Author: Clyde Phillips
Genre: Mystery, police procedural
Published on: August 13, 2013 by Thomas & Mercer (first edition: June 17, 2003)
San Francisco homicide detective Jane Candiotti’s life is finally looking up, thanks to a new promotion and a new husband. But navigating newlywed life takes a backseat when Philip Iverson, a powerful Bay Area philanthropist, is found murdered in a downtown hotel. An hour later, a homeless man is stabbed to death at the docks, a crime most cops would shrug off. But Jane isn’t like most cops.
Her gut tells her there’s something bigger at play here, something linking the victims in death when it’s likely their paths never crossed in life. But uncovering the truth won’t be easy: the Powers That Be are demanding that the SFPD focus all their resources on the Iverson case, despite alarming evidence that a serial killer is at work. If Jane can’t solve these murders—and fast—she could lose more than just her job…
It takes great characters to make a reader stay with them for three books or more. Jane Candiotti and Kenny Marks certainly are more than interesting to read about. This is their third book, and it’s just as good as the other two. Candiotti is now the lieutenant of the Homicide division at the SFPD. She’s said to be the first woman to hold the position. Candiotti took over after her previous boss resigned due to the events in Blindsided.
The first character we’re introduced to in Sacrifice is Philip Iverson. He’s a billionaire philanthropist and apparently San Francisco’s most beloved citizen. After a gala event he organized, Philip is found dead in a parking lot. Jane and Kenny rush to the scene, and are shocked at what they find. The police manage to keep Iverson’s death secret at first, to avoid scaring the public. Later that same night, Jane comes across another murder. This time, the victim is a homeless man.
As the SFPD Chief was friendly with the Iversons, he pushes his officers to make that investigation a priority. Jane refuses to ignore the homeless man just because he didn’t swim in money. She is negatively impressed at seeing the kind of special treatment Iverson’s widow, Alice, receives from the police department. In contrast, the homeless man’s mother barely gets the police to send her a ride to the station. Elitism or not, cops ought to protect and serve everyone equally. It's not like the rich pay them for better service.
This case will soon prove to be a doozy. It’s especially irking because Jane and Kenny are newlyweds! They are living in Kenny’s house, because of what happened to Jane's a few months ago. The two are finding that they are right for each other. Like any couple, though, they have issues to deal with. The biggest is that Kenny isn’t too thrilled that Jane is now his superior at work. He pretends like it doesn’t bother him, but it does. It doesn’t help when people automatically assume Kenny’s the lieutenant, just because he’s male. As serious as this problem becomes, it’s highly unlikely Kenny’s ego will spell doom for the marriage. It adds complication, but I never worried too much.
Jane also has another addition to her social circle. She’s now friends with Becka Flynn, a rising star reporter. Becka happens to be Jane’s only friend who isn’t in law enforcement. Kenny thought it was a good idea, that it would help Jane feel more normal. Jane also sees herself in the younger Becka. The latter is a woman with a bright future ahead of her. I liked Becka, because she’s incredibly smart and very beautiful. I find redheads with blue eyes stunning. Although Becka and Jane are now close, the latter diligently makes sure not to give her preferential treatment. Jane and Becka respect and like each other, and as a relationship, it was a great addition to the book. I just wish Becka didn’t meet the fate she did, though.
It doesn’t take long before a string of killings makes the police (and the people of SF) nervous. This serial killer seems to target homeless men only. The MO—which includes a strange symbol the killer leaves behind—makes the police compare him to the Zodiac killer. Jane is on high pressure to solve the case quickly, as it’s getting out of the police force’s hands. She and Kenny team up with Sheriff Guthrie, from the town where the Iversons hail. As they come closer to solving the case, Jane realizes someone out there really doesn’t want a certain truth to be revealed. And several slip-ups from one of Jane’s own officers may just mean the end of the line for her.
Sacrifice is a marvelous third installment in the Jane Candiotti mystery series. I think it was better than the first two books (and the previous one was incredible). You should definitely read it if you’re already invested in this series. These are among the best mystery/thriller novels I’ve read.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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