Dal Pages

Detective Sergeant George Cross is relatable, if not a bit predictable. In a world saturated with Sherlock Holmes remakes and crime procedurals, Tim Sullivan invites the reader into another exciting crime series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, with their own confounding case that requires the Somerset Major Crime Unit’s best detective. Set in a close-knit small down, The Teacher sees Cross exploring the intricacies of community gossip, a crotchety old man’s personal life, and the social complications of working within a team. This clever mystery flies by, with characters who are easy to connect to and pages that seem to turn ever faster as the story unravels.

A mystery novel that does not fall into some of the classic traps of a whodunit is a rare find. Although naturally there are some similarities in pace across various murder mysteries, a unique storyline will still captivate a reader and cause a quick inhale when the curtain falls to reveal the killer. An adeptly woven mysterious story takes the reader on a journey that twists and winds into the unexpected corners that ultimately reveal what each character is capable of. Promoting an adrenaline book like a murder mystery can sometimes be accomplished by relating it to something popular in a different form of media. For example, the main character in The Teacher bears some similarities to the protagonist of the Bones books and TV series. By using a phrase like “If you like Bones, you might like Tim Sullivan’s DS Cross mysteries”, one could capture the attention of not only someone who likes similar books, but also someone who engages with procedural TV shows and may be interested in exploring novels.