Game More, Pay Less
£2.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.. This price was set by the publisher.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will pre-order your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships and Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Paul Finch
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Sacrifice (Detective Mark Heckenburg, Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Paul Finch (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 2,942 ratings

Innocent people are dying. Who will be next? Find out in the second Detective Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg from #1 ebook bestseller Paul Finch.

A vicious serial killer is holding the country to ransom, publicly – and gruesomely – murdering his victims.

When a man is burnt alive on a bonfire, it seems like a tragic Guy Fawkes Night accident. But with the discovery of a young couple on Valentine’s Day – each with an arrow through the heart – something more sinister becomes clear. A ‘calendar killer’ is on the loose.

Detective Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg is up against it. With a rising body count and the public’s eyes on him, Heck must find the killer before he executes more victims.

Because this killer has a plan. And nothing will stop him completing it.

A heart-stopping and grisly thriller that will enthral fans of Stuart MacBride and Katia Lief.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 2 of 7
    Detective Mark Heckenburg
  2. Print length
    466 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Avon
  5. Publication date
    18 July 2013
  6. File size
    1.1 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 7 books in this series.

From the Publisher

bestselling crime; crime thriller bestsellers; best crime thrillers

bestselling crime; crime thriller bestsellers; best crime thrillers

image

bestselling non fiction; non fiction bestsellers 2020

Product description

Review

“Edge-of-the-seat reading…Heck is formidable – a British Alex Cross.” THE SUN

“Wonderfully dark and peppered with grim humour. Finch is a born storyteller and writes with the authentic voice of the ex-copper he is.” PETER JAMES

"An ingenious and original plot. Compulsive reading.” RACHEL ABBOTT

“A deliciously twisted and fiendish set of murders and a great pairing of detectives.” STAV SHEREZ

“Avon’s big star…part edge-of-the-seat, part hide-behind-the-sofa! An excellent series.” THE BOOKSELLER

“An explosive thriller that will leave you completely hooked on Heck.” WE LOVE THIS BOOK

About the Author

Paul Finch is a former cop and journalist, now turned full-time writer. He cut his literary teeth penning episodes of the British crime drama, The Bill, and has written extensively in the field of film, audio drama and children's animation. He is also well known for his work in the thriller and horror fields.

Paul lives in Lancashire, with his wife Catherine and his children, Eleanor and Harry. His website can be found at www.paulfinchauthor.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00AXPJOCM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 18 July 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 466 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0007492329
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 2 of 7 ‏ : ‎ Detective Mark Heckenburg
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 2,942 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Paul Finch

Paul Finch

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

PAUL FINCH #1 ebook Bestseller and top 10 Sunday Times Bestseller.

Paul Finch studied History at Goldsmiths, London, before becoming a cop in the Northest of England. He then let his passion for writing allow him to follow a career in journalism. Now a full time writer, he first cut his literary teeth penning episodes of the British TV crime drama, THE BILL, and has written extensively in the field of children's animation. However, he is probably best known for his work in thrillers and horrors.

His crime debut novel, STALKERS, was a No1 ebook best seller in 2013 and introduced DS Mark 'Heck' Heckenburg. This was followed in July 2013 by the sequel, SACRIFICE. He has since added THE KILLING CLUB, DEAD MAN WALKING, HUNTED, ASHES TO ASHES, KISS OF DEATH and ROGUE to the series which is also published in Germany, Poland, Turkey, Hungary, Japan, Italy, Czechoslovakia and Croatia.

In 2016, Heck took a brief break to be replaced by DC Lucy Clayburn. The opening novel, STRANGERS, became an immediate success reaching the Top Ten in the Sunday Times Bestseller list. This has been followed up by two further instalments for Lucy, SHADOWS and STOLEN.

Paul has two stand alone thrillers published by Orion, ONE EYE OPEN and NEVER SEEN AGAIN, while two further stand alones are due to be publish by Thomas and Mercer in 2025.

His crime short story, THE NEW LAD was shortlsted for the CWA Short Story Dagger awards in 2020.

In addition to his Crime novels, Paul has had twelve books and nearly 300 stories and novellas published on both sides of the Atlantic. His first collection, AFTER SHOCKS (Ash-Tree Press), won the British Fantasy Award in 2002, while he won the award again in 2007 for his novella, KID. Later in 2007, he won the International Horror Guild Award for his mid-length story, THE OLD NORTH ROAD. His short novel, CAPE WRATH (Telos), was short-listed for the Bram Stoker Award in 2002, and several other collections of his stories and novellas have been published since, all of them well received by fans and readers.

