The Politician by Tim Sullivan

 

First Lines: A cup or mug for drinking tea wasn't even a question for DS George Cross. A cup. Obviously. Bone china, preferably.

When an investigation begins into the death of former mayor Peggy Frampton, Detective Sergeant George Cross can see that she was murdered. It is definitely not a case of a burglary gone wrong. 

After her career in politics, Frampton became a controversial blogger whose opinions attracted plenty of vitriol. But online trolls aren't the only suspects in this case. There are former political opponents... and that family of hers. 

The sheer number of suspects is really putting Cross's skills to the test.

~

My love affair with Tim Sullivan's Detective Sergeant George Cross series deepens with each book that I read. I could wax poetic for pages about this latest release, The Politician, but instead, I'll try to limit myself.

Each book in this series has a strong mystery for George (and readers) to solve, and The Politician is no exception. Wading through motivations and suspects alone is daunting, and it's always a pleasure to watch George put all the pieces of the puzzle together. So... plot-driven readers should love this series.

However, as strong as the mysteries are, character-driven readers will be in heaven. The character studies are marvelous. Sullivan has created a fantastic cast, and readers are always learning something new about each person.

The sly humor in each book is usually based on people's reactions to George, and readers will find themselves chuckling or smiling as they read. In The Politician, George not only has a perplexing mystery to solve, but he's also learning more about his own family. While he's learning about his family, his partner is learning ways to force Cross into acceptable mainstream behavior, and that's something else to make readers smile. 

We're also introduced to a new character, forensic scientist Michael Swift, who's so tall that he's been dubbed "the Shard" (London skyscraper). Swift is also a self-professed Cross groupie, so it's good to see someone work with Cross because he's Cross instead of despite the fact that he's Cross. (If I haven't mentioned it before, Cross is on the spectrum, and the only reason why most people on the police force put up with him is because of his phenomenal success rate.)

Well, I tried to limit myself, but I didn't succeed. Those of you who have already read a book in this series are undoubtedly fans like me. If you haven't succumbed to temptation, I urge you to do so. Because of the marvelous characters, I would suggest you begin with the first book, The Dentist. You are in for a treat!

The Politician by Tim Sullivan

eISBN: 9780802167743

Atlantic Crime © 2026

Originally published 2022.

eBook, 382 pages

Police Procedural, #4 DS George Cross

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

The Dentist by Tim Sullivan

 

First Line: The young woman standing in front of him was smiling.

The most successful detective in Bristol's police force is Detective Sergeant George Cross. He's on the autism spectrum, and his single-minded persistence and attention to detail make him difficult to work with, but his 97% conviction rate speaks for itself.

A homeless man's death is dismissed as a random act of violence, but George insists on investigating it further. His determination pays off when he finds a connection to a fifteen-year-old cold case. Despite skepticism from his colleagues, George can be counted on to solve both cases and bring a murderer to justice.

~

Having read high praise of this series from trusted sources, I knew I had to give the first book in the DS George Cross series, The Dentist, a try. Those trusted sources did not steer me wrong. Although crime solvers on the autism spectrum seem to be the flavor of the month, so much so that I've not finished a few books featuring them, Tim Sullivan drew me right into his story.

Part of the reason why The Dentist works so well is that readers get to see George, not only from his own perspective, but also from other characters' viewpoints. His partner, DS Ottey, is both exasperated by and protective of him, and watching brand-new rookie Alice MacKenzie figuring out how to work with him is a treat. George's father, Raymond, is also on hand to provide a little backstory as well as some of the wit and humor that shines throughout this book.

I enjoyed how the mystery unfolded and was anxious to see how George would bring the guilty to justice. This Maigret-loving, church-organ-playing detective has become a character I definitely need to read more about. Bring on the next book!

The Dentist by Tim Sullivan

eISBN: 9780802167101

Atlantic Crime © 2025

eBook, 384 pages

Police Procedural, #1 DS George Cross

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

Different Wiring

While ambling through Facebook the other day I learned that April is Autism Awareness Month. For some reason it made me think of a comment made by author Susanna Kearsley when she appeared at The Poisoned Pen: "Autism-- particularly Asperger's-- seems to be flavor of the month at the moment." Nothing like a graphic and a comment to make my mind wander, and I thought I'd share some of the waypoints with you.

