I absolutely adore DS Cross. He is a quirky, neurodiverse detective with a directness that can be hilarious. He is extremely skilled at his job, and in this the 5th book in the series, he is hunting down the killer of a monk with an unknown past. On the surface, the dead man is soon revealed to have been a wealthy young mam, beloved by family and friends, but what else lurked in his past? D S Cross' past catches up with him in this novel, too, as he gets to meet his mother. This brings mixed feelings for him. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a solo. Read one, and you will want to read them all! #themonk #timsullivan #dscross #thriller #crime #netgalley

This is book 5 in the DS George Cross series and I've been with them since the beginning and now I'm waiting for the next instalment, hopefully it won't be too long.

I must admit I do enjoy Tim Sullivan's work and I always enjoy reading about DS George Cross. The working relationship between him and DS Ottey makes me laugh, it’s almost as if she’s his mum the way she prompts him to use what’s considered to be “normal” mannerisms.
This book gave me an insight into a world I know very little about, the Benedictine Monks. The crime itself was rather brutal without being overly graphic, the puzzle to solve it was as always rather like an onion full of layers of mystery and George peeled them back in his usual no nonsense style.

Absolutely worth a read especially if you like a protagonist who is a little quirky but gets the job done.

Thanks to the author Tim Sullivan, Aria & Aries and Netgalley for an ARC. All opinions are mine and mine alone

Really enjoyed this - will definitely be recommending and looking forward to the next one by this author!

I hadnt read this series before but the blurb really intrigued me and it did work I didnt feel penalised at all and quickly become intrigued with the book. I now will look for more by this author.

I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Part of a series of police procedurals featuring DS George Cross,who is not your typical detective. A tricky case to solve,a murdered monk who on the surface was loved by all.

A lot of books usually either have a super good beginning or an amazing end. It's pretty rare for me to find one that has both but this defiantly had such a great beginning and all the way through pace that kept me wanting to keep reading like crazy and it also had an unforgettable ending.

I enjoyed previous George Cross book and this one was the same. Great story with good characters, especially George, he really is a great character and hope to read lots more of the stories.
I absolutely loved the setting in the monastery and the detail of the daily life of the monks. This is a subject that has long fascinated me ever since school, so this felt a great setting for a story.
The way George mends the broken organ is wonderful and the resulting sound seemed to be very powerful.
The murder was almost a by-the-way part of the story, as George reigns supreme in my mind.
A very very good book. Loved it.

An absorbing investigation for DS George Cross!

‘The Monk’ is a fast-paced murder investigation that hooked me from the beginning. It’s full of twists and turns, plus DS George Cross is a quirky character with autism spectrum disorder. The relationship with his parents is interesting.

DS George Cross and his team are called to investigate the bizarre death of a monk, who had been horrendously beaten and discovered in a woodland area just outside of Bristol. Why would anyone want to murder Brother Dominic?

The monastery wasn’t too far away. This raised the question; Did someone from the monastery bear a grudge? Or was it someone from the monk’s unknown past? Brother Dominic appeared to have an elusive background.

I thoroughly enjoyed how this police procedural unfolded. George Cross was welcomed by most of the monks, and he surprised himself by fitting in with the solitude and silence. He even found himself being absorbed in the restoration of the church organ.

The unusual circumstances of this investigation made this a real page turner. Eventually everything slotted into place, leading to an explosive conclusion. I will look out for more books in this series.

Galadriel.

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

An autistic detective, who like to play musical instrument to help him think. Been done before hasn't it? Maybe, but that doesn't matter. DS Cross, is more methodical than brilliant, and is despite his peccadilloes, and compulsive behaviour is totalling endearing to most of his close associates and more importantly to the reader, at least this reader anyway. This was my second DS Cross investigation. I will be following his career with interest.
What more can you ask from a review, you've hooked the reviewer

First time reading George Cross books. Will now go back to the beginning. Despite not having read the first book, I was able to keep up with the plot and background stories of the main characters. Great series! Thanks to Netgalley.