His horror novel, STRONGHOLD, was published by Abaddon Books in 2010, and the same year Pendragon Press published his highly rated festive terror tale, SPARROWHAWK. Paul has also written three DR WHO audio dramas for Big Finish - LEVIATHAN, SENTINELS OF THE NEW DAWN and HEXAGORA, along with THRESHOLD, the pilot episode for the DR WHO spin-off series, COUNTER MEASURES. Paul's DR WHO novel, HUNTER'S MOON was published by BBC Books in 2011.

Paul is no stranger to film either, having written scripts for several horror movies. Two of these, SPIRIT TRAP and THE DEVIL'S ROCK, were released in 2005 and 2011 respectively, while his movie script, WAR WOLF, is under development.

Wearing an editor's hat, Paul is also responsible for the TERROR TALES series, a collection of ghost and horror anthologies exploring the folklore, history and geography of the various regions of Britain.

Paul Finch lives in Lancashire, UK, with his wife and business partner, Cathy, and their four legged companion, Buddy.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
2,942 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this book highly engaging, praising its riveting story with well-done suspense and fast-paced action with twists. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer comparing it to a "ferocious slalom of action." Customers appreciate the character development, with one noting how the author makes a fantastic hero, and consider it a great follow-up to Stalkers. The book's gory content receives mixed reactions from customers.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

555 customers mention ‘Readability’534 positive21 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and entertaining, with believable content that captivates the reader.

"...the last quarter of the book more than the rest, but all was thoroughly enjoyable, as it had the most action and more suspense...." Read more

"...At the end of the day I found the book hugely entertaining and a notch or two above most novels of this genre that I have read and will definitely..." Read more

"...the previous paragraph aside for the future and buy this - it's a great read and really looking forward to the next one in February...." Read more

"...narrative full of thrills, action and suspense that is not only captivating but demonstrates his tremendous groundwork behind the conception of the..." Read more

415 customers mention ‘Story quality’359 positive56 negative

Customers praise the riveting story and excellent plot line of the book, noting how the suspense is well done and how the narrative slowly unfolds.

"...The cliffhanger was done very well and now I can't wait until the next book comes out to find out what case Heck will have to solve next...." Read more

"...Overall very hard to put down and some great violence without being over the top. Watch out Lee Child...." Read more

"...The chase is on. Paul Finch has crafted an innovative narrative full of thrills, action and suspense that is not only captivating but demonstrates..." Read more

"...Fantastic storyline,lots of twists and turns. Quite gory in parts. Loved the main character,heck...." Read more

147 customers mention ‘Writing style’132 positive15 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, describing it as well-written and easy to read, with one customer noting it reads like a ferocious slalom of action.

"...The description of the action was just perfect, not too shallow but not overwhelming, just the right amount...." Read more

"...but the descriptions of some of Britain's seedier locales were very well described and totally believable...." Read more

"...The descriptions of the background locations and atmosphere are superb and the narrative really pulls you along...." Read more

"...This is an outstanding novel, cleverly conceived and written with expertise. Highly recommended." Read more

131 customers mention ‘Pacing’100 positive31 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, describing it as fast-paced with twists, and one customer mentions feeling their heart beating faster and harder while reading.

"...description of the action was just perfect, not too shallow but not overwhelming, just the right amount...." Read more

"...The story ran at a nice pace and the flip between the police work and the plight of the various victims was just about right...." Read more

"...Humorous and compassionate incidents lighten the mood. This is an outstanding novel, cleverly conceived and written with expertise...." Read more

"Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Yes far fetched but very enjoyable. So many twists and turns kept interest going right to the end." Read more

116 customers mention ‘Character development’106 positive10 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one customer noting that the main character is very readable, while another mentions the author's ability to portray the unbelievable in a believable way.

"...I love Heck, he has to be my favourite character in the book, and his constant perseverance of wanting to solve the case even if it means risking..." Read more

"...Heck is a great character and the plot is imaginative without being too daft...." Read more

"Read this in two days and wow!! What a ride! Really great characters,realistic,likeable and detestable in equal measures...." Read more

"...The writing style of Paul Finch is very good and his characters well developed so I will certainly try more of his books." Read more

45 customers mention ‘Mystery’41 positive4 negative

Customers enjoy the mystery elements of the book, finding it a great follow-up to Stalkers and keeping them guessing throughout.