The first time I recall becoming aware of autism was when I watched one of my favorite films: 1988's Rain Man starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. I remember sitting in the theater and being completely absorbed in the story and with observing how Raymond Babbitt's mind worked. I did a little reading on the subject, but not that much. At least autism was on my radar, and it blipped again when I watched a 2010 TV biopic of autistic scientist Temple Grandin.

But Kearsley's comment really made me think about fiction, and since you know me pretty well by this point, you know my focus zeroed in on crime fiction. Some of autism's characteristics include a lack of social interests, remarkable concentration and eye for detail, and singlemindedness. How many fictional detectives with autism could I think of in the crime fiction I've read? Two sprang immediately to mind.

Christopher Boone is the main character of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. This young man knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He has no understanding of human emotion, and he can't stand to be touched. However, he does relate well to animals, and this is why he sets out to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog.

This book may not be your typical crime fiction investigation, but I loved it. It's a wondrous look into an incredible mind.

The second character to jump fully formed into my mind is Sherlock Holmes. For many years spent watching Jeremy Brett portraying the detective and reading Conan Doyle's books, I just thought that Sherlock was weird. Brilliant people are supposed to be a little weird, aren't they? It's only when my reading pursuits turned to a steady diet of crime fiction that I came across more than one article stating that the world's greatest detective was a high-functioning autistic. With the list of characteristics I've already given, I can certainly see that the diagnosis fits.

And it's with Sherlock Holmes that I think I begin to understand Kearsley's comment. Sherlock is very popular right now, and his mode of thinking ties in perfectly with our current passion for forensics, DNA testing, and CSI-type crime programs. Holmes' thinking is all about the facts, objects that can be seen, touched and tested. There's not even a whiff of intuition in the way he solves crimes. And that's just the way we like our crime solvers right now.

There are other detectives, other characters in crime fiction, who have some form of autism, but it's not my intention to name them all. What I'd like to do now is tell you about two new characters with Asperger's in books that I want to read very soon. That's me-- talk a bit about what's already happened and then look forward to the future.

Jeff Cohen, the father of a son with Asperger's has written several books that I've enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to reading his The Question of the Missing Head. 

The main character, Samuel Hoenig, answers questions for a living. As a man with Asperger’s Syndrome, his unique personality helps him ferret out almost any answer there is. But his latest question is a rather odd one—who stole a preserved head from the Garden State Cryonics Institute? 

I have a feeling that Cohen's personal experience will really make Samuel an interesting character, don't you? When I met him at The Poisoned Pen last year and heard him talk about this book, I could tell that Cohen's perspective was going to put a whole different spin on the story.

The other book that I'm really looking forward to reading is Susanna Kearsley's own A Desperate Fortune. In it, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas has Asperger's, and her attempt at cracking a 300-year-old code in a diary is going to take her completely out of her comfort zone. 

Kearsley, too, has personal experience. Several people very close to her are "Aspys," so her characterization of Sara Thomas should also be very interesting.

I did a bit more reading about the subject before I began writing this post, and one of the things that struck me was that authors of the articles I read were very quick to say that many terms used to describe people with autism can be seen as pejorative-- and it's a sly sort of negativity, a kind that I particularly loathe.

I've always thought of people with autism as having their brains wired differently. Nothing more and nothing less. I've also never thought being different was a bad thing, only something that could cause pain for the person who's been labeled as such. We all have something to learn from each other. Wouldn't it be lovely if we had the patience and the understanding to do so?

You've had to know it was coming. I only mentioned two books I'd read that featured characters with some form of autism. Didn't you feel as though I might be setting you up? Well... I was!

One thing that I am puzzling over is this. Have any of you read Carol O'Connell's Kathleen Mallory mysteries? If so, would you consider Mallory to be autistic?

Have you read books that have characters with autism? They don't have to be crime fiction. Please share some titles with us. Pretty please? You know all of us bookaholics are always on the lookout for recommendations! 



 

The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan

First Line: "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Lenard."

Dr. Genevieve Lenard, an insurance investigator and world-renowned expert in nonverbal communication, is about to be taken light years away from her comfort zone. Despite her high-functioning Autism, she leads a successful, independent life mainly due to the rigid routines she has set for herself. When one of her boss's friends needs help with the investigation into the murder of a young artist, Lenard very reluctantly agrees to work on the case. As a result, she's thrown out of her safe world of limited social interaction and into daily contact with a charming thief, a hulk of a bodyguard, and that gruff, insensitive friend of her boss as she searches ever deeper into the murky world of art fraud.

