The Monk

The DS Cross Mysteries #5

by Tim Sullivan

'I am insanely in love with George Cross' Stephen FryTo find a murderer, you need a motive . . .THE DETECTIVEDS George Cross has always wondered why his mother left him when he was a child. Now she is back in his life, he suddenly has answers. But this unexpected reunion is not anything he's used to dealing with. When a disturbing case lands on his desk, he is almost thankful for the return to normality.THE QUESTIONThe body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic's past, which makes investigating difficult. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don't know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?THE PASTDiscovering who Brother Dominic once was only makes the picture more puzzling. He was a much-loved and respected friend, brother, son – he had no enemies. Or, at least, none that are obvious. But looking into his past reveals that he was a very wealthy man, that he sacrificed it all for his faith. For a man who has nothing, it seems strange that greed could be the motive for his murder. But greed is a sin after all...Perfect for fans of M.W. Craven, Peter James and Joy Ellis, The Monk is part of the DS George Cross thriller series, which can be read in any order.Why readers love George Cross . . .'Compelling, full of twists and turns, I couldn't put this down. Sullivan has created a truly original and endearing detective in George Cross.' Simon McCleave'DS George Cross is as arresting as the cases he solves.' Richard E Grant'The fact that Cross has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder makes him just as intriguing as the murder mystery' The Times'A British detective for the 21st century who will be hard to forget' Daily Mail'Can't wait for the next in the series!' Reader review

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, Detective, Contemporary

384 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 2023

About the author

Tim Sullivan is an acclaimed screenwriter. He originally read English and Law at university - the latter forced on him by his Dad - but instead he wriggled free of those parental ambitions and pursued his own, to make films. His writing credits include A HANDFUL OF DUST, starring Kristen Scott Thomas, WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD, starring Helen Mirren and Helena Bonham Carter, JACK AND SARAH (which he also directed) starring Richard E Grant, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen and LETTERS TO JULIET, with Amanda Seyfried. He is also a Television director whose credits include SHERLOCK HOLMES and COLD FEET and CORONATIONS STREET. He has written extensively in Hollywood in both live action and animation, working with Ron Howard, Scott Rudin and with Jeffrey Katzenberg on the fourth SHREK movie.

He has now embarked on a series of crime novels featuring the eccentric and socially-awkward, but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross.

He self-published the first two books and once they'd achieved over 200,000 downloads he came to the attention of Head of Zeus publishers. So thanks to all his readers for this success and their shared love of George.

The novels are set in Bristol in the south west of England, Cross’ methods often infuriate his colleagues and superiors “not so much a thorn in my side as a pain in my arse,” according to his boss DCI Carson. But his conviction rate, thanks to his dogged persistence and attention to detail, is the best in the force. Tim has now written the first four in the series with The Patient being published on March 3rd 2022.

Tim feels confident in his claim that he is the only crime writer around who has also co-produced and written a My Little Pony movie for Hasbro. MY LITTLE PONY - A NEW GENERATION is now available on Netflix.

Tim lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy award-winning producer of THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA and PIONEER WOMAN. Their daughters live near by.

For more stuff about Tim visit his website www.timsullivan.co.uk

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the latest in Tim Sullivan's on the spectrum DS George Cross of Avon and Somerset police series, a man with the best crime solving record in the force. This is my favourite so far, it has Cross struggling to accept his mother, Christine, back into his life, even though he was responsible for this. He does not even understand how his father, Raymond, has slipped back into a close relationship with Christine. If you are familiar with this series then you will understand what a relief it is to find himself back into a murder inquiry as a result. A savagely beaten and tortured wheelchair bound corpse is found in a ditch, it turns out to be a missing monk, Brother Dominic Augustus, of the Benedictine St Eustace's Monastery, his skills there including keeping bee hives, bookbinding, and he is well known for his expertise in book valuations, particularly historical ecclesiastical texts.

