Kittling: Books

The Monk by Tim Sullivan

2026-04-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

First Line: George Cross was rarely shocked by anything he came across during his work as a detective sergeant in the Avon and Somerset police.

Detective George Cross likes his life to be ordered and predictable, but with the reappearance of his mother, he's left feeling confused and uncomfortable. That's undoubtedly why, when the savagely beaten body of a monk is found in a woodland outside Bristol, he throws himself into the investigation.

It's a case tailor-made for him. There are no leads whatsoever. No one knows anything about Brother Dominic's past, and everyone seemed to have loved him. But when Cross learns that Brother Dominic was a wealthy man, he may have found the true motive: greed.

I normally prefer spacing series books several months apart, but Tim Sullivan's Detective Sergeant George Cross mysteries have proven to be an exception. Each book, like this latest, The Monk, has a strong mystery and a developing cast of characters that can really get its hooks into a reader.

The dead man, Brother Dominic, is a bit of a mystery. Seemingly beloved by everyone who knew him, nothing is known of his past, and it's not until Cross begins digging into that past that the investigation gains momentum. Watching this man's diligent, unstoppable search for the truth is a true joy.

Readers learn more about Cross from his reaction to monastic life on repeated visits to St. Eustace's, and we also learn more about the others. Detective Sergeant Josie Ottey has a growing fondness for Cross. She realizes that part of her job is paving the way for this oftentimes difficult man so he can "do his thing." Is she becoming Watson to his Holmes?

We also see how each of the major characters spends a weekend away from work. Character-driven readers should sink into the books in this series with a deep sigh of pleasure.

I love this series. Can you read them out of order? Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. As strong as the mysteries are, watching the characters grow is the best part. Now that I've read The Monk, I'm looking forward to meeting with Cross and the others again soon.

The Monk by Tim Sullivan

eISBN: 9780802167729

eBook, 408 pages

Police Procedural, #5 DS George Cross

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

Surprise, Surprise!

2026-03-24T13:11:00.001-07:00

Suzanne and Daisy will be here in a few hours, and I'm just about to settle down with a book and relax, but since I don't know when I'll be posting next, I had to share something with you.

I was looking out the dining room window yesterday morning while waiting for the cleaning lady when I noticed a hummingbird that kept coming back to one of the wind spinners hanging from the eaves at the front of the house. (Denis put the wind spinners up to deter the Gila woodpeckers from drilling holes in the house. It worked.)

When I took a closer look, I realized that she had a good reason to hang around that wind spinner.

Notice how she chose the hummingbird-themed one. I hope a strong wind doesn't come up!

The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris by Mark Pryor

2026-03-22T13:18:41.819-07:00

First Line: The darkness was complete and, for someone who'd never received so much as a parking ticket, the starless night sky and black leafless trees were a protection greatly valued as The Shadow slipped a key into the front door.

Former head of security at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, Hugo Marston, has retired. It's time to make his lifelong dream of owning a mystery and antiquarian bookshop come true. Then comes the call from J. Bradford Taylor, the U.S. Ambassador. A chocolatier has been targeted for blackmail, and the ambassador calls in Marston to investigate. Hugo must find a way to make the ambassador happy and get his bookshop ready for its grand opening at the same time.

A few years ago, I read the first of Mark Pryor's Hugo Marston mysteries, The Bookseller, and although I did like the book's window into Parisian life and its strong mystery, the characters failed to "click" with me. I decided to give Hugo another chance in Pryor's The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris, the first in his new Paris Bookshop series.

Once again, I was transported to Paris. I enjoyed watching Hugo and his assistant, Blake Holmes, talk mysteries while getting the shop ready for business. I learned a great deal about the chocolate business, and the 18th-century chateau and former convent was the perfect location for Eclat de Chocolat. I even learned about what is entailed in being given a Royal Warrant.

The mystery is strong and kept me guessing, but-- once again-- the cast just didn't click with this character-driven reader. Why? It's a mystery to me because I do like Hugo Marston and his friends. It's like real life, I suppose. I've met many people that I've liked, yet had no desire to further an acquaintance with them.

However, don't let my lukewarm reaction keep you from giving this book a try. There's a lot to like about it, and it may just be your perfect cup of tea.

The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris by Mark Pryor

eISBN: 9781496756404

eBook, 272 pages

Thriller/Suspense, #1 Paris Bookshop

Rating: C+

Source: Net Galley