Dead If You Don't: A 'This Could Happen to You' Crime Thriller (Roy Grace Book 14)

I really enjoy the Roy Grace books. Cleo was not in this one much and he seems to have gotten over saying how perfect she is and how she's the most beautiful woman in the world and how he adores her.

I have read all of the Roy Grace series over the years and totally enjoy the characters - Cleo, Potting, Branson all appear once again, with Roy at the helm. I must admit that I seemed to get more into the earlier books when Sandy was missing and Roy was searching for her. There seem to be less personal threads in the later books and more action. If you want action, you're in for a treat this time out. There's a bomb, actually more than one, kidnapping, actually more than one, murder, yes, more than one, drug dealing, and the Albanian mob. Because of the diverse crimes facing the unit, many additional parts of the forces are called upon which can lead to an overabundance of characters. That said, James seems to make it all work and make the characters viable enough to keep straight in the readers' mind. The missing star is for the lack of team interplay I liked in the past and that connection to the characters I felt. I do wonder, however, if Bruno, Roy's son, is going to prove to be more prominent in future books. I think Roy just might his hands full on that personal front. Food for thought, Mr. James.

It said this item was new, and it came in a plastic wrap, but when I opened the book there were some ink marks on some pages. Book is in good condition, but it is not NEW

I have read all the books in the Roy Grace series and always found them an enjoyable read and this was no exception although I felt it was lacking the backstory of Roy Graces wife that was a recurring theme in all the books. I understand why the story and the mystery had to change and we were given a glimpse of a new thread with the personality of his new found son but somehow this book didn't seen as good as previous books and Roy Grace came over as a bit of a 'goody, goody'. Maybe I've been reading more gritty stuff lately.

Peter James always hooks you in and keeps you reading. I enjoy seeing the characters evolve. Having finished the 14th in the series, I eagerly await Book 15! So many twists and turns and characters who appear again as time goes on. Start with the first book - you'll be hooked!

I have really enjoyed this, the most recent of the Roy Grace series. It had all the ingredients of a "cannot be put down" book. Highly recommended.

Great read. This series of books has been the easiest set i have read in a very long time. Each was a pleasure to read. 14 down and 0 to go.. Grace series done and dusted. Waiting for No15??

James is the English James Patterson. If you like cliff hangers give him a try.

I've been a big fan of Roy Grace since book one but as other reviewers have said they are now no more than gratuitous screen plays. That said if they ever do appear on the small screen I probably wouldn't tune in as it would be a hard task indeed to find actors to portray the increasingly bland Roy and his saintly wife Cleo in such glorious black and white blandness as they appear in the books. This was by far the weakest book in the series with some really far fetched and implausible 'action' towards the end. I will most likely give book 15 a go next year but if it's not a significant improvement on this then Mr James will have lost a very dedicated Roy Grace fan.

Well I think that's me done with Roy Grace finally - the last couple have been a bit of a struggle but this one really feels like there's been little or no effort put into it or even maybe ghost-written - maybe 20% decent story with the rest made up of a police procedure handbook, wooden characters with no personality and no character development of the main/ recurrent characters at all. I'm guessing there's a book deal that requires maybe 15 books in the series and it's a case of get them out of the way as easily as possible so he can concentrate on other projects he's more energised by

Number fourteen in the Roy Grace series. I know. Fourteen. Peter James is a prolific writer and manages to publish a RG every year. I have followed his career with enthusiasm (Grace). He is a copper in my city - Brighton and Hove. Each book takes me on a tour of my beloved location and further afield into the Sussex hinterland. Many of the police who feature are real people, which adds so much authenticity to the plots. Roy Grace isn't, but is inspired by former Detective Chief Superintendent David Gaylor. Some accolade, huh?Dead If You Don't takes us in a rather different direction - into the world of the Albanian community in Brighton. Most are honest, hardworking people but the criminal element is clear and present, as Kipp Brown is about to find out. Successful business man and prolific gambler. He attends Brighton & Hove Albion's first premiership football match at The Amex Stadium (that's just up the road from me) with his son, Mungo. Briefly distracted, his boy disappears. Then he gets the terrifying message that someone has his child and, to get him back alive, Kipp will have to pay. He defies instructions not to contact the police and reluctantly does just that. Who else would run the investigation but Detective Superintendent Roy Grace... And what appears to be a straightforward case of kidnap soon leads Grace into the dark, criminal underbelly of the city. Rules are different.The plot is taught, spanning just four days. James racks up the pressure in inimitable style, with short chapters - short, pulse racing chapters. The final quarter is a thrill ride against time, leaves one quite breathless.Peter James has done it again but just where will he go next with the Roy Grace saga?

I’m giving three stars because of my enjoyment of the Roy Grace series of books - until this latest book. So disappointed. Yet another author jumping on the bandwagon of evil Eastern European gangs - enough now. As other reviewers have said there is little in this book sbout Grace’s personal life which I miss, one of the reasons I like authors such as Peter James and Peter Robinson is the interest in their personal lives, so another negative for me. Finally and maybe my biggest criticism is that I felt no sympathy or empathy for any of characters, all of whom were self-centred and selfish. Because of this I really didn’t care what happened to any of them.All that said, I’ll eagerly await the next Roy Grace adventure, this one was just a miss for me.

Very disappointing. I only finished it because I paid for it but I was bored to death with all of the procedure descriptions and the huge list of characters that brought nothing to the story and no depth to any of them. As for the way Grace's boss speaks - that's just laughable. I won't be bothering with any more Roy Grace books, I couldn't care less about him.