The constantly recurring question is who would want to murder a good man and monk? It takes some time to access the monk's personal history, profession and identity before he joined the religious order. It comes as a surprise for Cross to find that he knows a close relative of the monk, posing another mental hurdle for him to learn to handle. As Cross investigates the remaining 9 monks, he discovers that there are so many aspects of the monastic life that chime so well, such as the silence and regular rituals, that it feels like a home, something he has never encountered previously. It becomes a source of respite from his personal issues and a nasty murder inquiry as he stays there to fix the church organ, bringing in a raft of helpers with him, including Raymond, Alice Mackenzie and the goth forensic examiner, Dr Michael Swift, who idolises him.

At this stage of the series, I, like many other readers, feel a strong sense of affection for Cross, as do those who surround him, from DS Josie Ottey, Alice, Father Stephen, although he can be so frustrating too. Sullivan plays a blinder in coming up with a monk and a monastic life that captivates Cross, filling a void and much else that he is in need of, and not having religious beliefs does not prevent him getting immersed. This is a terrific addition, that touches on greed, the fall of a exclusive 300 year old city bank, and murder, with Cross proving to once again be a dogged and determined pursuer of the truth, pushing even when all matters appear to be resolved. A series I recommend to other crime and mystery fans. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[Beata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't give up on this series.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCERPT: . . . the first thing they saw was the back of a wooden chair protruding from the ditch that ran alongside the path. Many people had walked past this chair in the past few days, doubtless bemoaning the lack of respect some others had for the countryside and how fly-tipping had become something of an epidemic in Somerset. They couldn't have ignored the smell, however. That sweet and sour sickly smell of human decomposition, so familiar to the squad. But, this being the country, they'd probably put it down to an animal carcass lying somewhere nearby. The actual source of it was taped to the chair with industrial duct tape.

ABOUT 'THE MONK': To find a murderer, you need a motive . . .

THE DETECTIVE
DS George Cross has always wondered why his mother left him when he was a child. Now she is back in his life, he suddenly has answers. But this unexpected reunion is not anything he's used to dealing with. When a disturbing case lands on his desk, he is almost thankful for the return to normality.

THE QUESTION
The body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic's past, which makes investigating difficult. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don't know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?

THE PAST
Discovering who Brother Dominic once was only makes the picture more puzzling. He was a much-loved and respected friend, brother, son – he had no enemies. Or, at least, none that are obvious. But looking into his past reveals that he was a very wealthy man, that he sacrificed it all for his faith. For a man who has nothing, it seems strange that greed could be the motive for his murder. But greed is a sin after all...

MY THOUGHTS: Although The Monk is, by my count, the fifth book in the DS Cross series, this is my first encounter with George Cross, a socially awkward but brilliantly persistent detective. People find him difficult to deal with, his behaviour puzzling. He doesn't understand people, has no empathy, although he is trying to learn to display some at the behest of his work partner, DS Ottey.

While George can cope with the curveballs his work life throws at him, they are something he finds difficult to deal with in his personal life. He generally gets by by ignoring them. However, in The Monk, life throws two personal curveballs at him that he is unable to ignore: the reappearance of his mother, whom he has not seen since she walked out when he was a child; and the discovery that the murdered monk has close links to the closest person he has to a friend.

Although this is labelled a 'Thriller', it is more a character driven murder mystery. The violence is talked about, not described in great detail. But what a murder-mystery this is! I was feeling quite cocky by halfway through the book, quite sure that I had it solved, and was feeling quite smug even by the 90% mark when it seemed I was right. But right at the last moment, Tim Sullivan throws in a curveball of his own, one which left me reeling but was so, so good.

As I said, I haven't read any of the previous books in this series, but had no difficulties, so this can easily be read as a stand-alone.

I could talk about the setting, and the other characters, but really? Just pick this up and read it. I did, and fell for this complex, quirky, but quite delightful character.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.8

#TheMonk #NetGalley

I: @timsullivannovelist @headofzeus

T: @TimJRSullivan @HoZ_Books

#contemporaryfiction #crime #detectivefiction #murdermystery #policeprocedural

THE AUTHOR: Tim Sullivan has written a series of crime novels featuring the eccentric and socially-awkward, but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross. Set in Bristol in the south west of England, Cross’ methods often infuriate his colleagues and superiors “not so much a thorn in my side as a pain in my arse,” according to his boss DCI Carson. But his conviction rate, thanks to his dogged persistence and attention to detail, is the best in the force.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Monk by Tim Sullivan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

[SVETLANA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first Tim Sullivan's book that I read. The main character is an Autistic DS George Cross.
He is investigating the murder of a monk.

