Do you ever get the impression that crime writers don’t like their lead characters? They put them through hell: personal, professional and in the blurred zone in between.
I found myself repeatedly coming back to this thought reading Need You Dead, the 13th instalment in the entertaining and hugely popular Roy Grace series by Peter James.
Some of the misery comes with the territory of course. If you are chasing criminals, even around so vibrant a place as Brighton, you’re going to come across a degree of trouble. As with Hamlet’s uncle Claudius, so with Grace: ‘When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions’.
Consider thus. Even before the sad tale of the murdered hair stylist Lorna Belling, Grace is dealing with the fall-out of being shot investigating a previous case; the death of a popular team member; the ongoing trauma of his disappeared ex-wife Sandra; the return to the local force, in a senior position, of his arch-enemy Cassian Pewe.
And here the investigation into the death of Lorna Belling takes further dark turns as a member of Grace’s finds himself on the wrong side of the investigation. At the same time, Grace’s past with Sandy becomes a far more immediate issue in his present.
It’s classic Grace and classic Peter James, another lively chapter in a series that has maintained a high pace, high readability and high quality since the start.
All the hallmarks of James’ earlier work is here: the meticulous research and attention to procedural detail that has earned him the plaudits of real cops around the world; the intricate, mystery-laden plots that keeps the reader guessing; the care in character development.
And, of course, for all the trouble he heaps on them, it’s clear Peter James is very fond of his central characters, and in particular Roy Grace. The detective, now a Superintendent, and as embroiled in the politics of policing as much as the investigation, remains a steady, decent presence in a sea of troubles.
However tough things get with the brass and in the office, James shows his fondness for Grace by always giving him a little down time. During Need You Dead he finds the time to take wife Cleo to a concert.
And not there’s even a Roy Grace playlist, which you can find here at Spotify. They say that you know you’re getting old when the policemen start looking young. Another sign is when you share similar musical taste and similar eras to those who have been in the force for decades. So enjoy the mix of Dire Straits and The Proclaimers while we all wait for episode 14 in the Roy Grace story.
Need You Dead, the thirteenth in the award-winning DS Roy Grace series by Peter James, is out 18th May (Macmillan, £20.00)
PREVIOUS ROY GRACE REVIEWS
Dead Like You (2010)
Dead Tomorrow (2009)
Dead Man's Footsteps (2008)
Not Dead Enough (2007)