Dead Man's Grip [Paperback]

I had pre-ordered this as I am always waiting for Peter James' books to be published. It was delivered to my kindle just after midnight on publication day so I couldn't wait for the opportunity to read it.

It's the seventh novel in the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series and once again is set around Brighton, Hove and surrounding areas.

I hate it when reviews give away the storyline so a very brief synopsis:
A teenage student has been killed in a fatal multiple car accident. Other drivers involved in the accident are later found tortured and murdered. DS Roy Grace and his team investigate and try to protect another driver involved in the crash.
Roy's problems in his personal life continue..........

Peter's books are always well researched and give readers a detailed and enthralling tale. I find his style of writing highly readable as he gently leads you through the story and transports you into a world of intrigue and drama.

This latest offering is well worth the read and I certainly recommend it.

If you haven't already discovered the thrill of reading the Roy Grace series, this is a list of the order:
Dead Simple (2005)
Looking Good Dead: A Detective Superintendent Grace Mystery (2006)
Not Dead Enough (2007)
Dead Man's Footsteps (2008)
Dead Tomorrow (2009)
Dead Like You (2010).

Although it's not essential to read them in order, it does mean you can follow the progression of DS Grace's personal story.

Now the first thing I want to point out is that I am a huge Peter James fan and in particular of this series. Roy Grace is a fantastic character who I have studiously followed in each book. Peter James has always done a fantastic job of creating stories that capture you and the recurring characters that I have slowly fallen in love with. However, this book failed to leave me with the same satisfaction as others in the past.

The story itself starts off with quite a dramatic car accident. We have a short introduction of the main characters and then the accident itself is described in all its horrific detail. The beginning set the pace and as usual with a Peter James book the pace stays that way usually to the very end. This new book is as usual over 500 pages long and I felt that around the halfway mark my interest was becoming far less that it usually is.

The main storyline is centred on Carly Chase who was involved in the traffic accident that involved the death of a young man. It now seems that Carly's life is in danger by a killer that has already murdered the other two people involved in the accident. I think the main let down for me was the killer themselves; there was a certain air of disbelief that Peter James had taken this route and I found it lessened my enjoyment of the book.

His writing style is as ever fantastic which makes a book ten times easier to read and as usual his characters are all very strong and make a lasting impression. The appearance of the much loved characters is again a sign of how good a writer he is, so from that perspective he cannot be faulted. Roy Grace along with Glenn Branson and some other recurring characters are as ever brilliantly written and people I want to continue seeing.

Roy's relationship with Cleo is visited throughout the story and we see the glimpses of potential problems for both of them in the future. It is hard to explain why without containing plot spoilers but trust me; this element of the book is brilliant because Peter James has you so hooked on finding out what will happen you just HAVE to buy the next book he publishes.

The last part of these books is the element of Roy's past concerning his wife Sandy. At the end of his last book I was convinced we would see a conclusion to it in this book. I was wrong! In a way I was irritated by the fact as a reader I didn't get the answers I wanted, but boy does Peter James throw in a shocker at the end of this book! It was enough of a shocker to nearly make me forgive him the weak killer element of this story.

Overall I really enjoyed the writing style and elements of the story, but the weak element of the killer really made it feel a bit of a let down for me. Finding it hard to rate but will probably say middle of the road. Not his best book in this series, but a crucial element in the ongoing saga of Roy's past! My advice is to start at the beginning of the series and work your way through.

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace may be one of my favorite characters in a mystery, police procedural thriller. It is difficult at times to define Peter James's writings, at times mysteries, combined with police procedural and both thrillers. I have followed DS Roy Grace,who works in his beloved, Brighton, about an hour outside of London, and in this novel discovered that his fiancee thinks he looks like Paul Newman. Yes, he is one of those policemen that you want on your side, good looking or not. He is thorough, effective, looks at every detail, and will do whatever it takes to get his man.

A horrific accident involving three vehicles and a bicyclist lead to a series of events that cause more murders and mayhem, and it takes all of DS Roy Grace's wiles to put everything in place. Carly Chase, a divorce lawyer, newly widowed and with a teenage son, Tyler, is driving to her office after a night of heavy drinking. Stuart Ferguson, a driver for a Scottish salmon farm, is driving to Brighton to deliver his wares. Ewan Preece, on the cusp of being released from prison is driving a stolen white van. All of them arrive at the same place,at about the same time, and one of them kills a young man who was bicycling to his graduate class.

In the midst of this tragedy, DS Roy's fiancee, Cleo, is having difficulty with her pregnancy. Those of you who have read all of the novels involving Roy Grace, know that his first wife, Sandy, has gone missing and it is now 10 years. We are given a glimpse of what may occur in future novels with the missing Sandy, but that is enough of that. The young college student who was killed, turns out to be the grandson of the King of the Mafioso in New York. The young man's parents swear to avenge his death, and a contract is put out to kill all involved in the case. As the student's mother has said, 'I Want Them To Suffer, And I Want Them Dead'. One of the most gruesome of killers, Tooth, is the man who is hired as the contract killer.

This was a formidable novel in many ways. It is fast paced with intricate swerves. You must pay close attention. The characters developed by Peter James are always strong people who leave a lasting impression. The recurring characters are much loved, and it is like meeting old friends, again. The novel surrounds an American Mafia family, and some parts of this plot are not as believable as others. This is a brilliant novel as usual, but not the best. The best is yet to come.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 10-31-11

Dead Simple

Dead Like You

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 39 reviews  3.8 out of 5 stars