A homeless man. Violently strangled. No leads. Except his past.#5 Amazon bestseller Contemporary British Fiction #26 bestseller crime fiction #26 bestseller mystery action fiction (6/26/20)An outsider himself, DS George Cross is drawn to this case. The discovery of the dead man’s connection to an old cold case then pulls Cross in further. Convinced this is where the answer to the murder lies, he … where the answer to the murder lies, he sets about solving another that someone has spent the past fifteen years thinking they’ve got away with.
Cross’ relentless obsession with logic, detail and patterns is what makes him so irritatingly brilliant. It doesn’t exactly make him popular with colleagues or his superiors, though. He has numerous enemies in the force wanting to see him fail.
Red flags are soon raised as suspicious inconsistencies and errors in the original detective’s investigation come to light. Now retired, this ex-cop has powerful friends in the force and a long-standing dislike of Cross.
Set in picturesque Bristol in the Southwest of England, it’s not long before the city reveals its dark underbelly, in a case of intriguing twists and turns whose result astonishes even those involved.
Difficult and awkward, maybe. But Cross has the best conviction rate in Avon & Somerset Police. By far. Will this case put an end to that?
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Excellent mystery.
DS Cross’ character was unique and helped me understand his affliction. That was valuable new info. It made the story more intriguing.
You will learn alot about aspergers and law. Only negative is a line from the book, bored before the end.
Cross has Aspergers Syndrome and was fixated in the smaller details. But the way he solves the mystery using the very details, was very enjoyable to read.
Though the book was slow at times, overall, the multiple layers and the various characters and the way they were weaved together was enjoyable. Liked it.
A Compelling Whodunit
What a gripping murder mystery filled with twists and turns, secrets and lies, deceit, and a rush to judgment. The diverse characters draw you into their sphere, where you begin to identify with the predicaments they find themselves facing. The backdrop is Bristol, England, where Detective Sergeant George Cross, an often-misunderstood loner, and a perfectionist for scrutinizing crime scenes, makes him able to identify with a murdered victim that society has cast aside. The assertive Detective Sergeant Josie Ottey is Cross’ partner; at times they can be at odds when it comes to probing the murdering of a homeless man, but along with his unconventional behavior, Josie always has his back. Once Alice Mackenzie, a police trainee, joins the team, the story becomes even more absorbing when she feels her going beyond the call of duty is unappreciated. Her feelings about George have her wondering about his interviewing, probing techniques, and her questioning why she became a police officer. As soon as Cross-comes across a cold case, it will expose some police concealment, keeping you guessing to the very end. I enjoyed reading this story, and the rapport between Cross and Ottey is first-rate; at times, their back-and-forth views can be quite amusing. Hope to see these two working together soon.