I wasn't really getting into the story. It felt slow and a bit too wordy for me.

I didn't really care about the main character and was bored so had to DNF at my usual 100 pages.

Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC.

I look forward to reading the complete book. From what I read in this exerpt, it is going to be great.

interesting extract and seems to be a good addition to the overall series and a nice book from what the sample gives.

ries, The Teacher. Tim Sullivan is an amazing writer and captures the idiosyncrasy of Cross with his asperger problem . In this book, Alistair Moreton is found dead in his home, and by first appearances it looks like he fell down the stairs; however Moreton has also been stabbed, so it is classified as a murder. As DS Cross investigates, it is discovered that Moreton was a horrible man, and tortured the boys in the school where he had previously been the head master. To make things worse, his boss brings in a DI Warner (Moreton’s son was a member of Parliament, so the powers that be want it solved immediately) from another area to lead the case; Warner is known for his quick solves of murder cases, and Warner harasses Cross and his team, as well as arrests a neighbor of Moreton without proper evidence. With Cross’s Asperger problem, this causes havoc in the department.

I love Sullivan’s writing style. He is a brilliant storyteller, and keeps readers on the edge while adding the element of humor. The building suspense is perfect for anyone who likes something a bit different. Sullivan’s characters are amazing. DS George Cross is one of the most unique characters in modern fiction and the supporting characters are also great. The UK setting for the novels is charming, and with the difference in culture, makes some of the scenarios unexpected.

Anyone who wants to read a series that is very different and fun will want to read this, as well as the previous novels. Most readers will hate waiting for the subsequent novels to be released. This one gets five stars.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Just a taster ,to get you all interested then you have to wait for full book. One of my favourite detectives.

I love Mr Sullivan’s DS Cross series, have read all of the and even pre ordered this book when first announced so you imagine my excitement when I had an opportunity to read a pre published sample of the book. It’s important to stress that this review was only a sample of the book and the editing was not complete.

The story line is just what I would expect, throughly involving and providing a good basis for what I would expect from the series. Because the editing was not complete it was not as polished as the rest of the books in the series and I’m sure by the time it’s published it will be another outstanding book. I look forward to getting the whole book soon and have no hesitation in recommending the whole series to you, you will enjoy them.

Update: I have now had the opportunity to read the finished book which I throughly enjoyed. Hr Sullivan is right at the top of his form with this, his latest instalment of he George Cross series. The finished book was very well written and the editing was excellent. This is a wonderful series and one you need to try, simply a fantastic read.

It’s been great being back in the world of George Cross - he certainly one of my favourite detectives.
George is a great character- adapt at the minute details and with a compulsion for process and following the rules, his personality is wonderful and those that appreciate his eccentricities learn how valuable he is.
On that note his interactions with Warner are hilarious even if Warner is a dinosaur in his attitude to all many things - I loved seeing how George could wind him up with realising.
With the unexplained murder to investigate, George and the team need to work hard at working with eachother as well as solving the mystery.
As with the other DS Cross mysteries, this is not a cosy crime read and deals with some hard hitting topics like County Lines and sexual abuse, but Tim Sullivan is able to weave a clever mystery plot into the brilliant characterisation of George and the others.

EXCERPT: Neither Sandy Moreton nor Cross had blinked in their war of silence. Carson then appeared.
'Mr Moreton, I'm so sorry for your loss,' he began with.
'Thank you.'
'Rest assured we are doing everything in our power to get to the bottom of this awful tragedy and bring the culprit to justice.'
'Well, I'm not,' replied Moreton.
'I'm sorry?' replied Carson.
'Assured. Far from it. Having spoken to this imbecile who is, I believe, a detective on this case, I think I have more chance of becoming prime minister than you solving this case.'

ABOUT 'THE TEACHER': An eighty-year-old man is found murdered in his home. His age and standing in the community makes finding his killer difficult – why would anyone harm an elderly man? What threat could he possibly be to anyone?

With no apparent motive, DS George Cross canvases the community for potential suspects but the man was known as generous, charitable, community-minded. Each interview about who the man is muddies the picture further. So Cross decides to look for who he was – revealing a past that is far less honourable than his present . . .

MY THOUGHTS: First off, I received only the first 19 chapters of The Teacher, the excerpt, having been declined for the entire ARC. But the first 19 chapters are dynamite, and I will definitely be reading the full book as soon as I can get my hands on it. I have read and loved some of the previous books in the series, and the entire series is on my list to read from the beginning. I have to admit to being rather fond of George Cross, difficult though he may be.

