The Dentist

DEBUT Screenwriter Sullivan scores with this upstart mystery. Bristol Detective Sergeant George Cross, who is on the autism spectrum, has been alerted to a dead body in a local park. The male victim appears to be homeless. Cross considers himself the final voice for the deceased, and his investigatory skills are unparalleled. He is brilliant but possesses characteristics that put others on edge. His partner, DS Ottey, serves as a buffer between Cross and his colleagues. The death of the homeless man, Leonard Carpenter, is not as cut-and-dried as initially thought. Sullivan pulls readers in with the opening scene where the body has fallen and Cross’s initial idiosyncrasies are revealed. His investigation is focused on the victims and their surroundings—no detail is too insignificant. Ottey makes for a worthy partner who complements Cross’s style.