The Basket Case

The DS Cross Mysteries #7.5

by Tim Sullivan, Finlay Robertson (Narrator)

Bloomsbury presents The Basket Case by Tim Sullivan, read by Finlay Robertson.

The brand new DS George Cross short story.

'One of the most iconic British fictional detectives of the 21st century.' DAILY MAIL

Three go up. Two come down...

Detective George Cross receives a very bizarre call from a distressed family after their picnic was horribly interrupted. Just as they were about to tuck into their sandwiches, a human arm landed unceremoniously next to them. Soon, another limb followed.

As they looked up, they were horrified to see a decaying, disarticulating body perched at the top of a very tall tree.

DS George Cross is an exceptional detective but it doesn't take a genius to work out what needs answering

How on earth did it get up there?

Discover why everyone loves George Cross in this puzzling short story that can be enjoyed as a standalone mystery within the bestselling series.

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

Genres: Crime, Mystery

Audible Audio

Published December 4, 2025

About the author

Tim Sullivan is an acclaimed screenwriter. He originally read English and Law at university - the latter forced on him by his Dad - but instead he wriggled free of those parental ambitions and pursued his own, to make films. His writing credits include A HANDFUL OF DUST, starring Kristen Scott Thomas, WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD, starring Helen Mirren and Helena Bonham Carter, JACK AND SARAH (which he also directed) starring Richard E Grant, Judi Dench and Ian McKellen and LETTERS TO JULIET, with Amanda Seyfried. He is also a Television director whose credits include SHERLOCK HOLMES and COLD FEET and CORONATIONS STREET. He has written extensively in Hollywood in both live action and animation, working with Ron Howard, Scott Rudin and with Jeffrey Katzenberg on the fourth SHREK movie.

He has now embarked on a series of crime novels featuring the eccentric and socially-awkward, but brilliantly persistent DS George Cross.

He self-published the first two books and once they'd achieved over 200,000 downloads he came to the attention of Head of Zeus publishers. So thanks to all his readers for this success and their shared love of George.

The novels are set in Bristol in the south west of England, Cross’ methods often infuriate his colleagues and superiors “not so much a thorn in my side as a pain in my arse,” according to his boss DCI Carson. But his conviction rate, thanks to his dogged persistence and attention to detail, is the best in the force. Tim has now written the first four in the series with The Patient being published on March 3rd 2022.

Tim feels confident in his claim that he is the only crime writer around who has also co-produced and written a My Little Pony movie for Hasbro. MY LITTLE PONY - A NEW GENERATION is now available on Netflix.

Tim lives in North London with his wife Rachel, the Emmy award-winning producer of THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA and PIONEER WOMAN. Their daughters live near by.

For more stuff about Tim visit his website www.timsullivan.co.uk

Reviews

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a family sits down for a picnic in the park, a severed arm falls out of a nearby tree. Cross and Ottey are called to the scene, and Cross deduces that the victim was pushed from a hot air balloon. The victim was in finance and his risky investments harmed many people, so there is no shortage of suspects in this entertaining short story.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Kim Grattage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent short story featuring Detective Sgt George Cross. A perplexing case comes into George's department in the CID, The body of man is found high up in a tree wearing an harness used in skydiving, one thing that should be attached to it is missing, a parachute, where is it and how did the victim get stuck so far up there, not only is the parachute missing something else is too. It's up to DI Josie Ottey, George and the team to find out what occured. Everything is'nt always ad is first appears. I won't ruin the story with spoilers its up to you to crab a copy, snuggle down with a warm blanket, a hot chocolate drink and join George as he dives into this mysterious event. Anyone new to George will find him as perplexing as the many crimes he helps to solve, being autistic can be challenging as his ways can often annoy those not in his team as he is a stickler for dotting the i's and crossing the t's, he will leave no stone unturned to get the right result and those responsible for the victim's demise locked up in jail. Happy reading fellow bookworms.

