I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
One Small Sacrifice
by Hilary Davidson
Series: Shadows of New York #1
Series Rating:
Published by Thomas & Mercer on June 1, 2019
Genres: Psychological Thrillers
Pages: 366
Format: Paperback
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An apparent suicide. A mysterious disappearance. Did one man get away with murder—twice?
NYPD detective Sheryn Sterling has had her eye on Alex Traynor ever since his friend Cori fell to her death under suspicious circumstances a year ago. Cori’s death was ruled a suicide, but Sheryn thinks Alex—a wartime photojournalist suffering from PTSD—got away with murder.
When Alex’s fiancée, Emily, a talented and beloved local doctor, suddenly goes missing, Sheryn suspects that Alex is again at the center of a sticky case. Sheryn dislikes loose ends, and Cori’s death had way too many of them.
But as Sheryn starts pulling at the threads in this web, her whole theory unravels. Everyone involved remembers the night Cori died differently—and the truth about her death could be the key to solving Emily’s disappearance.
Is Alex a monster? Did he kill Emily?
One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson is an exceptional mystery with plot twist and secrets everywhere. I was mesmerized by the details of the characters’ lives and how far they would each go to get what they wanted. The compassion, hatred, broken, jealousy that I felt from the characters was so thoughtfully written that I was engrossed in the story.
There are multiple points-of-view throughout the story. However, I will talk about the two main characters.
Sheryn Sterling,
Sheryn is a New York City Detective, wife, and mother. She is full of pride and also compassion. Detective Sterling doesn’t like to leave cases unsolved, and a year ago she had to walk away from a man named Alex Traynor, whom she believes killed a woman. I really liked Sheryn and her family. She is such a fabulous character, and I felt like she and I could be terrific friends. Well, if she weren’t working all the time.
The thing about Sheryn is that she will admit if she is wrong. I felt like her integrity is held at a high level. She wants justice, but she wants it to get it the right way, no cutting corners. Sheryn has a way of making people trust her, or they could just be scared of her. Either way, I like her.
Alex Traynor
Alex is the most broken character that I have read in a long time. His PSTD is tragic, I felt so sorry for him, and yet, I completely believed in him throughout the story. He may be broke, but he can mend it is just going to take time. Alex has no living family, but he has his fiancé Emily and a friend named, Will from his childhood.
Alex has been taking pictures and documenting the wars around the world for quite some time. The things that he has witnessed must be is horrifying. And he was abducted and tortured not long before all of this happened. Alex has this vulnerability that also makes him endearing. He is such a great character.
5 Stars for One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson
My rating for One Small Sacrifice by Hilary Davidson is five stars. I love Ms. Davidson’s writing style, her characters, and the descriptions make the story come to life. I will be looking for her next book.
This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book on your site.
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About Hilary Davidson
Before she was a crime novelist, Hilary Davidson was a journalist. She got her start as an intern at Harper’s Magazine in New York and then joined the staff of Canadian Living magazine in Toronto. After deciding that she’d rather write than edit, she left her day job to freelance full-time. That decision led her to write 18 nonfiction books (17 of them for Frommer’s Travel Guides) and articles for wide array of publications including Discover, Martha Stewart Weddings, American Archaeology, Fitness, Reader’s Digest, Chatelaine, and CNN Travel.
Hilary’s debut novel, The Damage Done, won the 2011 Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Crimespree Award for Best First Novel. The second book in the series is The Next One to Fall and the third is Evil in All Its Disguises. Hilary’s first standalone novel, Blood Always Tells, was published by Tor/Forge in April 2014 and released as a trade paperback in March 2015. Her next novel is One Small Sacrifice—the first book in a new series—is an Amazon First Reads selection for May 2019; the novel will be published by Thomas & Mercer in June 2019.
Her short fiction has won the Anthony Award, the Derringer Award, and the Spinetingler Award. Hilary’s stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Thuglit, Beat to a Pulp, Crimespree, All Due Respect, Crime Factory, Spinetingler, and Needle: A Magazine of Noir, and other dark places. Her work is featured in many anthologies, including Florida Happens(the 2018 Bouchercon collection), Passport to Murder (the 2017 Bouchercon collection), and the upcoming At Home in the Dark, edited by Lawrence Block. In 2013, she gathered some of her personal favorites for a collection called The Black Widow Club: Nine Tales of Obsession and Murder.
Hilary has served as an At-Large Director on the National Board of the Mystery Writers of America from January 2012 to January 2016. She has previously served on the Mystery Writers of America’s New York Board as well.
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