The Sacrificial Man by Ruth Dugdall #Blogathon

Today I'm sharing my review of The Sacrificial Man by Ruth Dugdall, the second Cate Austin casefile. This was a really interesting read. Many thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for inviting me to take part and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

A deadly choice in the name of love.

Probation officer Cate Austin faces the highest‑profile case of her career: Alice Mariani, a celebrated university lecturer, has been charged with assisting in the death of her lover. But at what point does a private pact become a public crime?

Every interview with Alice peels back another layer of secrecy. As media and campaigners swarm the courtroom, Cate is forced into a legal blind spot — and a brutal dilemma.

Will a lover's last request become a deadly price to pay?

The Sacrificial Man was reissued on 21st May by HQ Digital.

My Review

Well, this was a story! Date Austin has to finished her stint working with prisoners and is back in the office with a full caseload. But due to her success with her previous big news case, Alice Mariani's file lands on her desk. Alice is an intelligent, articulate woman who has been accused of helping her lover die. Cate's job is to recommend a sentence to the judge.

Through Cate and Alice's meetings we discover more about Alice and her story. She is certainly an unusual woman, who answered an unusual personal ad, which led her to where she is now. She firmly believes she has done nothing wrong and as the book goes on we learn more about her life and why she believes what she does. We also learn about her lover, which was an interesting read. 

There's one part of the storyline that perhaps won't be for everyone, and a couple of 'ew' moments resulting from a very curious turn of events but a fascinating story. 

The Sacrificial Man is well written and certainly threw up a few surprises. I didn't expect either the denouement, or the conclusion of the story so that was great. The book was interesting, and the storyline was unusual, making for an enjoyable read. 

The Author

Ruth studied English at university and then took an MA is Social Work. Following this she worked in the Criminal Justice System as a social worker then as a probation officer. Part of this time was spent seconded to a prison housing serious offenders. She continues to work within the Criminal Justice System, most recently in Luxembourg.

Ruth's novels are informed by her experience and are "authentic and credible".

Ruth's first novel, The James Version, is a historical fiction based on the actual murder of Maria Marten at the Red Barn in Suffolk. The story is re-told with a fresh light on who really killed Maria.

Her second novel, The Woman Before Me, won the Debut Dagger when it was originally published in 2005. It is the first in a series featuring probation officer Cate Austin.

"Probation officers have more face-to-face contact with criminals than any other profession," says Ruth, "they are the unsung heroes of the Criminal Justice System."