This is the fifth book by Tim Sullivan featuring the neurodiverse DS George Cross.
On this occasion Cross is investigating the brutal murder of a monk.
As the case develops, the previous life of the monk as a high-flying city banker is revealed, and a complex storyline follows. Reading about Cross in the abbey, working alongside the monks is fascinating and reveals a lot more about him.
DS George Cross is a fantastic character and I love this series of books.

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for ARC.


A Benedictine monk is found brutally murdered in a peaceful rural setting.
DI George Cross and his colleagues have a difficult task. The first question shouldn't be 'who would murder a monk?' but 'why?' as George points out to his colleagues.
In this, the fifth outing in a series by accomplished screenwriter and novelist Tim Sullivan, the investigation takes unexpected turns and secrets are slowly revealed. But the affectionate portrayal of George (single, on the autism spectrum, adapting with difficulty to new information about his family) and his colleagues and friends is what keeps bringing readers back. This series repays loyalty as there is growth of the characters over time, so readers may want to go back to the beginning if they start here.
Not since DL Sayers' Nine Tailors have I read a crime novel with so much church music. The details of monastic life are well rendered.
I do think Sullivan has missed a trick here by killing off his victim so early - I would happily read a series of 'Brother Dominic mysteries' in which the monk with a colourful backstory solves the problems of those who approach the monastery for help.

I really enjoy the DS Cross series, he’s on the spectrum and the way his mind works is fascinating. George is very good at solving crimes and dealing with other peoples drama but not his own. George struggles with social situations which makes him even more lovable. I’d rate the book a solid 4.5 out of 5, it would have been a 5/5 but I felt there was something missing with the Stephen part of the story. Just my opinion and I’m sure others will love it all.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reading copy.

I’ve read and enjoyed each one of the George Cross series and this one didn’t disappoint!

I won’t précis the book as you can get that from the book itself or from most other reviews. What I will say, in case you haven’t read any of the previous books in the series is that George Cross is a brilliant detective who happens to have Asperger’s. The first book in the series goes into a lot of detail about Asperger’s and/or being on the ‘spectrum’ but as the series progresses I presume the author doesn’t feel the need to explain every aspect of George’s character related to his Asperger’s. It is, however, extremely informative and has given me a great inside to how the workings of the mind of someone like George.

The storyline, the murder of a monk from a nearby monastery, seemed to be quite cut and dried from early on with only a few unexplained questions. But, in true George Cross style, all is not always as clear cut as it seems to be. I was surprised by both the twists at the end of the book.

This is a well written book that kept me turning the pages, a worthy four stars from me.
My thanks go to the author, the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced e-reader copy of the book, however, the review is my own honest opinion.

Another great book by Tom Sullivan with the neurodiverse George Cross as the main character investigating the case of a murdered monk.

The book kept me gripped throughout, new characters were brought in and out of the storyline and the way George's brain works and his autism is helpful to unravelling the clues and solving the mystery.

This is the second George Cross book I have read, and will definitely read another if the author writes one!

Thanks to #NetGalley and the author and publisher for an ARC of this book #TheMonk

This is the fifth in the series by Tim Sullivan featuring the socially awkward DS Cross. The recurring characters including DS Cross, DS Josie Ottey, Father Stephen and Cross's parents Raymond and Christine are well-drawn making the reader interested in how their stories develop and overlap. In this case, Cross and the team investigate the brutal murder of a monk, Brother Dominic, whose previous life, as an investment banker, may have a bearing on the case. In the course of their enquiries, Dominic is found to be related to someone Cross is close to, leaving him unsure of how to face his friend after delivering bad news. There are a number of suspects with strong motives for killing the monk, and Cross has to use all his ability to focus on details to eventually solve the crime. The stories in this series seem to get stronger and stronger and I felt this was the best so far and worthy of a 5 star review.

