THE PATIENT

Against all odds, a nonconformist detective reopens and solves a sordid murder case.

Distraught mother Sandra Wilson accosts DS George Cross outside the Major Crime Unit in Bristol with a compelling sob story. Sandra alone believes that the death of her daughter, Felicity, was murder rather than the result of the accidental drug overdose that police said justified closing the case. Cross, who’s on the autism spectrum, displays no emotion but listens attentively and questions police staffer Alice Mackenzie and pathologist Clare Hawkins before deciding to pursue the matter and enlisting the help of his partner, DS Josie Ottey. His officious boss, DCI Ben Carson, is unsupportive, to say the least: “It is not our job to uncover crime…where there is none.” The prime suspects in Flick Wilson’s death include her troublesome ex-boyfriend, Simon Aston, and Danny Stokes, her sleazy ex-boss at the dry cleaner’s where she worked until she was fired. In Sullivan’s third crisp DS Cross mystery, the murder investigation is shrewdly counterpointed by Cross’ strenuous efforts to find suitable housing for his obstreperous father, Raymond, who’s about to be released from the hospital after having suffered a fractured hip. Raymond, who’s a hoarder, vociferously objects to moving in with his son, and Ottey more gently agrees with his opinion. On this issue, Cross displays surprising emotion, a compelling contrast to his impassive manner on the job. Though Sullivan’s series is rooted in its precise unravelling of crime puzzles, the added dimension of the personal stories of the incomparable Cross and his colleagues makes it something special.

A Holmesian sleuth reveals surprising heart while solving a baffling crime.