Set in Brighton and Sussex, England, Need You Deadby Peter James is the 13th book in the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series (available June 6, 2017). Lorna Belling was a work-from-home hairdresser, with a passionate hobby for dog breeding. She had aspirations and desires for a better life. But Lorna was also a victim of domestic violence. Her husband, Corin, was a very brutal individual with a vicious temper that Lorna invariably felt the impact of. James just gets better and better and deserves the success he has achieved with this first-class series

There are plenty of possible culprits. A wife beating husband, an upset man who was buying her car and thinks he has been scammed, a lover or two? Or better still was it suicide? The narration by Daniel Weyman is, as you would expect from him, very good. In the book's most exciting scenes towards the end the combination of James's words and this narrator provided top-notch audiobook entertainment. The one downside is that previous narrators from a few books ago, while not as good overall, did give Branson's character a bit more oomph and he suffers as a result. Set in Brighton and Sussex, England, Need You Dead by Peter James is the 13th book in the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series (available June 6, 2017). There is the very human story of Roy Grace being united for the first time with his son, while at the same time there is the horrific discovery of a woman’s body. There is the aftermath of the suicide of Grace’s first wife and all the complications of expatriating the body from Germany to the UK and the funeral arrangements to be organised.Well, well, well…….what can I say!! Need you Dead is a straight-up, no nonsense police procedural with all that is expected from this genre. 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' Sunday Express This is another fantastic instalment in the Roy Grace series. Superintendent Roy Grace is assigned to investigate the death of Lorna Belling, an apparent suicide by electrocution in a bathtub - but is it? To start with, Lorna is in an abusive marriage. Her husband is a real piece of work. Then, she didn't die at home but in a rather seedy little flat - bolt hole from her husband or love nest for an affair? The number of suspects grows and grows and the case is getting very intriguing. But they can't quite pin anyone down for this murder and then there is the mysterious Greg. Who exactly is he? But….. Need You Dead is primarily a police procedural so you can expect plenty of technical terminology within the chapters. I have no preconceptions of a Peter James novel, so for me I was very intrigued by the technology utilised by the police. The sheer scale of techniques availed of is quite fascinating and I think it’s obvious to the reader the research that was undertaken by Peter James to ensure accuracy and facts.

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. 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 believableBorn and brought up in Brighton, Peter divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill, London and on the South Downs near Lewes in Sussex. An established film producer and script writer, he has produced numerous films, including The Merchant Of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes. A TV adaptation of the Roy Grace series is currently in development, with Peter overseeing all aspects, including the scriptwriting. In 2009 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton in recognition of his services to literature and the community. 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. Peter’s novella, ‘ The Perfect Murder’ (2010) went straight in at No 1 in the iBooks chart and spent 40 consecutive weeks in the iBooks Top 10. It was adapted into a play called The Perfect Murder which did its first, smash hit tour starring Les Dennis in 2014 and is touring again with Shane Ritchie and Jessie Wallace in Spring 2016. The original run was followed by the play of Dead Simple in 2015, starring Tina Hobley and Jamie Lomas which was an equally big success during its 6-month nationwide run. Not Dead Enough, the third of Peter’s books to be translated to stage, is currently touring the UK to critical acclaim, starring Shane Ritchie as Roy Grace and Laura Whitmore as Cleo Morey.

I've been a long-time fan of this series. Sure, it has had its ups and downs but some of the books are genuinely exciting affairs and the author's detailed knowledge and research always shine through. This one is a middling book in the series, it doesn't have the huge tension or truly dastardly villain. The chemistry between some of the characters also seems lessened, particularly between Grace and his best friend Branson. On the plus side there is less of the saccharine-laden interaction between Grace and his new wife! 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. 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.

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 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? Need You Dead is the latest release from International bestselling author Peter James. Published on 18th May by MacMillan, this is the landmark 13th novel in the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series. Dedicated to authenticity, Peter James bases his books upon real life experiences he has witnessed through shadowing the Sussex Police. 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.

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. 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. THE AUTHOR: Peter James is a UK No. 1 bestselling author, best known for writing crime and thriller novels, and the creator of the much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. With a total of 13 Sunday Times No. 1s under his belt, he has achieved global book sales of over 19 million copies to date, and has been translated into 37 languages. 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 Times This book for me is good and a bloody good read but not his best. I almost thought it was going to amble along with no major issues just the one dead body and time spent chasing down leads until a culprit emerges. You get more usually with James. What a fool I was as the book explodes in the final third as we near the unmasking and chasing down the culprit. I admit I thought I had the guy pegged but I was wrong. I had right profession but wrong person.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. Dystopian Fiction Books Everyone Should Read: Explore The Darker Side of Possible Worlds and Alternative Futures