5 stars

Nobody does it better!

Jodie Bentley only has one thing on her mind – to get enough money to buy an Italian villa on the sh ores of Lake Como – and she knows how to do it! Having had plastic surgery to change from ugly duckling to stunning beauty, she is determined to make her looks pay, and is on the lookout for an elderly, very, very rich husband to oblige. Having snapped up the right companion, she intends to become a grieving widow ‘tout de suite’.

DS Roy Grace meanwhile , is having to cope with the rigours of being husband to Chloe and father to little Noah, as well as staying out of the way of his nemesis ACC Caspian Pewe.

Peter James has done it yet again! Another super novel, full of the characters we hav e become used to in the previous eleven – yes, eleven – Roy Grace series. And this book is no different.

The plot is eminently believable, the characters are big and bold, and the police procedures are second to none. Again , we meet Glen Branson, Grace’ s buddy and fellow officer, non – PC (Politically Correct not Police Constable!) Norman Potting, Marlon the goldfish and, as ever, the spectre of Grace’ s missing – for – ten – years wife, Sandy. In addition, we also have glimpses of two crims who were involved in previous cases.

Having read every book of Peter James’s ‘Roy Grace’ series, I have found them to be riveting reading. I was privileged to be at a library press launch when he was promoting one of his books. What came across was the sincerity and genuine ness of the man, how he wanted to create a good book that people wanted to read, and the accuracy of the writing which was all – important to him. The characters are big, bold and totally believable. The plots are relentless in their intensity and pace. Add to this the vast depth of his knowledge of police procedure, and you have a superb thriller.

If you have not read any of this series then start at the beginning, and you will have to read every one. If you are already a ‘Roy Grace’ follower, then it goe s without saying that this is a must , and be assured, you will not be disappointed.