In which Kala Stonechild’s dark life becomes even darker and more difficult

If you’re a fan of contemporary mysteries, suspense thrillers or police procedurals, then it’s a pretty solid bet that you’ve encountered a much used plot device trope. C’mon … admit it! You know the drill! Multiple unrelated story lines, victims and crimes, apparently separated by light years of facts, evidence and circumstance, slowly evolve, weave, intertwine and merge into a single story line that the embattled protagonist solves with a combination of perseverance, dogged police work, brilliant insight and a measure of luck and happenstance. In fact, it’s a fairly good wager that, off the top of your head, you’d be hard pressed to come up with the name of a recently published novel that comprised a single crime and linear plot line, without a furrowed forehead and considerable thought.

BUTTERFLY KILLS is certainly not going to qualify. But, that said, BUTTERFLY KILLS is a contemporary mystery that develops and draws on contemporary issues and personalities. It's a definite winner and a gripping page-turner!

Leah Sampson, a psychology graduate student who selflessly toils for hours manning Kingston’s Queens University student help line “talking students through school jitters, boyfriend troubles, and suicidal thoughts” meets a slow gruesome death by torture at the hands of what has to be a psychopath. Elsewhere Della Munroe kills her husband obviously defending herself and her son when the husband violates a protection court order imposed after a brutal spousal rape. Last but not least, Dalal Shahan, a troubled Muslim teenager, works to protect herself from domestic sexual assault and to save her younger mentally challenged sister from being trafficked into a child marriage to a perverted elderly suitor.

In this, the second installment of the Rouleau-Stonechild pairing, Chapman gives Rouleau a quiet offstage role taking care of his aging father while Stonechild works front and center allowing her involvement with the murders to lead her into an ultimate resolution of her decision about where to lead her adult life after a typically troubled aboriginal childhood.

Plot development, character development, dialogue, story timing, typical red herrings and dead ends, atmosphere and location – all well done. BUTTERFLY KILLS (despite the fact that I have absolutely no idea what that title means??) is easy to recommend and I look forward with considerable eagerness to #3 in the series, TUMBLED GRAVES.


Paul Weisscanadian-author mystery police-procedural31 s Sue1,328 595

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 reviewcanada mystery net-galley ...more14 s Kym MooreAuthor 3 books36

OMG, this was one of the most unexpected thrillers I have read in a long time. I did not see so many twists, turns, domestic abuse, suspense, and sexual violence coming. Oh, the secrets, the lies, and oh the suspects! This book is a continuation of the Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery Series.

First, let's start off with Leah Sampson, who worked as a counselor at a college crisis helpline. After Leah got off from work one evening and was heading inside her apartment, an intruder came in before she could close her door. That night Leah was murdered. On the other side of town, Della Munroe who was allegedly raped by her husband Brian reported that her husband broke into her house after he was served with a restraining order, and she freely admitted that she killed him.

When Kala Stonechild, one of Rouleau’s former officers from Ottawa, suddenly appears in Kingston at his father's place, Rouleau enlists her to help with the investigation. Rouleau and Stonechild worked on a murder and spousal rape case at the same time. Could their deaths be related?

Bobby Hamilton, a druggie who found Leah's body was interviewed by Rouleau and Kala. Did he kill Leah? What about Leah's boyfriend Wolfe Edwards? Or was it the married man Leah was allegedly having an affair with? Was it possible that Brian was having an affair with Leah? Oh, the questions!

We also meet an Indian girl named Dalal who is struggling to conform to her parent's traditional rules. Her older sister Nadirah rebelled and escaped as not to have to be turned over and be enslaved by Mr. Khan. Dalal escapes with her little sister who was going to be turned over to Mr. Khan, in order to find her sister Nadirah.

It seems the more Rouleau and Stonechild investigate these murders, the more questions and doubts arose about the reputation and character of Della Munroe. It appears that she was an evil woman who was malicious and could turn a situation in her favor, by convincing people she was the innocent victim.

The one thing I didn't was the racist detective who had Della's house under surveillance and spotted Dalal's brother Ghazi pulling up on the street in a 4-door black Sentra. He suspected that Ghazi was up to something suspicious just because of his ethnicity. But what was Ghazi up to? You find out what Ghazi Shahan and his mother have been conspiring to do. You will eventually find out who killed Leah and who killed Brian Munroe. You will be in shock when you find out who did.11 s Barbara Schultz3,459 258

???? Stars
Stonechild and Rouleau Mystery #2
I didn’t read first in this series but just downloaded it as I wanted to know more about Kala.
(In that story we meet Kala Stonechild, who has just transferred to the police department. She is an Aboriginal Canadian who grew up on the reservation and then a series of foster homes. )

Jacques Rouleau has moved to Kingston to take care of his ailing father and accepted a position with Criminal Investigation Division. He asks Detective Kala Stoneshild to join his unit on a temporary basis. Kala accepts and partners with Detective Paul Gundersund.