When I started reading the book, I was afraid that it was going to be a DNF. The book seemed too formal and cold at the beginning. A bit later I understood that it was written in this way to accentuate the character and social behaviour of the main character. After a short while, I started to love the detective.

The book describes very well the social problems of an Autistic Detective as well as life in a Benedictine monastery. Of course, there are also a lot of twists and discoveries in the book. The end had an unexpected twist.

I am thinking of reading more books by this author and recommending them to everyone who likes an intellectual thriller.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a few too esoteric novels in a row, it was a comfort to return to the DS Cross series. George is the epitome of straight forward thinking.
This time, Cross and his team are investigating the torture and murder of a man who turns out was a Dominican monk. The one question that keeps arising is “why would someone want to kill a monk?” The team can’t determine if the man was murdered because of his present life or his former one. As always, there are multiple red herrings and twists that kept me guessing. Although this time, I was able to figure out who the murderer was before the end.
The setting was perfect for a main character on the spectrum. While Cross isn’t religious, he deeply appreciates the routines of the abbey. His love of organs also finds an outlet when the monastery’s organ is in need of fixing.
I appreciate that Sullivan always seems to get the proper mix of professional and personal life for Cross. He is navigating having his mother back in his life and dealing with his dad. Unlike many police procedurals, this one is much more a character rich story than a fast paced action story.
These are great books to listen to. Finlay Robertson does a great job as the narrator.

[Mike]

The fifth of the DS Cross police mystery series, Tim Sullivan’s The Monk, features a truly unique sleuth. Bristol detective DS George Cross is an unusual character who may lack interpersonal skills, but has a knack for his uncanny problem-solving abilities. When a body of a monk, with a seemingly unknown past, is discovered in woodlands, George and the team investigate. Whilst George’s superiors are keen to close the case, his fixation on an odd minor clue leads to further suspects, and his being disconcerted with events and his personal life. It was a joy to read another installment of a substantive police procedural with many a twist, making for a four-and-a-half-star rating. With thanks to the Head of Zeus Books and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

[Shannon M (Canada) · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE MONK is the Book #5 in the DS George Cross series. Just as in the previous books, it consists equally of (1) a murder mystery that must be solved, and (2) the ongoing saga of how George, who is on the autism spectrum, continues to cope with everyday challenges, as well as how the people surrounding him progress in coping with George.

The Murder Mystery

The story begins with the discovery of a body—a monk, Brother Dominic Augustus of St. Eustace Monastery, who was badly beaten before he died. Throughout the book, several people ask, “who would want to do this to a monk?”. But it is obvious, fairly early in the narrative, that the answer lies in the monk’s history—what he did before he became a monk. And that is uncovered quickly. So the murder mystery part lags throughout the first half of this novel. Clues are disclosed, but very slowly. It is not until about the 65% mark that the mystery segment starts to move more quickly. The last 30% of the book is mainly devoted to discovering whodunnit and why, and there are a few surprises as George follows the trail that leads to the truth, and unearths the killer. A reader expecting a quick moving murder mystery would be disappointed by the slow route taken in solving this crime.

The Characters and Their Challenges

The primary emphasis in the first half of the book is on the changes taking place in George’s life and how he is coping with them. Christine, George’s mother, is back in his life (she first appeared at the end of Book #3) and, to the consternation of George, has become friends with Raymond, George’s father. George has difficulty dealing with this reconnection.

’There was now another person in his tiny social circle. His mother. Because this circle was so small anyway, the introduction of a new member had a huge effect on the balance of it.’

Furthermore, early in the story, he discovers that the murdered monk was the brother of his friend, Stephen, and he doesn’t know how to console the priest for his loss.

