The Sacrificial Man is unlike any other book I’ve read. The author, Ruth Dugdall, has really excelled in this genre.

I read psychological thrillers like I breathe air, and this book has to be one of the best I’ve read.

The plot:

When Probation Officer Cate Austin is given her new assignment, she faces the highest-profile case of her career. Alice Mariani is charged with assisted suicide and Cate must recommend a sentence.

Alice insists her story is one of misinterpreted love, forcing those around her to analyse their own lives. Who is to decide what is normal and when does loyalty turn to obsession?

Investigating the loophole that lies between murder and euthanasia, Cate must now meet the woman who agreed to comply with her lover’s full request. Shocking revelations expose bitter truths that can no longer be ignored.

10/10 for me – I can’t fault it

A late entry, but worth budging another book aside – this book is definitely going into my Top Reads of 2019.

When I closed this book, I just wanted to give a round of applause to the author. I consistently say that thrillers have one big twist and that’s not enough, or have lots of little twists which are predictable, but somehow Dugdall has chucked in some big whoppers (from early on too), and also little ones which you just won’t see coming.

The Sacrificial Man IS the psychological thriller genre for me – and if you’ve been following my blog at all, you know this is a big thing for me to say. It’s a perfect blend of ‘what is going on’ with ‘oh my god that is horrible’, and still focusing on very important topics.

It’s full of twists and turns and suspense, I found myself counting down the minutes until I could read some more of this book, rushing home so I could get some good reading time in. Even just writing this review makes me want to drop everything and fall back into Cate/ Alice’s world.

I really didn’t want to put it down. It’s one of those ones where you lose track of time, and you’re 100% okay with that. It’s a relatively short book for this genre, which I think just makes me want to read more of Dugdall’s books.

I just didn’t know which way it was going to go. There were times I emphasized with Alice, and other times where you could tell she was twisting and being manipulative. An all-round incredible book, and one that I cannot recommend highly enough. 10/10 for me – I can’t fault it.

I’ve already added some of the author’s other books to my TBR, and they are pretttttyyyy high up the pile.

Name a more addictive psychological thriller than The Sacrificial Man, I dare you.

The Sacrificial Man, Ruth Dugdall, RRP £8.99 (paperback); Book Depository 

Pages: 284

Publisher: Legend Press

Genre: Psychological Thriller