"Who would want to murder a good man like a monk? DS George Cross, the brilliant detective from Avon and Somerset Police, will find out."
When a monk turns up dead in the woods, Detective Sergeant George Cross with his unusual methods and dogged determination, is left to solve the mystery of his murder. The Monk is the fifth book in the DS George Cross series by Tim Sullivan featuring Cross, a detective on the autism spectrum with an unimpeachable record, but with eccentric preferences (see his love of loose leaf tea served in bone china) and awkward interactions with other people. He likes things as he likes them, and the monastery—a place of order and silence—appeals to him greatly. “The Monk” of the title is Brother Dominic Augustus, a rare book expert who didn’t appear to have any enemies in the monastery.
If you’ve read other books in the series, you will already know and appreciate Cross’s supporting cast of characters, including Cross’s partner DS Josie Ottey, who has the patience of a saint; Dr. Michael Swift, the goth who is also a forensic scientist; and Raymond, George’s father. Sullivan succeeds at making the supporting characters interesting, no matter how minor their role. For those new to the DS Cross series, know that reading any of the previous books in the series isn’t necessary to understand what’s happening in this taut police procedural.
As in all good mysteries, nothing is as it first appears. But Cross’s single-minded pursuit and his idiosyncratic nature—not to mention a well-timed tea or three—results in another closed case.
| Primary Genre | Crime and Mystery |
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Closing date: 30/09/2026
To find a murderer, you need a motive . . .
THE DETECTIVE
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 QUESTION
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?
THE PAST
Discovering who Brother Dominic once was only makes the picture more puzzling. He was a much-loved and respected friend, brother, son – he had no enemies. Or, at least, none that are obvious. But looking into his past reveals that he was a very wealthy man, that 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...
Perfect for fans of M.W. Craven, Peter James and Joy Ellis, The Monk is part of the DS George Cross thriller series, which can be read in any order.
The Monk features in the following genres: Crime and Mystery, Thriller and Suspense, Crime and mystery: police procedural, Fiction
The Monk is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Monk was written by Tim Sullivan and published by Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
The Monk has 370 pages
Yes it is part of A DS Cross Thriller series
£8.99
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