A good horror story should make the reader's heart palpitate, make the shadows of the room seem threatening or at least make the breath quicken and the eyes, reluctantly fascinated, race over the page; The Sacrifice does none of these things….

Though competently written in journeyman fashion the book lacks heart, a victim itself of eviscerating sacrifice. Author Henry Sutton is described as being a poet and classicist under his real name of David Slavitt. He should keep at it.