SOMEONE'S ABOUT TO TURN THEIR LAST PAGE...

'One of the most iconic British fictional detectives of the 21st century.' DAILY MAIL
'These are must-read detective novels.' MARK BILLINGHAM
'One of my favourite detectives.' ELLY GRIFFITHS

Beware a well-read murderer...

A bookseller is found dead in his shop on a quiet square in Bristol, surrounded by rare books, first editions and a shocking amount of blood.

DS George Cross, usually the first to spot holes in a suspect's story, is distracted. His father's recent diagnosis has left him unsettled, relying on others in a way he is not comfortable with. It's impacting the case – and himself – more than he'd like to admit.

The truth only gets murkier as George uncovers tales of lost manuscripts and rival dealers, revealing how dangerous the rarefied world of bookselling can be – especially when the suspects are so familiar with crime novels.

They know exactly how to get away with murder.

Perfect for fans of MW Craven, Ann Cleeves and Joy Ellis, this is the seventh book in the bestselling George Cross Mystery series, which can be read in any order, by the 2025 Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library Award longlistee.

ALSO IN THE GEORGE CROSS MYSTERY SERIES
#1 THE DENTIST
#2 THE CYCLIST
#3 THE PATIENT
#4 THE POLITICIAN
#5 THE MONK
#6 THE TEACHER
#7 THE BOOKSELLER
#8 THE TAILOR (COMING 2026)

CROSS CHRONICLE SHORT STORIES
THE LOST BOYS
THE EX-WIFE
THE HUNTER
THE BASKET CASE (COMING DECEMBER 2025)

Readers love George Cross . . .
'One of the best series to emerge in recent years.' SOPHIE HANNAH
'George Cross is an absolute one-off... the detective's detective.' JEREMY VINE
'Every generation has its iconic detective - Holmes, Poirot and Morse - but Cross is emerging as the one for now. Treasure him.' DAILY MAIL
'DS George Cross shot to the top of my favourites when I first encountered him.' MARI HANNAH
'A must-read series.' THE TIMES
'George Cross is in a class of his own.' SIMON TOYNE
'I am insanely in love with George Cross.' STEPHEN FRY
'George Cross is a superb creation.' DOM NOLAN
'A compelling, suspenseful police procedural with an intimate, positive insight into living on the autistic spectrum' WOMAN
'George Cross is a highly readable creation whose adherence to the rules throws a bright light on the often murky world of policing.' SARAH HILARY
'I love George Cross a little more with every case. Deftly plotted, with characters that leap off the page.' RACHEL WOLF