The Bookseller
Tim Sullivan
Book 7 of 8 of the DS George Cross Mysteries
Publisher: Atlantic Crime
Pub Date: June 2, 2026
384 pages
ISBN: 978-0802167705
*** ABOUT THE STORY ***
Read enough, and you’ll learn how to get away with murder
Detective Sergeant George Cross has a knack for dismissing red herrings: He goes by the cold hard facts, and nothing else. But with a concerning development in his personal life, Cross is hopelessly distracted. He needs to rely on those around him: an entirely foreign concept.
When the body of a bookseller is discovered lying in a pool of blood in his Bristol bookshop, the police have one question: How did the man meet such a violent, murderous end in this peaceful place?
Bookselling may be a quiet profession, but it’s full of ambitious characters who know the value of a rare book and the importance of careful plotting. With their extensive reading, they might know enough to get away with murder. But will book learning be enough to fool the tenacious DS George Cross?
***REVIEW ***
While George Cross isn’t the only neurodivergent detective in fiction, he’s one of the best and Sullivan portrays the character expertly. To present such characters as fully realized people with unique perspectives as opposed to being “robotic” is a thin line to walk, and. Sullivan brings a good sense of balance to that effort.
Cross is a brilliant, and insightful investigator, where some characteristics of being on the spectrum serve him particularly well. He wants facts, not feelings, and can often find a missing piece to a mystery in the smallest detail, the slightest question, that he doesn’t want to leave unanswered.
On the other hand, Cross is socially awkward, not able to always recognize a social cue. It’s a nice touch that his partner, Josie Ottey, has made Cross a list of cues and what his response should be. The fact that he consults the list when he suspects he has missed a cue and will go back with the response adds to the subtle humor that is used throughout the narrative. This also shows the strength of the tie between the two investigators, expressing in action a closeness that Cross cannot articulate.
The narrative is presented in concise sentences, often devoid of emotion, which after a while I came to understand was reflective of Cross, and a sweeping narrative rich in description and emotion wouldn’t work as well. The reader not only sees George Cross, we get to see the world around him with his eyes and his mind.
As a booklover, I enjoyed getting a backstage pass to the rare book trade and the competition among booksellers. The mystery of who murdered one such bookseller is deftly woven around the competition, and there are many red-herrings. Different suspects are presented, each one being believably “the one,” until Cross determines that indeed, they are not the murderer.
A major sub plot revolves around Cross’s father, who has had a stroke, a health crisis that disrupts his son’s life, which has always followed predictable patterns. One that included meals with his father on certain days of the week, with the same food every time. Cross is at a loss as to how to deal with that major disruption, or the unspoken fear that his father might die, and comes up with an outlandish plan to retire and care for his father fulltime.
The resolution to that dilemma was in some ways more satisfying to me than the major plot of the story. Perhaps because it shows the struggle that Cross had in trying to comet to terms with a new normal that he couldn’t control. How it all plays out is true to his character and reflective of the challenge any person on the spectrum would face.
This is the first book in the series, that I read, and I can see where reading the previous books would have been beneficial, introducing me to characters and situations that affect the subplots of this story. However, The Bookseller is still an enjoyable read as a standalone. There are enough tidbits of backstory to clarify make relationships and situations, so the reader is never in the dark.
Even though the story is a little long and drawn out at times, it’s still an enjoyable read, especially for those who enjoy detailed, intricate procedurals, with a fascinating lead player.
*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR ***
Tim Sullivan is an acclaimed screenwriter. He originally read English and Law at university – the latter forced on him by his Dad – but instead he wriggled free of those parental ambitions and pursued his own, to make films. His writing credits include A HANDFUL OF DUST, starring Kristen Scott Thomas, WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD, starring Helen Mirren and Helena Bonham Carter, JACK AND SARAH (which he also directed) starring Richard E Grant, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen and LETTERS TO JULIET, with Amanda Seyfried. He is also a Television director whose credits include SHERLOCK HOLMES and COLD FEET and CORONATIONS STREET. He has written extensively in Hollywood in both live action and animation, working with Ron Howard, Scott Rudin and with Jeffrey Katzenberg on the fourth SHREK movie.
In addition, he’s written numerous novels which can be found in retails stores everywhere. Check his AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE and his WEBSITE for details.
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That’s all for today folks. Wishing you a pleasant and productive week ahead. Whatever your plans, be safe. Be happy. Be kind.