I am enjoying catching up with the Roy Grace series. Somewhat shamefully I came seriously late to the series which means I have a lot of catching up to do. Yes - I have been watching the TV series which has filled in a few gaps, but no - that won't stop me from reading all the other books, including those already produced for TV, as well. My latest catch up read is Dead If You Don't, the 14th book in the series, and a case that will really test Roy and the team.

The book is about a kidnapping for ransom, where the consequences for getting this wrong will be dire. Admittedly, Roy's investigation is not made any easier by the fact that he is also facing a potential terrorist attack at the Brighton & Hove football ground, and that some of the people embroiled in the wider cases are of, what could be called politely called, a less than wholesome reputation. As readers we are privy to more information than Roy and co about what is going on, and it makes for a very high stakes, tension fuelled read. I loved it.

What really works well in these books is the fact that Peter James has created some truly lovable characters. From the irascible Norman Potting, the loathsome ACC Cassian Pewe, Roy's second in command, Glenn Branson, or even the man himself, Roy Grace, they all add something to the series that makes me want to read about them. Makes me invested in their fates - even if, in the case of Pewe, the hope that he will have his comeuppance ... Add into the world some authentic, fully fleshed out secondary characters who add menace and emotion in equal measure, and the scene is set for another brilliant thriller of a story.

The pacing and tension in Dead If You Don't are spot on as always. You can really sense the jeopardy building towards the end, when the plight of the young kidnaping victim seems doomed to tragedy, and the pacing picks up at this time too. There are some real hold you breath moments, literally in Roy's case, where you think something might happen to change the course of the case, but always a case of near but yet so far. Peter James leads us to the precipice, doesn't let us fall over the edge - yet - but doesn't lead us entirely to safety either. It's this knife edge sense of danger that has me powering through the pages every single time, especially so in this case. My reading pace felt as frantic as Roy's race to save the victim. This is a humdinger of a ticking clock mystery, where every minute really does count. Way beyond your usual money with menaces story, this is truly a case of be careful what you wish for, and may make you think twice about wanting more that you've already got.

I do love a Police thriller, love a series that I can really become invested in, and Peter James' commitment to research, and clear respect and love of the Brighton force shines through in these books, adding an air of authenticity to the books, even if the rest of the book comes direct from his vivid and surprisingly deadly imagination. His love of storytelling is clear and he knows just how to keep his audiences rapt, catching me hook, line and sinker from the very start of this book. I'm really looking forward to reading more of the series - who know where Roy and co will lead me next.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Another series I’m playing catch up on. This is book 14. I felt somethings had happened that I didn’t recall and when checking I’ve not read books 11,12,13. So after finishing this I went and bought them to make sure I know what’s been going on.
Without all that, this book was another stinker of a read, another gritty page turner.
I love everything about this series, the style of writing and fresh storylines never disappoints.
Roy Grace is facing another gruelling case and as always throws everything he has at it, including himself.
First class read.

I read this some time ago now, but like most Peter James books I haven't forgotten. I couldn't put this down.

Kipp Brown and his teenage son, Mungo, arrive at the Amex Stadium for a big football game. Before the game Mungo disappears. Kipp receives a random demand, with the usual warning of not going to the police. Unfortunately for the bad guys, my favorite detective is also at the stadium with his son. He is uneasy about a fan watching the game, and soon his spidey senses pay off. This was another brilliant Peter James offering, and I can't wait to lay my hands on the next one!

This is book fourteen in the DSI Roy Grace series.

I thought James brought this book back to the roots of Grace a wee bit. It was certainly a fast-paced read from beginning to end, but I am referring to a sense of nostalgia it awakens in relation to the earlier books in the series.

There was less focus on Grace, his family and his personal life, aside from the whole bomb fiasco. Instead the majority of the read is focused on the dirty criminal underworld Grace finds himself pulled into.

The story begins with a horrific scenario when Grace and his son find themselves in a stadium at the same time as the many lives in said stadium are under threat. Somewhere in there is a bomb, which is about to go off at any minute and there is no time to get out before it does. Thus Grace is thrust, head-first into this action packed thriller.

