Author: Peter James
Series: Roy Grace #14
Published by: Pan Macmillan on Jul. 3, 2018
Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Source: Publishers Group Canada
Book Rating: 9/10
A parent’s worst nightmare is Grace’s deadliest case.
Shortly after Kipp Brown and his teenage son, Mungo, arrive at the Amex stadium for their team’s biggest-ever football game, Mungo disappears. A short while later Kipp receives a text with a ransom demand and a terrifying warning: We have your son. If you wish to see him alive again you will not contact the police and you will follow our instructions very carefully.
But as a massive, covert manhunt for the boy and his kidnappers begins, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace starts to realize that not all is what it seems.
Review:
Thrilling, action-packed, and twisty!
In this compelling fourteenth installment in the Roy Grace series, Dead If You Don’t, James has written an adrenaline pumping, police procedural that will have Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his team investigating a bomb threat, identifying a dismembered body, delving into Brighton’s Albanian underworld, and in a race against time to find a missing teen.
The writing is taut and descriptive. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are astute, tenacious, and quirky, and a few evil and wicked villains that are easy to loathe. And the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat with its short, zippy, intense chapters that submerge you, page after page, into a world full of football, explosives, gang violence, abduction, greed, arrogance, gambling, deception, secrets, lies, and murder.
Overall, Dead If You Don’t is an intricately woven, meticulous, complex mystery with a nice sense of urgency, palpable fear, good characterization, and great pace that’s a wonderful addition to the Roy Grace series and shouldn’t be missed.
This book is available now.
Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.
Thank you to PGC Books and Peter James for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Peter James has moved to Jersey so we now have a contemporary famous author – love this series!
I so need to catch up on this series. I’ve only read four so far!
Just downloaded the Audible book and listened to this story. Absolutely great and such accuracy in the detail of police procedure (with some poetic licence). As a special constable I am always impressed especially when Roy Grace includes us in the story.
Also just read Dead Like You 10/10.
Hi David. I’m glad you enjoyed them both as well, and that James represents your profession as accurately as possible to make the story a good one. These are actually the only two books I’ve read so far but I just picked up an older title Dead Letter Drop at a book sale and am looking forward to reading it. Xx