Anyone who has watched episodes of television series like Bones or Monk, or who has seen the movie Temple Grandin is going to have a bit of insight into the fascinating character of Dr. Genevieve Lenard. Lenard may have a very high IQ, and she may be extremely successful at what she does, but it is due to her finding someone who is willing to deal with her on her own terms and special needs. Social interaction is not Lenard's thing; to do her best work, she needs to keep herself at a distance, and distance is certainly not what she's allowed in The Gauguin Connection.

Author Estelle Ryan does an excellent job in portraying her quirky, prickly, and nervous main character, although in the first third of the book Ryan does become very repetitive in cataloging facial muscles and Lenard's habits. The first person narrative works well in getting the reader into the mind of this unusual woman.

The author also does a fine job in bringing the reader into the shadowy world of art forgery and art fraud-- from the scruffy apartments of the forgers to the glittering world of the wealthy whose preferred palette is that of theft and deception. Ryan also creates a real sense of fear and danger in a scene when Lenard is faced with three of the men she is trying to find.

The book is filled with unusual, interesting characters, and I learned much about how people with high-functioning Autism learn to cope and contribute. The shadowy side of the art world that we see was also informative and conveyed a true sense of danger; however, there were a couple of things that felt a bit uncoordinated. I've already mentioned the repetitive elements as Ryan set up her main character, and the other awkwardness I felt has much to do with the setting.

This book supposedly takes place in Strasbourg, France, but-- other than a rare mention of a medieval street or tower-- The Gauguin Connection feels as though it could be set just about anywhere in the world. In addition, the characters all sound American, although they're not. I have to admit that my mind's eye and ear missed those bits of authenticity. Even though I felt the lack of these elements, what is there-- a fascinating main character and a whale of a good story-- has me wanting to read more about Dr. Genevieve Lenard.

The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan

ISBN: 9781480122987

CreateSpace © 2012

Paperback, 438 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #1 Genevieve Lenard mystery

Rating: B-

Source: Purchased as an eBook from Amazon. 

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Title: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
ISBN: 0469674328, Scholastic, 2004
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: A

First Line: Today I moved to a twelve-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd and surrounded by water.

It's 1935. Twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan has just moved to Alcatraz with his family, and he's not happy about it. Not one little bit:

The convicts we have are the kind other prisons don't want. I never knew prisons could be picky, but I guess they can. You get to Alcatraz by being the worst of the worst. Unless you're me. I came here because my mother said I had to.

Moose's sister is autistic, and his mother's life revolves around the girl. They've moved to Alcatraz because his father got a better-paying job there that would allow them to send Natalie to a special school-- if they can get her accepted there.

Moose is a typical boy. He doesn't care all that much for school, and he loves playing baseball. Once they've moved to Alcatraz, Moose finds that his father is so busy picking up extra hours (and extra money) that he's too exhausted to spend time with his son. His mother has to take the boat to San Francisco every day so she can earn money needed for Natalie's schooling. Just as Moose begins to fit in with the other children on the island, Mrs. Flanagan's work hours increase, and Moose has to make sacrifices in order to take care of Natalie.

As I read this book, my heart bled for Moose. Everything in the Flanagan household revolved around Natalie and her needs. Natalie, Natalie, Natalie. No one paid attention to Moose unless he questioned the grown-ups' protocol, and then he got the kind of attention no child wants.

Choldenko's book is well-written and flows smoothly. I felt as though I were on Alcatraz during the Depression. The kids living on the island were kids: the warden's daughter was an up-and-coming con artist with her schemes to bring in some money; Moose's baseball playing buddies didn't hit a false note as they got used to their new player; and a six-year-old's explanation as to why a pregnant woman on the island needed to stay off her feet had me spluttering and cleaning tea off my monitor.

The most gratifying part of reading Al Capone Does My Shirts is the way Moose interacted with everyone and the way he began to grow up and see things through other people's eyes. Living with an autistic child is dealt with honestly, in part due to the fact that the author's sister was diagnosed with autism.

This is a book that both children and adults can enjoy. The period detail hits all the right notes, the pacing is sure and never flags, and the story is involving from first page to last. Choldenko's skill brings all these characters to life-- you commiserate with them, laugh with them, cry with them, and even try to solve their problems with them. Moose, Natalie and everyone else are real, and that's one of the best compliments I can give any author.

I've just heard about Choldenko's Al Capone Shines My Shoes. Anyone want to bet on whether or not I'll read it?

[Source: Paperback Swap.]