4 Stars from me
The mother of an apparent suicide victim relentlessly pursues the police with her insistence that her daughter would not have killed herself. Her pleas fall on deaf ears until she speaks to DS Cross who listens and agrees. But can he prove it?
Cross has an interesting style and it is heavily noted throughout that he is autistic/has Aspergers. I say ‘heavily’ as it is mentioned constantly, which I seem to remember also being the case in The Dentist.
Having said that, I liked Cross as a character and I also liked his direct team. Highlighting the success of a neuro diverse person within such a high profile and professional role – especially with senior colleagues stating that his ways were far better than some others – feels like a great step forward in terms of positive role modelling.
His relationship with his father is great too and the whole subthread of his dad’s flat is fabulous.
There was a dogged, determined vibe to solving this crime and I found all of the steps followed to be quite satisfying. What started out as an impossible to prove crime, soon begin one with a variety of potential solutions. There were a nice mix of red herrings and the social awareness aspect of the book was good too.
Overall, this is the second DS Cross book that I have read and I will be keeping an eye out for the others.
Blurb: No fingerprints. No weapon. No witnesses. Can DS Cross prove it was murder?
DS George Cross can be rude, difficult, and awkward with people. But his unfailing logic and dogged pursuit of the truth means his conviction rate is the best on the force. Now, this unusual detective is met with an even more unusual case.
When a young woman is found dead, the Bristol Crime Unit is quick to rule it a suicide: the woman had a long history of drug abuse. But her mother is convinced it was murder: her daughter had been clean for years and making strides in a new therapy programme.
As an outsider himself, DS Cross is drawn to cases involving the voiceless and the dispossessed. He is determined to defy his bosses and re-open the investigation, even if it costs him his career. Soon he is mired in a labyrinth of potential suspects, but can he solve the case before his superiors shut it down for good?
The Patient is a part of the DS George Cross thriller series, which can be read in any order.
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