Another super episode in the DS George Cross series, a detective like no other as he’s borderline on the spectrum. The investigation into the murder of a recently retired local councillor with a history of objections to modern building at the expense of Bristol’s architectural heritage. Lots of suspects including Albanian gangsters all keep it racing along underpinned with the humorous unintended attitude of Cross. It all builds to its unforeseen ending and as a bonus Gross’s family history is revealed as a side story. Quite wonderful, roll on the next one!

An exhilarating and totally satisfying read. I read it breakneck fast, such a brutally good page-turner. Yet another fine outing from a master of thrillers. It hits the ground running and the pace never misses a beat. An absolutely gripping detective thriller that will keep you reading late into the night, unable to put the book down for a second.

I have read all the George Cross novels and love the characters. In this one there are two new characters introduced. Michael Swift is a forensic scientist and a good match for George as they are both very literal and say what they are thinking. The other new character is Chief superintendent Heather Mathews who is brought into lead the case much to Carson's chagrin as he was hoping to lead the case in his usual bumbling jumping to conclusions way. At first this unsettles George who doesn't like change but in the end it works in his favour as she understands him and makes some allowances for his strange ways. In his spare time George is trying to find why his mother left when he was young. Another good read in my opinion

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HeadOfZeus for the copy of #ThePolitician by #TimSullivan
If you haven’t meet DS Cross yet you are in for a treat. DS Cross doesn’t do small talk or gossip but his logical mind and keen intelligence pick up on the things that others miss. DS Ottey is the perfect partner for him and they have the best conviction rate in the force.
This is the fourth book in the series but they can all be read as standalones.
This is one of the best series I’ve found in years and long may it continue.

I've said it before and I will say it again I love DS George Cross, Tim Sullivan has written a brilliant character and as soon as I have finished a book (this is book 3 although it could be read as a standalone) I find myself hankering for the next one, In the Politician, George is called out to what appears to be a burglary/murder gone wrong but is it so simple as that?

I think the thing that makes George so likable is his character is on the autistic spectrum, so he speaks matter of factly and doesn't always get that he needs to be diplomatic, something I think we all wish we could do without fear of reprisals. And Ottey his long suffering partner does try to steer him in the right direction but George often doesn't see that he has done anything wrong, so she has an uphill battle with him.

Within the stories the dynamics between George, Ottey and the rest of the characters work well so George comes across as idiosyncratic rather than having a disability as it's the way he precisely thinks through a case that makes him a brilliant detective.
So please Mr Sullivan can you write the next one really quickly please.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Aria & Aries for an advance copy of The Politician, the fourth novel to feature Bristol based DS George Cross.

When former Lord Mayor Peggy Frampton is murdered many of his colleagues assume that it is a burglary gone wrong, but Cross thinks it was premeditated murder. The problem is finding a suspect among the many, after all Peggy was a former politician turned controversial blogger unafraid of upsetting people as well as a campaigner to protect historical buildings, who also has a son with a gambling problem and steep debts and an unfaithful husband.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Politician, which has an intriguing plot and plenty of twists, leavened by a dash of humour. It is told from various points of view on the investigative team, so the reader has no extra knowledge and can investigate alongside Cross and his partner DS Josie Ottey.

I found the novel engrossing as the plot has so many permutations. Cross and Ottey have to find the intersection between suspect and motive to solve Peggy’s murder, but that’s easier said than done because there are so many suspects with different motives, including an organised crime gang. Much of the novel is spent interviewing the various suspects to build a narrative, but it doesn’t end the way I expected it to. By that I mean that the author confounded me by taking the strands he builds up in different directions to the obvious. It’s quite clever, even if some things are guessable.

DS Cross is on the autism spectrum so much of the humour comes from what he blurts out, Ottey’s scolding and her attempts to instil some awareness in him, although he may be more aware than he lets on and there’s fun to be had in working it out. He also has some personal issues to work through in the novel, which, again, are not quite what I expected.

The Politician is a good read that I can recommend.

Another excellent book from Tim Sullivan, received it on Monday and had finished it by Tuesday. I really love the main character George and all his partners. The plot is well written and there are always plenty of twists to keep you reading. Just got to wait for the next book to be published. I have read all his books in the last 6 months.

The Politician written by Tim Sullivan will be out on the 10th of November. I received it from Head of Zeus via Netgalley.

A former mayor is found dead and DS Cross is convinced it's murder. From there on it's a fast paced investigation with revelation after revelation. Nothing stays hidden.

I really had to get used to the main character. His mannerisms and general attitude are not conventional but it is described and explained really well. After getting used to him, I was drawn into the story and the pace of te story is perfect. Lots of things happen and you just need to continue to find out what happened. Also, the alternation between his work as an DS and his personal life was great! You really got to know the characters and the story behind them it made is so much easier to understand and like them.

