Sheryn Sterling first appeared in One Small Sacrifice and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Sheryn.

What is your name?
Sheryn Sterling

How old are you?
I’d like to say age is just a number, but mine is 43.

What is your profession?
I’ve been a cop on the NYPD for 15 years. I’m a homicide detective working out of Midtown North, a precinct that includes Times Square and Hell’s Kitchen, among other interesting places.

Do you have a significant other?
Yes. We’ve been together for 20 years, married for 18.

What is his name and profession?
Douglass Hartwell. He’s a high school teacher—English and history—and he works primarily with at-risk teens.

Any children?
Two kids. Martin’s 14 and Mercy is eight. They are the lights of my life. They can also be a handful.

Do you have any siblings?
Two sisters and two brothers. I do not know how my parents coped.

Do your parents live near you?
My mother does. My dad passed some time ago. I see her—and some of my siblings—for dinner most Sundays. My in-laws also live close by, but that’s less of a blessing, at least where my mother-in-law is concerned.

Who is your best friend?
I love my college sorors, but we only see each other about once a year. Aside from my husband, the person who knows me best is my former NYPD partner, Sandy Reilly. We argue a lot but he’s like family.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
None right now.

What town do you live in?
Washington Heights, near the northern tip of Manhattan. It’s not what you think of when you hear “Manhattan.”

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
We rent an apartment.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
Even though I don’t enjoy cooking, I love the kitchen. It’s usually quiet and it always smells good. When I come in late, I’ll sit there to think things through.

Favorite meal and dessert?
My husband is an exceptional chef. I like savory things more than sweet, so I don’t mind passing up dessert, but duck cassoulet with a glass of Malbec is my idea of heaven.

Favorite hobby?
What’s a hobby, again?

Favorite color?
Green.

Favorite author?
My new NYPD partner jokes that it’s Sun-Tzu, who wrote The Art of War. I do love books about history. I like to feel that I’m learning all the time.

Favorite vacation spot?
I like Florida, where my brother Marcus lives, but not for the beach and the water like everybody else. Last time I was there, I went to Castillo de San Marcos, the 17th-century fort. I really want to go back.

Favorite sports team?
I don’t follow sports much, but if a basketball game is on, I’ll watch.

Are you a morning or a night person?
One hundred percent morning person. I love nothing better than getting an early start on the day.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
Pro, and my current NYPD partner is Rafael Mendoza. We’ve got each other’s backs, but we’re polar opposites. He’s a night owl from California, and he’s got an interesting way of looking at the world. Right now, he’s coping with some serious injuries, and I’m often torn between wanting to help him out and wanting to smack him for being so stubborn.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
It always starts early, and I make sure I get some time with my kids in the morning, because my day can run late. The work I do is intense. Everybody knows a police detective investigates crimes, but they don’t think about the emotional side, like how we make next-of-kin notifications to the families of the deceased. In an average day, I’ll talk to a dozen witnesses and potential suspects. A lot of what I do involves talking to people and figuring out what doesn’t fit. I like to say that there are no coincidences, so when I find one, it’s a thread I start tugging on. When I get home, my husband’s usually made dinner. I told you, he’s a great chef, and he genuinely loves cooking. Our evenings tend to be quiet—Douglass often has work to take care of, and I’ll help my kids with their homework and talk with family. I know it doesn’t sound thrilling but it’s usually the best part of my day.

Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win one (1) print copy of Don’t Look Down, limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends February 17, 2020. Good luck everyone!

Don’t Look Down is the second book in the “Shadows of New York” thriller series, released February 11, 2020.

From the Amazon Charts bestselling author of One Small Sacrifice, a gripping mystery about a sinister murder that everyone wants to stay buried—except one dogged NYPD detective.

Jo Greaver is a model of success. Young and ambitious, she’s built a thriving beauty business from nothing. But she has secrets she’ll do anything to keep buried. When her blackmailer offers to meet, Jo expects to pay him off—but gets a bullet instead. Bleeding and in shock, Jo flees with no one to turn to.

When NYPD detective Sheryn Sterling and her partner, Rafael Mendoza, find Andray Baxter murdered in his own home—shot through the heart—everything points to Jo as the killer. Her blood is at the scene, and so are disturbing photos of her taken as a young teen. But Sheryn has doubts. Was the kindhearted Andray really a criminal? Why did he repeatedly report finding spyware in his apartment? Was there something shady about Jo’s sister dying a year earlier?

Something’s not right, and it’s up to Sheryn to piece together the sinister puzzle, no matter the cost.

Purchase Link
# # # # # # # # # # #

About the author
Hilary Davidson grew up in Toronto, but moved to New York in October 2001 because of her (very persuasive) husband, Dan. She’s won two Anthony Awards as well as the Derringer, Spinetingler, and Crimespree awards. Her 2019 novel One Small Sacrifice was her first bestseller, but she’s also the author of the Lily Moore series—which includes The Damage Done, The Next One to Fall, and Evil in All Its Disguises—the hardboiled thriller Blood Always Tells, and a short-story collection called The Black Widow Club. She’s also the author of 18 nonfiction books. To learn more about Hilary, visit her website at hilarydavidson.com, or sign up for her newsletter—Bad Influence.

All comments are welcomed.