If you’re a thrill-seeker when it comes to your novels of choice, I’ll be taking to acclaimed author Peter James, who’s books have inspired ITV’s hit drama, ‘Grace.’ With the latest instalment of the detective superintendent Roy Grace series set to launch in September, and his new book Stop Them Dead set to hit shelves, we’ll see what Peter had to say.
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00:00 I have two criteria when I start, when I'm embarking on a new book,
00:03 because a Roy Grace novel is going to take me a year of my life.
00:05 So it's got to be something, I never think what's going to sell,
00:09 I think what am I going to really enjoy writing?
00:12 British crime writer and New York Times bestseller Peter James is well known for his series of books
00:18 centred around detective superintendent protagonist Roy Grace.
00:22 Following last year's Picture You Dead novel, crime and thriller fans are in for a treat as
00:27 the 19th instalment in the Roy Grace series is set to drop this September.
00:31 The book will also see its ITV ongoing smash hit adaptation Grace come to screens once again
00:37 as the series has been renewed for a fourth season which will air in 2024.
00:41 Detective Superintendent Grace, you are a dabbler in the dark arts?
00:47 Pentulum never lies, Roy.
00:49 Peter's new book Stop Them Dead will address a wave of illegal and dangerous dog breeding
00:57 fronted by a host of unsavoury characters,
00:59 including a petty criminal known as Gekko and the notorious Jim crime family.
01:04 And I then met with the chief constable of Sussex who was also a massive dog lover and she said that
01:10 throughout the UK the price of dogs has gone up over 10 times during lockdown and it's still high
01:17 now and organised crime gangs are making more money out of dogs and puppies than out of drugs
01:25 and with almost negligible sentences if they get caught.
01:28 You don't have to like animals to enjoy Stop Them Dead, it's at its heart, it's just a flat
01:33 out thriller but I think if you do love animals you'll get something I think very valuable out of
01:39 it too. I think starting with the cast of Grace, if you'd asked me to do an identikit back in 2003
01:49 when I was writing Dead Simple, the first Roy Grace novel, I would have said, I would have
01:53 come up with John Sim. When the ITV said what do you think about John Sim playing Grace, I just
02:00 bit their hands off and I prayed that he would do it.
02:02 With appearances and book signings arranged nationally for autumn,
02:07 Peter and I discussed his prospects for the Roy Grace series going forward. Here's what he had to say.
02:13 I've also got next year coming out a special treat for my readers.
02:16 First few chapters are in the back of Stop Them Dead and it's a standalone
02:22 kind of spin-off. Roy Grace has a missing wife called Sandy who's been missing all the time that
02:28 we know the books. This is called They Thought I Was Dead, Sandy's story and it tells the story from
02:36 the day she left Roy. It literally starts, my name is Sandy, I've just lost my husband,
02:41 he doesn't know it yet and that's coming out in May.
02:44 Ironically enough when I told, I was telling my mum that I was interviewing you a day and she went
02:49 ask him what's happened to that wife. I was like okay.
02:51 Oh my god you can tell her!
02:53 78th of September across the UK and that's coming out hardback, kindle, audible.