Love this book, love the characters and love the back story - and the fact, that the very likeable detective leading the case, is on the spectrum, is really a great acknowledgement.
I like the story, a little brutal, but the characters pulled it back to very enjoyable mystery. A financial high flyer retires to a monastery to live a life of a monk. But life catches up with him - how and why is woven into the story of his brutal death, and the chase for his killer.
Very layered story, well written and enjoyable. Thanks you NetGalley and the publishers for the DRC

A great story of DS George Cross and his officers working on the death of a monk. I loved the relationship between DS George Cross and DS Ottey they work well together.
This was a fast moving thriller with a real insight into life at a monastery and how monks live and cope with the outside world.
This is the first DS Cross book I have read and thoroughly enjoyed the plots and mystery look forward to the next book.
Would highly recommend.
Thanks to Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for a ARC.

This is the second DS Cross book I have read and loved it as much as the first one. DS Cross is on the autistic spectrum and struggles in the real world but he is very astute and sees crimes in a different way to his fellow officers. A Benedictine monk, Brother Dominic Augustus of St Eustace Monastery, has been murdered and DS Cross is called in to find the killer. Why would someone murder a monk and this sets him on the path to finding out more. He starts his quest at the Monastery itself. Investigations bring up many surprises about Brother Dominic, the main one that he was a high flyer in the banking world and earned a fortune. When he entered the Monastery where did his money go – a question which DS Cross cannot let be. He also has the added pressure of his mother re-entering his life which he is confused about and cannot compute in his autistic mind. The one good thing for him during this investigation is that he can help the Monastery repair it’s organ and this helps him put all his thoughts together as it is quiet and no one is disturbing his thread. He deals with the murder in the only way he can and his partner, DS Josie Ottey, keeps him from upsetting people along the way although he does not realise that he is doing this. He has not a sense of humour and some anecdotes he does not understand again due to his autism. The plot gathers pace and it is difficult to put the book down as you want to find out “who did it”. I loved the main characters of this book as always and it is written so well I feel I can visualise them. A perfect story and a perfect read Awaiting the next book

DS George Cross is not like most other detectives. Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, he may be socially awkward and find many social situations difficult but he has a brilliant mind. He sees patterns and joins dots that others miss. George will need all of these skills on his latest case.
The body of a monk is found bound to a chair in a ditch. Brother Dominic has clearly been brutally beaten. Who could possibly want to do this to a monk. Initial enquiries show that he was a well-liked and respected man with nothing to indicate that he had any enemies. To find the killer, Cross, Ottey and the team will need to dig into his past, who was Brother Dominic before he entered the monastery? When they discover that he was actually a very wealthy banker, they begin to wonder if money could be the key to his murder.
I adore DS George Cross. The way he has found his place in what must be a very difficult world for him, the way his colleagues accept who he is and recognise how valuable he is to the team is just brilliant.

A very enjoyable book. It was obvious from a third of the way through who was involved but the few twists kept it interesting. Definitely a series .

This is the fifth book in the excellent DS Cross series and just like the others it is a great read.
With great characters and an ever twisting fast paced plot it is genuinely a "hard to put down book" and I thoroughly enjoyed getting the chance to read and review it.
I highly recommend this book and indeed recommend reading the whole series from book 1.

*Many thanks to Tim Sullivan, Aria & Aries, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I am always drawn to mysteries in all forms which are set in monasteries, and the description of The Monk appealed to me. It turned out I was offered more than a mystery surrounding the death of a Benedicitine monk. Mr Sullivan manages to build a good plot which is enhanced by characters who do not allow you to keep the distance. I was unaware of the fact that this is the 5th book in the series, and yes, at times I felt I missed out on some information. Fortunately, it did not prevent me from enjoying this instalment.
What I want in police procedurals or thrillers is something more than just gore details of murder scenes. And The Monk did not disappoint me. George Cross, being on the spectrum, is definitely a character who can be close to even though this is not what he desires. His partner's perspective is our perspective and allows us to at least make an attempt to comprehend a person whose reactions are not what social standards require.
A well-designed mystery, with some insight into modern monastery life.
I hope to continue with the series as I already miss Cross.

I love George Cross and the team. I'm so grateful to netgalley and the publishers for forwarding me am advanced copy for an unbiased review.

