Cross picks up after the end of Priest, Bruen's Edgar nominated previous novel.

In Priest, we were introduced to Cody, Jack Taylor's enthusiastic new assistant. Jack was beginning to think of him as a son. We last saw Cody gunned down in an open square, from a distance. As Cross opens, Cody is in a coma and Jack is visiting him in hospital every day. Jack has two cases in Cross. First, he is asked to find out why dogs are disappearing in Newcastle. It is a paying job and Jack takes it. The second comes by way of his friend Ridge, a female member of the Guards. A young man is found dead, crucified. The Guards have reached a dead end. Ridge appeals to Jack. Making the case could help her advance her career which also looks to be at a dead end. Jack agrees to take a look. Jack is approached by someone wanting to become a finder like Jack. Eoin Heaton is an alcoholic former guard like Jack. Jack gives him the dog case as a test.

Reading this latest Jack Taylor story, you have to ask yourself, what does Bruen have against his character. Bruen is to Taylor as God is to Job is the closest analogy I can come up with. Taylor certainly has his crosses to bear - the ever present temptation to drink, the death of the daughter of former friends, the shooting of Cody to mention but three. His only friend is Ridge, a lesbian police officer and anyone observing them together would assume she is his mortal enemy. Yet they depend on each other. Cody was likely shot one of two women whose lives Jack ruined in previous stories. The knocks Jack receives are unrelenting, appearing anytime, but especially when there is the least likelihood that Jack might find a moment of peace. The rain seems to be a metaphor for Jack's life. Like the rain, misfortune pours onto Jack's life.

The writing in Cross is lean and finely honed. His observations on the Irish and the Church are trenchant and often wryly amusing as always.

I recommend everything Ken Bruen writes. However, I have to caution you, if you like crimes solved neatly and happy endings, the Jack Taylor stories might not be for you. If you do have a tolerance for despair and seeing a man about a step away from the abyss and like a finely crafted story then you can't get better than these.