’Cross just looked down at the table. He wasn’t sure how to react in this situation. He was well aware that he’d messed up with a lack of tact so many times in the past, in this exact situation, that he felt it better to say nothing and not risk it. But there was something else affecting him. The fact that the brother of their victim was a friend of his. He simply had no idea what to say or how to react.’

George finds peace by restoring the broken organ at the St. Eustace Monastery where the murdered monk had lived for the past 15 years. He soon finds that life at the Abbey satisfies his own needs for a calm environment, one in which he is in complete control. (From the first novel in this series, it was obvious that Cross was constantly being overwhelmed by sensory sensations, particularly sound and smell stimuli. His response to this intense sensory onslaught is to attempt to exert control over everything in his life. Not all people on the autism spectrum have problems with overwhelming sensory perceptions, but many do.) At St. Eustace, George finds a group who also need to live in a quiet environment, not necessarily because they are autistic, but because they simply require stillness in their lives.

’As someone who liked his routine there was something satisfying to Cross at starting the day in the same way every day. He liked the continuity, the predictability of it. He found it calming and almost soothing.’

THE MONK also describes how other recurring characters in this series are dealing with problems in their lives. DS Josie Ossey, usually just concerned about George, is also uptight with getting her own family settled in a better environment—specifically a larger home where her daughters can have separate bedrooms. Forensic investigator Dr. Michael Swift, six foot eight tall, first introduced in “The Politician” (Book #4), plays a larger part in this one, both by helping to collect evidence to solve the crime and by entering into a “quasi-committed” relationship with Alice Mackenzie, the “digital detective” as Swift calls her. And, as mentioned above, Father Stephen must contend with the death of his brother.

My Thoughts

Although THE MONK can be read independently, without knowledge of what has occurred in previous novels in the series, the reader is going to miss many small references that enrich the story. For example, the comment: ’another find from his father’s eBay obsession’ will mean nothing to someone new to the series; they would probably just pass over the short phrase with no knowledge of how it relates to the ongoing saga of Raymond’s OTC. The mystery section of THE MONK is independent of other books in the series; the character development section is part of an ongoing saga featuring George and other recurring characters. And in THE MONK, the solution to the mystery is not particularly surprising; the mysteries are more complex in some of the other books in the series.

I am looking forward to reading the next one, “The Teacher”, BOOK #6.

Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing the copy that I read.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other books in this series:
The Dentist (DS Cross, #1)
The Cyclist (DS Cross, #2)
The Patient (DS Cross, #3)
The Politician (DS Cross, #4)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Monk”, (book 5 of DS Cross series), by Tim Sullivan

4 brilliant stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As I’ve been reading this series in order, I can easily say that this one is my favourite to date.
It’s simply brilliant!
The writing is solid and clever, especially the line of inquiry.
The conclusion was well constructed and with a twist that I did not see coming.
This book can be read as a standalone, but if you care for character development I definitely recommend reading this series in order, as every book explains a bit of DS Cross’ personality, otherwise you may find the writing too formal or dry.

Paperback (Head of Zeus): 384 pages

e-book (Kobo): 384 pages (default), 102k words, 57 chapters

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Tim Sullivan’s DS George Cross in “The Patient” and couldn’t wait to read his latest and fifth intriguing case “The Monk”. There is literally no other British police detective around like George, he’s endearing, professional and unique and a true pleasure to read. Socially awkward and diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, he has a dogged determination to solve cases, often connecting clues in his talented mind and taking action before sharing his deductions. Reminding me of Hercule Poirot and Colombo in his summations, he leaves no stone unturned and misses nothing relevant to a case.

What makes George so special is how the author describes his affectionate idiosyncrasies and quirks in such incredible detail that the reader develops a close relationship with him. Together with his distinctive interest in organ playing and his unique and caring working relationships with his team which has now tenderly transitioned into his personal life, makes George utterly fascinating.

The compelling storyline was brilliantly constructed and one that gripped me throughout. Who and why would want to brutally murder a monk? With a protagonist as interesting as his cases, these police procedural thrillers are a superb read and without a doubt, come highly recommended to all crime readers.

