COLD SACRIFICE

When three dead bodies are discovered in quick succession on his home patch in Kent, DS Ian Peterson becomes too embroiled in a complex murder investigation to worry about his forthcoming promotion or the state of his marriage.

The first victim is a middle class housewife, stabbed to death in a park. Her husband is in the clear until the prostitute who provided him with an alibi is murdered. While the police are busy gathering evidence, a second prostitute is killed. Ian and a young female constable, Polly, struggle to make sense of the case and find the elusive killer, before he strikes again. By the time Ian realizes the truth, it may be too late to save Polly. Leigh Russell studied at the University of Kent gaining a Masters degree in English and American literature. A secondary school teacher, specialising in supporting pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties as well as teaching English, Leigh Russell is married with two daughters and lives in Hertfordshire. Her first novel, Cut Short, was published in 2009, followed by Road Closed in 2010, Dead End in 2011, Death Bed in 2012 and Stop Dead in 2013. These five police procedurals, firmly in the bestselling tradition of Lynda LaPlante, Frances Fyfield, and Barbara Vine, feature brilliant but troubled Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel. All have been brilliant sellers for No Exit Press: more than 40,000 copies have been sold in print alone and her e-book sales are off the charts. Cut Short, Leigh's debut novel, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award. Death Bed topped the Amazon Kindle Female Detective Charts. Some of the Geraldine Steel books have been translated into Italian (Mondadori) and French (City Editions). In fact, COLD SACRIFICE introduces DS Ian Paterson, a minor character in the DI Geraldine Steel novels. Leigh Russell is an crime author with traction, with profile, and with a great deal of potential.