Blood Sugar

Reviews

Finalist for the International Thriller Writers Award
Finalist for the Barry Award

A New York Times Book Review Paperback Row Pick

One of  Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2022
One of Bookpage Best Thrillers of 2022

"Sascha Rothchild’s terrific Blood Sugar makes us root for this flawed but compelling character…[Rothchild] nimbly hops between past and present, introducing multiple cliffhangers that she lets dangle for long stretches before treating us to their resolutions. You might come for the mystery, but you’ll stay for the sheer energy of Ruby’s electric presence.”--New York Times Book Review

"A twisty thriller."--Cosmopolitan

“Mesmerizing. . .  Rothchild does a terrific job keeping readers wondering about Simon’s reliability, and pulls off the considerable challenge of engendering sympathy for an unrepentant killer. Jeff Lindsay fans will have a hard time not devouring this standout effort in one sitting.”--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A clever and dark fiction debut. . . Rothchild’s unrepentant killer quickly seduces the reader through Ruby’s intelligent reasoning, and, oddly enough, compassion, even when her actions are repellant. Rothchild augments her breezy approach with tinges of dark storytelling. . . Strong characters, especially Ruby, complement Blood Sugar, as does Rothchild’s vivid use of the Miami setting.”--South Florida Sun Sentinel

“[A] Promising Young Woman meets ‘Dexter’ thriller that’s both highly suspenseful and strangely empowering. . . [Rothchild’s] debut thriller successfully executes all the elements of a crackling mystery: page-turning plot beats, snappy dialogue and vividly drawn characters. For those who love a fascinating, complicated female lead with more than one ax to grind, Blood Sugar is an absolute must.”--Bookpage (starred review)

“This disturbing thriller begs to be inhaled in a single sitting, but the experience may raise the question of how many friends and loved ones are quietly, happily getting away with murder. [A] provocative, unsettling psychological thriller.”--Shelf Awareness

"It upends expectations about what this genre is supposed to be and do. It’s an entertaining tale that grips you.”--Paste

“Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild has one of the best tag lines we've ever seen: ‘She's accused of four murders. She's only guilty of three.’”--PopSugar

Brilliantly creative and morbidly witty. . . Filled with surprising turns, and told by a woman with indelible humor and knife-sharp observation (not that she’d ever use a knife), Blood Sugar is not one to be missed.”--BookTrib

“Ruby Simon is the kind of character who lures readers into and then through a story, eliciting our amateur psychological diagnoses, stealing our breath with her cunning, and sparking serious guilt for having rooted for her even a little bit…This whip-smart, well-constructed debut makes Rothchild a thriller writer to watch carefully.”--Booklist

“Rothchild gives readers an unreliable narrator who truly lives up to the moniker. . . A compelling and entertaining psychological thriller.”--Kirkus Reviews

“A unique and riveting ride. . . Brilliant and mesmerizing. . . Rothchild gives Ruby a confessional voice, an analytical mind, and a vigilante’s heart.”--Mystery and Suspense

“Dark, seductive. . . [A] wickedly delicious story with a heroine who might just be a terrible person that readers will love. . . [A] thrilling ride that will leave readers wanting more.”--Parkersburg News & Sentinel

“Rothchild is a screenwriter, so perhaps it’s no surprise that Blood Sugar propels forward at a pace worthy of any bingeworthy television show. Ruby’s morally ambiguous justifications for her own behavior will haunt us well after we’ve eagerly devoured this chilling but propulsive thriller.”--Bookreporter.com

“One of the best debuts I’ve read in a while, with a fascinating story, wicked sharp writing, and an unforgettable narrator. Blood Sugar needs to be on your 2022 reading list.” – Samantha Downing, bestselling author of For Your Own Good

“A chilling, twisty and exceptionally smart thriller that will convince you that not every cold-blooded killer is a villain. I adored this book from page one and didn’t want it to end.” — Michele Campbell, bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband

"It's rare that I read a book where I love everything about it! Ruby is a one-of-a-kind protagonist—book smart and street smart, delightfully self-righteous with a healthy balance of Oops! and I Got This. She makes rules to live by, and breaks rules when other people fail her standards for acceptable human behavior. I had the feeling I was reading the world's best diary—relatable, witty, unpredictable—the prose flows merrily along, full of delicious details. Truly, Blood Sugar is one of the most entertaining novels I've ever read. I'll never forget Ruby, the ethical assassin." --Zoje Stage,  bestselling author of Baby Teeth

“Unsettling from its outset and engrossing to its very end, Blood Sugar pulls the reader deep into the mind of its highly intelligent, obsessively organized protagonist — an accomplished woman who just so happens to leave a trail of dead bodies in her wake. Never before have I cared so much for such an untrustworthy character.”—Kathleen Barber, author of Truth Be Told

"Inventive, engrossing, and wicked, BLOOD SUGAR is the tale of a woman who just can’t seem to stop killing people. But she would never hurt her own husband—right? Ruby Simon is perhaps the most relatable murderer since Dexter. I found her story disturbingly fun."—Stephanie Wrobel, bestselling author of Darling Rose Gold Expand reviews