‘Reading this book was like a drug. I could not put it down’


‘Chilling, gripping and stomach-lurchingly twisted’



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?



Don't miss this gripping thriller, perfect for fans of Joy Ellis from award-winning, Kindle #1 bestselling author Ruth Dugdall, as discussed on Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour’.



Readers love The Sacrificial Man:
'Gripping, original, authentic' Erin Kelly


‘Ruth Dugdall has the ability to get under a character’s skin so thoroughly that they seem real, making them all the more scary’


'Another dark and disturbing read in a brilliant series'


'I would strongly recommend this to anyone who likes thrillers with bizarre and unsuspecting twists'


'There has always been something exceptional about the words written by Ruth Dugdall'