Whilst every ear and eye is on a possible detonation a young boy goes missing. The son of a successful businessman, who also has a nasty gambling habit. The kind of habit that ends up with him being the perfect target for a group of ruthless criminals. The type that doesn’t mind if they kill a kid.

It had the feel of a television show, a weekly series featuring a popular police detective. It’s a sound crime thriller with a decent pace. James tends to deliver a good read though. This is no exception.

It’s very much urban crime meets modern mafia, which is tackled by good ol’ Brit policing.

Dead If You Don't by Peter James

Brighton and Hove Albion is about to play one of the biggest football games in its history – the team is to play its first Premier League match and it’ll take place in Albion’s magnificent new home, Amex Stadium. Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is there with his son Bruno and so too is local businessman Kipp Brown. Kipp Brown lives in a world of stress and it’s all because of his gambling habit. He’s lost almost everything – it’s just that the world doesn’t know it yet. An afternoon at the football with his son Mungo will provide relief, if only for a few hours, but, in the time it takes for Kipp to greet a client, Mungo disappears. A message follows that the teenage boy has been kidnapped. Kipp must pay or Mungo will be killed. Elsewhere in the stadium, just a few rows in front of Roy Grace, a man acts suspiciously and walks out leaving his expensive camera unattended. Security detects an explosive device. The countdown has begun.

Roy Grace has no choice but to think that these two unusual crimes must be related, although it’s impossible to see how. As he oversees the investigations – and more are added as Brighton endures an unparalleled run of serious crimes – Grace finds himself caught up in Brighton’s underworld of crime, torture, murder and revenge. Grace might be the boss but he’s always hands on. Lives depend on it.

Dead If You Don’t is the fourteenth novel in Peter James’s long-running and ever popular series featuring Brighton Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. This is the sixth I’ve read and, while I have found a couple of them more miss than hit (including the last one Need You Dead), I’m delighted to say that Dead If You Don’t is excellent and most certainly the best of those that I’ve read, giving the series some of the oomph that it needed. This might be partly because the series – and Roy – has now moved on from Sandy, a figure from Roy’s past who has overshadowed the novels for such a long time. I’m so glad to see her gone! There are hints that there may be issues to come with Roy’s son Bruno but, for the time being, these are left to simmer in the background. For now we can focus on the crimes at hand and they are corking!

Dead If You Don’t has a fantastic plot. Brighton (such a good setting for the series) is facing multiple crimes and they weave in and out through the novel. The narrative moves along with them. It can be a little difficult in the early chapters to keep track of the individuals we meet but it’s well worth paying attention because this story soon takes off. The danger is both targeted and general. The opening chapters in the Amex Stadium are so gripping. I read it compulsively, reminding me of the lesson of not to start thrillers late at night. Fast, short chapters hurl us along. Roy Grace frantically tries to retain control. He’s as breathless as we are.

Dead If You Don’t doesn’t have the sentimental streak of some of the other novels. The focus is very much away from Grace’s family, on crime, and the focus is welcome and very effective. Peter James writes thrillers very well indeed, as can be seen by the recent and brilliant Absolute Proof, a thriller I enjoyed very much indeed in 2018. Those skills are used well in Dead If You Don’t. The baddies are horrible – as they should be – and there are scenarios here that… well, just the thought of them, makes me go pale. They certainly shocked me.

Now that Grace has moved on from the past, my love of this series has been reborn. Packed with suspense, action and intrigue, with so much going on, Dead If You Don’t promises much for the future of Roy Grace and this popular series.

Other reviews
You Are Dead (Roy Grace 11)
Love You Dead (Roy Grace 12)
The House on Cold Hill
Absolute Proof

I have read all of the Roy Grace series and enjoy them all. I have to say though they are nowhere near as good as the first 5. Those were thrilling edge of your seat stuff. Will still read more in the series

I absolutely love Peter James' writing style and was a massive fan of his book series. This standalone novel was no different. If you enjoy thrillers that are suspenseful, and dramatic, full of character development and don't mind a detective perspective - I beg of you to give Peter James a try. Excellent as always and I can't wait for more!

I love the Roy Grace series and have read every single previous book two or three times however I felt this one was a little lacking in the usual Roy Grace style tension and excitement. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it and as ever I look forward to book number 15 (wow).

