BUTCHER
Leopold Jensen has a gift.
He can read people very well.
When Leo, a butcher and inveterate wanderer, stumbles upon the small town of Amicable, Iowa, he finds that they have a gift also.
They can hide things very, very well.
After Leo meets Rhonda Redman, a local woman with a past, he must decide whether to stay in Amicable and find a new and happier version of life, or get back on the road and avoid the pain of learning to stay.
As the complexities of small town life confront Leo, the residents and their friendly acrimony to strangers, Leo falls back on his gift.
But how far will he dare to fall?
BOOK 1 OF THE
AMICABLE CIRCLE
Butcher is a work of fiction describing the travails of a wandering butcher who has the gift of reading people. Throughout the course of the novel, the reader will find herself or himself immersed in the idiosyncrasies of American small town life and the immensity of emotions that come as worlds collide.
Butcher is filled with humor, intrigue and dashes of psychological mystery that captivate the reader to want more. Butcher is the first book in the series entitled The Amicable Circle. The next two books are Baker, and, of course, Candlestickmaker.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR BUTCHER
- Penny Reynold's opens the scene setting the stage for a description of Amicable. Describe the town in which you grew up. Which parts of Amicable seem familiar (no matter the place)? Which descriptions are over the top?
- The reader is introduced to Leo Jensen, a wandering Butcher. What is important about his name? Why did the author make him so tall?
- The author's depiction of Reverend Deakins is important. How would you describe him? Why is he like this?
- The bowling alley and the church are set as twin towers for and against each other throughout the book. Why do they represent? How are they used as agents of change?
- The author uses the rumor mill as a means of information. For the older folks, it's face to face, verbal communication, for the younger ones, online. In both cases, how are rumors helpful and how are they harmful? What are some examples?
- How does Butcher's 'reading' of people affect those around him? Do they trust him more or less?
- What would you do if you came across a 'Butcher?'
- Both Butcher and Rhonda, and John and Leslie, have to overcome obstacles in order for the relationship to move forward. What are these obstacles? How are they similar? Dissimilar?
- As Rhonda moves further away from her mother, Connie, how does this strain their relationship? What does Connie do to attempt to 'keep' Rhonda close?
- What do you see as the main point of the book? What is the role of trust in any relationships? (Spoiler - the author's intent was an attempt to show that love cannot actually grow without trust. Control is the antithesis of trust.) How do the characters attempt to control each other?
- Many people have asked the question: why was Connie naked at the end of the book? (Author's answer: In order for Butcher to completely move past the loss of his mother - who he found naked in the tub after an overdose - the author wanted Butcher to come full circle. Not his mother, but his future mother-in-law. Connie 'revealed' herself at her lowest and Butcher found himself paralyzed and needed someone to save him. In this case, George. Once Connie, Rhonda and Butcher are saved from their pasts, life can move forward.)
- How does Butcher make you think differently about relationships?
REVIEWS FROM AMAZON.COM
KINDLE CUSTOMER
Great read from a debut novel
I'll admit, I probably wouldn't have picked up this book if I weren't from the same small Iowa hometown as the author went to school. But I am glad I did.
The "Butcher" moves to this small Iowa town and little by little things start to change. But since the secretive butcher is an "outsider" in the view of the residents some want to see him return to where he came from.
This character-driven novel is a delightful read, whether you are from a small town or not. The author brings the characters to life and you feel that you know each person. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
RICHARD THOMSEN
Enjoy!
The author has a true understanding of human nature - the desirable qualities along with the less desirable. Whether you are from a small town or a city, you will enjoy the development of truly accepting the personal traits of neighbors and friends. And you’ll even have a chuckle or two!
MATTIEN
Must Read!
If you come from a small town, you might "recognize" some of the characters. It is obvious that this telling is an exaggeration of the best and the worst of small town. It made me smile often and occasionally chuckle out loud. Kuddos to the author on his insight and apparent love for small town life.