Another enjoyable episode in the DS George series. This time he is investigating the mysterious death of a monk from a nearby Benedictine abbey. George is on the autism spectrum and is socially awkward but very thorough in his investigations sometimes to the frustration of his senior officer but always with the support of his team.
During the course of his investigation he finds that the routines of life in the abbey are a comfortable fit with his way of life. This series gives a different and very readable slant on the police procedural genre.
I can recommend this to all readers of British crime novels

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this novel in return for my honest review.
I have read other Tim Sullivan novels featuring Cross and they like this one are immensely entertaining. Cross's methodical work and attention to the minutest detail make it a pleasure to read. Other reviewers have given the synopsis in their review's so I will not repeat or spoil the reader's enjoyment. Just to say give this book a chance - you won't be disappointed !

The latest (fifth) book in the Detective George Cross by Tim Sullivan and in keeping with others it keeps you guessing until the end. I have thoroughly enjoyed all four previous books and although I did enjoy this one, I wouldn't say it was my favourite of them. I enjoyed the main characters developing further but and it may just be me, I found it a little bit laboured and overly detailed when discussing the renovation of the church organ. Sorry if I'm being pedantic. Having said that, it didn't stop me devouring the book over a couple of days relaxing on a Greek beach and still looking forward to the next instalment in the series.

Just found this author and pretty good different. D S Cross is autistic so his approach to murder is different from other people but he seems to work things out in an orthodox way to him.
They have been called out to murder and it's definitely murder, looks what appeared to be a monk still in his habit but brutally murdered tied to a chair, and beaten to death, and in a ditch by the river so not the murder site.
There is an abbey so the best place to start turns out one of their brothers is missing, a Brother Dominic so a real monk. Now begs the question of who would kill a monk as they take a vow of poverty so not for money?
DS Cross and partner Ottey spend time at the abbey to try and find out about Dominic and about his past but the abbey doesn't know anything about his past as any monk does not have to declare their reasons for their change of life. George is perplexed as to why they do not play their organ as he plays every Wednesday at his local catholic church although George is not religious so no Sundays. It's broken so George uses his spare time mending it for them free of charge, but it still begs the question of who killed Dominic, so it must be before his time as a monk. George finds the abbey restful and being autistic finds order satisfying.
Slightly different from the usual books I read but most enjoyable, it did tend to lull at times but brought a different meaning to the murder of a monk

Another great instalment if this series.

DS Cross is endearing and unlike most detectives in crime fiction.

These can be read in any order which is also good.

The premise of this one made it stand out for me, the involvement of monks made it all the more intriguing.

Really enjoyable read and can’t wait for the next one.

Thank you so much for the ARC of this book I think I have a new addiction to Tim's books.
As always a great storyline and great read, please keep them coming.
I can highly recommend as these are so well written.

I loved the Patient and was happy to get this arc of The Monk as I think that George Cross is an intriguing characters.
This one was even better than the Patient to the point that I had to buy the rest of the series as I wanted to know what I missed and read it since the beginning.
It's a gripping, compelling, and highly entertaining novel. The violence of the murder forms a stark contrast to the peaceful life of the abbey. There's plenty of secrets, there's a lot of surprises and a victim that left behind a life to start a new one.
The evolutions in George's private life are both strong and sweet. I love this character as I love the rest of the team.
It was an excellent read, one of the 2023 best police procedural I read so far
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

This is my first read by this author. Featuring DS George Cross and DS Josie Ottley tasked with discovering the murderer of a monk found beaten to death in a wood. Who would want to kill a monk? Cross is a joy to behold, he is somewhat on the Autism spectrum and his methods are unusual whereas Josie follows behind placating offended witnesses and generally being a foil for him. I loved the concept of the Cross character, so unlike any other police character I have read previously, it is a refreshing, funny, gritty read and I recommend it highly. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a review copy of The Monk, I look forward to more of Sullivans' unique creation.

When Brother Dominic- a Benedictine monk is found savagely beaten to death the police are mystified. Who would want to kill a monk. D.S. George Cross & D.S, Josie Ottey are charged with finding out more. George is a bit different from you average neurotypical detective. Being on the autistic spectrum he often comes across rude & abrupt but he has a sharp mind & great detection skills. Josie is a perfect partner for him, working on smoothing out his social faux pas! It seems that Bro Dominic had an interesting past.

Along with solving the murder we also see George coming to terms with the reappearance of the mother who left when he was a small child & the concept of being a friend.

I have read one of the previous books in this series & am sorry I missed the last one. However I'll definitely look out for the next one. This was an interesting mystery, but George is the real star! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

‘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.