunit, I requested this novel without knowing what to expect. It had been years since I read a detective novel. It would be unfair to say that this book exceeded my expectations since I went about reading this with very little. However, I will say this satiated the want for a good mystery beyond what I hoped and left me wanting more! So much, in fact, that I have added two more Brenda Chapman novels to my "to be read" list.Jacques Rouleau moves to Kingston to look after his father, transferring his life from Ottawa, including his job. With a short staffed force, Rouleau is being pushed to hire a new detective, but there's only one he wants. He just can't seem to find her. It's by chance that Kala Stonechild shows up the day after a husband rapes his wife and the day a local university student is murdered. With no intentions to stick around, Kala finds herself in a precarious situation. It isn't until Stonechild, Rouleau, and Gundersund have checked out the crime scene that she acknowledges she'll have to stick around for, at the very least, a few days.From page one Butterfly Kill gripped me in an unrelenting vice. The opening scene emotionally attached me to two of the key players in the story. As the story progressed a short ways, I was stunned. Already I liked this broken couple, Leah and Wolf, who worked at the university help line and wanted in on the cause of their wounded courtship. I felt betrayed for not getting to see more of Leah and who she was. What happened, however, was that by the end I felt I knew the heart of the character, which made this mystery all the more a worthwhile read.Leah wasn't the only character who garnered my attention. The three main detectives had me flipping pages with anticipation. Rouleau for his slight crush on the real estate agent, whom he had only met once, and for the heartfelt relationship between him and his father. It humanized him, as Kala's familial estrangement, and Gundersund's marriage (or lack thereof) humanized them. These glimpses into their lives brought them to life for me, and admittedly, I wanted more, especially of Stonechild and Gundersund. The sexual tension between these two was perfect.Brenda Chapman acknowledges in her author note that these events are fictitious, however, the basis of the story is very real. Once you have all the key pieces to the puzzle and meet each character, you find that Butterfly Kill is more than a mere tale of tragedy. The events that led up to the murders of this story are things we hear about on the news, happening around the world, but may not consider happening in our own backyard. The twist that links these crimes I didn't see coming, but loved it through and through, as I was guessing "whodunit" the entire length of the book.I will remember this novel fondly for a time to come. Dalal, her sisters, Leah, Gail, Brian Munroe, are all characters, that as an emotional reader, I felt deeply for. Butterfly Kill is a book that made me feel a little bit of everything. It was entertaining and as mysterious as it sets out to be.
In this second of the Stonechild/Rouleau series, after Cold Mourning: A Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery, Jacques Rouleau has moved from Ottowa to Kingston to take up a position leading the Criminal Investigation Division. This move also allows him to help out his aging father who has had some health issues. He has sent out messages to Stonechild letting her know a position is open for her on his team but she is in the wind, possibly spending time up North on the Reserve.Meanwhile there is a murder in Kingston which does not experience such violence often. A university student who worked at the hot line has been murdered. Violently. And then is a spousal rape. Suddenly Rouleau needs all the good policing he can have...and Stonechild shows up in Kingston with no promise for how long.I enjoy the way Chapman creates her characters and her stories. They are all multi-faceted. The characters, at least all the main ones, have back story that builds during the primary investigation. The criminals may be somewhat less multi-dimensional but they do represent real problems, very real crimes in today's society, in North America. I continue to recommend the series and I am now looking forward to the next volume in this series.An ecopy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review
—Sue
Book #2 in this great series picks up where "Cold Mourning" left off.Jacques Rouleau is now living in Kingston to be near his ailing father & heads up the small homicide squad. He kept a spot open for Det. Kala Stonechild & is rewarded when she comes to town & agrees to join the unit on a temporary basis. It's not long before they have their hands full.Initially, there are 2 separate investigations. Della Munroe accuses her husband of domestic abuse & has the bruises to prove it. Then grad student Leah Sampson is found horribly mutilated in her flat. She manned the phones at the campus Crisis Centre with 4-5 others with backgrounds in psychology. Rumours swirl about her affair with a married man but his identity is a mystery. In alternate chapters we meet Dalal, a young Indian girl struggling to conform to her parents' traditional rules. After her older sister rebelled & fled, she is little more than a slave in her own home . Her dream of being a nurse seems just that as she is groomed for the inevitable arranged marriage. Family honour is at stake & as this chilling story line progresses, it becomes apparent the biggest threat to her future may come from someone close to her. Already stretched thin, Rouleau & his team begin to feel the heat as a second Crisis Centre worker is attacked. The MO is familiar & as the detectives dig into the personal lives of all involved there is no shortage of secrets & hidden agendas. On the home front, Kala remains restless & haunted by her past. She's unsure of where she belongs and this is complicated by a growing attraction to colleague Paul Gundersund. Meanwhile, Rouleau is putting down roots & his house search brings him into contact with a pretty real estate agent. Just one teeny little problem...she may have something going on with Malcolm Heath, his perm-tanned & PR obsessed superior officer. As the investigations progress, the author skillfully weaves together the story lines as some hard truths begin to surface. Tension mounts as Kala & Paul race to save the next victim & the last third of the book will have you turning the pages as fast as you can to see who-dun-it & who's left standing. Even then there are a few surprises left over that hint at big changes in store for the next instalment. I really enjoy this series. Rouleau & Stonechild are original & compelling characters, fully realized with distinct personalities & well developed histories. This book introduces new peripheral characters that flesh out the story but it is the interplay between these 2 very different people that drives the narrative. Add smart dialogue & a tight complex plot and you've got a compulsive read on your hands. While not necessary, I would recommend reading "Cold Mourning" first. As with many series you'll get more out of this book knowing the fill history behind these characters.
—Sandy
Read as an ARC.I'm a big fan of Brenda Chapman's Stonechild and Rouleau mystery series set in Ontario. This one centres on Kingston. I appreciate the characterization of the two protagonists — they both have a few demons and difficulties brought to their jobs from the past, as well as different strengths. To me they are "real" characters.Chapman's books have excellent plots and sub-plots and tackle modern-day crime. Also the author deftly manages tension and pacing, ensuring the reader can't put the book down.And, no, I'm not going to reveal the story or its conclusion - that would a spoiler.Highly recommended for mystery fans.
—Julie Ferguson
