To me, there’s something rather wonderful about finding a new detective series that you just click with…
This happened to me a few months ago when I discovered Tim Sullivan’s George Cross series on Pigeonhole (a rather marvellous book serialisation app – if you’ve not yet discovered it, I highly recommend it!) I started The Politician without reading the blurb, expecting a political thriller – and came across a new favourite detective series, which I reviewed on here. That was book four of the series, so it was a real treat to get an opportunity to take part in this blog tour for book five. They work as standalones, though, so just dive in anywhere! And last night I noticed this book was 99p on Kindle, so it’s a snip.
George Cross is partnered with DS Josie Ottey, who’s probably the only detective who can put up with his foibles.
George is the real star of the series though – he’s on the spectrum, so when people make jokes he takes them literally, which makes for some amusing interactions. However, it makes him a highly effective detective, and his boss seems to be reliant on his opinion on everything.
Each book in the series’ title refers to the victim of the murder they’re investigating, so on this occasion we have a Benedictine monk. This involves questioning his fellow monks, as well as looking into his life before he entered the monastery.
Sullivan’s writing is a joy, as is George himself.
Sullivan was a screenwriter previously, and it’s probably for that reason this series is just so perfectly formed. It’s more for those who like an intelligent, cerebral detective, as opposed to one who kicks in doors and wrestles subjects to the ground – if that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t find it here. Stephen Fry is a huge fan, so that’s a clue as to how good the writing is.
George is a very different kind of detective – in his spare time he plays the organ, and is just dealing with his mother reappearing in his life – she left the family home when he was a child. He’d assumed she couldn’t cope with him being “different” – of course, autism wasn’t widely diagnosed until the 90s. However, the truth reveals a more complicated situation.
I know there are dozens of perfectly enjoyable detective series out there – too many to keep up with – but I urge you to give George Cross a try. Clearly this series will be colossal, so I’d get in there early so you can look smug and recommend him to everyone. I’d be most surprised if this doesn’t get a Sunday night TV slot in the very near future, too – it would fit the Vera slot perfectly!
A fabulous series to get your teeth into, with an intriguing case!
With thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for inviting me to participate in this blog tour, and to Head of Zeus for the ARC. That has not affected my opinion, and this is an honest review.
Author Tim Sullivan.
Check out my fellow bloggers’ thoughts on the rest of this blog tour!
BLURB: 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…
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.