The Tailor

LoveReading Says

Detective Sergeant George Cross returns, this time to solve the murder of a Bristol tailor.

The Tailor by Tim Sullivan is Cross’s eighth outing, detailing his investigative work in the Avon and Somerset Police. Cross’s idiosyncratic investigation style is due to his being on the Autism spectrum, while his colleagues help smooth over any awkward interactions. 

Sullivan’s talent lies in exploring and explaining a new profession in every novel. This time, he goes into great detail about the tailoring process. Cross, who is as particular about his police methods as he is about his personal choices, quickly finds himself fascinated, and in the end, orders two suits for himself. The glee he feels is palpable. 

Lest you think this book concentrates on fabrics, threads and stitching, it is so much more than that. It also covers battery technology, industrial espionage and even British secret services. (Cross has to sign the Official Secrets Act for good measure in the final chapters.)

Regular readers of George Cross series will be rewarded with the appearance of his supporting cast, but enough context is given for each character that prior knowledge is not essential.

Sullivan has written another page-turner. This follows the unfortunate demise of a bookseller, a teacher, a monk, a politician, a patient, a cyclist and a dentist. The butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker in the area should watch their step. They might be next. 

Reviewed by Maureen Stapleton
Maureen Stapleton, a writer and journalist, has written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Radio Times, Heat, and many others.
More reviews by Maureen Stapleton

About The Tailor

'One of the most iconic British fictional detectives of the 21st century.' DAILY MAIL'One of my favourite detectives.' ELLY GRIFFITHS'Reaffirms everything that has made this series a bestseller.' VASEEM KHAN'I absolutely loved The Tailor' GARY BARLOW'A joy to read, beautifully penned, rich in detail and as elegantly put together as a bespoke suit.' ABIR MUKHERJEE'An elegantly woven mystery in all the best traditions of the genre… Sullivan is a writer's writer - witty, cutting and clever.' HELEN S FIELDSFROM THE WINNER OF THE CRIME WRITERS' ASSOCIATION DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2026 George Cross: unfailingly shrewd. Uniquely brilliant. A bespoke tailor boards the 10:00 train from Bristol to London. Before it reaches Bath, he's found dead in the toilet, his throat slit and a plastic bag pulled over his head. DS George Cross deduces that this wasn't a robbery - nothing about the killing is random. It's an execution. George's investigation brings him dangerously close to a cold and merciless world. And is it his imagination or is he being followed? With the highest conviction rate of any officer in the force, someone will do anything to stop George from getting to the truth. This time, the next cut could be meant for him...Perfect for fans of MW Craven, Ann Cleeves and Joy Ellis, this is the eighth book in the million-copy-bestselling George Cross Mystery series, which can be read in any order, by the 2026 winner of the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library Award.

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