From the ashes of mass destruction...Amid the tragic unfolding mayhem of the morning of 9/11, failed Brighton businessman and ne'er-do-well Ronnie Wilson sees the chance of a lifeline: to shed his debts, disappear and reinvent himself in another country. Six years later the discovery of the skeletal remains of a woman's body in a storm drain in Brighton leads Detective Superintendent Roy Grace on an enquiry spanning the globe, and into a desperate race against time to save the life of a woman being hunted down like an animal in the streets and alleys of Brighton. "A real page-turner and the cliffhanging conclusion left me eagerly awaiting DS Grace's next outing." (Daily Express). "Tense, beautifully paced and excellent on police atmosphere and procedure." ("The Times").
Dead Man's Footsteps
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About the Author
Peter James was educated at Charterhouse then at film school. His novels, many of which have been Sunday Times Top 10 bestsellers, have been translated into thirty languages and three have been filmed. He divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill in London and near Brighton in Sussex.
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Most helpful customer reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By Ted Feit
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
The fourth and newest book in the Roy Grace series by Peter James introduces the reader first to Ronnie Wilson, a Brit visiting the US and New York City to try to enlist financial assistance for his latest money-making venture, one hopefully not doomed to failure as were his past endeavors. His business meeting, after which he plans to fly back to the UK, is scheduled for 9 AM in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001.
We next, in October of 2007, meet Abby Dawson, a 27-year-old woman who has just returned from Australia to her native England, and whose background is somewhat shadowy, as we are told she has done everything she can think of to disguise her identity, describing herself as a 'fugitive.'
And then Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of the Sussex Police enters the tale, when he is called in as Senior Investigating Officer after a skeleton, probably that of a woman of about 30 years old, is discovered in a storm drain within his community of the City of Brighton and Hove. Just a run-of-the-mill murder investigation, it would seem, until Roy realizes that the description perfectly fits that of his adored wife, Sandy, who had disappeared nine years before, at age 28 and on his 30th birthday, and had apparently 'vanished off the face of the earth.'
The characters introduced in the earlier books are still here: Glenn Branson, still having marital problems; Grace's lover, Cleo, Chief Home Office pathologist, who has always been sympathetic to Grace's lingering and continuing search and nightmares concerning his wife; his boss, Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper; and his surprisingly fast-rising fellow D.S., Cassian Pewe, all of whom are made real in the author's terrific depictions of these disparate personalities.
As a resident of the metropolitan NY area, I can attest to the accuracy of the depiction of the feel of the city on that horrendous day and in its aftermath, and will not comment further on this aspect of the novel. The author expertly weaves together all the disparate threads in a suspense-filled tale with the surprises, twists and turns typical of this author, and a particularly stunning final sentence, leaving me avidly awaiting its sequel. Highly recommended.
We next, in October of 2007, meet Abby Dawson, a 27-year-old woman who has just returned from Australia to her native England, and whose background is somewhat shadowy, as we are told she has done everything she can think of to disguise her identity, describing herself as a 'fugitive.'
And then Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of the Sussex Police enters the tale, when he is called in as Senior Investigating Officer after a skeleton, probably that of a woman of about 30 years old, is discovered in a storm drain within his community of the City of Brighton and Hove. Just a run-of-the-mill murder investigation, it would seem, until Roy realizes that the description perfectly fits that of his adored wife, Sandy, who had disappeared nine years before, at age 28 and on his 30th birthday, and had apparently 'vanished off the face of the earth.'
The characters introduced in the earlier books are still here: Glenn Branson, still having marital problems; Grace's lover, Cleo, Chief Home Office pathologist, who has always been sympathetic to Grace's lingering and continuing search and nightmares concerning his wife; his boss, Assistant Chief Constable Alison Vosper; and his surprisingly fast-rising fellow D.S., Cassian Pewe, all of whom are made real in the author's terrific depictions of these disparate personalities.
As a resident of the metropolitan NY area, I can attest to the accuracy of the depiction of the feel of the city on that horrendous day and in its aftermath, and will not comment further on this aspect of the novel. The author expertly weaves together all the disparate threads in a suspense-filled tale with the surprises, twists and turns typical of this author, and a particularly stunning final sentence, leaving me avidly awaiting its sequel. Highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A. Tibbles
Format:Paperback
This is a great book. The pace is electrifying, the detail is superb and the characters are both real and believable. Mr James is a master.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.9 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
One very good read
Dec 3 2008
By L. J. Roberts
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
First Sentence: If Ronnie Wilson had known, as he woke up, that in just a couple of hours he would be dead,, he would have planned his day somewhat differently.
Perpetually failed businessman Ronnie Wilson happens to be in New York City on September 11, 2001. Rather than seeing the tragedy around him, he sees it as a way to disappear from his past.
In present day, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is called to a crime scene where the skeletal remains of a woman have been found. Grace first hopes/fears it could be the remains of his wife, Sandy, who disappeared nine years ago. Instead, the woman is identified as having been the wife of first wife of Ronnie Wilson.
About the same time, the body of a woman is found in a submerged vehicle's trunk in Australia. Turns out, she was Wilson's second wife.
Although this book has lost a few points with me for the continual series tease about Grace's missing wife, this was a very twisty and exciting read. I like the character of Roy Grace. He's a good cop with good relationships to both his superior and his team, or most of them. He also knows he does still have issues stemming from his wife's disappearance.
The story is very well plotted with very good dialogue, although one does have to pay attention to the timeframes. The relationship threads were suitably twisty and I didn't always see the connections coming. The events of September 11th were well handled, conveying the horror of the event while looking at it from the avaricious side of Wilson. The climatic scene was exciting, suspenseful and had just a small element of humor giving Grace a bit of his own back against a cop our to make him look bad.