Cross is on the autism spectrum. He has the highest rate of solving crimes in the force. He has trouble understanding and communicating with people, but his analytical and observational skills are honed to perfection. He usually has DS Josie Ottey to take care of the aspects of a case where he may be required to use some people skills, but she is on leave and DI Bobby Warner is seconded in her place.

Cross and Warner are like chalk and cheese. Neither understands the other. While Cross may have the highest solve rate, Warner has a reputation for the fastest arrests, which don't always stick. Warner is a man who largely relies on intuition and gut feelings. Cross likes facts and proof.

Their boss, Carson, has an aversion to dead bodies, which is a bit of a problem for a senior member of a Major Crim Unit. He has an enormous amount of respect for Cross who is also a thorn in his side - but a very successful thorn - and he frequently finds himself having to pour oil on the troubled waters these two create.

The dead man is a complex character. He's very private, almost to the point of being a recluse. He's very set in his ways and dogmatic in his opinions. Although he doesn't play much of a part in village life he is always objecting to and protesting against anything and everything in the community. He also faced accusations in the past when a young girl whom he had been tutoring went missing. Although it was proved he had nothing to do with her disappearance, mud tends to stick.

The Teacher by Tim Sullivan has all the makings of a five star read. I have pre-ordered my copy and can't wait for it to appear on my Kindle.

The Teacher by Tim Sullivan is due for publication 18 January 2024.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheTeacher #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Tim Sullivan made his first short film before graduating from Cambridge University. His ambition to become a screenwriter was formed not so much by this experience but as an attempt to foil his father’s determination to turn him into a lawyer.
Within weeks of leaving university armed with a law degree Tim had met the film maker Derek Jarman and persuaded him to commission an original screenplay from him. After a stellar career in directing, writing and producing, he has now embarked on a series of crime novels featuring the eccentric and socially-awkward, but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross set in Bristol in the south west of England.
Tim lives in North London with his wife Rachel.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC sample of The Teacher by Tim Sullivan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

I love this series!!
I recently discovered it and it is just getting better and better.
This is book 6 in the DS George Cross series and George is definitely 1 of my favourite police detectives.
He is quirky without meaning to be and some of his dialogue makes you giggle.
He kind of reminds me of a modern Columbo.
This is just an extract and I can't wait to read the whole book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This was a quarter of the start of the book and it was quite good. It got me intrigued to read the rest of it.

Seems like it was an interesting and easy read.

The Teacher by Tim Sullivan was only a taster extract for his new book which is book six in the DS George Cross series, I really enjoyed what I read, especially as it was an easy read and can be read as a standalone book.

An eighty-year-old man is found murdered in his home. His age and standing in the community makes finding his killer difficult.

But, why would anyone harm an elderly man?

What threat could he possibly be to anyone?

Well, I can answer that one or write anymore about this book. But I enjoyed what I read.......Shame though, and I Can't really review it!

I was pleased and thankful to receive the ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. I had never read the DS Cross mysteries by Tim Sullivan, but I had seen positive reviews and ratings. This was an excerpt from the first nineteen chapters of the book with a very interesting detective, George Cross, featured in six thrillers. He has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and this makes him seem blunt and his interactions unusual. He is admired for his thorough investigations, intense observations, and strict adherence to protocol. He has a high success rate for solving crimes.

While his regular partner is on leave, he is assigned a temporary partner. The new man has no patience in trying to understand DS Cross or to cooperate with him. In fact, he seems to be trying to upset him deliberately, but Cross remains placid and without any show of emotion. A man aged in his eighties has been stabbed to death, and the new partner is rushing to close the case. He believes he has the culprit and the murder weapon. Cross seems sceptical. There are many suspects with reason to dislike the murder victim.

I am now anxious to read the solution to the mystery and other books in the DS Cross series. The date for publication for The Teacher is January 18.

Intriguing and engaging murder mystery with plenty of leads and red herrings and some excellent well developed characters.
The prose is quite tongue in cheek and there are some real gems of one liners which had me giggling to myself. There are also some very poignant comments on life and death and mourning those who have left us which were exquisitely written and excellently observed. It has a feel of cosy crime and isn’t overly gory so it was a great book to snuggle up with on a bleak winter evening, a bit like Sunday night tv. My copy was an excerpt of an advance reader copy so the ‘ending’ definitely left me wanting to know more.

