Bristol detective DS George Cross investigates the suspicious suicide of a young woman in the third police procedural from veteran screenwriter Tim Sullivan.

'A perfect detective for our time' Stephen Fry No fingerprints. No weapon. No witnesses. Can DS Cross prove it was murder? THE DETECTIVE DS George Cross doesn't rely on guesswork and he has no time for false assumptions. He is a detective who goes off the evidence in front of him, not 'hunches' or 'gut feelings'. He does not know what these are. THE CLOSED CASE When a young woman is found dead, the Bristol Crime Unit is quick to rule it a suicide as the woman had a long history of drug abuse. But her mother is convinced it was murder, saying that her daughter had been clean for years and had been making strides in a new therapy programme. THE ANSWER As an outsider himself, DS Cross is drawn to cases involving the voiceless and dispossessed and, here, the evidence states that this woman was murdered – Cross just has to prove it. But under pressure from his boss to shut down the case, and with numerous potential suspects, time is rapidly running out to get the answers that this grieving family deserve. Perfect for fans of M.W. Craven, Peter James and Joy Ellis, The Patient is part of the DS George Cross thriller series, which can be read in any order. ALSO IN THE DS CROSS THRILLER SERIES #1 THE DENTIST #2 THE CYCLIST #3 THE PATIENT #4 THE POLITICIAN #5 THE MONK #6 THE TEACHER #7 THE BOOKSELLER CROSS CHRONICLE SHORT STORIES THE LOST BOYS THE EX-WIFE 'In DS George Cross, Tim Sullivan has created a character who is as endearing as any I’ve ever come across in this genre. His quirks are his gift, and with Sullivan’s tremendous plotting and superb writing, this series is a gift to readers.' Liz Nugent Why readers love George Cross . . . 'A clever mystery full of tension but also humour and compassion. George Cross is becoming one of my favourite detectives.’ Elly Griffiths 'A British detective for the 21st century who will be hard to forget' Daily Mail 'A compelling, suspenseful police procedural with an intimate, positive insight into living on the autistic spectrum' Woman 'Truly wonderful . . . well-developed characters and an absolute star in George Cross!' Reader Review 'An entirely different type of detective in DS Cross' Reader Review

"Sullivan has given us a British detective for the 21st century who will be hard to forget" - Daily Mail

"In DS George Cross, Tim Sullivan has created a character who is as endearing as any I’ve ever come across in this genre. His quirks are his gift, and with Sullivan’s tremendous plotting and superb writing, this series is a gift to readers." - Liz Nugent

"Superb, clever and taut" - Belfast Telegraph

"The fact that Cross has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder makes him just as intriguing as the murder mystery" - The Times

"Fantastic police procedurals and attention to detail" - Bishop's Stortford Independent

"An absolute cracker" - The Bookbag

"A good police procedural made doubly interesting by the development of the characters" - Choice

"A compelling, suspenseful police procedural with an intimate, positive insight into living on the autistic spectrum" - Woman