The Monk by Tim Sullivan
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 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?
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
Twitter: @timjrsullivan / Instagram: @timsullivannovelist/ TikTok: @timsullivanauthor
Review
‘The Monk’ is a fantastic book. Pure and simple. It captivated me from the start to the very end. My heart was full as I perused the pages and I didn't want to leave the world in which George Cross exists. ‘The Monk’ has confirmed what I have suspected for some time... George Cross is one of the best-written and conceptual characters that I have read for years. I have a great affection for him and I just revel in any time that I get to spend with him. Sullivan has created a character that is so unique that I believe this series will get more and more recognition. Plus, the standard of writing is brilliant and is a cut above many of the bestsellers out there at the moment. He doesn't treat his readers as idiots and his intelligence as a writer signs through brightly. This is the best book in the series…so far!
DS George Cross is on the spectrum and works in the Avon and Somerset police force. He has the best stats on the force but his methods come across as strange to others. But he is dogged and always determined to find out the truth. When the body of a monk is found beaten and dumped it is up to George and the rest of the team to work out what has happened. Who would want to kill a monk and more importantly, why would they? The victim turns out to be a monk missing from a nearby abbey, Brother Dominic Augustus. He is loved by all the other monks, is skilled in beekeeping, bookbinding and also makes evaluations on rare religious books. Again, why would someone what to kill a kind old monk?
It was clever of Sullivan to create a world in which George feels comfortable in despite his aversion to religion. He likes the routine and simplicity, the quietness of life. It allows him some peace in his life as he is struggling with the fact that his mother, Christine, has entered his circle for the first time in decades. He can not understand why his father has slipped back into having a close relationship with her. It has rocked the foundations on which everything is held up, albeit very precariously. As George delves into the lives of the remaining monks he becomes enamoured of life there. He even ends up fixing their organ!
I loved this book and heartily recommend it to you guys! Let me know if you read it.