[Robyn Balmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read all the Detective Sergeant George Cross series books, and they are wonderful to read. The short story, The Basket Case, was an excellent addition to the series, but it doesn’t explain how Cross usually works in his cases. You must start from the beginning of the series to appreciate George, who has Asperger's Syndrome. When you start reading from the first book in the series, you get to love him and his collaboration with his partner, DI Josie Ottey.
In The Basket Case, the story starts with a picnic, and a human arm falls out of a tree. The scene did not produce a parachute to explain the dead body in the tree, so George Cross and DI Ottey must deduce how it got there.
There were a lot of suspects, but George and Josie managed to solve the case promptly. I would recommend that one should purchase this entertaining short story only after reading the rest of this series.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective George Cross receives a very bizarre call from a distressed family after their picnic was horribly interrupted. Just as they were about to tuck into their sandwiches, a human arm landed unceremoniously next to them followed moments later by another limb. As they looked up, they were horrified to see a decaying, disarticulating body perched at the top of a very tall tree.

DS George Cross is an exceptional detective but it doesn't take a genius to work out what needs answering first: How on earth did it get up there?

Enjoyable, but it doesn't really give you a chance to get to know George - read the full novels for that experience (and it's worth it).

[Claudete Takahashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not possible not to enjoy Ds Cross' stories. In The Basket Case he has to understand how the man was killed, whilst others keep on trying place him in an airplane or other flying vehicles, George is pretty sure the man fell from a balloon, and bearing this is mind, all he has to do is find the facts that will support his theory. Easy to read, this short story is truly entertaining!
I thank the author for this ARC.

[Jacqui Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Cross is a breath of fresh air

All the George Cross stories are a treat to read but the short stories are over too quickly. It is hard to wait patiently for the next book. George is a brilliant character and a good example of neurodivergent, and I should know as I live with someone this.

[Malvina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella had a bit more meat in it than the previous one, no pun intended. The story of a man who they had to bring down from the tree tops, dead - but how did he get there? The cover on my Kindle copy gives the story away but doesn't detract from finding the culprit. A good addition to the DS George Cross mysteries.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and easy read and a nice interlude in the George Cross series.

the story starts with a grisly find at a reconciliation picnic. the puzzle ensues with the usual cast of characters and is neatly sewn up.

a nice short read and a concise murder mystery

[Emma-Louise Clements · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another quick and easy thriller before bed.
If I wasn’t already funny with heights and the idea of a hot air balloon I am now. Who would choose to try and bungee jump from a hot air balloon? Clearly a basket case!

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely short story featuring DS Cross. A body found when the decomposing limbs fell out of a tree onto the picnic blanket of an unsuspecting family, naturally DS Cross and his colleagues solve the case.

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author was recommended to me and I found The Basket Case in BorrowBox, and read it as a taster. Not funny, not Clever, not engaging. I found it difficult to distinguish between characters. Not encouraged to read other titles.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love a Cross story, even if this one was too short!

[Phil Begley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

Nice short story with George on his usual form with DI Ottey playing along. Looking forward to more adventures of DS George Cross.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

always a great read when Tim Sullivan is involved. great short story.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as usual, maybe because it was so short and not enough time to get to know the characters and to enjoy George Cross. Still definitely worth a read.

[Lisa Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great George Cross read.. looking forward to the next one - can’t come soon enough!

[Mike Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average, uncomplicated whodunnit short story.

[Tracey Pearce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book on my library's online section. it is a short story from the George Cross series - again a series i have not read even though i have the first book on my kobo. A family on a picnic are really thrilled when bits of a human body fall from a tree onto their picnic and its up to George to find out exactly what happened. It sounds a bit far fetched but it could actually happen in real life. I look forward to starting the series hopefully sometime this year.

[PIETER · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book is based on something so bizarre that it deserves four stars. A brief pleasure.

[Carol Lindley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure what it was with this DI George Cross short but it didn't hit me in the feels like his other books did.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great listen by Tim Sullivan, this time George Cross is facing a perplexing conundrum, just what he enjoys.

I enjoyed this short story, listening to George and the team thinking their way through this investigation. I particularly enjoyed the little offshoot stories, like about the family who were having a picnic - little interesting facts dropped nonchalantly into the conclusion.

A quick bonus story featuring one of my favourite detectives.

[Douglas Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great short George Cross story.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great George Cross read

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this short story about DS George Cross. A family are having a picnic when severed limbs fall from the tree above them. George is at his best in investigating this along with Ottey. Quite a bizarre carrying out of a crime.

[Martin Vallance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent