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An engrossing read set in Brighton, a place I visit often with the Mrs and always come home with freshly made fudge. Love the stuff. Lorna in attempt to salvage something good for herself, embarks on an affair. This new relationship offers hope for Lorna and she truly believes she has a better future ahead of her. The only previous novel I've read by Peter James was The House on Cold Hill. This was my first venture into the hugely successful Roy Grace series, and after THOCH, I didn't really know what to expect having been left a little underwhelmed. I'd been told by a friend and Peter James fan to delve into another of his novels as the former was not his best work. When the body of a woman is found in a bath in Brighton, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is called to the scene. At first it looks an open and shut case with a clear prime suspect. Then other scenarios begin to present themselves, each of them tantalizingly plausible, until, in a sudden turn of events, and to his utter disbelief, the case turns more sinister than Grace could ever have imagined His relationships at work are just as interesting as his personal ones. I also love his commitment to the job and how he goes about solving the cases.
DISCLOSURE: I own my copy of Need You Dead by Peter James, published by MacMillan, thanks to my husband who gave me this copy for Christmas. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. A suspenseful, professional-grade north country procedural whose heroine, a deft mix of compassion and attitude, would be welcome to return and tie up the gaping loose end Box leaves. The unrelenting cold makes this the perfect beach read. The motivation for this possible crime raises many complications for Grace and his team, with the constant shifting of the sands. James just gets better and better and deserves the success he has achieved with this first-class series
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The subplot that snagged me like a fish on a hook is the one involving the sullen, blatantly disobedient Bruno. There is an aura of doom about him. I think Roy has invited an evil, devilish child into his home. I feel that Roy’s wife, Cleo, and their baby son, Noah, are in danger. Why did Bruno keep insisting that his friend Erik’s female schnauzer, Adini, would never be found? Did Bruno kill it because it bit him on the hand? While reading Need You Dead, look for other clues to Bruno’s true nature. Meticulous research gives his prose great authenticity . . . James manages to add enough surprises and drama that by the end you're rooting for the police and really don't know if they will finally get their men ABOUT THIS BOOK: Lorna Belling, desperate to escape the marriage from hell, falls for the charms of another man who promises her the earth. But, as Lorna finds, life seldom follows the plans you’ve made. A chance photograph on a client’s mobile phone changes everything for her.
His 13th case looks as close to routine as it ever gets for Detective Superintendent Roy Grace ( Love You Dead, 2016, etc.). But looks aren’t everything. Relationships play a very strong role in the book. Grace and his new wife Cleo have a fledgling relationship, with Grace conscious that his work does not come between them both. His rapport with all his work colleagues features very strongly throughout, as we get a peek into the personal issues of their daily lives. Peter James has penetrated the inner workings of police procedures, and the inner thoughts and attitudes of real detectives, as no English crime writer before him. His hero, Roy Grace, may not be the most lively cop, nor the most damaged by drink, weight or misery, but he's one of the most believable The central case in Need You Dead is the murder of the complicated and crossed-in-love Lorna Belling. A hairdresser by trade—and physically abused by her husband—Lorna was hoping love with another man would help her escape her situation. But a chance meeting destroys her dream, and now Lorna’s dead. Many might think that the obvious suspect is her abusive husband. But what looks obvious to the police, doesn’t look so obvious to us, the reader. So who killed Lorna?
About Peter James
James strikes a good balance between the professional and personal sides of Roy Grace's life, each enhancing the other. In Need You Dead, Grace meets his ten year old son for the first time. Bruno's addition to the Grace family unit is sure to inspire some great storylines in future books. Doodsangst van Peter James is het 13e en tevens het laatst vertaalde Nederlandse deel van de Roy Grace serie. Ik genoot eerder al van de twaalf voorgaande delen en hou van de evolutie die ik zie in de karakters en hoe we ze telkens ietsje beter leren kennen. In doodsangst maken we kennis met Lorna, die in een gewelddadige relatie zit en er een affaire op nahoudt. Tot er op een dag in haar geheime plekje iemand haar om het leven brengt en ze dood in bad wordt aangetroffen. Verdachten zijn er alleszins genoeg om uit te kiezen dus Roy Grace weet waaraan hij begint. DS Roy Grace is facing a hard road ahead. After hearing that his ex-wife has committed suicide in Germany, he discovers that he has a ten-year old son, Bruno, that he knew nothing of. With the support of his wife Cleo, Grace has to come to terms with this huge life changing event. His devotion to his work in the police department takes up a major chunk of his time. With his new baby son Noah and the expectant arrival of Bruno, Grace has his hands full, but violence and crime continues to plague the streets and Grace soon finds himself engrossed in a very complex case. This story begins as a snowball and by the time it ends it makes one hell of an avalanche. Some of the scene is already set for book 14 with Roy Grace’s home life, I feel very uneasy. I think it could even top this one! Note: If you’d like to see Peter James in person, you’ll be able to find him at Thrillerfest 2017, held in New York City on July 11-15. It’s a great conference.
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