Description:
"An extremely accomplished, traditional mystery in the PD James mode... an absolute treat."--Irish Times
To find a murderer, you need a motive . . .
When a beloved yet mysterious monk is brutally murdered, Detective Sergeant George Cross faces a case with no leads, while his personal life is thrown into disarray
DS George Cross has always wondered why his mother left him when he was a child. Now that she is back in his life, he suddenly has answers--but this unexpected reunion is not anything he's used to dealing with. So when the body of a monk is found savagely beaten to death in a woodland near Bristol, Cross is eager to throw himself into the case.
The problem is, no one in the Bristol station has any leads. Nothing is known about Brother Dominic's past. How can Cross unpick a crime when they don't know anything about the victim? And why would someone want to harm a monk?
Cross's dogged investigation reveals that while the monk was a much-loved and respected friend, brother, he was also a very wealthy man--and 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.
Review Quotes:
Praise for The Monk:
"Sullivan keeps his hot streak alive . . . This is contemporary crime fiction at its finest."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A meticulous English detective cracks a tight monastic community to solve a brutal murder . . . A delightful final twist will leave many readers impatient for Cross' next case. A top-notch series that deepens with every installment."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A gripping, atmospheric police procedural."--The Guardian
Praise for Tim Sullivan and the DS George Cross mysteries:
"Sullivan has created a wholly three-dimensional protagonist, equal parts charming and maddening"--Library Journal (starred review), on The Dentist
"Excellent... Sullivan strikes gold his first time out, injecting investigative scenes with a cinematic flair and firmly establishing Cross as a quirky, lovable lead."--Publishers Weekly (starred review), on The Dentist
"Crime-fiction fans will keep guessing until the very end and thoroughly enjoy Sullivan's complex plotline and mosaic of characters that propel the story to its thrilling conclusion."--Booklist (starred review), on The Dentist
"A satisfyingly complex police procedural."--Washington Post, on The Dentist
"Freshens the familiar with shrewd diversions and, above all, the phenomenon of a relentlessly logical investigator confronting a mystery rooted in love and loyalty."--Anna Mundow, Wall Street Journal, on The Dentist
"You'll crave more George Cross once you've finished this meticulously wrought police procedural."--Air Mail, on The Dentist
"A multifaceted murder puzzle anchored by a compelling pair of sleuths."--Kirkus Reviews, on The Dentist
"In DS George Cross, Tim Sullivan has created a character who is as endearing as any I've ever come across in this genre. His quirks are his gift, and with Sullivan's tremendous plotting and superb writing, this series is a gift to readers."--Liz Nugent
"It's the combination of excellent plotting, meticulous attention to detail and a wonderfully unique and unconventionally irresistible detective protagonist that makes Tim Sullivan such a brilliant and exciting talent. One of the best series to emerge in recent years."--Sophie Hannah
"Clever and taut."--The Telegraph on The Patient
"Old-fashioned in a good way... satisfying."--Sunday Times
"The fact that Cross has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder makes him just as intriguing as the murder mystery."--The Times
"A compelling, suspenseful police procedural with an intimate, positive insight into living on the autistic spectrum."--Woman
"A popular, must-read series."--The Sun
"George Cross is becoming one of my favourite detectives."--Elly Griffiths
"These are must-read detective novels. George Cross is a great creation."--Mark Billingham
"[This] is becoming a classic series."--Imran Mahmood
"DS George Cross shot to the top of my favourites when I first encountered him."--Mari Hannah