Book ~ "The Butcher" (2014) Jennifer Hillier

From Goodreads ~ 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.

Shortly after his wife passes away, Edward decides their house is too much for him and moves into a retirement community. He gives the house to his grandson, Matt, who he and his wife had raised after Matt's mother had died when he was a baby. Matt is grateful to get the house he grew up in. He is a chef and has recently become locally famous. He's under a lot of pressure running the food trucks and restaurant; plus a food channel wants to do a reality show with him. So financially this one less thing for him to worry about. Sam, his girlfriend of three years, expects him to ask her to move in with him and is disappointed when he doesn't.

Sam is an author of true crime books. She is currently writing one about "The Butcher", a violent murderer who was killed in 1985 by the then police chief, Edward. Sam's mother was murdered two years later when she was a baby in the same manner so she's always suspected they never really caught the real murderer. Using Edward as guidance, she has been researching who could be the real killer for her book but more importantly for her own piece of mind.

During renovations, a crate was found buried in Matt's backyard. He is shocked when he discovers what's inside but doesn't know what to do about it. The longer he keeps quiet, though, the more stressed and out of control he becomes.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I liked it.  I liked the writing style and found the story interesting.  I look forward to reading other books by this author.  It is written in third person perspective with a focus on Matt, Sam, Edward and the Butcher. As a head's up, there is swearing and violence.