Thanks to Pan Macmillan for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great storyline with good strong characters. Very well written. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Peter James has once again written an extremely good detective fiction novel with Roy Grace as the main character. This time he’s on the trail of the criminals who kidnapped a teenage boy. Initially I was able to guess who the kidnappers were but there was a twist in the story that I hadn’t expected and which left me guessing the outcome until the end. I found the book to be entertaining and grippy and not too gory (though perhaps if you wanted to let your imagination take over, in parts it could be). I like the way the reader sees the policeman side of Roy Grace and his family side and the interaction with his wife and family, particularly perhaps his son, Bruno. I thoroughly recommend this book.

The 14th in the Roy Grace series

Brighton & Hove Albion had made it from the Championship to the Premiership and were looking forward to their first match in the upper tier. The day before match-day, an anonymous phone call to the Head of Security at the Amex Stadium informs him that a bomb would be planted under a seat in the stadium unless a quarter of a million pounds in Bitcoins was paid.

The security team goes into action, along with the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team and the decision to go ahead with the match is considered and decided upon.

Security is at an all-time high on match-day. Coincidentally, DS Roy Grace is present at the game, along with his son, Bruno, and the reader just knows that Grace has an important part to play in this particular scenario.

At the same time, Kipp Brown, successful businessman and a compulsive gambler on a very poor roll, attends the match, along with his son, Mungo. With much on his mind, Kipp loses focus and finds that Mungo is missing, and hence, a possible hostage situation arises.

I must confess that having read all of the Roy Grace series, I did find my mind wandering as I read this latest book. Some of the scenarios seemed a little contrived and there was not enough of the personal stuff we have seen in previous novels concerning Cleo and Bruno.

However, overall this is another good Roy Grace book and I am sure readers will enjoy it.

Sméagol

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of this book to review

The Master Thriller Writer Pulls it Off Again:
Until I found the author Peter James, I believed Brighton a quiet and sleepy seaside resort. Nothing could be further from the truth. In both fiction and regrettably, reality. I have read most of the Roy Grace Books, all those I have read have been of an exceptional standard and Dead if You Don't is no different.
Brighton is always busy. Crime wise. But even for Brighton the intensity of criminal activity which takes place in the matter of a few days is exceptional: a bomb threat, a kidnapping, arson, murders and the death of a drug mule are all set to stretch the Serious Crime Squad to the limit.
But as events unfold, the question is, are these separate incidents or is there a common link. Roy Grace has no doubts that they are linked and the race is on to save a young boy's life in a kidnapping gone wrong.
A must read for fans of Peter James and an exceptional crime thriller for others considering a book for their holiday case.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the book in exchange for an honest review.
Whenever you read a book by Peter James you know you are in for a treat. The storytelling is good. In the Roy Grace series, the police and crime details are always accurate and believable. In other words it is a masterclass in writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dead If You Don’t and would highly recommend this book.

I am a big fan of Peter James as he knows how to write a good book. He has created a credible character, Roy Grace and compelling storylines that just draw in the reader from the first page. I like the way that he takes great care to make Brighton and the surrounding area a real part of the story and not just a passing reference. In this book we learn about the Albanian community, both good and bad and the involvement of a successful businessman whose family are severely impacted by the abduction of his son. But all is not what it seems to be, but that is for you to discover when you read this latest compelling novel in the Roy Grace series. So, How’s your day so far?
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Blimey I cannot believe Dead If You don’t is the fourteenth book in the Roy Grace series. 14 books later and the author still knows how to grab you from the start and keep your attention until the very last page Peter certainly hasn't lost his touch.

This can be read has a standalone but I would advise reading them in order to get an idea of the background story with the characters. I wouldn't like you to read this and feel you are missing something when I have read this myself has series and followed and ongoing storyline with Roy Grace which has now been tied up.

I won’t bore you with the plot but In this story Peter James takes the reader on a journey talking about a storyline that is something that happens in this day and age. Keeping us up with the times.

I enjoyed the mix of characters the plot and of course police procedure.

