“The Butterfly Killer” is a hauntingly descriptive short story about a series of horrific murders and the detectives in charge of investigating them. Written by Kay Twichell, the story really draws the reader in with the first paragraph, giving them enough details about these strange serial murders to keep them intrigued but not giving away too much. Twichell does a great job of revealing the most thought-provoking pieces of information early on, effectively forcing the reader to continue on just to find out more about what happens.
I really loved how Twichell manages to make the brutal murder seem almost poetic and beautiful, due to the intricate way she describes the victim. The murder is described as, “...[the murder] looks like something out of an art gallery…[The victim’s flesh is] a butterfly’s wings sprouting from her heart in every direction.” This description really brings to life how disgustingly horrible the murders are, and the reason behind the murderer’s name. I felt like I was there with Detective Wesley as he slowly unraveled the one clue that will let him convict the main suspect. Twichell’s way of writing gives the effect that the reader is right there with the detectives, holding their breath when Wesley calls the phone number he discovers.