The Monk

By Tim Sullivan

Having read, reviewed and enjoyed Tim Sullivan’s previous books – The Patient and The Politician, I jumped at the chance to read and review The Monk. See the blurb and my review below. 

Blurb

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 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.

Review

The Monk is another hit by Tim Sullivan in this latest thriller  which can be read as a stand alone as well as part of the series, very easily.

D.S. Cross is a neurodiverse detective. His private life is as interesting to read about as the cases he works on to solve, both have their complexities and this keeps the compelling intrigue going, and furthermore, so does the fact his mother is back on the scene after so long.

It is an unusual case that hits the desk at the Avon and Somerset Police in that it is a Monk who is savagely killed in mysterious circumstances. It gets even more mysterious as there isn’t much that is tangible to go on, nor is there much known about the deceased. It is also interesting how D.S. Cross gets to like the quietness of the monastery. It is nuances and attention to detail like this that show how well this is researched or how certain traits are known and added into the book to continue to build up his personality.

Getting to know the Monk, who was brutally killed, as the police dig up his past to piece together every aspect of his life to discover exactly who he was is fascinating and rather thought provoking.

Throughout deep darkness, brought about by the nature of the case, including its woodland location, there is levity to be had with between colleagues having banter.

This is yet another gripping, page-turner by Tim Sullivan and I look forward to seeing what he writes next.