I was pleasantly surprised by this debut effort by author S.J. Bolton. The setting of the Shetland Islands off the northeast coast of Scotland is interesting and unique. An area of isolation, myth and legend, remote from the rest of the world where secrets have been hidden for decades and immense power has been hoarded. Imagine moving from bustling London to a small acreage on a stark, unforgiving island. Your husband is often away on business, you have made no friends in the six months you have been working in the nearby hospital and your beloved horse has just died. Tora Hamilton is determined to bury her horse nearby her home, even though it is illegal, and in doing so uncovers a female body buried deep in the peat, heart taken out, runes carved into her back. From here leads a strange, twisted tale of murder and mortality, ethics, fertility manipulation, cults and myths.

Bolton's prose is rawly descriptive and blunt. Events are presented in a cold and analytical way, yet to offset this the author has created a sensitive, vulnerable character in Tora, who buries her feelings of confusion, pain and loss deeply. At first I did not like Tora, thinking her weak, misguided and a little dense, but after awhile I realized she is someone juggling a lot of issues and handling them the best she is capable of. Tora has difficulty making friends and with communication. People don't warm to her readily and she knows it. She has fears, inadequacies and issues to overcome. I would describe her as having questionable self-esteem, a frustrated, nervous temperament...yet tenacity of will and a caring heart. Someone that I could relate to rather than being some grand heroine or superwoman.

Bolton does a great job of disguising the true motivations of the characters, which made the story very suspenseful. I did not like most of the characters in the novel...we are not given much background on the characters, rather just the bare bones of their lives...and actually I do not think the author wants you to like any of the characters either. The tension, disapproval and antagonism between particular characters is portrayed well and really comes across in the writing.

One word in the story - a character's career - led me to figuring out some of the plot but by no means led to unravelling everything, as the story has been very cleverly crafted. Of course there are a few plot holes and loose threads (Why exactly did Dr. Kenn Gifford state (lie?) that KT meant Keloid Trauma when he must have known it meant something else entirely...he could not have been kept in the dark about everything...but we are left to ponder!) but the premise and setting are unique which makes for an out of the ordinary read.

I really liked this book and think its a solid debut effort by S.J. Bolton. Although it took me awhile to warm up to it, once I did, I did not want to put the book down and could not get the story out of my head.

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34 year old Tora Hamilton is a consultant surgeon who has recently moved to the remote Shetland islands with her native Islander husband Duncan, who himself has been away for 20 years. The story begins with Tora digging a hole to bury one of her horses when she discovers the perfectly preserved body of a young woman in the peat soil situated on her newly purchased property. What is even more unsettling for Tora is that the woman's heart has been removed and there are strange symbols carved onto the body. There are signs that the woman had been restrained before her death as well. Thus begins Tora's pursuit on finding out who the young woman was, who killed her and why was she murdered in the manner that she was. However, Tora is warned by the local police, her boss, and even her husband, to leave well enough alone.

There are so many twist and turns in the story I never really had time to figure out what was coming up next. The author S. J. Bolton gives the reader one shocking surprise after another. Tora, nor the reader is ever sure who can be trusted even up to the very end. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time wanting to get to the final chapter, yet at the same time I desired to savor every minute and make it last a little longer. This is an excellent read if you like your crime fiction fast paced with plenty of suspense, mystery and action. An added bonus to the story was the interesting history of the Shetland Islands. I always love it when I'm learning as I'm being entertained.

So why 4 stars instead of 5? Well, I felt part of the plot was a little far-fetched with the Norse mystical theme and there were a few 'hard to follow' action scenes that I didn't quite fully understand either, although that might have been because it was late and my eyes were tired with a muddled mind to boot. Even so, the largest part of the plot was believable and a real page turner for me.

One thing I recommend for those who plan on reading it - enjoy it when you have a few nights set aside with nothing to distract you. You won't want to put it down. Unfortunately, for me, I chose to read this book during a very busy stretch in my schedule. I ended up resenting that I couldn't spend more time curled up reading this gem. Furthermore, a note of caution to those who are faint of heart - there are a few sections of the book you might not want to read while alone in the house...Oh shiver me timbers! ( )

I surprised myself picking this up in the bookshop - "I don't do thrillers" went through my head. However it was '3 for 2', it mentioned the Shetlands and the cover illustration was in nice colours! Does it really matter why we choose a particular book to read - I guess not; has this reminded me not to stick with the favourite genres - you bet!

This is a fast paced book full of believable characters and a storyline that is almost too bizarre ... but somehow you have to keep reading. I loved the Shetlands when I visited half a lifetime ago and the descriptions of the Islands in the book brought them vividly back to life for me. Their history, folklore and geographical remoteness all contribute to the potential of the storyline.

One small criticism - the resolution was slightly too rushed and lacking in detail ... as often happens in stories of such intensity; but otherwise a truly good read and recommended to those who don't normally read thrillers particularly. ( )

Published: February 2008
Main Character: Tora Hamilton.
Main Locations: Shetland Islands, United Kingdom.
Time Period: 2007
Reason for reading: Proof copy for review.
First Line: The corpse I could cope with.

Surgeon Tora Hamilton makes a grim discovery on her land when she uncovers the body of a woman that has been preserved in the peat. The authorities believe that it is an ancient burial and will be an open and shut case, but the discovery that her heart had been cut out of her chest and symbols carved into her flesh result in Tora conducting her own investigations that many locals are keen to persuade her to drop.
I really wanted to like this debut novel by S. J. Bolton. A recommendation from Tess Gerritsen and comparisons to Mo Hayder ensured that this was the first novel that I picked up out of the three proof copies that I was sent to review. With its fascinating mix of medical and police procedure coupled with ancient folklore this should have had me gripped from start to finish, but I found that the way in which procedural explanations were included in the story, although necessary, disrupted the flow of this first person narrative.
Sacrifice has all the essential elements of a crime novel that would work well as a series – intriguing central characters and a fast paced plot - so even though it left me wanting I would read further novels by this author. ( )

I read SJ Boltons Second book 'Awakening' I enjoyed it so much I just had to get her first, and was not disappointed. I found this book extremely enjoyable, and is very well written with believable characters. A whirl wind journey full of twists and turns, pulling you into the thick of it from the first few pages, when Tora finds a body buried in her field, and begins unraveling sinister secrets of the Shetland Isles. ( )