The Bookseller by Tim Sullivan The DS Cross Mysteries #7
THE SETTING
The body of a bookseller is discovered, lying in a pool of blood in his Bristol bookshop. Police have one question: how did the man meet such a violent, murderous end in this peaceful place?
THE CONFLICT
DS Cross’s ability to dismiss red herrings is challenged by a worrying development in his personal life. Hopelessly distracted, he needs to rely on those around him in a way he has never been comfortable doing before.
THE MURDER PLOT
It may be a quiet profession, but it’s full of passionate, ambitious characters who know the value of a rare book. Their extensive reading means they also know how to get away with murder.
But is that enough to fool the tenacious DS George Cross?
My Review
I feel I need to recap for anyone who hasn’t read any of the other books in the series, so here goes. ‘DI George Cross is on the neurodivergent spectrum (he refers to it as autism spectrum disorder) and takes everything literally. He doesn’t get jokes or irony which can be very confusing for his colleagues and intimidating for the criminals.’
His colleague DS Josie Ottey understands him though, and recognises that he is the best officer on the Avon and Somerset Major Crime Unit (MCU). But socially, he is, shall we say somewhat awkward. Near the beginning of the book Josie is promoted, technically making her his boss. This is an issue for George as he is worried that she will move and he’ll get a new partner.
In the meantime, we have seen George’s parents reunited, but Raymond suffers a stroke and ends up in hospital. George is reconsidering his career with the police.
So on to the story. This time it’s a bookseller who has been murdered, but what possible motive could there be. Is it something personal or to do with the value of antique books? And are they worth murdering for?
There are a lot of characters with complicated relationships, so it will take some unravelling for both the police and for us, the readers. It’s hard to say much more at this point, because we don’t yet know who has been murdered. Suffice to say, it’s a good story with plenty of intrigue, spice and suspense, made even more so with the added interest of George and his family and colleagues. Roll on the next one!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, the author and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read. It will be my last Pigeonhole book, as the book club is folding, and I shall miss it after all these years.
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 Bookseller is the seventh 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
