Stop Them Dead: New crimes, new villains, Roy Grace returns...: 19 (Roy Grace, 19)

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I've read all the Grace books and this one is by far the worst of the lot. In fairness the writing etc is up to the usual standard but you have to completely ignore reality to take any of it seriously. Spoilers below: The book is the latest in the Roy Grace series after the previous release of Picture You Dead which launched in October.

Sitting in the jury is Meg Magellan, whose daughter's life is being threatened by a stranger who tells her that if she ever wants to see her alive again, it is very simple. At the end of the trial, all she has to do is make sure the jury says just two words . . . Not guilty.I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of Stop Them Dead, the nineteenth novel to feature Detective Superintendent Roy Grace of Sussex Police. Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is well used to the rhythm of major crimes, and swings into action when a local farmer is murdered in the middle of the night. However, the circumstances surprise him. The farmer was murdered while trying to stop the theft of his dogs. This leads Grace into a new world: the highly lucrative world of stealing or illegally smuggling dogs. The main villain is seen infrequently until the final pig slurry fight. The second killer is seen once waking up in bed. I do wish the author had expanded more on his other main characters, we get a little, but it’s just enough to gloss over the surface, the books, to myself anyways, would only be made better by us knowing more about the rest of the cast. Careful investigation and planning lead to a nail-biting conclusion and I was on the edge of my seat, seriously worried about more than one of the police team. I know that Peter James does meticulous research for all of his novels but he has excelled himself this time.

I love the Roy Grace books and have read every single one. This latest instalment was a great read and had me hooked from the very beginning. We have a couple of storylines running parallel to each other, with the investigation into the murder of a farmer who was trying to prevent his puppies being stolen, the subsequent trail into who was illegally importing puppies from abroad and the sad hospitalisation of a young girl. The storylines were gripping and, whilst it wasn’t really a “whodunnit”, I was kept on edge wondering how it was all going to end.The book follows on the event of a farmer, Tim Ruddle who is killed trying to prevent a group of thieves kidnapping his dogs worth thousands of points. Roy is called into to action to investigate as senior investigating officer and bring justice where Tim leaves behind a wife and two young kids. The book delves into the depth of dog breeding/ kidnapping and illegal imports in the UK, which I am surprised is not spoken about or covered in the news much. Honestly reading this book felt like I was watching an TV episode - it’s written well but researched to a tee. You can tell the level of detail James has put in to make the plot realistic and credible. Discover the darkness that lurks around every corner in the latest instalment of the award-winning Grace series, now a major ITV series. Grace’s investigation into this deadly trade pits him against some of the most ruthless people he has ever encountered; people who will kill anyone who gets in their way, because where there is greed, there is murder.

PDF / EPUB File Name: Stop_Them_Dead_Detective_Roy_Grace_Series_19_-_Peter_James.pdf, Stop_Them_Dead_Detective_Roy_Grace_Series_19_-_Peter_James.epub As soon as the story begins, you can feel some horrible things are about to happen. It's very wise Peter James choose to tell us this story without very graphic descriptions of the conditions these poor animals are kept. There are ruthless criminals in this story, but also loving parents, happy children and of course Grace and his team. There is murder and violence, but also love, even in some people you wouldn't expect. There are grim parts and very moving parts in this book, and it all together makes for a great story. At the scene of the crime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace soon realises this is no isolated robbery gone wrong but the tip of the iceberg of a nationwide crime wave, in which ruthless organised gangs are making more money from the illegal trade in dogs than drugs. Grace is a character that it’s impossible to dislike, he’s honest, caring, dedicated & not afraid to show it all, either in regards to chasing down the criminals that chose a bad route when they neared him, but also in regard to his family & friends, Grace bares it all, unashamed to show his love & appreciation for what he truly knows is a blessed life.The only ‘bad’ part I could really say about this book, & some others, is it felt very cut short & I was a little disappointed that the Bluebell side was not completed a little more, perhaps by a trip to the airport… The novel presents a solid crime story. Although the broad form of the novel offers no surprises, there’s an interesting angle on the crimes being investigated, and the wealth of investigative detail will absorb crime fans. In the dead of night, a farmer hears a suspicious noise. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare: a break-in. When he confronts the intruders, he has no idea that just minutes later he will be left lying in a pool of blood. But the chilling truth lies not in the act itself, but what the perpetrators were willing to kill for. The minor, but centrally placed, comical thief is switched off long before end. He has nothing to do with the murders. His shop thieving is totally irrelevant and his appearance at the Amex just stretches the word count. Why do we need to hear about Norman's social life?

The story is told in the typical Grace style, racing through the revelations and trying to stop anything else happening before its too late. The usual crew of Branson, E-J and Potting are there, along with some new faces who hopefully will feature in future stories. It happens in many countries and sadly our local paper is also full of reports about this too, because there are a lot of big farmhouses in the area, perfect for hiding stolen dogs and illegal breeding. The story in this book could have been set here, not far from my home.Grace never loses sight of the fact he’s investigating a murder, which underlines how ruthless the criminals he’s seeking are. They’re only interested in profit, and don’t care who gets hurt along the way. In the dead of night, a gang of thieves steal a litter of puppies. The owner is killed as they drive off. Roy Grace and his team investigate the murder and discover that criminals have realised that there is a lucrative trade in dogs. As the team dig deeper into the illegal trade, things hit close to home for Grace. Detective Superintendent Roy Grace unearths a powerful criminal network in the sinister crime novel Find Them Dead, by award winning author Peter James. I will honour the author’s desire for surprise and not mention what this new market actually is, even if it’s difficult to write a review without identifying it. Suffice to say that I was incredibly impressed by the author’s research and the easy way he makes all the pitfalls and the most extreme consequences realistic. This novel is not a wake up call, it’s a howling klaxon.