4/5⭐

This is a very good, well written crime series, set in Bristol, featuring DS George Cross who is on the autism spectrum. It's an interesting, absorbing read with excellent characterisation and a steady pace. I love the working relationship between Cross and his colleague DS Josie Ottley. At times, the dialogue between them is very amusing and I could just picture the two officers in my mind. At first, the case looks like a burglary gone wrong, ending in a murder but as Cross investigates, events soon disprove the initial theory. Cross is a very likeable character and the book is one I would definitely recommend. It can be read as a stand alone and I hope you fall in love with Cross! Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This latest novel from Tim Sullivan is the fourth in the wonderful DS Cross Mysteries series. George Cross is very well thought of in his local police station in Bristol, in the south west of England. His team know he is dedicated, persistent and his meticulous researches proven him to be the best detective the local force has, in terms of successfully bringing the perpetrators of crime to justice. He is socially inept and clueless at times, due to being on the Autism spectrum with mild Asperger’s syndrome. He drives DCI Ben Carson mad at times, but his work partner DS Josie Ottey has a handle on it and is very helpful, trying to explain social no goes and platitudes and other skills
The politician in question is Peggy Frampton, once Mayor of Bristol. She lives with her womanising husband Luke, a criminal barrister. When her body is found with wounds and a suffocating plastic bag wrapped around her head, George is told that Detective Chief Superintendent Heather Matthews has stepped up into their team on this occasion. It certainly is a high profile case and Peggy was popular, a minor celebrity and a prominent Influencer. At first it looks like a burglary-gone-wrong, with expensive jewellery missing, but George and his team start intricate detective work with a flourish. Peggy was outspoken and soon the list of possible grudges against her is evident, including foreign real-life mob bosses, seedy businessmen and even an addictive unsavoury family member. The clock is ticking and as the team get nearer to the truth the worry is that there may be other murders before the determined killer is locked up and ready for judicial matters to go ahead.
I love this series. I think George is a fantastic and unique character within the crime writing genre, and I love the way Josie mentors his social skills with care and understanding. He occasionally shows gratitude and sometimes puzzlement, but takes it in the way Josie means him to. Although Detective Chief Superintendent Heather Matthews is in charge on the running of the team, she too gives George respect, leeway and the insight to do what he does best and in his own way. It is heart-warming and humbling at the same time. Although this novel is preceded by three others, each of them can be read as a standalone story.
If you think you don’t know Tim Sullivan and his novels, well you may know him through other genres. He is an acclaimed screenwriter, with a large amount of favourite TV programmes to show his mastery expertise i.e.: Where Angels Fear to Tread, Cold Feet and Coronation Street to name just a few diverse and well-loved titles.
I was so excited when I saw this new novel and requested it for review. I quickly received a complimentary copy from publisher, Head of Zeus-an Aries Book, through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you so much for my copy sent in return for an honest and unbiased review. It’s a 4.5* review from me, and a recommendation that this is a brutal but very readable crime story, where the excellent storytelling and sensitive handling of the storyboard mitigates the repugnance of the determined serial killer.

Absolutely brilliant!

This is the 4th book by the author featuring DS George Cross, and all I can say is, how on earth have I missed this author?

DS Cross is on the autistic spectrum and is investigating the mysterious death of Peggy Frampton, ex-local politician, and ex-Mayor and now an influential blogger and campaigner on a variety of issues. Peggy was married to Luke, a constant womanizer, who is a barrister at a London chamber and has two children Sasha a GP, and Justin, who is a shady character with lots of gambling debts.

Great story, great characters, and brilliantly written. Enjoyed it so much I bought the previous books.

Highly recommended

The coniuing life snd times of DS Cross a unique autistic detective and his colleague DS Ottey who has learnt to cope with his idiosyncrasies and smooth his relationship blunders. Investigating the murder of a former Mayoress conducting a campaign to stop a developer from damaging a heritage waterfront site. A complex case with an unfaithful husband, addictive son deep in debt, missing jewels and involvement with a mafia family. Plenty of red Herrings and a surprising ending with DS Cross finding time to deal with some family ghosts and managing to rid himself of some burdensome baggage

I never repeat the blurb. Yet another superb outing with the quirky and brilliantly, accurately portrayed DS George Cross and his team. Wonderful characterisation and great writing. Can't wait for The Monk.

This is my first experience with DS George Cross and what a wonderful character. He often “ says it as it is' ' and conviviality is something for others to say. George has Aspergers which means he sees things differently to others and can't settle until the truth is found- which has made him a highly, if slightly unpopular detective with those that don’t understand him. A woman is found dead in her home but the murder somehow doesnt appear quite right. Many think that this is a burglary gone wrong but George spots inconsistencies. The woman is high profile across social media, she was the local mayor and many have made disparaging comments through the platforms to her. Who would want her dead and why take jewellery and leave other items?
I haven't read the others in the series which didn't matter a jot, other than I've realised I've missed out on some cracking reads (now added to the TBR pile!). George to me is wonderful- he’s quirky, he’s loveable, he says what we would think pre filter and gets to the truth, being himself able to filter what’s irrelevant. This is stunningly written and one I really didn't want to put down, there is just that special something in George that's so appealing. The indefatigable George Cross deserves a medal for his diligence (every pun intended!) A huge 5* from me.

