Small Sacrifices is Ann Rule's shocking and powerful account of the destructive forces that drove Diane Downs, a beautiful young mother, to shoot her three young children in cold blood.

The mesmerizing story unfolds with the shooting of three children, and follows a detailed uncovering of facts that seems to lead to the mother as the prime suspect. Diane Downs, a beautiful, brilliant sociopath, commits the ultimate evil to gain the love of a married man.

Ann Rule provides an insight into the horrifying personality of Downs, who never confesses to her crimes. Her conduct during the trial is as disturbing as the act itself. She taps her foot and smiles while listening to "Hungry Like the Wolf," the song that played in her car during the crime. She laughs when she should cry, and cries only when it benefits her. One daughter is dead, another has lost the use of her arm and speech, and the little boy is paralyzed. None of this horror seems to penetrate Diane, who appears to have no feelings for her children's suffering.

This book is a must-read for all true crime buffs, as Ann Rule meticulously presents every piece of evidence, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.