A devote and respected monk, Father Dominic, is brutally murdered and left in a ditch. Why? It is discovered the monk has an illustrious past, which was unknown to the other monks. Could there be something from his past or a recent controversy over the authentication of a medieval book. Enjoy!

When the body of a murdered monk is found in a ditch by a country lane. DS George gets to investigate the monastery where he came from. In his investigations he learns a lot about life as a monk and finds the ordered tranquil life much to his liking even as an unbeliever. He gets to repair the broken organ in the chapels which also enables his stay as a live in guest. Along with his investigation George is learning to live with having a mother as well as a father in addition to a few other friends and colleagues forcing him to be more sociable. Most interesting to see how his character develops as he solves another mystery made smooth by his partner DS Ottey.

I have read others in this series , which I was glad of because as a reader, you are immediately plunged into the story in this book. George Cross, one of the detectives, is on the autistic spectrum, which adds a special dimension to the way he investigates the cases and the relationships with family, acquaintances and his collegues. The plot is fairly intricate in this book with a couple of twists and turns along the way . Fairly believable and the investigation is immaculate though perhaps a little slow going at times. We also find out more about George's family life, though mostly from his own persepctive and as such coloured by his way of thinking.
A good read. 4 stars from me,
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I am very grateful to Andrew Knowles, Head of Zeus Limited and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I must confess that I am a huge Tim Sullivan fan. His latest book, The Monk, added to my admiration.

DS Cross is such a superbly drawn character, and so true-to-life compared with people like him who I have known and worked with over the years. George, and his ways and mannerisms, makes the series what it is, and he is an absolute stand-out in modern crime novels.

The plot, unusual in its setting, twists and turns as you might expect, and the denouement might well be anticipated. Or is it?

I love the settings - the monastery and monastic life are well-drawn, and the side plots and family and friends' sub-themes that carry on throughout the series, as does George's fascination with playing, and now restoring, the organ.

They combine to make an excellent story that I highly recommend.

This is a very enjoyable if somewhat predictable police procedural thriller. The character of DS George Cross is very interesting and you find yourself warming to him a lot. His sidekick, DS Ottey, is less well-rounded, but a good foil for Cross.

The story: a monk, found dead, is soon found to have an interesting backstory. Exploring this reveals a range of suspects and potential motives. There follows a rather standard investigation, made more interesting by the fact that DS Cross is on the spectrum and so his behaviour is not that of your average detective.

It's great that there's more and more fiction (books, TV) about people on the spectrum, helping to educate the world about how those affected interact with their environment, and helping us all to engage with them in a more understanding way. If I have one quibble about this book, it's that DS Cross's behaviour is over-explained. Every few sentences we get a variant of 'he did X because he didn't understand Y or didn't behave in the expected way...', (because he's not neurotypical). Yeah, we got it from the start, you don't need to keep telling us. It would be a lot more interesting if the author let us understand at the start that George is on the spectrum and then didn't explain anything. Leave the reader to figure it out. (Compare, for example, to the tv series The Good Doctor. His autism is only referred to when necessary. Most of the time you just observe him and see his interactions with people and how they are affected by him, or him by them.) In short, show, don't tell.

That said, it was a good read.

An interesting detective story in the traditional genre. This is the book for you if you're a fan of police procedural novels with quirky characters. Cross is the lead detective with an unusual approach and Ottey his erstwhile female sidekick who tries to keep him on the straight and narrow. The plotline is the murder of a monk from the local monastery but who killed him , where and most of all why. Good read.

Read it! It really is a great story not to be missed. The compulsion to read it starts at page one and doesn’t let go. Brother Benedict Augustus is one of ten monks in an abbey near Bristol. Then he is found murdered. Before becoming a monk, he was crucial to the collapse of a bank which was engaged in dodgy dealings. So he enemies from his past. He is also an expert at identifying the provenance of paintings and angered a client when he valued a painting much lower than expected. That could be another source of enmity. The monastery setting is an excellent background for the story. The tale has further surprises as it moves on and the conclusion is very satisfying. Above all, the detective sergeant George Cross is the star of the book. He is autistic and has difficulties relating to others. He is also a brilliant detective. This is a great read. I recommend it.