There are several stories lines going on that melt together.
Story is told from the POV of Kala and Dalai.
Kala and Gundersund are helping Rouleau with his latest cases or cases: murder, assault and spouse abuse.
It took a bit for me to get the character straight.
Leah Sampson a university student, who works on the help-line, is found dead in her apartment. Soon another girl who works on the help-line is attacked.
Della Munroe, a mother of a young son, filed a rape charge against her husband. When husband is called in, he states Della is lying ~ that she faked the rape. Needless to say, no one believes him until he shows up dead and then there are doubts.

Another POV is Dalai, who is a young Muslin girl with 3 sisters and an older brother who is cruel and abusive. The girls are all struggling to keep their parents traditional rules. Her older sister is often beaten for bring disgrace to the family traditions. She leaves home, however it not happy about leaving her younger sisters. She knows the girls will be treated as slaves and the brother treated a prince.
There is no doubt Dalai’s home life is so disturbing, but this story was a page turner and I could not put this down.

Personal Note: I read A Woman’s is no a Man a few years ago
as it was a “Read with Jenna Book Club” selection.
~ My comments “I know I am in the minority with my low rating of this
novel; I don't want to be disrespected to another culture but ...this story is so
disturbing. It is the story of Arab women who are stuck in an abusive life and
feel trapped.
The ratings were all amazing on this novel. A reviewed responded to my
comments and assured me that the book was excellent and ~ I was ignorant
of the situation.


I did look up ’Honor Killing’ as it plays a role in this story. Honor killing is an ancient tradition ~ that is still observed ~ it is when a male member of a family kills a female for tarnishing the family image.

I will definitely read another story in this series. In fact, there are now seven books.

I enjoyed reading Brenda Chapman Acknowledgements ~ to me this part of any novel is always the inside scoop to the author’s research and motivation for write the book.

BTW: I looked up the meaning of 'butterfly kills' it states if one kills a butterfly they will be cursed.2021-gr-challenge audio-great-performance better-than-expected ...more7 s Keira.61 2

**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 d 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.






20146 s Paula780 200

9/106 s Maxine (Booklover Catlady)1,358 1,336

I found this book very slow going and struggled to have it maintain my interest for very long. The synopsis held much promise but in reading the book I felt a strong lack of connection with both the plot and the characters. One of those books where I was straining to keep focus, you know the ones?

Jacques Rouleau has moved to Kingston to look after his father and take up the position of head of the Criminal Investigations Division. One hot week in late September, university student Leah Sampson is murdered in her apartment; in another corner of the city, Della Munroe is raped by her husband. At first the crimes appear unrelated, but as Sergeant Rouleau and his new team of officers dig into the women's pasts, they discover unsettling coincidences. When Kala Stonechild, one of Rouleau's officers from Ottawa, suddenly appears in Kingston, Rouleau enlists her to help.

The book has multiple different plot lines running at the same time, whilst this is not a bad thing, I felt in this particular book that it led to a lack of connection with the book and almost some confusion at times. It did not have the fast pace, nor tight plot that I think a crime/mystery novel needs to keep the fans happy.

It's relatively well written in places but I found the characters very one sided and complex to connect with or relate to, or even . To be really honest I was bored for most of this book and have no desire to read anymore in this series or from this author. I had zero desire to keep picking it up again, always a bad sign.

I have read nearly 400 books in 2014, the majority of them with a crime element in them and have learned to pick the mediocre from the fabulous, this one falls in the mediocre category. If you are hardened crime thriller fan myself I think you will find this one a bit cumbersome and slow going. 2.5 stars, I did not this one.

I received a copy of this novel thanks to the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.crime-books-read5 s Sandy873 226

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.arc-from-netgalley contemporary-fiction crime ...more4 s Megan Posner211

So, I enjoy the main characters but the way the author uses BIPOC as villains and the casual white supremicy a white blonde woman murdering her Black husband as part of the story? The xenophobic vibes by the villains being Muslim and Indian? The one gay character came on to her HS best friend awkwardly gay people are predatory? That has a flavor of racism & I will ly not read the books more since this is the way the author s to stage characters.4 s Mia Payne236 1 follower

Pretty basic mystery. Fans of Law and Order special victims unit will find this feels familiar.

The low rating is due to the islamophobia. Yes, things this do happen, but it could be handled better. 4 s Ray835 59

I found the tension in this author's books a little different than some writers in this genre. I the characters and this story had an interesting element in the family relationships. I d it but just haven't been wowed and love it. I would say it is a solid story, but would to hear from others that read her and see if they share any common points with my opinion or maybe it just isn't a connection for me as a reader...crime-drama3 s Mary Ahlgren1,323 6

I am really liking the characters and milieu in Chapman's books.2 s kim v483

Audiobook. The plots are great and, having spent 5years inKingston, it’s fun being able to picture exactly where the events are taking place. That being said, the dialogue between characters is often so unrealistic I found my self rolling my eyes several times. And is the narrator from Ontario? I have never heard an Ontarian enunciate Toronto so clearly
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