THE DENTIST

Shocking secrets and past crimes surround the murder of a homeless man.

Called to investigate the murder of a homeless man in a park in Somerset, England, DS George Cross and DS Josie Ottey verbally spar as they examine the crime scene. The meticulous Cross—who’s on the autism spectrum—has a very high success rate but difficulty partnering with other detectives, and his pairing with Ottey is no different. For her part, Ottey, a Black single mother, feels more like the white Cross’ apologist and intermediary than his partner. Sullivan’s series kickoff is deeply character-driven and moves both deliberately and briskly through the steps of the case. The victim is identified as Lenny, and his homeless pal Badger emerges for a time as the prime suspect. The probe gains traction when Lenny’s full identity and family are located. Before the murder of his wife, Hilary, sent him into a downward spiral, he was Leonard Carpenter, the dentist of the title. Valuable information from Leonard’s daughter, Jessica, and DCI Stuart MacDonald, the incompetent detective assigned to Hilary Carpenter’s case—who had been Cross’ boss as a rookie officer—helps move Cross and Ottey along the long road to the killer. The first of Sullivan’s eight DS Cross novels to be published in the U.S. invites readers into a fully realized world of investigation and resolution. This includes both Ottey’s perspective on the exacting Cross and Cross’ complex relationship with his father, Raymond.

A multifaceted murder puzzle anchored by a compelling pair of sleuths.