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Peter James



ofco8

Well-known member
May 18, 2007
2,393
Brighton
Haven't got my copy of latest yet as daughter has been buying them as a Fathers Day prezzie for a few years. Will keep from reading it until I go on hols. next month.
Great relaxing reads!!!
 




samtheseagull

Well-known member
Sep 15, 2010
1,600
I know there's a few fans out there on NSC (one person has even named himself after one of his characters).

His latest Roy Grace whodunnit novel - once again set in Brighton, starting with a murder at the Metropole Hotel - 'Dead Like You' is out today.

Bloody marvellous - can't wait to get this one... :clap2:

I worked at Peter's new house 2 months ago, i must say he was the nicest bloke i have ever met.!
 












Hardly 'padding'.

The back story moves on a little in 'Dead Man's Grip'. I reckon in a couple of books' time, we'll get to the bottom of this mystery.

I thought that the mystery of what happened to Sandy was more or less resolved a couple of books back was it not? Has he resurrected Grace's interest in clarivoyancy in this story? It featured in the first couple of books at least but I don't recall a mention in recent ones?
 


Hardly 'padding'.

The back story moves on a little in 'Dead Man's Grip'. I reckon in a couple of books' time, we'll get to the bottom of this mystery.

I thought that the mystery of what happened to Sandy was more or less resolved a couple of books back was it not? Has he resurrected Grace's interest in clairvoyance in this story? It featured in the first couple of books at least but I don't recall a mention in recent ones?
 




Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
Hardly 'padding'.

The back story moves on a little in 'Dead Man's Grip'. I reckon in a couple of books' time, we'll get to the bottom of this mystery.
I can't remember which one it is, telling in itself.
Stamps, woman doing a runner, ending up next to Sandy?
Anyway being an avid Peter James reader, pre and early Grace, that book is choc full of back story.
I bet if every reference of previous Grace stories was removed, the actual novel would have been less than 100 pages.

I found it so tiresome I've not read any other PJ books.
 


skipper734

Registered ruffian
Aug 9, 2008
9,189
Curdridge


surrey jim

Not in Surrey
Aug 2, 2005
18,157
Bevendean
Just finished reading Dead Mans Grip, great read and reopens the 'Sandy' story line as well as bringing back Yak (Cabbie in shoeman) dont think we have heard the last of him!

This would make an ideal christmas present for a father out there.
 






KNC

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2003
2,022
Seven Dials
Just started on this series. I'm on book 2 now.
Liking these, a lot,
 


surrey jim

Not in Surrey
Aug 2, 2005
18,157
Bevendean
Just started on this series. I'm on book 2 now.
Liking these, a lot,

Is the second on the 9/11 or the 'Bishop' murder?

I think I may have to start at the first and re read them all at some point!
 




Falmer Flutter ©

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2004
952
Petts Wood
Just finished reading Dead Mans Grip, great read and reopens the 'Sandy' story line as well as bringing back Yak (Cabbie in shoeman) dont think we have heard the last of him!

This would make an ideal christmas present for a father out there.

Nice mention of the Amex in the new one as well. Gets the thumbs up from Roy Grace it seems.
 


Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,498
The only slightly implausible scene I can think of is when Grace chases some criminal or other on foot at top speed all the way from the North Laine to Preston Park station. I think that's beyond most people - even one who runs along the sea front most mornings (as the character is said to do).


It's not the distance that makes it utterly implausible, it's more the idea that a Superintendent would be out of the office and chasing a crook in the first place.

I find the books enjoyable, but I cringe at the many inaccuracies relating to the police side of things.
 


Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
71,878
It's not the distance that makes it utterly implausible, it's more the idea that a Superintendent would be out of the office and chasing a crook in the first place.

I find the books enjoyable, but I cringe at the many inaccuracies relating to the police side of things.

I thought he was supposed to do a lot of research on that side of things? Maybe somebody needs to have a quiet word. Probably a bit too late for that tho eh?
 


Seagull over Canaryland

Well-known member
Feb 8, 2011
3,555
Norfolk
I agree that Peter James is a good bloke, met him a couple of times and can recommend the talks he gives - do look out for them on his website. Like other NSCers I particularly enjoy visualising where the action takes place across Sussex as the plot proceeds. However I also find some aspects of his Police procedure a little wide of the mark which is surprising given the credits he gives to his many contacts in the job, plus Roy Grace seems far too 'hands on' for real life - surely a Superintendent has too full an in-tray and too many meetings in his / her diary to waste time on the street solving crimes all while trying patch up his relationship and searching for a lost wife? All makes a good read though!

I like books of the same genre but they often seem to fall into a similar trap - Jim Kelly's lead character (a Police Detective Inspector) has time to be the Cox'n on a busy RNLI lifeboat at the same time as trying to solve serial killings. Plus the body count is even more ridiculous than 'Midsomer Murders', and makes Afghanistan seem like a peaceful place.

I can recommend 'Mercy' by Jusse Adler-Olssen - it makes a change to have a Danish perspective. This has in turn prompted me to perservere with the Scandinavian theme in the Larsson trilogy which is surprisingly Peter James-esque although a bit more detailed and takes a bit longer for the body count to pile up, but well worth the effort. Will be interesting to see if the film of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' does the book justice.

Finally I can't wait to see how the forthcoming remake of the Sweeney turns out. Hopefully the non-PC '70s style of law enforcement is not too diluted. It must have half a chance given that Jack ('Shut it you slag') Regan is played by Ray Winstone. Hope they found a decent actor to play the Dennis Waterman role.
 






Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,498
I thought he was supposed to do a lot of research on that side of things? Maybe somebody needs to have a quiet word. Probably a bit too late for that tho eh?

Yeah, he does, that's how I met him, because he was on another one of his shadowing missions with whoever the match day controller was at Withdean. I realise there's always going to be some degree of artistic licence, because if a book really reflected a Superintendent's workload, it would probably be called Dead Boring, and feature Grace as he attended the weekly management meeting, discussing year on year performance figures and priority crime targets. Which may not make for much of a read. But yes, it does surprise me that nobody seems to have told him that you're more likely to see me elected the MP for Brighton Pavilion ward at the next general election than you are to see a Superintendent interviewing a suspect, much less chasing him in a marked car with blue lights on. He would never be going to grade one calls either.
 


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