Roy Grace is a very believable character who isn't at all perfect, he is very realistic he is actually someone you become to know and love

This is full of twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I would love to know when Grace is going to be on our TV screens?! Peter’s excellent writing skills make this story easy to visualise and you can not help but get wrapped up in the story. Now I am left looking forward to the next book.

Many thanks to Pan Macmillian for a copy in exchange for an honest unbiased review

Another spellbinding story from Peter James in the Roy Grace series. The supspense build right from rather beginning . A multi stranded storyline that eventually knits together -Drug smuggling, murder, Albanian mafia conspiracy in Brighton, kidnap, bankruptcy due to gambling addiction and revengeful children.. Brighton is having a turbulent time and Roy Grace is the daring do man to solve it much to the chagrin of his boss ACC Pewe. The story runs on a time line giving added tension to the storyline. Grace’s personal life is less prominent than in the earlier books but there are still hints of brewing trouble around his son Bruno.
A welcome addition to the series that my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy to review

Review is online for Crime Review:

Peter James’s Roy Grace series is one of the few long-running sagas that I’m still deeply invested in. And it looks like it’s got the legs to keep going for some little time yet – each book plot seems just weeks after the previous one, so our hero isn’t 91 and the reader isn’t left wondering why he hasn’t been put out to grass.

The books are deeply rooted in Brighton’s bohemian town and capture every inch of the seaside resort, the trendy shops and the distinctly seedy side of things. And James is a meticulous researcher, who clearly has impeccable contacts in the police. The knowledge he’s picked up comes across as absolutely authentic and there’s nothing so crude as an information dump in sight.

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace himself is a sane and reassuring presence. He’s a good cop, albeit with a slightly reckless streak to him when it comes to playing the hero, and has a supportive team around him. There’s not a lot of inking in of that supporting cast, with the exception of old-school plod DS Norman Potting, and my personal favourite, DI Glenn Branson. James is good, though, on the one or two-line pen portrait when we meet a new face from traffic cops in walk-on (or should that be drive-on?) roles to restaurant owners, indignant residents and some decidedly unpleasant enforcers.

Dead If You Don’t is the 14th in the series, and digs down into the migrant experience with the presence of Brighton’s Albanian residents – a number of whom you wouldn’t care to do business with. In the past it’s felt a few times as if James has had a tendency to bump off blonde women with complicated private lives. This time, though, it’s businessman Kipp Brown in the spotlight (and yes, we did meet him in a previous book entangled with one of the said blonde women!) He’s a compulsive gambler and is sinking deeper into financial disaster.

The book opens with Kipp taking his son Mungo to Brighton and Hove Albion’s first match of the season – and it’s a significant one, as it’s their debut in the Premier League. It’s destined to be an eventful match for several reasons. Kipp gets sidetracked by a client, and in that time Mungo disappears. When the kidnappers get in touch, they’re adamant that Kipp shouldn’t contact the police. He reluctantly gets Grace and his team involved and the book becomes the archetypal race against the clock …

If you’ve been with the series since the start, Grace is still dealing with the legacy of his missing wife Sandy, in the form of a strange young son he didn’t know he had. This plot thread takes a back seat in Dead If You Don’t, but it’s a dead cert that James will return to it in the future, based on some cryptic hints.

The seamy side of the city always puts me in mind of Pinkie and the cast of Graham Greene’s classic novel. Sorry, but I can’t resist saying that in James’s reliable hands, Brighton rocks!

This was an interesting story set in the world of Albanian gangs, kidnap and bitcoins. The story was set out in hours which once you got into the flow meant that it zipped along really quickly. The pressure that all parties were under was immense. The chapters where you ‘saw’ Mungo and his plight you could actually feel his fear emanating from the page.
I always enjoy an outing with Roy Grace although this felt to me a slight departure from the usual. The city of Brighton was not as apparent within the story in terms of descriptions, unless you count the numerous references to their football club! Equally, to me there was less about Roy Grace’s family, and especially his slightly sinister son Bruno, than we have had in previous books. However that’s probably just that there wasn’t space in what was a very intense storyline set over a couple of days.
Definitely one for fans of Roy Grace yet could easily be read as a stand alone without the need for detailed background knowledge. I would as always highly recommend the Roy Grace series, and this was no exception.