"...and affable detective who uses his experience and intuition to assess criminal activity and act upon it, often putting his life at risk...." Read more

"What a follow up to Stalkers. Wasn't,t sure about that one but thought I would try his second book. Got more used to his style of writing...." Read more

"...and found it to be a page turner, could not put it down, it kept you guessing, although Heck the main character had loads of energy and just kept..." Read more

"I was just blown away by the sheer breathtaking pace of Stalkers and the brilliant DS Mark (Heck) Heckenburg...." Read more

45 customers mention ‘Page turner’45 positive0 negative

Customers describe this book as an absolute page turner, with one customer noting it keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

"...Humorous and compassionate incidents lighten the mood. This is an outstanding novel, cleverly conceived and written with expertise...." Read more

"I found this book a real page turner and it kept me guessing who was committing these awful crimes that were set around celebration days throughout..." Read more

"...characters were believable, the storyline was very good and was a real page turner..I would certainly recommend this book to those that enjoy a good..." Read more

"This book is really gripping. It holds the reader's attention and has plenty of action...." Read more

48 customers mention ‘Gory content’26 positive22 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's gory content, with some finding it brilliant and scary, while others describe it as disturbing and very creepy.

"...Really great characters,realistic,likeable and detestable in equal measures. Fantastic storyline,lots of twists and turns...." Read more

"...gripping story and although some of the storyline is grizzly and unpleasant the descriptions and details are on the right side of macabre...." Read more

"...The story line was completely original and very creepy...." Read more

"Although possibly not as gripping as Stalkers, Sacrifice's chilling plot displays, once again, Paul Finch's talent to catch the reader's eye and..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Zoe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 November 2013
    Verified Purchase
    DS Heckenburg is trying to solve several murders all connected by the fact they are happening on the day of a celebrated holiday. It's causing nationwide panic but can he solve the case and arrest the perpetrator/s before any more lives have been lost?

    WOW! I loved this book, I loved the characters and I loved the fast-paced action. The book just keeps making you have to guess what will happen next and I found myself wanting to turn the page to find out what was going to happen next. I have to say I enjoyed the last quarter of the book more than the rest, but all was thoroughly enjoyable, as it had the most action and more suspense.

    I found myself gasping out loud towards the end, I can assure you I got a few concerned stares from the people around me because of it, and I was feeling sorry for what poor Claire had to endure. I love Heck, he has to be my favourite character in the book, and his constant perseverance of wanting to solve the case even if it means risking his own life, his great love and support for his fellow colleagues and the way he tries to always show them the positive side of things is admirable.

    The description of the action was just perfect, not too shallow but not overwhelming, just the right amount. Throughout the book I actually found certain parts slightly scary, like not nightmare scary but scary enough for a book. The intensity of it all was actually quite overwhelming but it was by no means a negative characteristic of the book.

    The cliffhanger was done very well and now I can't wait until the next book comes out to find out what case Heck will have to solve next.

    I would definitely recommend this series to anybody who ever asks me for a book recommendation!
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Harvey
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read from start to finish.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 November 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Despite the highly unlikely plot, the usual cop cliches and a slightly hurried ending (I would have liked to have known a bit more about the perpetrators) I did find 'Sacrifice' a thoroughly enjoyable read. The story ran at a nice pace and the flip between the police work and the plight of the various victims was just about right. Some of the characters were perhaps a little one dimensional and one or two of the 'chases' were overlong in my view, but the descriptions of some of Britain's seedier locales were very well described and totally believable. At the end of the day I found the book hugely entertaining and a notch or two above most novels of this genre that I have read and will definitely read more of Paul Finch.
    Helpful
     Report
  • driftwood
    5.0 out of 5 stars More please!!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Despite him coming from the wrong side of the Pennines, I take my hat off to Mr Finch. I bought "Stalkers" a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it but this really raised the game. I had intended to have an early night last night but having got 65% of the way through when I did get there, couldn't put my kindle down and did the rest at one sitting so hit the pillow at 2am. No wonder the kids were unable wake me in the morning.

    Heck is a great character and the plot is imaginative without being too daft. The descriptions of the background locations and atmosphere are superb and the narrative really pulls you along. Overall very hard to put down and some great violence without being over the top. Watch out Lee Child.

    If I have one criticism (which is really more of a suggestion for the future) it is that Heck's character needs more depth going forward. There needs to be more to him than than the failed (but still with a frisson there) relationship with his superior officer. Where does he live, who he interacts with outside work? Hopefully that will come in later novels. Stuart McBride(of whom I am a big fan and with who I think Paul Finch has the genuine potential to stand alongside) does this really well, likewise Stephen Leather with his Spider Shepherd and Jack Nightingale characters. There is a danger that Heck could become a sort of Jack Reacher figure and while I also find Reacher novels compulsive reading, he can drift around without too much background because he works with the USA as his backdrop , while Heck works within an institution so he has to have a base somewhere.

