The Monk by Tim Sullivan – The DS Cross Mysteries #5
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.
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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?
My Review
First of all I’m going to recap the first part of my review of the previous George Cross Mystery:
‘I love DS George Cross. He’s on the neurodivergent spectrum and takes everything literally. He doesn’t get jokes or irony which can be very confusing for his colleagues and intimidating for the criminals. They think he is taking the p*ss. His colleague DS Josie Ottey does though – she’s worked with him many times.
‘We also met George’s father Raymond, an inveterate hoarder with a penchant for building models. George was brought up by him after his mother left. At the end of The Politician, she came back into his life. George is not really sure how to handle the change.’
Just as things are starting to settle down, a disturbing case lands on George’s desk. A Benedictine monk has been found in a field, savagely beaten to death. Who would do such a thing? But George’s first question is why.
In order to discover the truth and the killer, George and his team must follow the clues. Who was Brother Dominic before he took his vows? There must be records, but first they need to establish his real identity.
One of the things we learn about George is that he is an accomplished organist and plays regularly at his local church, where Stephen is the vicar. So a visit to the Abbey where Dominic lived is a wonderful experience for him. It’s quiet and peaceful and there is an old organ in need of repair. All the monks seem too kind and spiritual to have murdered one of their own, but you can never tell. Or is the murder linked to Dominic’s past life?
It was great fun trying to work it out.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
About the Author
Tim Sullivan is a crime writer, screenwriter and director whose film credits include A Handful of Dust, Jack and Sarah and Cold Feet. Early in his career he directed Jeremy Brett’s iconic portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in ITV’s The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes¸ cementing his lifelong passion for crime fiction.
Tim’s crime series, featuring the socially awkward but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross, has been widely acclaimed and topped the book charts. The Monk is the fifth in the series.
He lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy Award-winning producer of The Barefoot Contessa and Pioneer Woman. To find out more about the author please visit TimSullivan.co.uk
Follow him at:
Twitter: @TimJRSullivan
Facebook: Tim Sullivan novels
Instagram: @timsullivannovelist
TikTok: @timsullivanauthor
