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.

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.