Blood Sacrifice: The gritty, gripping World War 2 historical crime thriller

'One can confidently say that (Blood Roses and Blood Sacrifice) display an intelligence and ambition rare in Scottish fiction today' Scotsman

'This is historical noir at its most potent and a series that you will never forget' Crime Time Book of the Month, November 2024

January 1943. Warsaw is a city of the dead. In the ghetto, the last fifty thousand Jews await their fate but, unlike those who preceded them to the death camps, they are prepared to fight to the end. Jan Kalisz, Kripo investigator and Resistance double-agent, has promised to supply them with weapons. But how will he fulfil his vow?

The murder of a German officer appears to provide an opportunity. For the victim is a man with multiple identities, one of which is a wealthy Jew... The hunt for the murderer draws Kalisz into the chaos of the ghetto, only to find a new, perilous mission awaiting him. SS death squads are not the only enemy the Jews fear. A mysterious figure – known only as the Golem – stalks the ruined streets, spiriting away orphaned children. Can Kalisz track him down before he strikes again?

The chilling second thriller in the Warsaw Quartet by Douglas Jackson, perfect for readers of Simon Scarrow and Robert Harris.

'One has the impression that all the novels Jackson has previously written, especially the nine that make up his Hero of Rome series, have prepared him for what he has set himself to do in this series. This is a story of shifting loyalties, of crime and detection, but also a study in historical tragedy. Jan Kalisz has to carry a lot of weight as the hero of such a story. So far, however, he is fully up to it and the promise of what is to come is compelling. Meanwhile, one can confidently say that these first two novels display an intelligence and ambition rare in Scottish fiction today' Scotsman

‘A compelling, evocative story of evil stalking amidst the chaos of war’ Giles Kristian

'A dark, twisting thriller ... Jan Kalisz, Douglas Jackson's police officer hero, is the natural heir to the late Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther' Andrew Taylor

‘A remarkable crime debut ... What raises the novel to another level is in the atmospheric evocation of a city in the process of being systematically obliterated by the Germans and brought to life again by Jackson’s pen ... Gripping stuff, a series that could develop into something impressive and a goldmine for Philip Kerr Bernie Gunther fans’ Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time

‘This is historical crime fiction at its best’ Chris Lloyd

‘The writing is scalpel-sharp, the unrelenting savagery of the Nazi occupation vividly painted... With this book, Jackson will rightfully be regarded as one of the UK’s finest crime writers’ Ben Kane

‘A taut, tense thriller... Gutsy and gripping, this is perfect for fans of Chris Lloyd and Robert Harris’ D. V. Bishop

‘Jackson has created a brilliant mash-up of WW2 thriller and a serial killer chiller, and in so doing brings a fresh perspective to both. Sharp, intelligent writing that makes for a compelling read’ Alison Belsham

‘Jackson brings the tension, brutality and paranoia of Warsaw of the period into murderous life. A knife-edge thriller’ Douglas Skelton

'Jackson has written an utterly compelling novel ... A remarkable piece of work, a fine piece of craftsmanship' Scotsman