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Bruno was a weird story line which PJ suddenly didn’t know what to do with. I was convinced he was a future serial killer but he just got taken out with a few half hearted chapters is just weird. Grace again refers to a weekly poker night, running with his dog, getting into office early and working late, having a role with Police rugby team while supporting Albion. The range of different crimes covered are nothing new, but the way in which they are all brought together is done well and is a timely reminder to people about some of the dubious practises criminals are involved in. We see the myriad of ways in which the unsuspecting and trusting public can be conned.
Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is well used to the rhythm of major crimes, and swings into action when a local farmer is murdered in the middle of the night. However, the circumstances surprise him. The farmer was murdered while trying to stop the theft of his dogs. This leads Grace into a new world: the highly lucrative world of stealing or illegally smuggling dogs. As always with this author, the book is well written and expertly plotted. The police investigation is realistically portrayed. I love Roy Grace and his team, who all seem like old friends now., and I can't help having a bit of a soft spot for Norman Potting who has grown on me throughout the series. At one point the case comes a little too close to home for Roy and his family, who are dog lovers, and I loved the way that Cleo dealt with the matter 😁 My only reservations are it’s a bit over explained especially at the start and there is some repetition, however, once it gets going this issue fades away. I do have a little titter because as per usual the author gets gait analysis into the plot. - he sure loves that! Sitting in the jury is Meg Magellan, whose daughter's life is being threatened by a stranger who tells her that if she ever wants to see her alive again, it is very simple. At the end of the trial, all she has to do is make sure the jury says just two words . . . Not guilty.I’m not sure how I feel about that, I do know I felt the author should of given more time & ‘fleshed out’ her character as well as Bruno’s, it felt to me like the author had just gotten bored of them & just killed them off, so to speak. I am not a dog person, but I was absolutely fascinated to learn about this emerging crime wave. It’s rooted in events around the pandemic, and James depicts it in a way that is utterly credible. If this isn’t based in fact, it sure sounds like it is. Never happy when a real life person supposedly interacts with the fictional. Not likely to be responsible for the outcome of treatment because the patient lives in the imagination of the author. So filler.
The only ‘bad’ part I could really say about this book, & some others, is it felt very cut short & I was a little disappointed that the Bluebell side was not completed a little more, perhaps by a trip to the airport… A synopsis for the book said: “When a young farmer confronts intruders in the middle of the night he has no idea that just minutes later he will be left dying in a pool of blood. What’s more chilling is what the perpetrators were willing to kill for. It happens in many countries and sadly our local paper is also full of reports about this too, because there are a lot of big farmhouses in the area, perfect for hiding stolen dogs and illegal breeding. The story in this book could have been set here, not far from my home. The story is told in the typical Grace style, racing through the revelations and trying to stop anything else happening before its too late. The usual crew of Branson, E-J and Potting are there, along with some new faces who hopefully will feature in future stories.
Detective Superintendent Roy Grace unearths a powerful criminal network in the sinister crime novel Find Them Dead, by award winning author Peter James. Overall, Stop Them Dead is a highly entertaining, disturbing, edgy thriller by James that once again highlights his exceptional ability to write police procedurals that have well-drawn characters and timely storylines. It is the nineteenth novel in the Roy Grace series and definitely one of my new all-time favourites.
As soon as the story begins, you can feel some horrible things are about to happen. It's very wise Peter James choose to tell us this story without very graphic descriptions of the conditions these poor animals are kept. There are ruthless criminals in this story, but also loving parents, happy children and of course Grace and his team. There is murder and violence, but also love, even in some people you wouldn't expect. There are grim parts and very moving parts in this book, and it all together makes for a great story. Discover the darkness that lurks around every corner in the latest instalment of the award-winning Grace series, now a major BRITBOX series. At the scene of the crime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace soon realises this is no isolated robbery gone wrong but the tip of the iceberg of a nationwide crime wave, in which ruthless organised gangs are making more money from the illegal trade in dogs than drugs. In the dead of night, a farmer hears a suspicious noise. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare: a break-in. When he confronts the intruders, he has no idea that just minutes later he will be left lying in a pool of blood. But the chilling truth lies not in the act itself, but what the perpetrators were willing to kill for. A new Peter James will always jump straight to the top of my reading list, I love the Grace series and have enjoyed them all; I am always engrossed by the imaginative storylines and the criminal acts that he can dream up.
Customer reviews
Grace is a character that it’s impossible to dislike, he’s honest, caring, dedicated & not afraid to show it all, either in regards to chasing down the criminals that chose a bad route when they neared him, but also in regard to his family & friends, Grace bares it all, unashamed to show his love & appreciation for what he truly knows is a blessed life. James’ novels are notable for the great detail around the investigation. In particular, there’s a level of detail around the roles of particular police specialists, and the command structure, which I’ve rarely seen elsewhere. It adds both credibility and an interesting intellectual and practical level to the narrative.
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