Sacrifice
*Starred Review* Bodies found in peat bogs—the peat preserves human flesh—make irresistible launching points for crime fiction. Erin Hart’s Haunted Ground was one of the best first crime novels of 2003, and now Bolton’s debut is in the running for the same distinction this year. Hart’s bog was in Ireland, and the novel drew on Irish history. Bolton’s is in Scotland, on one of the Shetland Islands, and she draws equally effectively on an ancient Scottish legend. Tora Hamilton, an obstetrician recently relocated to the Shetlands with her husband, a native of the region, is digging on her property when she discovers the body of a young woman. Pathologists determine that the body is not ancient, as was first supposed, but contemporary. Further investigation reveals that the victim died within days of giving birth and that her heart had been cut from her body. As Tora begins to investigate, she is warned off by the police, her hospital colleagues, and even her husband. With the help of another outsider, a police detective also new to the area, she discovers further anomalies: Why does the death rate of young women in the Shetlands spike every three years? As she comes closer to the truth, the connection to ancient lore emerges, and the Shetlands, once so tranquil and charming, turn menacing and deadly, much in the manner of the English moors when a certain Baskervillean hound was on the loose. Bolton combines rich history, precise forensic detail, and breathtaking use of landscape in what is a stunning blend of medical thriller and creepy gothic suspense tale. Yes, the plot is outlandish, but it grips us all the same and doesn’t let go. --Bill Ott--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.