#TheMonk - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Monk is the fifth book in the author’s series featuring DS George Cross of Avon and Somerset Police. I haven’t read any of the earlier books in the series but the fact I really enjoyed it means it can definitely be read as a standalone. Having said that, I think it would be great to read the series from the beginning to witness the development of Cross’s character and his professional partnership with fellow DS, Josie Ottey.

The quote by Stephen Fry on the front cover describes Cross as ‘the perfect defective’ and in many ways he is. He’s precise, logical, persistent, meticulous and sees patterns in things that others miss. He’s become good at observing individuals’ gestures, patterns of speech and facial expressions in order to determine whether they are telling the truth. ‘He had learned how to read facial expressions in his typically thorough way… For him it was an acquired skill, like a second language.’ But Cross’s blind spot is judging others’ emotions and for this he relies on Ottey. Theirs is a really successful symbiotic relationship and I liked the mutual understanding that has developed between them. And since George often takes things literally, it provides Ottey with opportunities for some gentle teasing.

The search for a motive is at the forefront of Cross and Ottey’s investigation. It involves piecing together myriad fragments of information about Brother Dominic’s former life in an effort to work out why anyone would want to kill a monk and, just as importantly, why now? The book’s intricate plot meant I suspected just about everyone and was wrong on each occasion. The notes I kept while reading the book is largely a list of characters with the question ‘red herring?’ alongside their name, the answer invariably turning out to be, yes. The author keeps the reader guessing until almost the last page. It probably won’t surprise you that it’s Cross who eventually uncovers the evidence that identifies the culprit and that all important motive, even if it does turn the investigation on its head. It’s that nagging doubt that he just can’t ignore.

Lovers of police procedurals will enjoy the scenes describing the interview of witnesses, the search for forensic evidence and the perusal of CCTV, phone records and social media. Possibly the only unrealistic element is the amount of police resource that seems to be available to deploy to the case, but this is fiction after all.

I have no experience of working or living with a neurodivergent person so it’s difficult for me to judge how well George Cross represents a person on the autistic spectrum but I liked the fact his different way of looking at the world is shown to be fundamental to his success as a detective. It’s a positive not a negative, and I admired that. I also found it touching to see his attempts to ‘train’ himself in the interpersonal skills that do not come as naturally to him as to others. For example, remembering to ask Ottey’s first question when interviewing a witness or suspect, ‘Would you like a drink?’.

The Monk is a skilfully crafted and ingenious crime novel with a really engaging protagonist that will keep you turning the pages. George Cross has a new fan.

[bookishcharli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read in the DC George Cross series but I definitely need to go back and read the ones I’ve missed out on if this book is anything to go by. I flew it so quickly because the story intrigued me so much, and kept me guessing right up until the last minute. This quite possible be one of the best British crime thrillers I’ve read in a while, certainly this year, and I loved the autism rep in it. I need more books with autism rep in my life.


Thank you to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of this one along with some honey.

[Josephine Jarman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although part of a series this can be read alone as it has a self contained mystery. I loved all the characters and the misdirection of the author. I felt part of the investigation and loved the way I learnt bout ds cross rhrough his interactions with others.
Craftly written this gives an honest approach to a mystery. You can feel detail has gone into making everything accurate . I loved the personal interactions on George's life with his mother and father. It felt like this is a series which could go on for many books.
It was actioned backed full of colourful characters and the mystery and hiw it was solved kept me gripped for ages. Thank you netgallery and publisher and author for this highly recommended 5 syar read.

[Karen Chong · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5

I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I didn’t think it would go that well, but it went the complete opposite. This is a well balanced book of police procedure, funny satire comments from George Cross and the plot served on this one. Everything mentioned played a part into the plot, so there was no filler scenes. I’ve not read a book of Tim Sullivan nor of the four other Cross series. This book can be read as a standalone and you can pick up relatively quickly a lot about the characters. I am looking forward to the next book!

The book follows Cross and Ottey, who are called on scene to find the death of a monk in a ditch. It turns out that this monk is Brother Dominic Augustus, who is part of the Benedictine St Eustace Monastery. This plot started to grow as Cross and his team started to undercover more behind Dominic before he became devoted to god.