The Teacher by Tim Sullivan is the sixth in the engrossing DS Cross series featuring clever and fascinating DS George Cross. Cross is charming in his lack of sugar coatings and a brilliant addition to his town and force. He is also on the spectrum which is a novelty in the countless mysteries and thrillers I've read.

When the body of an elderly man is discovered along with his loyal German Shepherd at his side, Cross notices things others don't. His usual partner Ottey is moving house so DI Warner is assigned to investigate with him instead. Observing differences in characters' viewpoints is psychologically compelling so I paid particular attention to working partnerships and was rewarded.

This 93-page excerpt of the full-length novel (chapters 1-19) gripped me as I greedily sped through. It's just enough to become invested in fully, an appetizer of sorts.

My sincere thank you to Aria & Aries for providing me with a digital copy of this fantastic novel. I'm hungry for the rest!

This is a sample from the next book in the DS Cross series and what a teaser! I am sure this will be another excellent read from the author. I love the writing style and character development, the plotting is clever and Cross's autism is described skilfully. I am sure this will be a great addition to the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This is an extract of book #6 in the DS George Cross but can easily be read as a standalone and in any order. However, I’ve read all six books and highly recommend the whole series.

DS George Cross is based in Bristol’s Major Crimes Unit. He has Asperger’s so is not always socially aware, but his incredible attention to detail makes him the officer with the highest clear-up rate in the Avon and Somerset force. He has a great work partner in DS Josie Ottey; they work well together but she also helps him to understand things that his Asperger’s makes difficult.

The body of an elderly man, Alistair Moreton, is found at the bottom of his stairs. It appears that he fell, until a stab wound is found on the body. Alistair came across as a quiet person who kept himself to himself, but it turns out that he really wasn’t a very nice person, especially in his career as a headteacher. Villagers who had called round to check on Alistair in recent weeks found that he wouldn’t let them in, and they had a feeling that there was someone in his house that he didn’t want anyone to know about.

I can't wait to read the whole book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Very intriguing start. I did not realise that the editor and the write had been so generous with the chapters.

I love the series, so I already knew I enjoyed the writing style and the character, I can’t wait to read more!

DS Cross comes up against an obnoxious gung-ho DI Warner who is drafted into the team to cover Ottley's absence as she is moving house. Warner likes to decide who is guilty and then fit the evidence to prove it and can't understand Cross's pedantic ways.
We also discover a little more of Ottley's back story which I found interesting. Altogether another fantastic and gripping read from this author.

(extract review)
DS Cross is back and no one is more pleased than me! If you've not met him before (this is the sixth in the series but does stand alone) he’s a rather clever, very different detective. His social skills leave something to be desired and he is usually catered for by his faithful friend only for this case she is off having moved house and there is a new DI with him, someone who has been warned but really doesn't get Cross’s manner at all. George Cross has autism spectrum disorder which he says himself isn't a disadvantage. In this case a man has been found murdered, a man who apparently caused mayhem in the village in which he lived, complaining to all and sundry. His neighbours who only arrive at the weekend, it being their second home, have tried to take him to court but twice lost through their own stupidity. Could they have finally had enough?

I loved having this, and will be buying the whole book to find out the rest. There’s something so special about George that I can't help but love. It's so very cleverly and skilfully written and draws the reader in beautifully. A cracking read I can't wait to get my hands on.
For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog
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(Based on a 90 page excerpt.)
Having read and loved the previous five DS Cross novels, I couldn't wait to read this excerpt and eagerly await the full novel. Tim Sullivan's, lead protagonist, DS Cross is diagnosed with Autist Spectrum Disorder, or Condition as he calls it, and his attention to detail and ability to decipher clues makes him excellent at his job. His usual partner is moving house, and so he has the displeasure of working with several new colleagues, which makes for lots of humorous dialogue. In The Teacher, a retired schoolteacher Moreton has been found murdered. It seems that the murdered man had more enemies than friends. Despite living as an outcast in the village, he managed to upset a lot of his neighbours. The murdered man deserves the same right to justice as anyone else in Cross' book - so he embeds himself into the community, interviewing the locals and following the evidence. The Cross novels are a bingeable police crime series. This excerpt of The Teacher has me hooked and desperately eager to conclude the story! #theteacher #dscross #timsullivan #excerpt #netgalley #crime