    Take the previous paragraph aside for the future and buy this - it's a great read and really looking forward to the next one in February. Just don't expect to do much more than read for several hours after you open it though, so cancel your social life. Well done.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • ACB(swansea)
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Crime Thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 July 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Paul Finch has written a superb follow-up to the excellent 'Stalkers'. The focus is again on the Special Crime Unit (SCU) featuring DS Mark 'Heck' Heckenburg an experienced and affable detective who uses his experience and intuition to assess criminal activity and act upon it, often putting his life at risk. With a working knowledge of an enquiry he fills in where needed, a sort of 'roving officer'.

    The current investigation involves the abduction of adults and gruesome ritualistic killings perpetrated by a serial killer that stretches the understaffed SCU and Heck into chasing from one murder scene to the next in a seemingly random manner without motive or clues. The chase is on. Paul Finch has crafted an innovative narrative full of thrills, action and suspense that is not only captivating but demonstrates his tremendous groundwork behind the conception of the storyline. The reader is held in the grip of a masterly plot right to the final pages.

    Heck's methods are not always by the book but he takes his actions personally and full-on. There is a strong female presence amongst his colleagues, especially ex-lover and boss Gemma Piper and DC Shawna McCluskey (who admits to being played like a fiddle and missing the obvious) yet clinical and friendly team work is obvious. Humorous and compassionate incidents lighten the mood. This is an outstanding novel, cleverly conceived and written with expertise. Highly recommended.
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • sav12
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great 2nd Book in Series
    Reviewed in Australia on 27 December 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is the second book in the Mark Heckenburg series. Like the first book, its a real page turner and although a little far fetched, the story keeps you glued to the book. I'll give it a bit of rest before progressing to his 3rd book in series but it will happen.
    Report
  • Kate Hudgins
    5.0 out of 5 stars a Great Plot
    Reviewed in the United States on 12 September 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This book had a very interesting plot that of course I wont reveal but to say that it unfolded naturally and excitedly into a great conclusion. Since I often work in England I could relate to where it was set, although that might not be true for other writers. I also thought people would need to know that while there are not LOTS of killings, the ones that are are pretty graphic, but when tied into the plot that includes history it all made sense and took some of the gore out of today's evil of humans to humans in comparison to where we have come from the past.

    I am not sure I can compare it to any other book as it seemed very new and innovative to me, but did lead me to buy his first book Stalkers.
    Report
  • Amazon-Kunde
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spannend
    Reviewed in Germany on 10 November 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Tolles Buch - sehr spannend, manchmal etwas langwierig, aber alles in allem eine super Heck-Geschichte. Freue mich auf die nächsten Bücher
    Report
  • Alan Mills
    4.0 out of 5 stars Second installment in the "Heck" series...not as good as the first, but still really good
    Reviewed in the United States on 11 March 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Set an indeterminate (but seems to be a few months) after the end of the first book, a new killer is stalking England, apparently "celebrating" national holidays...modern, or long forgotten. (e.g., a man dressed as Santa walled up alive on Christmas Day).

    Of course, the Special Crimes Section, with Gemma at the head, and Heck as roving officer, are given the case. As bodies pile up, the press catches wind, and a press relations specialist (Claire) is brought in.

    Between the three way sexual tension between Heck, Gemma and Claire, and the rollicking fast action in the second half of the book, the reader is compelled along to see what happens next! So why "only" four stars? I found the first half of the book dragged as Finch sets all the pieces in place for a flash-bang finish.
    Report
  • RebeccaF
    4.0 out of 5 stars Besser als der erste Heckenburg
    Reviewed in Germany on 3 August 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Sacrifice ist das zweite Buch der DS Heckenburg Reihe. Paul Finch versteht es, Spannung zu erzeugen. Die Beschreibung der Morde ist sehr gut gelungen; überhaupt kann man sich die ganze Geschichte gut als Film vorstellen. Mir gefällt dieses Buch besser als das erste der Reihe (Stalkers), weil Heck hier mehr als Ermittler in Erscheinung tritt und nicht von einer üblen Schlägerei in die nächste gerät wie im ersten Buch. Dennoch ist Heck nicht unbedingt ein Sympathieträger, dafür ein scharfsinniger und eigenwilliger Ermittler. Die sympathischste Figur des Buches ist meines Erachtens die Polizei-Pressesprecherin Claire Moody, die als einzige halbwegs normal menschlich reagiert und dadurch grandios scheitert.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report