This was a very good read and one I recommend.
Perpetually failed businessman Ronnie Wilson happens to be in New York City on September 11, 2001. Rather than seeing the tragedy around him, he sees it as a way to disappear from his past.
In present day, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is called to a crime scene where the skeletal remains of a woman have been found. Grace first hopes/fears it could be the remains of his wife, Sandy, who disappeared nine years ago. Instead, the woman is identified as having been the wife of first wife of Ronnie Wilson.
About the same time, the body of a woman is found in a submerged vehicle's trunk in Australia. Turns out, she was Wilson's second wife.
Although this book has lost a few points with me for the continual series tease about Grace's missing wife, this was a very twisty and exciting read. I like the character of Roy Grace. He's a good cop with good relationships to both his superior and his team, or most of them. He also knows he does still have issues stemming from his wife's disappearance.
The story is very well plotted with very good dialogue, although one does have to pay attention to the timeframes. The relationship threads were suitably twisty and I didn't always see the connections coming. The events of September 11th were well handled, conveying the horror of the event while looking at it from the avaricious side of Wilson. The climatic scene was exciting, suspenseful and had just a small element of humor giving Grace a bit of his own back against a cop our to make him look bad.
This was a very good read and one I recommend.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
I Seldom End Up Where I Wanted To Go
July 17 2012
By prisrob
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
"I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be.", Douglas Adams
One of DS Roy Grace's protagonists and hunted women, quoted Douglas Adams to a woman she met while taking in the sun. The woman she met is named 'Sandy'. Remember this name, it seems that DS Grace's long lost wife is always going to pop up during
that series. It gets dreary, and we are all waiting to see how long Peter James, the author, can string this on.
DS Grace is called away on a Friday afternoon to view a dead body. He had counted on spending the evening with Chole, his girlfriend. It will be awhile before he spends time with her. One body after another keeps popping up, and they all seem to be ex-wives or girlfriends of a man named Ronnie Wilson. Ronnie died in New York City during the 9/11 tragedy, or so it seemed. Off we go to the world of stamps and other sundry criminal occupations. We meet very interesting people, and one of them is the woman who quotes Douglas Adams.
Peter James has become a favorite author of police/procedural/mysteries. He is a superb writer, bringing us with him and DS Grace to unusual situations that have been well researched. I never would have known about the high end world of collecting and selling stamps, the criminal aspects of this world, and the riches involved. The English have their reserve, but not to be seen here. This is a new world of the younger and those growing older. Not much is left unsaid or undone. And, then, there is the mystery of the long lost Sandy, Roy Grace's wife. She disappeared one day, never to be heard of or seen again. Sandy, where are you and why won't you come home?
Highly Recommended. prisrob 07-17-12
Not Dead Yet (Detective Superintendent Roy Grace)
Dead Simple
One of DS Roy Grace's protagonists and hunted women, quoted Douglas Adams to a woman she met while taking in the sun. The woman she met is named 'Sandy'. Remember this name, it seems that DS Grace's long lost wife is always going to pop up during
that series. It gets dreary, and we are all waiting to see how long Peter James, the author, can string this on.
DS Grace is called away on a Friday afternoon to view a dead body. He had counted on spending the evening with Chole, his girlfriend. It will be awhile before he spends time with her. One body after another keeps popping up, and they all seem to be ex-wives or girlfriends of a man named Ronnie Wilson. Ronnie died in New York City during the 9/11 tragedy, or so it seemed. Off we go to the world of stamps and other sundry criminal occupations. We meet very interesting people, and one of them is the woman who quotes Douglas Adams.
Peter James has become a favorite author of police/procedural/mysteries. He is a superb writer, bringing us with him and DS Grace to unusual situations that have been well researched. I never would have known about the high end world of collecting and selling stamps, the criminal aspects of this world, and the riches involved. The English have their reserve, but not to be seen here. This is a new world of the younger and those growing older. Not much is left unsaid or undone. And, then, there is the mystery of the long lost Sandy, Roy Grace's wife. She disappeared one day, never to be heard of or seen again. Sandy, where are you and why won't you come home?
Highly Recommended. prisrob 07-17-12
Not Dead Yet (Detective Superintendent Roy Grace)
Dead Simple
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Realistic page turning plot
Aug 7 2009
By Helen Simpson
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
The chapters switch between September 2001 and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York, and October 2007 after human remains are discovered in Brighton, England. They also switch between various characters; Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his colleagues, Abby who is in hiding in her flat, clearly running scared, Ronnie Wilson a failing businessman who takes a trip to New York for a meeting in the South Tower of the World Trade Center on the ill fated morning of 9/11 and his wife Lorraine at home watching the horror unfold.
The descriptions of events after the planes hit the WTC was really well done...it brought the surreal horror of the day back without being ghoulish or sensationalist.
The plot itself was cleverly researched and genuinely suspenseful...and I'm looking forward to 'Dead Tomorrow', the next in the series. I would definitely recommend the series is read in order as although the skeleton in DS Grace's cupboard is explained in each book it makes your connection with, and understanding of his character more real if read in order.
The descriptions of events after the planes hit the WTC was really well done...it brought the surreal horror of the day back without being ghoulish or sensationalist.
The plot itself was cleverly researched and genuinely suspenseful...and I'm looking forward to 'Dead Tomorrow', the next in the series. I would definitely recommend the series is read in order as although the skeleton in DS Grace's cupboard is explained in each book it makes your connection with, and understanding of his character more real if read in order.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 9 reviews
3.9 out of 5 stars
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