Human Sacrifice

The Human Sacrifice Series Book 1

Romance - Suspense
216 Pages
Reviewed on 02/22/2015
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

M. Elaine Moore was born on Sept. 17, 1967 in Hemet, CA. She is a North Carolina fiction writer and poet, with short stories and poetry published both in print and online. Her passions lie along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where the Atlantic Ocean roars and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse stands. She is the mother of four amazing children and lives with her loving, supportive husband, youngest child, and six crazy rescue dogs near the Outer Banks she loves. Part of all novel proceeds go to save and improve the lives of shelter dogs. She has written one children's book and three novels. She is at work on several others.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers' Favorite

M. Elaine Moore portrays the sacrificial service of an undercover cop in her novel Human Sacrifice. Aubri Payton loves being an undercover cop and she is very good at it. Her best friend and partner gets killed in the line of duty. Aubri is crushed, holding her grief and guilt deep within. She is assigned a new partner, a “rogue gypsy,” Chris Avery. Aubri and Chris are complete opposites. Chris tries to get to know her and gain her trust, but Aubri isn’t going to make it easy for him. She doesn’t want to like Avery, but can’t seem to hate him. Untouchable and walled up, Aubri keeps everyone at a distance. Undeterred, Chris is determined to break into her imprisoned heart. As time goes on, a fragile bond begins to form. A developing trust, a surprising sincere reliance causes them to analyze their sudden need for one another. Both of them battle in their heads the emotions of their hearts. When all seems right, they are faced with a life or death situation; will one become a human sacrifice.

Human Sacrifice is an adrenaline surging, heart pounding, pulsating narrative. M. Elaine Moore writes an enticing tale. From the opening sequence, I was hooked. Page after page, the action of the plot grows and intensifies, captivating the reader. The internal and external conflicts between the two characters forge a rare dynamic. Cheering them on, I found myself anxiously awaiting their pasts to meld with their present. Moore masterfully exchanges the point of view between the two characters, enhancing the plot’s progression. Piquing the reader's curiosity, the characters' lives are revealed cautiously. Moore does not give away too much too soon. The little, almost insignificant elements Moore included were captivating. I am from southern California and the reference to the Santa Ana winds was a profound description; it strengthened the setting at a critical moment within the action. With a painstaking ending, Human Sacrifice comes to an abrupt halt, leaving the reader on the edge, anticipating the next book.

Jack Magnus

Human Sacrifice is Book 1 of the Human Sacrifice Series written by M. Elaine Moore. Aubri Payton has been working solo since her partner, Evan Ross, died when an undercover assignment they were working on went bad. The two of them were injured, but only Aubri survived. Her boss, Captain Moss Harrell, has given the irascible, feisty and guilt-ridden detective time and space to heal, but when Chris Avery is assigned to the LA precinct, he decides that it's time for Aubri to have a partner. Aubri's furious and is even more irritated by Chris's blond, surfer-boy appearance and charm. Her co-workers try to warn the easy-going newcomer that Aubri is not to be trifled with, but he's not listening. They both are troubled souls who have handled past traumas in very different ways. Now they have to learn to trust each other with their lives.

M. Elaine Moore's romantic psychological thriller, Human Sacrifice, is an intriguing and original police procedural. The story is told through the thoughts and emotional processes of the two main characters, and it works quite well. While the romantic tension is apparent early on in the book, this story is primarily about police officers and the work they do. I found Human Sacrifice to be quite an enjoyable and exciting read, and particularly appreciated the psychological aspects of the story. Moore doesn't give all the answers away to what makes these characters tick and how they'll end up resolving their differences, however, and readers who finish Human Sacrifice will be eagerly awaiting the next book in The Human Sacrifice Series. Human Sacrifice is highly recommended.

Faridah Nassozi

In Human Sacrifice by M. Elaine Moore, when an undercover job went wrong, Detective Aubri Payton lost her partner and best friend. As with every other tragedy in her life, she locked away her pain so she could go on with life and with her job especially. The thought of replacing Evans was too painful to bear so when her boss told her the new partner was arriving, she knew she was not going to like him; a thought that was confirmed immediately he arrived at the station. Chris was the very opposite of his predecessor, and not in a good way. Everything about him pissed Aubri off, sometimes to the point of violence. However, the two had to work together navigating the underworld of gangs and drugs, so they learned to tolerate each other; their lives depended on it. Along the way, however, the line between tolerating each other and genuine affection became blurred and soon they were closing case after case in a near perfect partnership. However, their partnership had not been really tested until their cover was blown while on a very dangerous case, leaving them with no choice but to trust each other or die. Then just as things were becoming really good between them, dangerous ghosts from the past came calling.

Human Sacrifice by M. Elaine Moore is a captivating romantic thriller about two people so different and yet at the same time so alike. The book has a solid and unique plot with fresh and compelling characters, and a writing style that brings the story to life. M. Elaine Moore created a story with such gripping emotional depth that the intense tension between Aubri and Chris could be felt through the pages, adding a whole next level of thrill. It was just overwhelming to see the two of them struggle to forge a seamless partnership under the worst of circumstances and in the most dangerous of situations. At the same time, it was also mesmerizing to see their relationship evolve one very difficult step at time. I especially loved how she portrayed the characters, revealing one layer of their stories at a time, pulling you into their lives and helping you comprehend their emotions and connect with them deeper at each turn. Human Sacrifice is a definite page-turner with just the right mixture of detective work, romance and drama; fans of these genres will definitely love it.