One thing I enjoyed about this book is the level of character development of George Cross. The book isn’t just about the crimes, but also a personal conflict for George when his Mother Christine comes back into his life after being absent when he was 5 years old. And the fact that one of his close friends is linked to the deceased, which was an emotional hurdle for Cross to overcome. Often with book like these, it’s only just about the plot, there’s no substance to the detectives and main leads involved. But this is the complete opposite, I was drawn to the character of George Cross which was written with such intent and thought, a true testament to the author. I liked how intricate and detailed Cross is, as well as how well twists are brought into the book, which was right in front of us. I was shocked at how easy the book was to read, no over descriptions, no unnecessary details on the death. Its rare to find that now in crime/ detective type books where they go other the top. It just shows how well thought out and care Tim Sullivan took in this book.

Definitely recommend this book, however this does get slow at some points as parts focus on George and his character development so if you want a fast paced book with suspense and action this probably won’t be a book you’ll go for.

[Runalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hugely enjoyable thriller with a fascinating central mystery and I think a well handled lead detective and supporting cast avoiding falling into tropes. I will definitely be exploring this series further

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 I cannot say what was so wonderful about this; only that I really enjoyed listening to it.

[Lavins · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

Way too long and dragged. A good ending though

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling and interesting. Sad, too. I care about the characters. I read the series of six books so far. Each book is generally better than the one before. Contemporary British murder mystery series set in Bristol, the Avon and Somerset Major Crime Unit. This is a solid police procedural series with a good cast of characters, with the main detective DS George Cross similar to television character Monk, but with a focus on Asperger syndrome / autism spectrum. I read and alternatively listened. The audio narration is good, kindle book is free to Unlimited membership.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m loving the George Cross series from Tim Sullivan. Understanding the intricacies of the detective work required for the mystery with George’s view on life makes this such a wonderful read. With twists and turns aplentyas usual in this series, the murder of the Benedictine Monk is a complex case for Cross and Ottey to solve.
In The Monk, we’re learning more of George’s family dynamics and seeing how this impacts and aids with his detective work. The peace and restoration he finds at the monastery is an interesting link to his own need for calm and order and I found it fascinating watching him interact with the monks both in questioning and whilst working on the organ.
His relationship with Ottey as before is wonderful and I’ve loved how Swift and Mackenzie are more involved in this investigation again.

[Katrina Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio Review

I really enjoyed this - as with the other books in the series, this story is well put together with enough complexity that out of 5 books, I've only been right about the baddie once :D

Narration was superb.

Really looking forward to the next one.

[Dizzy Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book to the series. DS Cross - your brilliant detective ! Gripping book again

[Sreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, and often funny. Needs to made into a tv series!

[Georgina Reads_Eats_Explores · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens with the now de-rigour early morning dog walker coming across an awful murder scene, this time in Goblin Combe wood near Bristol.

A Benedictine monk, Brother Dominic, is brutally beaten and murdered. DS Cross and Ottley of the Murder Team are the case lead investigators, and they've quite a challenge on their hands.

The problem for our Bristol based detectives is that, in keeping with his spiritual dedication, the monk had no apparent enemies, and it’s hard to see any motive behind his vicious demise other than sheer mindless cruelty. But everyone has a past, including this man of the cloth.

Thankfully Cross is a detective who doesn’t go on prognostications – it’s all about the evidence, but there’s precious little of that for him to go on, or so it first appears.

For me, this book's key selling point is the marvel of DS George Cross, who is on the autism spectrum. He is a brilliant detective but is socially awkward; his questions are incisive and blunt to the point of rudeness; for want of better words, George has no filter. His colleagues still don’t fully understand and find it difficult working with him. It’s his partner DS Ottey, who knows him best and supports him in interactions with the rest of the team. The upside is that his rational thinking and direct approach enable him to get to the heart of some issues quickly and objectively. There’s never a dull moment around George, but there’s humour attached to his directness which made me laugh out loud.