There's something deeply satisfying about The Politician by Tim Sullivan. It's hard to put a finger on what makes it so. The plot line is good, there's some particularly nasty characters, not all who turn out to be bad, and there's the main protagonist DS George Cross (more of later). All these things on their own would make a good book, but all rolled together you get a book that manages to raise itself high above the surface of crime fiction.

A former mayor of Bristol is found dead in her flat. There are drawers disturbed at the scene, and a large amount of jewellery is missing from the locked safe. The DI on the case is convinced this is just a burglary gone wrong, but George Cross, a sergeant on the force, is not so easily convinced. Given free rein, along with his colleague, Josie Ottley, he dives deep into the underbelly of Bristols dark side in search of the truth about what happened.

I really liked this book. It's my first brush with DS Cross, and I'm sure I'll be back to read his earlier cases. George Cross is a peach of a detective, his autism makes for a more interesting personality. Helped by Josie, who is trying to smooth the edges of Cross's manner, this is the best character I've come across since MA Craven introduced Tilly Bradshaw. George doesn't presume anything, which makes him see things differently from the average run of the mill fictional detective. Yet, his brain works on a higher level in helping him see the things others miss. A truly unique detective.

I have nothing but praise for this book, the writing standards are first class, the plot line tight and readable. I can thoroughly recommend this book.

For whatever reasons that I cannot fathom, I have missed Tim Sullivan's wonderful Bristol based crime series featuring the on the spectrum DS George Cross of Avon and Somerset Police, in his early forties and balding. This is my first taste and I found myself completely charmed and drawn in. First thoughts on a tricky and challenging investigation are that the death of former local politician and ex-mayor Peggy Frampton at her home is the result of a burglary gone wrong. However, Cross is convinced it is murder, and before long, he is proved to be correct in what turns out to be a quagmire of a case. Peggy morphed into a high profile blogger and persuasive campaigner on her retirement, but her strong opinions and fight against construction company plans attracted a number of vociferous online trolls.

She was married to barrister Luke, a serially unfaithful husband, and in London at the time of her murder, and has 2 grown up children, daughter Sasha, a GP and a troubling son, Justin, with a gambling addiction that he refuses to recognise. The more the police peer into the corners of Peggy's life, the more they come across a host of enemies with more suspects crawling out of the woodwork, including Adam Chapel and his more ruthless and menacing business partner, Clive Bland, a man with criminal family connections. The self serving and ambitious DCI Ben Carson, expecting to leading the case, finds himself unexpectedly sidelined when Detective Chief Superintendent Heather Matthews is appointed instead. Unlike him, she is comfortable letting the able and competent Cross and his put upon partner, DS Josie Ottey, have the independence to go and do whatever they think is necessary.

Cross has to untangle a dark and murky web of connections to discover Peggy's killer, not an easy task but nothing puts him off, an unrelenting dogged logic driving him towards the surprising conclusions. Some of the best parts of this story are the reaction of people when they first meet a Cross who takes things literally, with many not believing he is a police officer, although he makes an instant fan of the over eager, over tall, goth forensic scientist, Michael Swift. Cross is lucky to have such an understanding partner in Josie and her continuing efforts to get him to be more socially able, and I hope that Matthews returns in the future. I truly enjoyed reading this entertaining and engaging addition to this terrific series, and I look forward with great anticipation to the next book. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

An excellent read as per ever from Mr Sullivan.
The character of Cross just gets better and better.
Read this over the course of two days whilst on a Greek beach
Hooked in early doors and it kept me intrigued all the way to the end.
Even if you've not read any of the others in this series you'll enjoy this as a standalone.

George Cross is not your average,usual detective.He is however very good at solving cases. Interactions between him and the other characters are very funny at times.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

After reading the blurb for this book and thinking it looks like my kind of read, I began reading The Politician by Tim Sullivan who is a new author to me. Did I enjoy this book - most definitely yes, I thought the writing was just superb and I found myself really liking the main character DS George Cross. He is on the autism spectrum and I thought that his quirks, uniqueness if you like as a character were so believable and very realistically portrayed by Tim Sullivan. When retired politician Peggy Frampton, who has a very popular social media presence is found murdered Cross and his colleague Ottley investigate and find they are asking more and more questions as they dig into Peggy’s life, her family and friends. I just loved the working rapport between Cross and Ottley and thought some of the dialogue between them was like a breath of fresh air, funny and yet endearingly sweet. I really liked all the separate story threads here, I’d got to 80% of this book and I still hadn’t a clue who the murderer was or why and I can honestly say I never saw the reveal coming. This book is a pleasure and a joy to read - it can be read on it’s own although I know I will be definitely looking to read the previous books when I have time. I think the author has created such a great main character who I just loved from the beginning of the book, the writing was excellent and had me engrossed all the way through and the story flowed that well I felt the characters become alive and jump out of the pages. I also thoroughly enjoyed the little snippets into Cross’s personal life and his relationship with his father. I’d highly recommend this book if you like crime and police procedurals and hope you like Cross and enjoy this book as much as I did.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Aria&Aries and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Another hit for the series.