COLD SACRIFICE
BY LEIGH RUSSELL
On Sale 29 April 2014
Harper Collins Publishers
The first book in a series of atmospheric,
psychological thrillers featuring Detective Ian Peterson, as he solves
deadly crimes in the UK.
When three dead bodies are discovered in Detective
Ian Peterson’s hometown of Kent, it becomes clear that a vicious killer
is on the loose. And without his trusted colleague, Detective Geraldine
Steel, by his side Ian’s left to take the
lead on a complex murder case with few clues.
The first victim is a middle-aged woman named Martha brutally stabbed to death in the local park. Her husband, who does not report her missing, is the prime suspect until a young prostitute, Della, reveals his whereabouts the night Martha was murdered. But then she is strangled to death in her apartment. While the police are frantically gathering evidence and looking for a connection, a second prostitute is suffocated.
With nothing but the timing of the murders to tie the three women to each other, Ian and his new partner, Polly Mortimer, struggle to make sense of the case and find the elusive killer before he strikes again. But, by the time Ian realizes the truth, it may be too late to save Polly.
The first victim is a middle-aged woman named Martha brutally stabbed to death in the local park. Her husband, who does not report her missing, is the prime suspect until a young prostitute, Della, reveals his whereabouts the night Martha was murdered. But then she is strangled to death in her apartment. While the police are frantically gathering evidence and looking for a connection, a second prostitute is suffocated.
With nothing but the timing of the murders to tie the three women to each other, Ian and his new partner, Polly Mortimer, struggle to make sense of the case and find the elusive killer before he strikes again. But, by the time Ian realizes the truth, it may be too late to save Polly.
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I am delighted that Leigh Russell has written a guest post on my blog today
I read Cold Sacrifice last year and you can read my thoughts here.
I read Cold Sacrifice last year and you can read my thoughts here.
What I have learned since I started writing.
Over the six years
since my debut, Cut Short, was first published, I have learned about many
things. As a result of my research I now know a little about rigor mortis, DNA,
police procedure, poisons, and fatal knife wounds, to name just a few areas.
The internet is a
fantastic resource, but I prefer to conduct my research with real people
whenever possible. So you will find acknowledgements in my books to many people
who have helped me, including a Professor of Forensic Medicine, a Human Remains
expert at the British Museum, and a Consultant Forensic Psychotherapist at
Broadmoor, to name a few. Everyone has been really helpful, and I have learned
a lot. The research is fascinating!
Yet in the course of my
writing career, I have learned more than information. I have also learned about
how to survive the challenges faced by an author.
To survive as a
bestselling author requires nerves of steel, and a hide like a rhinoceros.
There have been many thrills along the
way - major awards, great reviews, many bestseller lists (including Number 1
overall on kindle in the UK) and invitations to appear at literary festivals
around the world. In addition to the many public accolades, fans frequently
email me via my website. It is wonderful to read their messages.
But there are lows as
well, days when no one seems to like my books, an event I was looking forward
to is cancelled, I discover someone appears to be plagiarising my books, and
I'm losing the tussle to make a plot work. So life as a bestselling author is a
roller coaster ride. You need to be tough to survive!
Finally, I've learned
something about how to write. It's impossible to convey in a few words what
I've learned about the craft of writing, although I am keen to encourage other
writers. I run occasional courses for The Society of Authors in London, and for
The Writers Lab in Greece and on the Isle of Wight, and recently I've agreed to
informally mentor a young aspiring writer who approached me through the Crime
Writers Association.
Eugene Ionesco said: 'A
writer never has a vacation. For a writer life consists of writing or thinking
about writing'. Once you are hooked on writing, you may well find it becomes,
in William McIlvanney's words, 'an inexplicable compulsion'. So my Top Tip for
new writers would be to make sure you enjoy what you are writing. Because once
you get hooked on writing, you are likely to devote a lot of time to it.
You can read more about Cold Sacrifice and Leigh's other books at her website: leighrussell.co.uk/
Available to buy from
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