The mystery is intriguing, a slow burn, but all a bit tame. The brutality of the crime is only vaguely hinted at. Only rarely do any voices get raised. No one swears. This is a crime novel at a genteel level. Personally, I prefer a grittier read.

Tim Sullivan has a background in screenwriting, and that shows in his grounded style with an eye for detail that makes you pay attention and will keep you guessing until the last few pages. It's undoubtedly an enjoyable page-turner and highly binge-worthy too. 3.5⭐

Thank you to Andrew at Head of Zeus for an advance copy. As always, this is an honest review.

[Perm Clark · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.

5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.

4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.

3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.

2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.

1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read all the books in this series, but I have read one of them and found it an easy series to get into. I then seem to have missed a couple more and now come across this latest one. again another one that is easy to pick up given that it is a series. The character of DS George Cross was very easy to remember as he is socially awkward and has a very specific way of dealing with his life, those of people he knows and of the crimes he is investigating.

He is tenacious and it is this tenacity that has helped him navigate his way through tricky investigations before and will do so again this time as well. While he has always been able to look at crimes from the outside, this time he discovers a connection that makes one of his friendships a little strained.

Luckily for him, he has people around him who know how he works and he has built up a level of respect. He really is a character I like given his very literal understanding of everyday conversations, sarcasm, joking and general banter.

When the body of a monk is discovered it leads Cross and the team along a route that even surprises them. Everyone comes from somewhere and even a monk has a past, even one that has been left behind. As the team investigate there seems to be something more than first meets the eye.

Having different threads in this story the author is able to weave what would seem like a complex case. If I was to try to explain it, well it would be complex, but the way the author lays it out makes sense. Leads are followed, but not always successfully or with full understanding. Progress is slow and is hampered by not having knowledge of all the facts.

While this is a police procedural first and foremost, the author does bring in the out-of-hours or off-the-job aspect to his main characters. It is a chance to get to know more about Cross and what happened to his mum and dad when he was younger and they went their separate ways.

Being on the spectrum, Cross is shown to struggle with changes in his routines and these revelations do up skittle him. He is however a professional and is able to departmentalise so his focus is where it needs to be. Being a stickler for having every 'I' dotted and 'T' crossed he will always keep working at things that niggle him.

This is a fabulous story and as I mentioned this does not have to be read in order. It does mention this is the book blurb so I will be going back to read the previous ones I have missed. If you are a fan of crime, thriller and police procedural stories then this is one I would definitely recommend.

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! DS George Cross is the character I never knew I needed and wanted. What a refreshing character! I absolutely adore him. I want to mother him, be his partner, and bathe in his unintentional and sometimes sneakily sarcasm and wit. His dry barbs and one-liners are hilarious at times and even more amusing when you realise it is intentional. I loved all the characters and the way they have to change their ways to accommodate George and his little nuances, yet appreciating just how extraordinary he is, no matter how infuriating. I have never read about a police officer with Aspergers, but this series goes a long way in showing how someone's perceived disability actually gives them the thought processes and ability to see the wood for the trees, someone who leaves no stone unturned and someone who very, very rarely fails to get a conviction because his cases are so watertight.

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could have given this book 5 stars. It’s well plotted with interesting characters and reminded me a little of P. D. James for some reason, perhaps it’s the monastery setting.
The author uses the word ‘deposition’ to describe where the murder victim was found. Characters go backwards and forwards to the ‘deposition site’ several times and it really grates as I don’t think that’s what it means. I could be wrong. It was just annoying.

[Jayne Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 5/in this awesome Detective series with DS George Cross and his team.
George can be irritating and despite not wanting personal relationships of any kind in his life, he has definitely made some friends as the series evolves.

This 5th book is George at his best - brilliant!!! A 5 star read.
Each book would have needed a 6th star.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not had the opportunity to read any of Tim's previous works, but after reading this book, I will certainly be seeking out more of his writings.
The beginning of the book was somewhat slow-paced, but I found that I thoroughly enjoyed it overall.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one .

[Blasr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of books is always reliable for being well-written and well-plotted. This time there was the added bonus of reading about the mechanism of church organs and monastic life